Another TT thread. Bear with me.

milltown

I've only just begun toying with the idea of changing my car and before I get married for life to BMW, as I feel is inevitable, I wouldn't mind trying something different while I can. I've all but discounted the notion of owning an M3 while I'm young enough to enjoy it but old enough to insure it so I was thinking of an Audi TT.

I've an E46 320Ci at the moment which I'll either swap soon or keep for 3 or 4 years. It's a beautiful car and a very useable coupe. I've no bother getting my 2 to 4 year old (while I've had the car) in and out of the back either awake or asleep. I've another on the way but amn't too worried about the first year or so when the rock a tot will just be clipping in and out of the base.

So what I'm asking is:
Is the TT much smaller than the E46 coupé? (I'll also be needing a boot that can take a set of golf clubs and a trolley)
How useful/less are the back seats?
Is the 1.8T notably more fragile or frugal in 180 or 225bhp tune?
For the same road tax, would the 3.2 be any more or less expensive to run than the M3?
My car is an auto, there's 11 auto TTs on Carzone, total. I'd like to stick with an auto. What's the Audi auto box like? Would it make the trip north or east worthwhile to get an auto with the right spec?

-Chris-

milltown wrote: »

Is the TT much smaller than the E46 coupé? (I'll also be needing a boot that can take a set of golf clubs and a trolley)

If you fold down the rear seats you'll fit that stuff in, but not otherwise.

milltown wrote: »

How useful/less are the back seats?

Generally useless. Good for tiny people, but I wouldn't want to be trying to lean in and out of the rear regularly. Compared to the E46, it's tiny.

milltown wrote: »

Is the 1.8T notably more fragile or frugal in 180 or 225bhp tune?

Both roughly the same. That engine's been in so many power configurations, you're not going to find any reliability differences between them.

milltown wrote: »

For the same road tax, would the 3.2 be any more or less expensive to run than the M3?

It'll depreciate much more heavily than an M3, so that'll be a major cost, but if you're going several years old, someone else'll have taken most of that hit for you already.

milltown wrote: »

My car is an auto, there's 11 auto TTs on Carzone, total. I'd like to stick with an auto. What's the Audi auto box like? Would it make the trip north or east worthwhile to get an auto with the right spec?

The auto box in the 3.2 is a DSG which is a BRILLIANT gearbox.
It's tiptronic in the 1.8T - a bog-standard auto - not bad, not brilliant.

Cyrus

why would you not get an m3 milltown as matter of interest?

i wouldnt go for the old shape tt myself, not a great drive, more interesting rivals, mazda rx8, nissan 350z?

JHMEG

Could you not get an older M3, or something with serious poke like an RX7, 300ZX, or GTO. Dunno if I'd put the M3 and the TT in the same basket at all. TT is more of a microcar, and being based on the Golf, it's not a great handler.

milltown

Cyrus wrote: »

why would you not get an m3 milltown as matter of interest?

Far too common

No, I just have this feeling that the fuel and service bills would cripple me. The auto box was one of the main reasons I started buying BMW but hearing stories like Kin's about the SMG and it's potential bills I don't think I'd be able to sleep at night if I went SMG.

Mazda RXs = Fuel €€€. Oil €€
300ZX and GTO = 2 seats too few. Plasticky.

This isn't a tell me what to get thread, but thanks anyway. The TT is a car I like the look of, Audi are a marque I wouldn't mind trying out, but the small size I think has finished the TT as a possibility.

JHMEG

milltown wrote: »

300ZX and GTO = 2 seats too few.

Both are 2+2.

The back seats in both are a decent size, for kids.

milltown

JHMEG wrote: »

Both are 2+2.

The back seats in both are a decent size, for kids.

Yeah but you see, I erm, need a 6 seater coupé.
OK, I stand corrected

Anan1

I know you didn't ask, but what you really need is a Mercedes C43.:)

Cyrus

nope he needs a c32

there was a minter on carzone, if it hadnt to have been sold before i was looking it was a proper alternative to the m3

Anan1

I remember that car, it looked like a really good one. Bit plasticky compared to a C43, though. And don't tell me the C32 is a better drive - the OP's thinking about getting a TT.;)