Do TTs have bad reliability?

Not just TTs. I had a late 2002 S3 (225bhp) and had it breakdown 4 times in ten months and twenty thousand miles. Three times because of engine management failures and once for coilpacks. The local Audi garage couldn't fix it and Audi UK didn't help either. I ended up cancelling the lease because I couldn't trust it.

I heard of another S3 owner who over 18 m>I'm considering buying one and came across this site:

I had an S3 for just over 3 years and a TTC225 for 15 months, and I am due to collect my TTC V6 with DSG this week.

My S3 needed 2 DV changing - not really a problem, more an irritating noise - and a new rear control arm, which was a design problem with the early S3 (mine was bought in 1999). Others had coil pack problems, but I did not suffer from this.

My TTC225 (basically the same 1.8T engine as the S3) had no problems whatsoever - not even coil packs.

-- Doug Ramage

I wouldn't say so. Mine suffered from a pre-failed DV (common on the early cars, since fixed) and has an aftermarket Forge fitted.

The coil packs were replaced (without fault) under warranty.

Hasn't left me stranded (although I have had one case of window-drop, where the window half-opened [apparently common to all recent Audis], and a couple of cases where the internal unlock switch has refused to work [haven't been able to work that one out. It's point 12 on our spleling champion's list])

That's in 3.5 years, the last 2.5 of them with a chipped engine.

I'm guessing that Mr. Armstrong hasn't read the manual, or expressed his views reasonably - most of them sound like either a loose connection to the dash pod, or a faulty unit. Once is not reading the bit about resetting the window drop after the battery being disconnected (raise window, hold on to the switch for an additional second)

He may have an engine fault as well (but fails to mention whether the engine check light came on - it's in the manual). Hard to say - I've never had a car where turning the engine on /loses/ power ;o)

It's certainly the right era of car to suffer from those (resolved) coil pack problems.. sounds mainly like a major communication problem between himself and his dealer.

I drove a TT 180hp Quattro for 3 years, never had any real problems... only at some point the rpm-meter died, but it was replaced under warranty...

the coilpacks is a known problem (but not only for the TT). apparently there are 2 different brands of coilpacks, 1 from Bosch and the other from I think Hitachi or something like that. The Bosch ones were the unreliable ones if I remember it well, but never had that problem.

Also some people complained about their windows opening automaticaly, but never had any problems with that either.

Anyway, I consider it just as reliable as any other Audi. (= pretty reliable)

Dave

Nope, no problems at all during my 18 months with my 2002 TTC 225. So much so, my V6 3.2 DSG is now on order :-)

It really comes down to the fact that every car type of every manufacturer always manage to have a few "lemons" and that they always get publicised the most. Think of how many satisfied owners there are that you never here about.

HTH.

Very few issues with mine in 3+ years.

I have a heavily modded TT and run it hard several times of the year.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.

Big John