# Overall what is the deal with the TT RS steering?



## southpole12 (Mar 29, 2012)

I drove the TTS and I can tell it definitely has lighter steering than the BMW 335i that I currently have. Does the TTS have the same steering feel as the TT RS? I ordered my TT RS and now I am nervous about all this steering talk. I thought it would be significantly better on the TT RS. I know the new BMW's are going to this electronic steering also but I really like the steering on the 335i. Anyone with any information on this please chime in. Thanks in advance!


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## - Jeremy - (Feb 23, 2006)

southpole12 said:


> I drove the TTS and I can tell it definitely has lighter steering than the BMW 335i that I currently have. Does the TTS have the same steering feel as the TT RS? I ordered my TT RS and now I am nervous about all this steering talk. I thought it would be significantly better on the TT RS. I know the new BMW's are going to this electronic steering also but I really like the steering on the 335i. Anyone with any information on this please chime in. Thanks in advance!


The steering "lightness" is only at low speeds. That's a non-issue, really. It weights up very firmly past parking lot speeds.

What most people complain about is the lack of "feeling" or "communication" that the steering wheel transfers from the road to your hands. For example, when you drive over a pothole or a lump in the road or whatever, you can't feel it with your hands. Some cars, you can. People translate this to performance driving on a track where you can literally feel the tires chirping and gripping the pavement. In the TT RS, you don't feel this through your hands. You basically feel it through your butt instead. Personally, it doesn't bother me because I've never owned a Porsche or a Lotus. Basically, I don't know what I'm missing so I've never thought to care about it. I think I'd like to have a car like that, but it might be a while before I can afford one. 

More important to me is speed, grip and safety. I don't want to end up in the Armco, so I want a car that grips like hell and is predictable. I'm not a teenager, so I don't want to drift around corners or WalMart parking lots at 3am. I want to be able to head to the 'Ring and not worry about my ass end coming around the front of me into a Ferrari 458 on a corner. Maybe I'm getting old. I don't like surprises anymore.

- Jeremy -


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## JohnLZ7W (Nov 23, 2003)

- Jeremy - said:


> What most people complain about is the lack of "feeling" or "communication" that the steering wheel transfers from the road to your hands. For example, when you drive over a pothole or a lump in the road or whatever, you can't feel it with your hands. Some cars, you can. People translate this to performance driving on a track where you can literally feel the tires chirping and gripping the pavement. In the TT RS, you don't feel this through your hands. You basically feel it through your butt instead. Personally, it doesn't bother me because I've never owned a Porsche or a Lotus. Basically, I don't know what I'm missing so I've never thought to care about it. I think I'd like to have a car like that, but it might be a while before I can afford one.
> 
> - Jeremy -


It's way more than just feeling bumps in the road through the steering wheel and to me that's not really desirable anyway. It's more about having some sense about how much front end grip you have, are the tires starting to understeer, is there some road surface change that you should know about. This is all pretty much filtered out IMO and it makes it very hard to tell how hard you can push the front end on turn-in. 

The weighting of the steering feels artificial to me and isn't necessarily representative of what the tires and chassis are actually doing. You can drive around it by just trusting that you've got enough grip but I can't drive the RS with anywhere near the confidence I could with my mk1.


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## pal (Aug 16, 2000)

My 2008 3.2 TT has the exact same steering feel as you describe. Once you get used to the lightness at parking lot speeds, it weighs up nicely. But as Jeremy mentions, it is not "alive" like the BMW steering in my Z4MC that communicaes everything and tells you exatly what the tires are doing. You screw up and you end up going off; in the TT, I think it will mask and forgive a lot.

You can have just as much fun in both cars and the nice thing is that they are very different animals that challenge in different ways. The TT is also a very very livable daily driver- Inam almost getting used to effortless driving


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## DrDomm (Feb 16, 2003)

I kinda lean toward what Jeremy says. I've never driven a Porsche, either. Test drove an M3. I did 4 track events in my old TTS, and didn't suffer from the lighter steering. My Miata has manual steering, and that is definitely more communicative. But you'd never want to drive it around real streets.

My feeling is that the mediocre steering on the RS (or S) is overshadowed by the rest of the car. I've never thought to myself, "I hate this car for the steering". I actually think it's a pretty predictable car. Love it!


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## southpole12 (Mar 29, 2012)

Thanks for all the information!!!


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## Trbofly (Mar 20, 2012)

My issue is that the steering is too slow. My c63 had such a short lock to lock that it felt more agile. I wish the steering in my RS was just a bit quicker. Doesn't feel too light though.


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## GaBoYnFla (Oct 2, 2005)

I had a real issue with it when I first got the car. I came out of a 08 VW R32 which has a very thick steering wheel and nice feel. I got used to the light feel and the skinny wheel....and it's all worth it....TTS here. I do drive about 90% of the time with the SPORT mode on.....and 100% of the time, manually shifting the lightening quick DSG gearbox.


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## Stevelev (Mar 4, 2004)

GaBoYnFla said:


> I got used to the light feel and the skinny wheel...



No need to get used to the skinny wheel ....


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## joshsmith (Apr 17, 2011)

I really like how it lightens up heaps at parking speeds; it's just a nice little thing that makes life a little easier in a tight spot.. My BMW (before my R32) was horrible at any speed - the steering was heaving than anything I'd ever driven!!!


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## mageus (Sep 1, 2004)

DrDomm said:


> I've never thought to myself, "I hate this car for the steering".


I've come close when at the track (well, not 'hate', but . . .)

For daily driving the steering's great. Enough feel to communicate 'spirited' driving, but enough insulation to make it very livable.

Considering how amazing the rest of the car is, the steering is the one let-down for track days. You can't go to a new track and feel your way around it. You have to do laps upon laps, tweaking your braking and turn in, and gauging results more by exit speed than by feedback. For this aspect, an M3 or Porsche is much better.

That being said, I still wouldn't take any other car over this.


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## JimInSF (Jan 18, 2010)

I've spent time behind the wheel of M3s (test drives and several my brother owned) and Boxsters (test drives and my best friend's), and IMHO, the steering thing is only really relevant on the track, and a tradeoff against daily drivability at that. The same feel that gives you every pebble on the track also gives you that whether you want it or not when you're driving to work with a cup of coffee in your other hand - think about how hardcore you *REALLY* are on willingness to make a trade like this, and if you want that, consider an Elise! I haven't driven an RS to compare, but my TTS is plenty precise and not losing grip, front or rear, until you are driving at speeds that would be just stupid on public roads...


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## tdi-bart (Feb 10, 2011)

whoever wants more feel just drain some of your power steering fluid


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## JohnLZ7W (Nov 23, 2003)

tdi-bart said:


> whoever wants more feel just drain some of your power steering fluid


Sure drain it all, not like you're using it anyway


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## $øK (Sep 16, 2011)

It's boosted slightly too much. Not a huge deal. But when you see something so close to near perfection as a stock vehicle goes, it's hard to not to think about. One simple correction and then there's really nothing else to complain about. IMHO


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## mageus (Sep 1, 2004)

tdi-bart said:


> whoever wants more feel just drain some of your power steering fluid


While you're at it, don't forget to bleed the quattro reservoir for routine maintenance.


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## 996cab (Aug 13, 2011)

JohnLZ7W said:


> Sure drain it all, not like you're using it anyway


Interesting in this...I may give it a go...though my steering is just fine post much changes...tbh, the car is just damn fine for me.


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## pal (Aug 16, 2000)

I have got used to the steering and don't mind it much. That being said, my wife's 07 GTI has a tighter and more consistent steering feel. And some 06 GTI had steering controllers that could be programmed to be stiffer via VAG COM.

Since these are all MK5/6 platform components, I wonder if the electronic steering controller can be swapped out?


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## TT--AUDI--S4 (May 11, 2004)

My 2 cents... 

Porsche is the benchmark for steering. 

That said, there is nothing wrong with the TT RS steering for street, daily driving. If I could make a change it would only be to rid the boosted feel at parking lot speeds. 

Like your own children, I love the TT RS and love the Cayman S but recognize each have their strengths. 

If steering is that important to you, go drive a Porsche cayman s/r or 997.2 911, not the new 991 because that steering has been modified to be more like the TT RS.


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