# Any tips to look for on a 2012 used TTRS?



## mrvr6turbo1 (Feb 22, 2006)

Tomorrow I will test drive a 2012 TTRS with 11,000 miles. Any tips or issues I should look for other than the regular, Has it been crashed, paint, maintenance, engine oil leakage......Etc?

Respectfully,

mrvr6turbo1


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## CarbonRS (Jul 15, 2013)

Make sure it has the spare tire and emergency jack, these frequently go missing along with all the bits that go in the foam cutouts in the trunk. :sly:


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## mrvr6turbo1 (Feb 22, 2006)

lol....Good one! 


In all seriousness....I'll give you an example.

Once I bought a used car for my daughter and it caught fire 4 months later. Come to find out there was an issue with some cables touching the exhaust and a recall was out there but I did not know about it.

Things like this is what I am looking for. I have searched recalls on TTRS or problems with USA TTRS's but could not find major ones other than brakes making noise.

What better group to ask than the enthusiasts here.


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## steelcurtain (Mar 26, 2008)

mrvr6turbo1 said:


> lol....Good one!
> 
> 
> In all seriousness....I'll give you an example.
> ...


Check if it was previously chipped. If it was the clutch is probably toast! There is a TSB on the brakes so Audi will replace them for you since the car is under warranty. My TT-RS came with no spare tire and jack but instead had a compressed can of fix-a-flat and the air pump to use it. All OEM components. Maybe the tire and Jack are standard and mine were missing? I see Audi not providing that though to save weight.


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## JohnLZ7W (Nov 23, 2003)

mrvr6turbo1 said:


> Tomorrow I will test drive a 2012 TTRS with 11,000 miles. Any tips or issues I should look for other than the regular, Has it been crashed, paint, maintenance, engine oil leakage......Etc?
> 
> Respectfully,
> 
> mrvr6turbo1


It's actually kind of funny... I was ready to reply and then couldn't think of anything you would want to check. There's the timing chain rattle on cold starts but they pretty much all do that. The brakes squeal and there's the TSB out on it but again, that's not really a sign of trouble or that you should walk away.

There's have been some fuel delivery issues, pumps or something or other, so make sure that there are no misfires or hesitation while accelerating through 3rd gear and that it idles without any problems.


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## lpriley32 (Jul 28, 2012)

*there is an old tsb...*

for faulty transmission mounts. A nice clunking sound when changing gears under light acceleration in low gears is what I was experiencing. I had mine replaced a long time ago. Probably won't be an issue on anything you would purchase as I would assume if it was a problem then it would have been fixed by now. But, just a heads up.


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## mrvr6turbo1 (Feb 22, 2006)

steelcurtain said:


> Check if it was previously chipped. If it was the clutch is probably toast! There is a TSB on the brakes so Audi will replace them for you since the car is under warranty. My TT-RS came with no spare tire and jack but instead had a compressed can of fix-a-flat and the air pump to use it. All OEM components. Maybe the tire and Jack are standard and mine were missing? I see Audi not providing that though to save weight.


Thanks to all. So far APR says it has not been flashed with the specific VIN number. I have not checked Giac or Revo. I'll also check to see if the OEM run flat kit is in the back and if the brake TSB has been performed.

Once again thank you.


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## mrvr6turbo1 (Feb 22, 2006)

JohnLZ7W said:


> It's actually kind of funny... I was ready to reply and then couldn't think of anything you would want to check. There's the timing chain rattle on cold starts but they pretty much all do that. The brakes squeal and there's the TSB out on it but again, that's not really a sign of trouble or that you should walk away.
> 
> There's have been some fuel delivery issues, pumps or something or other, so make sure that there are no misfires or hesitation while accelerating through 3rd gear and that it idles without any problems.



Will check that. Thanks John. I usually test at very low speed, medium and then WOT. Sales guys complain I take a long time testing and checking the car out when it is a used one. I usually take them to an empty parking lot and do some figure 8 driving at low speed both moving forward and in reverse. You have no idea how many CV joints I have dealers replaced....lol




lpriley32 said:


> for faulty transmission mounts. A nice clunking sound when changing gears under light acceleration in low gears is what I was experiencing. I had mine replaced a long time ago. Probably won't be an issue on anything you would purchase as I would assume if it was a problem then it would have been fixed by now. But, just a heads up.



Hmmm...did not know about this one. Good to know. Do you think I could replicate it maybe going 40 mph in 3rd or 4th gear, letting the gas pedal go then pressing it lightly in order to make the engine rock back and forth?


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## Williamttrs (Mar 29, 2013)

Get both Key fobs and the backup plastic key. I believe key fobs are over $300 each. I am notorious for losing these suckers.


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## TTRStud (Jul 18, 2013)

1) With all accessories off (radio, ac/blower, etc) and windows up, get the car up to speed and let it coast in neutral from 60 mph down to 40 mph or so, and listen VERY CLOSELY for a whining sound. Perform this exercise multiple times. It's so faint that the dealer thought I was hearing things until the put the car on the lift and ran it up to speed using a stethoscope. Anyhow, it ended up being the output shaft bearing on the transmission - as a result, since Audi doesn't want dealers messing around much with these cars, the transmission was replaced instead of just replacing the bearing. 

2) Windows down, listen for a click sound on load shift (for example, move the car forward in first gear, come to a stop, put it in reverse, and when you start getting the car to move a loud click sound occurs; or vice versa, when you go from reverse to start moving forward). Mine even did it in-gear when I let it coast: accelerate, coast in gear (causes a load shift on the axles), accelerate again and a click could be heard. This is the result of the axle bolts not being tight enough and letting the spline move inside the hub when enough torque is applied. Interestingly, this was common on the Honda S2000 (of which I've owned quite a few examples), and the fix was a TSB that required extra torque to the axle nuts to prevent them from letting the spline move under load - even though I explained this clearly to the service folks at the Audi dealer from day 1, you don't want to imagine the amount of components they replaced without results. At the very end of my ownership, they said that Audi had become aware of the issue and that a new "grease" was being produced to prevent the loud click when the spline moves. Also, they torqued the axle bolts to a higher spec that was determined by Audi of America, which served as a remedy only for a few weeks. This is not a make it or break deal for most people, but it drove me nuts, specially on a $64k car.

3) If you're a person who expects excellence from a small car at this price point, I suggest you test drive it over rough surfaces. The glovebox components develop embarrassing rattles, as well as the ashtray compartment and even the rear-view mirror. Again, not a make it or break it deal, but very disappointing in my eyes. I've owned sports cars half (and even a quarter) of the price without these rattles. I realize it's a sports car with a stiff suspension setup, then again, I know there's better in the same category.

4) Timing chain rattle: as previously mentioned, common issue. I only experienced it once and my ownership was about 6 months long. I ran 10w60 oil (which is what Audi uses for the R8 GT) and this supposedly eliminates the rattle on cold starts. I purchased my car from an individual who had already switched to 10w60 given that it is a superior oil to what comes on the TTRS, so I can't speak as to how often these timing chain rattles occur.

5) Squeaky brakes: get the TSB done - free pads/rotors/calipers and no more squeaks…win/win/win situation.

Other than those, I experienced some cosmetic issues that were addressed and I don't see them as being crucial when making a purchase decision. Best of luck in your search, and make a wise purchase!


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## unclubbedvdub (Jul 19, 2002)

steelcurtain said:


> Check if it was previously chipped. If it was the clutch is probably toast! There is a TSB on the brakes so Audi will replace them for you since the car is under warranty. My TT-RS came with no spare tire and jack but instead had a compressed can of fix-a-flat and the air pump to use it. All OEM components. Maybe the tire and Jack are standard and mine were missing? I see Audi not providing that though to save weight.


I would be very hesitant to say that a clutch in the car is toast based solely on the information that the car has an ECU upgrade. Especially with the Stage 1 tunes, the power and torque are well within the clutch limits. 

Any person who understands clutch dynamics knows that clutch wear occurs upon slippage. So if anything a thorough background check of the previous drivers abilities and clutch use (even with a stock ECU tune) would give a potential buyer better insight into whether or not the clutch is "toast".

Perhaps I am being somewhat biased since I have a Stage 1 tuned TTRS and my clutch is in fantastic shape. But my advice to the OP is to see and drive the car in person to asses wear of such components. You may be able to get a Stage 1 tuned car for a good deal and save yourself the cash of this upgrade that really unlocks the true potential of this car/motor.


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## Ginovega (Jul 22, 2013)

*Transmission mount*



lpriley32 said:


> for faulty transmission mounts. A nice clunking sound when changing gears under light acceleration in low gears is what I was experiencing. I had mine replaced a long time ago. Probably won't be an issue on anything you would purchase as I would assume if it was a problem then it would have been fixed by now. But, just a heads up.


Sir my ttrs is doing the same way,I thought it's just normal noise, anyway , what did they replace?


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## OldKenzo (Aug 14, 2012)

unclubbedvdub said:


> I would be very hesitant to say that a clutch in the car is toast based solely on the information that the car has an ECU upgrade. Especially with the Stage 1 tunes, the power and torque are well within the clutch limits.
> 
> Any person who understands clutch dynamics knows that clutch wear occurs upon slippage. So if anything a thorough background check of the previous drivers abilities and clutch use (even with a stock ECU tune) would give a potential buyer better insight into whether or not the clutch is "toast".
> 
> Perhaps I am being somewhat biased since I have a Stage 1 tuned TTRS and my clutch is in fantastic shape. But my advice to the OP is to see and drive the car in person to asses wear of such components. You may be able to get a Stage 1 tuned car for a good deal and save yourself the cash of this upgrade that really unlocks the true potential of this car/motor.


I completely agree. I’ve been running Stage 2 even with occasional tanks of 100 octane and the 100 map, and have had zero clutch issues. I’m not launching the car from a stop either.


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## steelcurtain (Mar 26, 2008)

You guys should check out the clutch thread on this forum. I'm not alone. Of course it relies on the previous driver's handling of the clutch. Having it chipped just wears more if a bad driver. I bought mine used at 13k from a city driver who also chipped the car. (Didn't discover this till post-sale) Needless to say isn't clutch lasted 4k miles after I bought it. The clutches are weak in this car. Some people have issues under 20k, others don't. don't let that hold you back though; it's a great car.


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## mrvr6turbo1 (Feb 22, 2006)

Thank you guys. All of this information helped to pinpoint issues and dealer is taking responsibility.

This is how a good forum and great people in it work. I just wanted to let you know I am a proud owner of a 2012 Misano Red TTRS.

Once again thank you for all your posts. These examples were very good references.


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## dodongjuan (Feb 2, 2014)

Would be interested on this too.



Ginovega said:


> Sir my ttrs is doing the same way,I thought it's just normal noise, anyway , what did they replace?


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## JohnLZ7W (Nov 23, 2003)

mrvr6turbo1 said:


> Thank you guys. All of this information helped to pinpoint issues and dealer is taking responsibility.
> 
> This is how a good forum and great people in it work. I just wanted to let you know I am a proud owner of a 2012 Misano Red TTRS.



Congrats!!


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