# Just Test drove a 2002 TT.....



## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

HO....LY......CRAP!!

I instantly fell in love! 

I've been in the market for a decently price car with below average km's, decent storage area for my DJ gear (I play twice a week at a regularly paid gig), sporty, and something that doesn't take up a whole lot of space. I came across this gem a few days ago on kijiji and have been excited to see it since. Just signed the paper work to see if I get approved for financing.

It's a 2002 TT 225hp coupe with just over 120km. Thing hauls ass!! (Mind you, this will be the fastest car I've ever own.....

Curious to see what you guys think I got it for. First person to get close to the number, gets to ride shot gun  


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

It tends to be a love/hate relationship with TT's.

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> It tends to be a love/hate relationship with TT's.
> 
> Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk


Haha....yeah, I'm sure it will be frustrating at times! But in terms of being a sports car, it's actually quite practical. I wanted an AWD for winter (I live in Canada) so was looking at the A3, and A4 wagons. Nothing in my price range though with those cars so looked into the TT and it just makes sense. 


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## l88m22vette (Mar 2, 2006)

You'll be happy with the purchase, these cars take to driving and mods like a fish to water, and parts are as cheap as the classifieds and what most Jetta/Golf parts cost. Pics please :thumbup:


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

l88m22vette said:


> You'll be happy with the purchase, these cars take to driving and mods like a fish to water, and parts are as cheap as the classifieds and what most Jetta/Golf parts cost. Pics please :thumbup:


Id love to hear about your experience with mods and of course your recommendations. I am coming from an 86 jetta carat so this will be my first Audi / real sports car.

It's funny. The TT is faster and cheaper then most FWD A3's and it's a lot more car! Like I said, I was looking for AWD and enough cargo space to fit my gear in along with myself so I didn't even think to check out the TT. Plus, I am single, no family, and don't ever taxi any friends around so what's the point in having all that space that an A3 or A4 has? I did a random search for a TT one day convinced it would be way too much money but I was shocked to see the price on this one. It was also from a dealer quote close to home which is pretty rare in my neighbour hood. Most of the cars on the road here are Asian or American.

Once the deal is all signed off on and ownership is transferred, I will definitely share some photos with you guys. I haven't been able to sleep for two days now. The anticipation is killing me! Lol


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## l88m22vette (Mar 2, 2006)

Search for my username, most of my mod threads are old, I've been collecting parts since the Earth cooled. I've done bolt-ons, a tune, rear sway, and Haldex controller, and that makes for a well-rounded, stockish TT, but since the platform is shared with the R32 there is a lot of suspension knowledge to dig though, along with all the 1.8T info from the past decade and a half. Aside from here check out Audi-Sport, UK TT Forum, the 1.8T and mkIV R32 forums on Vortex, and a few others are a good place to start. 

At this point you're not going to see a ton of new development or parts coming out, but there is a robust amount of information to start sorting through. What you need to buy and do really depends on what you want to do with the car. What I mentioned above is pretty basic, so if you want a 400hp stroker or Auto-X king it'll take research and not just spending money on a bunch of stuff you won't use - I wish I would have skipped bolt-ons now, but to each their own. Have a plan, and I'd be hard-pressed to think of something that hasn't been covered at one point or another somewhere online.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

l88m22vette said:


> Search for my username, most of my mod threads are old, I've been collecting parts since the Earth cooled. I've done bolt-ons, a tune, rear sway, and Haldex controller, and that makes for a well-rounded, stockish TT, but since the platform is shared with the R32 there is a lot of suspension knowledge to dig though, along with all the 1.8T info from the past decade and a half. Aside from here check out Audi-Sport, UK TT Forum, the 1.8T and mkIV R32 forums on Vortex, and a few others are a good place to start.
> 
> At this point you're not going to see a ton of new development or parts coming out, but there is a robust amount of information to start sorting through. What you need to buy and do really depends on what you want to do with the car. What I mentioned above is pretty basic, so if you want a 400hp stroker or Auto-X king it'll take research and not just spending money on a bunch of stuff you won't use - I wish I would have skipped bolt-ons now, but to each their own. Have a plan, and I'd be hard-pressed to think of something that hasn't been covered at one point or another somewhere online.


Awesome! Will do.

I just heard back from the dealer. Financing is all good to go. Pick up the car Tuesday. Photos to come..... :thumbup::laugh:


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Well, I stopped by the dealer today to drop of my plates. She is getting safetied and will be ready for me Monday. Snapped a few shots for all of you with my phone until I get her home.

Enjoy!
























































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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

Very nice. Welcome.

Wish mine was black.

Now all you need to do is get a second job.

You will be 3grand into in modds by the end of the year.

Lol

Buy my parts 

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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

Tune
Turbo back
Turbo inlet and diverter valve 
Suspension.

If you plan on ever going with a bigger turbo dont do any modds save your money then do it all at once.

About 5 to 6k will get it done for turbo rodds and a tune

Another 1 to 2k for suspension

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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

Motoza tune
42dd exhuast
Madmax dv
Badger tip
42dd intake
Kw or bilstein coils 
Madmax rear arms
Defcon and powerflex rose jointed control arm bushings

That list right there will run you about 5k. 

Will make for a nice daily 

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> Very nice. Welcome.
> 
> Wish mine was black.
> 
> ...


Already have two jobs and an income property!! Lol...guess I meet the criteria to own an Audi!! Lol

Ya I am glad it is black but it wasn't my first choice. Was hoping to find one in the blue colour these things came in but the price and km's were just too good to pass up in with this car. Only has 120km

And thanks for the welcome! Not gonna lie, feels really good. This care is a timeless piece and I feel like it is a good piece of history to have. It's audis first "sports car" since their Quattro! That's something to be proud of. 

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> Motoza tune
> 42dd exhuast
> Madmax dv
> Badger tip
> ...


Awesome tips! Only thing I'll be doing for now is getting snow tires. Winter season is approaching so want to make sure I'm set. We'll see how much is saved for next year but think new shoes and suspension for sure for next summer first, then look in to performance mods.

Will 19's mess with the speedo? Or are they doable on the TT? Hoping to find some nice oem rims.


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

19's for looks 17's for performance 

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> 19's for looks 17's for performance
> 
> Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk


So 18's for a bit of both.... 


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

recaro19 said:


> So 18's for a bit of both....
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Lots of good rubber choices in 17 also less weight 

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> Lots of good rubber choices in 17 also less weight
> 
> Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk


To be honest, I'm really happy that this one came with the "fat five" rims. I enjoy the look of them. Got a company out here that will re-finish them for a decent price. Probably go with an all black polish.


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## tucsonTT (Sep 11, 2016)

Sweet!! I live in Arizona and just picked up one exactly like that last week. Has 92K on it. I noticed some issues right away that I did not initially see/find on initial inspection. (Got it private party) First main thing was I did not realize brake light sensor was broke. So I drove it for two days before I realized I had no brake lights. Thank goodness I am a bit particular when things dont work. Was driving on the highway and could not get CC to engage, a quick search here revealed the culprit (brake light sensor). Went to local auto store and picked one up for 5 dollars, followed the simple instructions that many people have posted here on Vortex, and was good to go in 45 minutes. 

Also the driver side door sensor is not working, another 5 dollar part has been picked up, just have not dove into doing it yet. Also my center LCD display is going out so I need a rebuild eventually. But these are all things I knew could potentially happen. (I did know Lucky for me though previous owner did all 100,000 mile warranty work before selling. So that was 2G job I did not have to do, AND the timing belt was changed, which would have been a deal breaker for me if it had not been done. 

So obviously there are these weird quirky electrical and sensor issues that can pop up, but plenty of info here to get the job done in a more affordable way. One other thing my Quattro was purchased as a NON daily driver, I want to do some moderate updates like tune, exhaust, and new shoes, and will invest in a custom paint job (current paint has issues from being in vegas and phoenix the last 10 years). I know I will never get the money out of it, but I did not buy car to sell in a few years also. I just happened to luck out and get into a low milage TT with some cosmetic issue, solid engine (with 100K work done), and immaculate interior all under 6K.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

tucsonTT said:


> Sweet!! I live in Arizona and just picked up one exactly like that last week. Has 92K on it. I noticed some issues right away that I did not initially see/find on initial inspection. (Got it private party) First main thing was I did not realize brake light sensor was broke. So I drove it for two days before I realized I had no brake lights. Thank goodness I am a bit particular when things dont work. Was driving on the highway and could not get CC to engage, a quick search here revealed the culprit (brake light sensor). Went to local auto store and picked one up for 5 dollars, followed the simple instructions that many people have posted here on Vortex, and was good to go in 45 minutes.
> 
> Also the driver side door sensor is not working, another 5 dollar part has been picked up, just have not dove into doing it yet. Also my center LCD display is going out so I need a rebuild eventually. But these are all things I knew could potentially happen. (I did know Lucky for me though previous owner did all 100,000 mile warranty work before selling. So that was 2G job I did not have to do, AND the timing belt was changed, which would have been a deal breaker for me if it had not been done.
> 
> So obviously there are these weird quirky electrical and sensor issues that can pop up, but plenty of info here to get the job done in a more affordable way. One other thing my Quattro was purchased as a NON daily driver, I want to do some moderate updates like tune, exhaust, and new shoes, and will invest in a custom paint job (current paint has issues from being in vegas and phoenix the last 10 years). I know I will never get the money out of it, but I did not buy car to sell in a few years also. I just happened to luck out and get into a low milage TT with some cosmetic issue, solid engine (with 100K work done), and immaculate interior all under 6K.


Congrats man! I'm assuming that 92k is in miles? In Canada we go by KM's so 120k is 120000 km. Still a decent price for what you got! I spent a bit more but the mileage is very low for it's year. Comes out to just over 8000 km per year if you do the math. Also came with a ken wood touch screen DVD player and entertainment unit.

The only flaw I noticed was that the right passenger side front fender was repainted. Nothing came up on the vin as an accident but there was a note about some damage with a 0 dollar amount. From what I understand, someone scratched the car while it was parked in a lot and the previous owner had work done to it. Other then that, everything drove great. Steering was straight and didn't notice anything off that would indicate it was in an accident. Lines on all the joints were straight as well.

I asked about the timings belt and wasn't really sure if it had been done or not. I did some more research h and apparently the belt should be done every 75000 miles (around 120 km) from what I read so this car is due for a change. Texted to see if he will take care of it while the safety is done and if not to knock off some more on the deal to compensate for the job. Haven't heard back from him yet but hoping he gives me a few hundred off. Other then that, the Haldex system was serviced and he has the paper work for it, and he is replacing some of the suspension bushings that came back on the safety inspection.

This car will be a daily for me but I do plan on taking good care of her this winter. Preventive options like rust proofing and car washes hopefully will help avoid any incidents this winter. I have an 86 jetta that I was going to be fixing up but I just couldn't pass up on this deal. Might do what I have to to get her fixed up and use that as a winter car but it too is in mint condition. I think the Audi should be fine as long as I give a proper wash every week. My commute to work also isn't very far (probably under a 2 km drive as my home is extremely close to work) so I won't be exposed to highway sludge, dirt, and salt unless I'm road tripping into the city. Plus no point in having an AWD if you aren't going to drive it year round!

Also, let's see some pics of yours!! Keep me posted with any work you do and other findings you come across!


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## tucsonTT (Sep 11, 2016)

Yeah find out for sure regarding TB change. And yes 92 thousand miles on it. I have researched my vehicle for Haldex change but can not see one done. Will go to my local german car shop and see if they can give me some answers to that. They upgraded my system to a Sony Xplod. Maybe not my first choice in after market stereo, but it has Iphone/Ipod hook up, plus it charges my Iphone, and heck it sounds really good with the Bose speakers. They gave me the original radio, but I have not clue what to do with the 6 disk changer behind my seat. Should probably just pull it. 

Real quick story.....I never considered a TT, not sure why just did not think about it, I was looking into either a MKV GTI or 08R32. Then I was bored and randomly started looking up cars, went A4 first then A6, and decided to look for a TT in the local area. No many available, but what I saw I really liked, just fell in love and never looked back.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

tucsonTT said:


> Yeah find out for sure regarding TB change. And yes 92 thousand miles on it. I have researched my vehicle for Haldex change but can not see one done. Will go to my local german car shop and see if they can give me some answers to that. They upgraded my system to a Sony Xplod. Maybe not my first choice in after market stereo, but it has Iphone/Ipod hook up, plus it charges my Iphone, and heck it sounds really good with the Bose speakers. They gave me the original radio, but I have not clue what to do with the 6 disk changer behind my seat. Should probably just pull it.
> 
> Real quick story.....I never considered a TT, not sure why just did not think about it, I was looking into either a MKV GTI or 08R32. Then I was bored and randomly started looking up cars, went A4 first then A6, and decided to look for a TT in the local area. No many available, but what I saw I really liked, just fell in love and never looked back.


Yeah, I'm suppose to pick up the car tomorrow so will see what happens. I'll keep you updated.

Definitely pull the disc changer. The car itself still looks the part in today's modern world, but I would say that disc changers are definitely a thing of the past worthy of museum status. Put up on the shelf beside you VHS and cassette players 

I didn't have time to check into the ken wood head unit because I was too eager to drive the car, but it's seemed pretty neat. Will have to play with it more tomorrow. 

You know, it's funny you mention your quick story. It's a bit scary as well because I was in the exact same boat! Was searching for a GTI or A3 but everything I was finding was too far for me to make time to see so I was getting frustrated. One day (like you) I condensed my search and just typed in Audi in my local area on kijiji and BAM! The TT showed up. I always loved this car as a teenager but some how I had completely forgotten about it until this random search. I was pretty set and made arrangements to go see it. 

Funny how similar our stories are, AND how we bought the exact same car!! Lol

Nice looking ride btw!! 

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## tucsonTT (Sep 11, 2016)

recaro19 said:


> Yeah, I'm suppose to pick up the car tomorrow so will see what happens. I'll keep you updated.
> 
> Definitely pull the disc changer. The car itself still looks the part in today's modern world, but I would say that disc changers are definitely a thing of the past worthy of museum status. Put up on the shelf beside you VHS and cassette players
> 
> ...


Thanks Recaro! I did find one thing you need to fix on your (I need to fix it on mine too!!) 

The pic you took of the rear seats show the First Aid Kit door open. In my car they are both open also (driver side is where the CD player is at) Any ways if you get the car here is an easy fix for them. I have yet to do it. 

http://www.audiforums.com/forum/aud...tment-convertible-tt-wont-stay-closed-124886/


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

tucsonTT said:


> Thanks Recaro! I did find one thing you need to fix on your (I need to fix it on mine too!!)
> 
> The pic you took of the rear seats show the First Aid Kit door open. In my car they are both open also (driver side is where the CD player is at) Any ways if you get the car here is an easy fix for them. I have yet to do it.
> 
> http://www.audiforums.com/forum/aud...tment-convertible-tt-wont-stay-closed-124886/


No problem! And yeah I will keep you posted on what happens. Suppose to pick it up today but haven't heard from the guy yet. I'm assuming he is working on getting the car safetied and registering the details so I can drive it home today.

As for the first aid box, I didn't even notice that. I'll have to check it over!! Thanks for the update.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Ok so a bit of an update. Car is still being safetied and pick up has be delayed till tomorrow. I asked about the timing belt and apparently Audi says 100 000 miles but other sources say 75000. Either way, not much I can do and the guy won't budge on getting it repaired so going to try and have a chat with him tomorrow about knocking a few hundred off to compensate for the cost.

I am going to be driving the car out to my mechanic friend who specializes in German cars on Saturday to have him have a go over but looks like I'll be doing the timing belt myself.

Fingers crossed I get a bit of a reduction in price....




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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

Great looking car. I still get compliments on mine regularly, people love these. I stop to pick up a pizza yesterday and a guy walking out is talking to me saying "I love those cars". Between my TT and my Boxster that I get compliments on every time I go out, especially from women as men pretend they only like 911s, I have less than $6k in both cars combined purchase price but I get more compliments than when I drive my $48k 4Runner which I get none with LOL.
The timing belt is no biggie, couple hours and a couple hundred bucks. I am guessing you are paying around $3500-4k for that car so it is unlikely the owner will throw that in as it would cost him around $600 to get it done at a shop.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

.......


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> Great looking car. I still get compliments on mine regularly, people love these. I stop to pick up a pizza yesterday and a guy walking out is talking to me saying "I love those cars". Between my TT and my Boxster that I get compliments on every time I go out, especially from women as men pretend they only like 911s, I have less than $6k in both cars combined purchase price but I get more compliments than when I drive my $48k 4Runner which I get none with LOL.
> The timing belt is no biggie, couple hours and a couple hundred bucks. I am guessing you are paying around $3500-4k for that car so it is unlikely the owner will throw that in as it would cost him around $600 to get it done at a shop.


I wish I paid 4K! 

Spent a bit more but the car is in immaculate condition. Plus, lowest miles I could find. Also, in Canada so price is a bit different here. I did a comparison search though and found that this was the only TT that had the lowest mileage. Others that were sitting at around 160-170k were 4-5 thousand more!

I definitely got a good deal but not a 3500-4K deal 

As for the timing belt, yeah I looked into it more and the kits aren't to bad. Only problem is finding everything in Canada for a decent price!! Lol. A buddy of mine specializes in vw and Audi so going to be taking it to him this Saturday to have a look.

As for looks, this car definitely hasn't aged. It's a timeless piece that still looks like a modern car. I always loved this car and remember it being my main ride in need for speed underground 2 on Xbox back in the day!! Had posters all over my room but was way to expensive in my teenage years to buy. It's an awesome feeling. Just can't wait to get the exhaust upgrades and put on some nicer shoes and lower suspension.

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## Lorem (Nov 19, 2003)

I love my TT/"R"32!

Welcome to the money piTT!


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Lorem said:


> I love my TT/"R"32!
> 
> Welcome to the money piTT!


Hahaha....this will be my second money pit! First money put is an 86 jetta carat which I haven't had running for over 2 years 

At least the TT will run and be a daily for me!! Lol


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Alright.....so, was suppose to pick the car up Monday. Called today and they are still waiting for springs from Audi so no car yet 

The anticipation is killing me!!


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## tucsonTT (Sep 11, 2016)

HAHA thats kinda a good feeling. The problem is when you get it you want to do everything at once. 

:thumbup:


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

tucsonTT said:


> HAHA thats kinda a good feeling. The problem is when you get it you want to do everything at once.
> 
> :thumbup:


Yeah it is. You are right!

Finally got the call today. Pick her up tomorrow!! Apparently the spring was cracked in the back that was causing noise so delays from Audi parts was setting the timeline back. 

Emission test and registration will be done first thing tomorrow and will be ready for pick up after I'm done work.

More photos to come!


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

tucsonTT said:


>


I actually just notice something different about our cars. My front bumper has a piece that goes across the front but yours doesn't..... it's almost like another bumper on top of the face of the front end. Any idea why? Was it a different model or an add on option?


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## tucsonTT (Sep 11, 2016)

recaro19 said:


> I actually just notice something different about our cars. My front bumper has a piece that goes across the front but yours doesn't..... it's almost like another bumper on top of the face of the front end. Any idea why? Was it a different model or an add on option?


Send me a pic when you get it. I am a bit confused on what your talking about.


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## punchbug (Jul 15, 2000)

tucsonTT said:


> Send me a pic when you get it. I am a bit confused on what your talking about.




Mine has it too ( mine's a 2003 225q) and an American former TT owner noticed the extra "bumper on the bumper". I wonder if it is a Canadian thing. I was sort of the same as you. Into new Beetle number two ( the second was a rough one but tit was here when the first one died of old age). Didn't like any of the new VWs. My brother works at a large used car lot ( all off-lease under-three-year-old vans/SUVs/sedans) and this TT came in on the "as is" lot. as a trade in So he asked me about it and I thought OMG why would I go look at a 13 year old car that will cost me a fortune for unobtanium Audi parts? But I got asking around and they are supposed to be pretty problem free, so I went for a test drive and was doomed to give her any little bauble that she wants. She shares the stable with my 88 F150 and three Sciroccos, and I am glad she speaks Hungarian. These cars chat and all want things that the others got (one year they all wanted transmission rebuilds...) Anyway, I am used to the "old Germanish car" deal, and am so far really happy with mine. This will be the daily I was looking for in the new VW fleet and was failing to find. Fun, tossable, AWD, decent on gas, lots of options if I decide not to stay stock. At what I paid, I feel like I stole it. And the interior is a work of art. Mine's Dolomite grey metallic. 

Oh, don't forget that many on this board are talking about US dollars. If you do the exchange (divide what yours listed at by about 1.30) the price will be close to the range suggested. Mine would have been $5700 USD which was the second cheapest a Google search turned up in Ontario at the time. It needed back brakes for safety but is perfect otherwise (but was due for a Haldex service soon after I got it).


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## punchbug (Jul 15, 2000)

Here is a picture of the front of mine ( only one I have uploaded). You can see the extra bump that the license plate is attached to. And BTW, the house is for sale, listing with Royal LePage


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

tucsonTT said:


> Send me a pic when you get it. I am a bit confused on what your talking about.






























They are a bit hard to see because the car is black, but it's two extra pieces of trim on the front and rear bumpers.



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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

punchbug said:


> Mine has it too ( mine's a 2003 225q) and an American former TT owner noticed the extra "bumper on the bumper". I wonder if it is a Canadian thing. I was sort of the same as you. Into new Beetle number two ( the second was a rough one but tit was here when the first one died of old age). Didn't like any of the new VWs. My brother works at a large used car lot ( all off-lease under-three-year-old vans/SUVs/sedans) and this TT came in on the "as is" lot. as a trade in So he asked me about it and I thought OMG why would I go look at a 13 year old car that will cost me a fortune for unobtanium Audi parts? But I got asking around and they are supposed to be pretty problem free, so I went for a test drive and was doomed to give her any little bauble that she wants. She shares the stable with my 88 F150 and three Sciroccos, and I am glad she speaks Hungarian. These cars chat and all want things that the others got (one year they all wanted transmission rebuilds...) Anyway, I am used to the "old Germanish car" deal, and am so far really happy with mine. This will be the daily I was looking for in the new VW fleet and was failing to find. Fun, tossable, AWD, decent on gas, lots of options if I decide not to stay stock. At what I paid, I feel like I stole it. And the interior is a work of art. Mine's Dolomite grey metallic.
> 
> Oh, don't forget that many on this board are talking about US dollars. If you do the exchange (divide what yours listed at by about 1.30) the price will be close to the range suggested. Mine would have been $5700 USD which was the second cheapest a Google search turned up in Ontario at the time. It needed back brakes for safety but is perfect otherwise (but was due for a Haldex service soon after I got it).


Hey thanks for joining the conversation! Nice to see a fellow Canadian who's also into the German money pits! Lol

Yeah I thought it was standard but every TT I've seen has the simple flat rounded bumper. Was just curious.

On the front, there is a piece that looks like it maybe comes off to allow for this extra piece of trim to come on. It may have been an option or something. Either way, just another cool thing about the car that will probably end up being a rarity down the road!

Definitely right about that conversion rate too!! We get it up the butt here. Any ideas on where to get parts for decent price? Where are you located?

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

punchbug said:


> Here is a picture of the front of mine ( only one I have uploaded). You can see the extra bump that the license plate is attached to. And BTW, the house is for sale, listing with ReMax.


Nice! Good looking colour. Black rims would make it look very mean.

How much for the house? Will you trade for a Audi TT? 


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## punchbug (Jul 15, 2000)

recaro19 said:


> Nice! Good looking colour. Black rims would make it look very mean.
> 
> How much for the house? Will you trade for a Audi TT?
> 
> ...



Well, I don't need another TT, so no trade on the house, sorry. I'm on Lake Erie's north shore. And I would like to put my old bug rims (ADR Demonyas) on the TT and they fit fine till the brakes got done. The new pads added just enough thickness that there is an offset issue, so I will have to source spacers. Bug in pic below:


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## tucsonTT (Sep 11, 2016)

Agh I see it now. Yeah that is odd, must be a canadian thing. I am assuming you picked it up Recaro? Nice bug BTW Punchbug!!


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## punchbug (Jul 15, 2000)

tucsonTT said:


> Agh I see it now. Yeah that is odd, must be a canadian thing. I am assuming you picked it up Recaro? Nice bug BTW Punchbug!!


Yeah, I miss that bug (1999 TDI), we had 14 years of epic fun together, but the engine died from yet undetermined causes (guessing a valve went boom into a piston). She went to my buddy's private VW rest home, where her parts will live on. She was getting too "feature-filled" to revive from the engine failure, but we will do an *auto*psy. Seems appropriate on an *auto*mobile. :laugh: Bug #2 was not as well loved, so it was not hard to swap her for the TT.


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## l88m22vette (Mar 2, 2006)

That's a Canadian-spec bumper add-on, the US has 5mph bumpers but Canada had 2.5mph bumper regs, they were just recently dropped.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

punchbug said:


> Well, I don't need another TT


You can never have enough TT's 


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

tucsonTT said:


> Agh I see it now. Yeah that is odd, must be a canadian thing. I am assuming you picked it up Recaro? Nice bug BTW Punchbug!!


Yes sir! I've been watching the gas meter jump down since I got her. So hard to stay off the boost!! F'in love this car. So fun and rigid. It's the fastest car I've ever owned at this point.

Found a few very minor issues. The back trunk lid liner is sagging. Have to take it off and re glew/fix it, the first aid box DOES in fact stay open..I heard magnets work best, and my glove box clips broke where the cylinder attaches. Why the heck did audi make all connection points plastic when the car is full of brushed aluminum!! Also noticing that the glovebox lock/opener is loose and most likely going to break. I think I'll be in the market for a new box soon.

I also noticed some creaking and squeaking the first day but it seems to have gone away. I'm assuming it's most like sway bar bushings or control arm bushings. With the start of fluctuating temperature here in Canada it's seems to be a normal thing.

My radio was a nice surprise. The factory unit was replaced with a kenwood kvt 516 touch screen so was pretty happy to see that. I have no idea how to use it and the sound is off right now so need to sort out audio at some point. The car didn't come with the Bose upgrade so probably do a full update on speakers.

Question on gas. I put 94 octane for now but is it safe to use 91? Which is better?

On my way to my mechanic now to see about a tune up and timing belt service.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

l88m22vette said:


> That's a Canadian-spec bumper add-on, the US has 5mph bumpers but Canada had 2.5mph bumper regs, they were just recently dropped.


Cool! Do you know of any other differences between us and Canadian cars? Are they pretty minor or was there anything else?


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

Congrats man. Wait until you get a tune and downpipe really wakes the car up.

I also recomend you seafoam it a bottle in the tank and can threw the throttle body

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> Congrats man. Wait until you get a tune and downpipe really wakes the car up.
> 
> I also recomend you seafoam it a bottle in the tank and can threw the throttle body
> 
> Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk


Thanks man! Each tunes will be a while. Actually got some good news and bad news.....

The guy I bought it from said it passed safety but upon further inspection by my mechanic, the rear Spring is cracked on the driver side, and the tires are cracked and wearing in evenly. In Ontario these are automotive fails so will he going back to the seller about it. BIG DEAL!!

also, timing belt is super loose. My mechanic was shocked that nothing has happened yet. I drove 150km to get here with no problems but he was very scared to let me drive off with it so....she'll be staying with him to get repaired this week. Parts are going to be about 250 plus labour but I'm just happy my mechanic is honest and is telling me to not drive it.

Update you with what happens after I talk to the seller!!


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

punchbug said:


> Here is a picture of the front of mine ( only one I have uploaded). You can see the extra bump that the license plate is attached to. And BTW, the house is for sale, listing with ReMax.


My wife asked me if you can
post the link for the listing of the house

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## punchbug (Jul 15, 2000)

jsmith2015 said:


> My wife asked me if you can
> post the link for the listing of the house
> 
> Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk


Should be up Monday. Just google Royal LePage Haldimand properties. I will toss a link up once I get it. Sorry for the off topic bandwidth. Some proceeds of the sale will go to worthy Audi TTs. Or one of them anyway.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

punchbug said:


> Should be up Monday. Just google Royal LePage Haldimand properties. I will toss a link up once I get it. Sorry for the off topic bandwidth. Some proceeds of the sale will go to worthy Audi TTs. Or one of them anyway.




.5% cut is taken and donated to he forums each time the house sale is mentioned...just an FYI

Anyways, off I go.....the TT is undergoing a belt transplant this week so this is the last time I will see her for a few days. Back to my crummy 2000 Civic.... 

Today we: 

- inspected the whole car and found the issues listed in my previous post
- replaced a bunch of the clips for the plastic pieces on the under body.
- sprayed all the nuts and bolts to penetrate some of the rust to make it easier for future repairs.

This week new timing belt, water pump, tensioner, and pulleys will be ordered and having all the fluids checked as well. Hopefully I'll have an update with the dealer on returned funds so I can order the replacement springs that are needed in the rear.

Fingers crossed I don't have to escalate to the MTO and the dealer is easy going.






































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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Update:

Andre and his awesome team at Eco-Wagens in Newmarket, Ontario sent me a few snaps today of the timing belt job. These guys are absolutely awesome. Never met a group of mechanics so obsessed with Audi and VW. 




























And the infamous cheap plastic impeller Audi chose to use on these magnificent machines. The plastic broke off while the guys were taking it out. Just goes to show how cheap these pieces are and why it's so important to get them changed!!










New water pump with metal impeller. What an upgrade. It's these small things that count!










Shot from the bottom...










Anyways, is highly recommend these guys if you are in the GTA. You know you found the right mechanic when you can chat cars for 8 hours straight! Andre also made sure I didn't drive or start the car again after he checked the timing belt. Guy even drove me home which is an hour and half away (he was heading in that direction)! Now that's amazing service!

Here is their website: www.eco-wagens.com


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## mdjenkins (Feb 16, 2010)

recaro19 said:


>


Is it just me or does that exhaust look sketch


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

mdjenkins said:


> Is it just me or does that exhaust look sketch


Well...it is factory from 2002 so I would assume it looks sketch after 14 years. Lol..it will be going soon.


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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

mdjenkins said:


> Is it just me or does that exhaust look sketch


That is what they all look like which is why most of us choose to replace them


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> That is what they all look like which is why most of us choose to replace them


Yeah I just bought the car so not in a rush to do it yet. Winter is also upon us here in Canada so will be waiting till spring. 

Right now doing preventive maintenance. Timing belt was priority number one and thank goodness I brought it in when I did. Andre (mechanic at Eco-Wagens) said it was the most play he's ever seen on a belt and that it basically fell off on its own.

Record of the Haldex service was in the service record book. Was done at 117k so only thing that's left is to take it back to the dealer who apparently safetied the car and get the suspension and tire issues sorted out.

May do a tune over the winter of Eco-wagons gets hooked up as a dealer. Anyone used or tried Malone? I think they are from out west here in Canada.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

When your car has been at the shop all week and your mechanic teases you with this.....











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## tucsonTT (Sep 11, 2016)

recaro19 said:


> When your car has been at the shop all week and your mechanic teases you with this.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Haha awesome!! I have so many plans for mine, it's going to be a long process!! 


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## ramone23456 (Dec 29, 2009)

What's wrong with your center display? It's readable...


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

ramone23456 said:


> What's wrong with your center display? It's readable...


Hahaha! 

Probably the only TT on the planet with a working centre console.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

tucsonTT said:


> Haha awesome!! I have so many plans for mine, it's going to be a long process!!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


As do I. Not going to crazy though. I'm a big fan of keeping cars oem. 

I still have to take the car back to the original mechanic who did the safety. My after purchase inspection brought up a lot of questionable items which I'm looking to be compensated for. Main thing was a cracked rear spring and 10 year old tires with cracks, bulges, and tread about a mm away from the tires tread line. I knew the tires were old but it's these little things I didn't know about.

Only other plans for right now are Krown rust proofing (an oil spray for winter) and winter tires.

Spring time I will be doing a suspension overhaul with new bushings all around, shocks, and springs. Still deciding on which way to go though (coil overs or blisten shocks and h&r springs). A tune is in the books as well but probably through a new clutch in first before doing anything performance wise. Oh and exhaust....lol. 

I don't want to slam my car but I don't want to close up the wheel gap a bit. A bit scared of coil overs too because of how easily they get seized. Open to suggestions!!


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## tucsonTT (Sep 11, 2016)

Here is my list.....

1) Tint (I live in AZ....mandatory)
2) I need an extra key
3) Fix Cluster Gauge
4) Wheels (18") 
5) Tune +Diverter Valve (APR probably)
6) DownPipe and Exhaust
7) Was going to completely repaint car, now I have decided to do a 3M car wrap and see how that goes for a few years, then decided if a custom paint job is worth my time or not.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Fantastic list tusconTT. I'm actually finding my suspension is pretty rough. Need to get on with starting my repair list for spring. 

Looking at doing a full suspension overall. New bushings and linkage along with the shocks and springs/coilovers.

Also, maybe I just got used to the speed of the car but I'm finding it wants to do more buts gets held back. Would this be because of the factory tune limiting the output?


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

recaro19 said:


> Fantastic list tusconTT. I'm actually finding my suspension is pretty rough. Need to get on with starting my repair list for spring.
> 
> Looking at doing a full suspension overall. New bushings and linkage along with the shocks and springs/coilovers.
> 
> ...


Shameless soliciting on my part but i have a brand new set of front and rear control arm bushes i need to sell unfortunately. Solid derlin defcon fronts and power flex rose jointed rears as well as an extra set of control arms with nubs. 

Thankfully my coilovers just sold.

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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

And yest could be the tune they like more boost and timing. Do some new coil packs and check the wiring, also some new plugs wouldn't be a bad idea.

First things first though if you arr going to own a TT a vacom is pretty much a requirement 

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## [email protected] (Mar 28, 2016)

recaro19 said:


> Yeah I just bought the car so not in a rush to do it yet. Winter is also upon us here in Canada so will be waiting till spring.
> 
> Right now doing preventive maintenance. Timing belt was priority number one and thank goodness I brought it in when I did. Andre (mechanic at Eco-Wagens) said it was the most play he's ever seen on a belt and that it basically fell off on its own.
> 
> ...


We are from Canada, the guy typing owns a 1.8T A4, and has done quite a bit to it, but tested lots of tunes stock, and along the way. 

You'll find our tunes are adapted for our fuel ( it sucks compared the US fuel ) and we can ensure after you've done the tune and send us some logs we are getting what you want out of the motor. 

Thanks,


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> And yest could be the tune they like more boost and timing. Do some new coil packs and check the wiring, also some new plugs wouldn't be a bad idea.
> 
> First things first though if you arr going to own a TT a vacom is pretty much a requirement
> 
> Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk


Sorry for being such a newb, but what is a vacom? Only has the car for a few weeks now and got a head full of knowledge from my mechanic. Would love an explanation along with any other info you can give.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> We are from Canada, the guy typing owns a 1.8T A4, and has done quite a bit to it, but tested lots of tunes stock, and along the way.
> 
> You'll find our tunes are adapted for our fuel ( it sucks compared the US fuel ) and we can ensure after you've done the tune and send us some logs we are getting what you want out of the motor.
> 
> Thanks,


Awesome!

I spoke with Andre at Eco-Wagens and he was the one who dropped your company name when I did my timing belt. Give him a call back so I can get a tune from you guys!

He told me more about what you guys do when I picked up my car and I'd love to rep a Canadian brand. Also, what fuel do you recommend? I'm running petro Canada 91 right now.


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

Vagcom is diagnostic sofware and cable

http://www.ross-tech.com

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> Vagcom is diagnostic sofware and cable
> 
> http://www.ross-tech.com
> 
> Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk


A bit overkill for my skill level. I leave the heavy diagnostics to my head mechanic.

In other news, I scraped a curb today and put a little dent in my rocker panel.... 

Not huge, but still a pain to know I did it. A white scrape along the bottom to. Yet another thing to the list of fixes!

Started sourcing suspension parts today for suspension overhaul.


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## [email protected] (Mar 28, 2016)

The guys at Eco-Wagens can log the car for you I'm sure. 

I tend to run Chevron 94 ( not sure if you guys have that back east ) its hit or miss, some tanks I have a decent timing pull others I don't but this is on a tune adapted for Canadian fuel. If I was on a tune made for US fuel I'd be pinging and knocking all over the place.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> The guys at Eco-Wagens can log the car for you I'm sure.
> 
> I tend to run Chevron 94 ( not sure if you guys have that back east ) its hit or miss, some tanks I have a decent timing pull others I don't but this is on a tune adapted for Canadian fuel. If I was on a tune made for US fuel I'd be pinging and knocking all over the place.


Yeah they mentioned they will! Andre just told me you guys got in contact with him. I'll be seeing him soon to get started on some logs for you guys.

In terms of fuel, major ones we have are petro Canada, shell, esso, and then some other ones.




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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

Can you guys not get e85 up there ? Would solve your lousy fuel/timing pull troubles

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## [email protected] (Mar 28, 2016)

Nope!

They sell lots of 'flex fuel' cars/trucks etc around here and its totally useless there is one E85 station out here ( Vancouver ) not sure about back east,


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

[email protected] said:


> Nope!
> 
> They sell lots of 'flex fuel' cars/trucks etc around here and its totally useless there is one E85 station out here ( Vancouver ) not sure about back east,


Wow that seems like something an ultra liberal country would be all over. Strange

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Yeah, Flex Fuel is pretty common around here as well. Ford being the big player. I never realized how different fuel is from one gas station to the next. 

Another question completely off topic of fuel though, what are some good suppliers for performance parts in Canada? I can't seem to find anything for my TT except for places like ECS and other shops in the states. Do us Canadians have a go to place from suspension, exhaust, and other performance upgrades??


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## MCPaudiTT (Nov 26, 2006)

recaro19 said:


> Yeah, Flex Fuel is pretty common around here as well. Ford being the big player. I never realized how different fuel is from one gas station to the next.
> 
> Another question completely off topic of fuel though, what are some good suppliers for performance parts in Canada? I can't seem to find anything for my TT except for places like ECS and other shops in the states. Do us Canadians have a go to place from suspension, exhaust, and other performance upgrades??


Well, there's HPA, but that's $$$$$


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## hunTTsvegas (Aug 27, 2012)

recaro19 said:


> Yeah, Flex Fuel is pretty common around here as well. Ford being the big player. I never realized how different fuel is from one gas station to the next.
> 
> Another question completely off topic of fuel though, what are some good suppliers for performance parts in Canada? I can't seem to find anything for my TT except for places like ECS and other shops in the states. Do us Canadians have a go to place from suspension, exhaust, and other performance upgrades??


If I'm not mistaken, CTS Turbo is located in Canada and offers a decent amount of aftermarket parts for our vehicles. There are probably others but that's the big one I can think of right now.


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## [email protected] (Mar 28, 2016)

MCPaudiTT said:


> Well, there's HPA, but that's $$$$$


For good reason they make very very nice stuff ( I used to be there ) 

There is HPA for suspension and a Haldex Controller, they don't have much to do with any other 1.8T components. 

Other Parts:

www.Pgperformance.com
www.calgaryautoworks.com
store.concept1.ca
www.eurosporttuning.com/

etc etc, lots more. Hit up some of your local shops and support your local businesses,


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## tucsonTT (Sep 11, 2016)

New plates just came in!










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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

tucsonTT said:


> New plates just came in!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice! Is this a custom plate? Was thinking of going custom on mine but the MTO raised the price. It used to be around 100 bucks now it's 300!!! Such a cash grab.

Was your car not on the road already?


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> For good reason they make very very nice stuff ( I used to be there )
> 
> There is HPA for suspension and a Haldex Controller, they don't have much to do with any other 1.8T components.
> 
> ...


This is awesome. Nothing like a site that lists in Canadian dollars!! Lol

Appreciate it.


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## tucsonTT (Sep 11, 2016)

recaro19 said:


> Nice! Is this a custom plate? Was thinking of going custom on mine but the MTO raised the price. It used to be around 100 bucks now it's 300!!! Such a cash grab.
> 
> Was your car not on the road already?
> 
> ...


Yeah it's custom plates. Here in AZ you get a regular set of plates until your custom ones are approved and made. It's 25 dollars a year for custom plates, and another 50 for the vanity/custom wording. 


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Finally found a trunk cargo cover! Guy lives about 45 min away. Picking it up today for 40 bucks.

I'll post pictures of this rare item once I get it.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Just picked it up. 40 bucks, practically new. Very satisfied.











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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Caption this. GO!












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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Hey guys,

I'm sure this question got pounded a bunch of times but i can't seem to find a straight answer.

I'm getting a whole lot of creaking and squeeking at slow speeds. mostly when pulling the car forward on an uphill or slowly backing out. It sounds like something metalic is stretching, or bending. That real metal twisting sound. Any ideas what it can be? I've read that the old bushings had some plastic on them that when worn out the squeek but this sound is scaring me. could it be something structural or just some common join issues that need patching up?

Would appreciate the wisdom of the forums to help me out!


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## mdjenkins (Feb 16, 2010)

I had that creaking sound too.
I replaced my swaybar bushings and I haven't heard it since.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

mdjenkins said:


> I had that creaking sound too.
> I replaced my swaybar bushings and I haven't heard it since.


I have a gut feeling that it's this along with some work out bushings. Looking into getting polyurethane replacement parts for the suspension components.

Any recommended upgrades? Suspension and shocks will come in the spring as well so might be smart to start collecting parts over the winter.


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

recaro19 said:


> I have a gut feeling that it's this along with some work out bushings. Looking into getting polyurethane replacement parts for the suspension components.
> 
> Any recommended upgrades? Suspension and shocks will come in the spring as well so might be smart to start collecting parts over the winter.
> 
> ...


Control arm bushings, sway bar, steering rack, strut bushings and bearings, balljoints if they arw bad wile you are in there.

Adjustable rear control arms.

Defcon for the front control arm bushings power flex for everything else. Oem ball joints and madmax rear arms, wile your at it a madmax diverter valve. 

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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

Also after hearing how bad your fuel is up there performance wise you would really benefit from water/meth injection

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> Control arm bushings, sway bar, steering rack, strut bushings and bearings, balljoints if they arw bad wile you are in there.
> 
> Adjustable rear control arms.
> 
> ...


Is this all street worthy or more track orientated? I'm still on a stock suspension and not lowered at the moment. I'm thinking replacing bushings first and adding sway bars to see if the creaking stops then if no, move to control arms. Hoping i don't have to spend more money then i'd like but we'll see.


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

recaro19 said:


> Is this all street worthy or more track orientated? I'm still on a stock suspension and not lowered at the moment. I'm thinking replacing bushings first and adding sway bars to see if the creaking stops then if no, move to control arms. Hoping i don't have to spend more money then i'd like but we'll see.


Skip the sway bars replace the bushings. Control arms arr not really needed untill you go lower. 

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## mdjenkins (Feb 16, 2010)

Ditto on skip the swaybars for now.
The rear sway is easy enough to change.

The front sway means dropping the subframe. When dropping the subframe to do the sway is when you should also be changing out your downpipe. If you're doing the downpipe, might as well do the full turbo back. With the subframe down is also the best time to target any leaky power steering lines.

So... Yeah, just the bushings. Maybe the rear sway.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

mdjenkins said:


> Ditto on skip the swaybars for now.
> The rear sway is easy enough to change.
> 
> The front sway means dropping the subframe. When dropping the subframe to do the sway is when you should also be changing out your downpipe. If you're doing the downpipe, might as well do the full turbo back. With the subframe down is also the best time to target any leaky power steering lines.
> ...


See this is the advice I need. As exciting as it is to get into upgrades, I can't afford to do everything all at once. I just need to slowly get the car prepped for upgrades so bushings is a good start.

Probably going to put in new shocks as well for the winter since I have a tone of bounce.

Probably order bushings tomorrow or wait and see what my mechanic says next week.


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

You really would benefit from trying to tackle bushing and coil/shock install.

Things like bushings, breaks, sensors and the like will cost you more in labor than parts.

VCSD lite aka vacom diagnostics cable and software is 99 bucks for the light version 

If you do no other work yourself at least get vcds so you can scan codes.

If you post up your codes here someone will help you. You will save yourself hundreds of dollars replacing easy to get to sensors, coils and the like.

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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

recaro19 said:


> See this is the advice I need. As exciting as it is to get into upgrades, I can't afford to do everything all at once. I just need to slowly get the car prepped for upgrades so bushings is a good start.
> 
> Probably going to put in new shocks as well for the winter since I have a tone of bounce.
> 
> ...


 I thought you had the car checked up and down prior to purchase and they did all this work? Now you say shocks are shot, bushings making noise etc... sounds like you need a better mechanic. Better yet do it yourself, bushings do not require much but a good vice or some C clamps and a step drill bit for getting old ones out and of course a good alignment when all done.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> I thought you had the car checked up and down prior to purchase and they did all this work? Now you say shocks are shot, bushings making noise etc... sounds like you need a better mechanic. Better yet do it yourself, bushings do not require much but a good vice or some C clamps and a step drill bit for getting old ones out and of course a good alignment when all done.


Safety here require bare minimums to pass and it wasn't done by my mechanic. The dealer took it to someone else. Shocks and bushings were mentioned to me but were deemed as okay. My mechanic said that it will be the next thing to tackle but can wait if the noise doesn't bother me. Technically the car is fine but I'm ocd.

It's also a used car so when I got it it wasn't bad. Been a month of driving though (fairly quick too I might add) so its age is starting to show.

My mechanic knows what he is doing.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> You really would benefit from trying to tackle bushing and coil/shock install.
> 
> Things like bushings, breaks, sensors and the like will cost you more in labor than parts.
> 
> ...


I'll probably end up doing it myself. I've done shock install on my mk3 jetta back when I had it but figured that the upgrade in car would mean getting someone with specific tools to tackle it.

I guess not though? Is the Bentley manual good for this car or is there another guide to work from? I know the mk2 and mk3 jetta platforms well but this is a new beast for me.


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## hunTTsvegas (Aug 27, 2012)

The Bentley is.....ok. It could be a lot better in my opinion but for a basic diyer, sure. 

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

hunTTsvegas said:


> The Bentley is.....ok. It could be a lot better in my opinion but for a basic diyer, sure.
> 
> Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk


I'm an images and video learner kind of guy. I can frame a house without blinking but never got deep into mechanics so don't want to tackle anything I don't have tools for.

Any other suggestions? Are their frame photos or OEM illustrations of chassis?


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## hunTTsvegas (Aug 27, 2012)

I use a paid online resource called Alldatadiy but for the TT, it actually has less than the Bentley manual. I know folks have mentioned using a web resource but I can't think of it right now. Once you look at the suspension, it's really quite simple (coming from someone who could also build a house mostly blindfolded). At that point you're using it for torque specs. 

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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

There is no need for manuals for suspension work, just unbolt and replace. If you want the factory manual I'll send you the link to download it for free, easier yet, scroll down to the post about the uncommon starting problem as Adam has a link to the manual in there that you can download.


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## mdjenkins (Feb 16, 2010)

The Bentley is awesome if you buy the software with the code in the back of the book.
When I first did my suspension, I only had the Bentley Book and it was enough for that job.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

mdjenkins said:


> The Bentley is awesome if you buy the software with the code in the back of the book.
> When I first did my suspension, I only had the Bentley Book and it was enough for that job.


That sounds like something I need. What's on the disc? Extra images and stuff not in the book or just a digital copy?

Either way, I like reading so the book is definitely something I need. The manual with the car just isn't cutting it.

By the way, squeaking is getting worse and louder! Lol...I need to get on this. Just so pissed about ordering parts from the states! #canadianproblems


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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

Just download the factory service manual, it's free


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## hunTTsvegas (Aug 27, 2012)

bwdz said:


> Just download the factory service manual, it's free


Link?

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> Just download the factory service manual, it's free


Link? And is this the manual I already have? The one that came with the car?


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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

No, this is the dealer service manual and includes all wiring diagrams, diagnostic procedures etc...
Adam posted a link to it in the thread "unusual starting problem", I can pm you an old link but not sure if it still works, just go to that thread and download the link Adam posted.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> No, this is the dealer service manual and includes all wiring diagrams, diagnostic procedures etc...
> Adam posted a link to it in the thread "unusual starting problem", I can pm you an old link but not sure if it still works, just go to that thread and download the link Adam posted.


Can you shoot me the link to Adam's thread? Just did a search but nothin g is coming up.


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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?8254313-225TT-Not-so-common-no-start-issue
Adam's handle is 20v master


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## Neb (Jan 25, 2005)

Welcome to TT ownership. It definitely sounds like you're on the right track to getting where you want to go. If you need a Bentley manual, I have one just kicking around. Sold the TT a while back and it's just sitting so I'd give it to you for cheap. I'm in Stoney Creek right now so I don't think too far away. 

If you've done work on other cars, the TT is pretty straightforward for the most part. Things break when you take them apart (anything plastic) but just replace with upgrades or new and you'll be fine. 

I've gotten a few things from eurosport tuning and they're great to deal with. :thumbup:


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Neb said:


> Welcome to TT ownership. It definitely sounds like you're on the right track to getting where you want to go. If you need a Bentley manual, I have one just kicking around. Sold the TT a while back and it's just sitting so I'd give it to you for cheap. I'm in Stoney Creek right now so I don't think too far away.
> 
> If you've done work on other cars, the TT is pretty straightforward for the most part. Things break when you take them apart (anything plastic) but just replace with upgrades or new and you'll be fine.
> 
> I've gotten a few things from eurosport tuning and they're great to deal with. :thumbup:


No way! That would be awesome. I'm goi go to be heading to my mechanic next week to get the car on the hoist and figure out what needs to get done. I could arrange to stop by on my way? Let me know!

I have done some work, but a lot of times I end up not having the right tool which makes it a pain in the arse. Time and space are also an issue so I'd rather book with my guy who has everything and knows how to do it properly. It's also good for me to go there Because he shows me the what's what and I learn from him.

Yeah I think suspension is definitely going to be where I put most of my pennies over the next month or so. No point in doing anything else unless a solid base is built.

Keep me posted about the manual. Pm your number and I'll shoot you a text!


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?8254313-225TT-Not-so-common-no-start-issue
> Adam's handle is 20v master


Amazing! Much appreciated. Can't download it on my phone, but once I log onto my PC I'll take a gander.

Love this forum! So much help and passion. 


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## Neb (Jan 25, 2005)

recaro19 said:


> No way! That would be awesome. I'm goi go to be heading to my mechanic next week to get the car on the hoist and figure out what needs to get done. I could arrange to stop by on my way? Let me know!
> 
> I have done some work, but a lot of times I end up not having the right tool which makes it a pain in the arse. Time and space are also an issue so I'd rather book with my guy who has everything and knows how to do it properly. It's also good for me to go there Because he shows me the what's what and I learn from him.
> 
> ...



PM Sent :thumbup:


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Neb said:


> PM Sent :thumbup:


Texted you! 


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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

Upgrading and replacing worn suspension parts is so highly recommended. The best way I can explain is this, 15 year old rubber is just not up to snuff and neither are the absorbers. I put the Bilstein coilovers on mine last winter and it is night and day. I also replaced every bushing in the car with Poly. The car is only slightly lowered (about 1.25inch) and the ride and handling difference is night and day. People ride with me and cannot believe how well it handle and how it turns in (I also have the aluminum inserts in the front control arms for the "recalled" bushing) It handles so nice now, it took me 3 times on the alignment rack to get the handling set up just like I want it (good thing it's free, I get to use my buddy's shop after hours) It actually has less understeer than my midengined Boxster (although I am about to cure that on the Porsche with this winter's project). The best way I can stress how important the suspension is for the enjoyment of this car is that I built a stroker short block last winter to double the horsepower, since I did the suspension I enjoy the car so much I have not even messed with finishing up that engine as it can wait now.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Exactly what I needed! Thanks Ben!











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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> Upgrading and replacing worn suspension parts is so highly recommended. The best way I can explain is this, 15 year old rubber is just not up to snuff and neither are the absorbers. I put the Bilstein coilovers on mine last winter and it is night and day. I also replaced every bushing in the car with Poly. The car is only slightly lowered (about 1.25inch) and the ride and handling difference is night and day. People ride with me and cannot believe how well it handle and how it turns in (I also have the aluminum inserts in the front control arms for the "recalled" bushing) It handles so nice now, it took me 3 times on the alignment rack to get the handling set up just like I want it (good thing it's free, I get to use my buddy's shop after hours) It actually has less understeer than my midengined Boxster (although I am about to cure that on the Porsche with this winter's project). The best way I can stress how important the suspension is for the enjoyment of this car is that I built a stroker short block last winter to double the horsepower, since I did the suspension I enjoy the car so much I have not even messed with finishing up that engine as it can wait now.


Glad to hear this. Your words have reinforced my decision to just tackle the necessary first!

What brand of poly bushings did you go with? I'm looking at the polyflex stuff now but haven't made any final decisions. Hope to find a good brand from a local dealer here in Canada instead of paying us and shipping/border fees.


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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

I used Powerflex from ECS and lots of copper grease and no squeaks yet after nearly a year and few months of winter driving last year. You might want to do the Defcons on the front control arms if you enjoy really improving the handling of your car. If you do coilovers and plan or lowering you should get Madmax rear control arms, I just used the offset bushing from ECS and it allowed me 1.3 degrees of Camber in the rear no problem while lowered about 1.25 inch.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Here is what I got from Eurosport in oakville. All power flex.

5. PFR3-510 - Rear Arm Inner Bush – $183
9. PFR3-508 - Rear Trailing Arm Front Bush – $100
25. PFR85-425 - Rear Diff Front Mounting Bush – $105
26. PFR85-426 - Rear Diff Rear Mounting Bush – $105
27. PFR85-427 - Rear Subframe Mounting Bush - $227

So with tax I'm looking at about 820 to refresh the back not including new shocks if they are needed.

I'll do the front eventually too, the summer take care of springs or go coilover.

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> I used Powerflex from ECS and lots of copper grease and no squeaks yet after nearly a year and few months of winter driving last year. You might want to do the Defcons on the front control arms if you enjoy really improving the handling of your car. If you do coilovers and plan or lowering you should get Madmax rear control arms, I just used the offset bushing from ECS and it allowed me 1.3 degrees of Camber in the rear no problem while lowered about 1.25 inch.


Yeah a lot of people have recommended the madmax rear control arms. They are on the list too. Probably going f to go with bfi engine and Tranny mounts too. Getting tons of movement on the shifter during acceleration but suspension is priority number one.

I think I'll pick up the madmax control arms when I don the shocks and springs.


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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

recaro19 said:


> Yeah a lot of people have recommended the madmax rear control arms. They are on the list too. Probably going f to go with bfi engine and Tranny mounts too. Getting tons of movement on the shifter during acceleration but suspension is priority number one.
> 
> I think I'll pick up the madmax control arms when I don the shocks and springs.
> 
> ...


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

I have bfi and vf motor mounts. For what its worth i prefer the vf's

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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

Just rereading your post, there are 2 control arms with a bushing in each end per side so 8 bushings so when they quote you 183 does that mean all of them? I didn't do the rear subframe, there is no movement when prying on them with a pry bar so I just figured theyre still good.


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## jsmith2015 (Mar 7, 2015)

The vf mounts and solid shift braket bushing made a huge difference in power delivery and made the shifts nice and crispy

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> Just rereading your post, there are 2 control arms with a bushing in each end per side so 8 bushings so when they quote you 183 does that mean all of them? I didn't do the rear subframe, there is no movement when prying on them with a pry bar so I just figured theyre still good.


Here is what he sent me. This image is also on the powerflex website:










The sku's above I believe are sold as a set to complete the job on both the left and right side...I may be wrong though.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

jsmith2015 said:


> I have bfi and vf motor mounts. For what its worth i prefer the vf's
> 
> Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk


Any reason why? What's the price point on the vf and is it a harder poly for track applications? Talked to the bfi guys and they said their stage one should be more then sufficient. They also said stage 2 is way to stiff for daily driving. Love when a company doesn't try to up sell you on something. You don't need.



jsmith2015 said:


> The vf mounts and solid shift braket bushing made a huge difference in power delivery and made the shifts nice and crispy
> 
> Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk


Yeah I didn't realize motor mounts were so important! Watched the bfi video and how much movement was going on! Crazy.




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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> Don't bother doing the rear, it won't be that noticeable as the front would and when you get new control arms they come with new bushings I think. Those prices you were quoted are outrageous. When doing the rear it is a few hour job for everything because you don't quote as each individual one if you have everything apart anyway. I didn't see if the alignment was included or not, it is needed after moving everything around.


Those prices were for bushings only!!!! 

Welcome to Canada.


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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

Wow, that seems like a lot of money, don't recall mine costing anywhere near that much. I got it from ECS so check with them. Before you get them check your rear subframe mounts, mine were fine at nearly 200k miles, they don't budge at all with lots of pressure on them. I did the rear control arms and trailing arms, I used the offset bushing in the control arms to be able to adjust camber. the rear toe and caster is adjusted by moving the mount where the trailing arm bushing goes there are four bolts and you need to leave 3 fairly loose and the 4th a little loose and really exert quite a bit of pressure and it is hard to tighten it in correct alignment on the alignment rack. When I did my suspension I remember the bill for parts being like 1800-1900 and that included the Bilstein coilovers (they had a sale on them for like $1060) this also included good balljoints at $50 a side and I bought nearly all hardware in case I broke any bolts (I didn't break any, that's why you buy German cars, no cheap hardware) as well as their coilover install kit.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> Wow, that seems like a lot of money, don't recall mine costing anywhere near that much. I got it from ECS so check with them. Before you get them check your rear subframe mounts, mine were fine at nearly 200k miles, they don't budge at all with lots of pressure on them. I did the rear control arms and trailing arms, I used the offset bushing in the control arms to be able to adjust camber. the rear toe and caster is adjusted by moving the mount where the trailing arm bushing goes there are four bolts and you need to leave 3 fairly loose and the 4th a little loose and really exert quite a bit of pressure and it is hard to tighten it in correct alignment on the alignment rack. When I did my suspension I remember the bill for parts being like 1800-1900 and that included the Bilstein coilovers (they had a sale on them for like $1060) this also included good balljoints at $50 a side and I bought nearly all hardware in case I broke any bolts (I didn't break any, that's why you buy German cars, no cheap hardware) as well as their coilover install kit.


Yeah again, parts are not cheap here in Canada and with our dollar being so low, prices go up here. Most performance parts are coming in from the US so you have to remember that anything I post in terms of price is CAD not USD.

Whether I buy from ECS or not, the fact still remains that we pay a premium up here. Unless there is a Canadian manufacturer who can cut out the need to buy US products, or unless our dollar recovers, this reality will remain true.

I'm going to be getting the car looked at this week coming up at ECO Wagens. Going to diagnose the noise and hopefully come up with a plan. I know it is bushings or something suspension wise so just a matter of pin pointing the problem and going from there.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Ok.......so

I did some...... well..... "expressive" driving last night, and now noticed even more knocking and squeaking in various areas 

I can't wait to see my mechanic this week....lol


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

UPDATE!! (Biggest one so far)

Currently sitting at eco wagens shop in newmarket after a few small repairs. Still had some problems after i got the car back from the dealer so we had to address some issues because of poor work from the dealers mechanic. Stupid idiots are still cutting corners!! My CV boot wasn't clamped down all the way so was spitting grease for the last few weeks. Glad i brought the car in today because the guys here picked it up instantly! Andre and Joseph do an amazing job. No joke. The other mechanic also decided to use the original wheel bearing bolt after replacing the CV boot which apparantly is a big no no. Guys here at Eco Wagens told me that any time that bolt is taken off, a new one ALWAYS has to be replaced since it gets torqued in and stretches. Once its stretch and solid in there, it won't go back to original spec so another red flag againse the dealers mechanic. I really should get the MTO out there for all the shaddy work their doing.

Anyways, so far cars back to spec and i'm feeling much better today. The big clunking noise i heard after sundays spirited drive was actually the sway bar clamp missing. It was hanging with no bushing clamp so that was a quick fix as well.

Now to the rear suspension. Creaking and squeaking is coming from the rear control arm bushing. It's the lower arm on the left side. The guys sprayed and greased up the bolt and nut and it seemed to disappear but after a while, but on our way back from lunch the squeak was back. I'm going to just look into replacing them with adjustable rear control arms. My only question now is Gruven Parts rear control arms or Madmax??

Also, Andre logged the car for a Malone tune today as well  Once he gets the kit, we'll be waking the car up!

Videos of me and Andre logging the car for Malone Stage 1 tune:

https://vimeo.com/191864056

https://vimeo.com/191864215

https://vimeo.com/191864507


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## rodhot (Jan 4, 2012)

*nice find!!*

i love the lines of the coupe + black is best!!! i was looking for a fun car when getting ready to retire + found a 2001 225Q black roadster with 42,000 car fax miles, it had baseball interior as well!! knew little about TT's at the time but had an 2001 1.8T jetta-bora so i was not totally lost, first ever convert + i love it. good move to do the timing belt + snow tyres are better than all season but winter tyres to keep your car going in the snow. Redline MT-90 in the tranny + the bevel box makes shifting better!! good luck + holidays bring sales if you have the $$$ to spend + theres next year as well. forums are a great help for sure


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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

Max's arms are proven on quite possibly the most abused TT with the widest stickiest slicks I have ever seen installed on one. I don't have either set so I can't compare but I have never heard any regrets from anyone running Max's parts.
The axle bolt, funny, I have 3 more new ones sitting on the shelf as I had to order one before and knowing that I will have it apart a few times I just bought 6 of them and used 3 so far with one side twice obviously.
When you install the rear arms and get your alignment you should dial in your front while it's on the rack, you will be shocked how well the car turns in with a little more camber and a little less toe in the front. I get a little excessive wear on the inside of soft tires in the front running 2.5 to 2.7 camber but I don't pay much for tires and actually have several free sets, as a matter of fact if anyone has a set of 16 inch spare rims laying around cheap (under 100) I have some brand new winter Blizzaks I just got for free but they are 225.50 16s. that I can throw on for the winter as the 17 winter tires I have already have 2 seasons on them and the former fronts (now on the rear) have some good wear on the inside.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> Max's arms are proven on quite possibly the most abused TT with the widest stickiest slicks I have ever seen installed on one. I don't have either set so I can't compare but I have never heard any regrets from anyone running Max's parts.
> The axle bolt, funny, I have 3 more new ones sitting on the shelf as I had to order one before and knowing that I will have it apart a few times I just bought 6 of them and used 3 so far with one side twice obviously.
> When you install the rear arms and get your alignment you should dial in your front while it's on the rack, you will be shocked how well the car turns in with a little more camber and a little less toe in the front. I get a little excessive wear on the inside of soft tires in the front running 2.5 to 2.7 camber but I don't pay much for tires and actually have several free sets, as a matter of fact if anyone has a set of 16 inch spare rims laying around cheap (under 100) I have some brand new winter Blizzaks I just got for free but they are 225.50 16s. that I can throw on for the winter as the 17 winter tires I have already have 2 seasons on them and the former fronts (now on the rear) have some good wear on the inside.


My only concern with the madmax ones are that the company emailed me back and said they are no longer in business.

Also, not getting any response back from the site they gave me. 


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

UPDATE

Ordered 2 sets of gruven rear adjustable control arms with poly bushings. I looked into the madmax ones but the place went out of business so don't feel comfortable ordering them. 

The gruven stuff has some pretty good reviews though so happy with the purchase. Got them with poly end bushings.

I'll snap photos of the install once we get it in the shop.


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## bwdz (Jan 21, 2015)

recaro19 said:


> My only concern with the madmax ones are that the company emailed me back and said they are no longer in business.
> 
> Also, not getting any response back from the site they gave me.
> 
> ...


Max is on here almost everyday. Just look at the 50 page long thread Chronicles of a track TT, it goes through all the development on his car over many years of racing. I got parts from him just over a month ago.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

bwdz said:


> Max is on here almost everyday. Just look at the 50 page long thread Chronicles of a track TT, it goes through all the development on his car over many years of racing. I got parts from him just over a month ago.


I wish I knew this. Man I'm such a newb!

So...do I deal with return shipping now, or just stick to the gruven. Remember. I'm Canadian so this hurts financially! Lol


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

So since return shipping will cost me an arm and a leg to return, I'm going to be sticking with the gruven parts rear control arms for now. It's been a hassle driving my car the way it is and with winter upon us I have to get the car in order for winter.

Mad max arms will have to wait. I'll post some picks of the install and details of what we did once I get everything together.


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Rear control arms came in along with hardware. Ordered these from Gruven Parts and so far they feel tough and a big upgrade from what I have. Hopefully this will fix any squeaks and creaks.

I know everyone here praises the mad max stuff but I ordered these not knowing max was active on the forums and after the website I went to purchase f rom said they were out of business I steered clear. Either way I am already quite happy with the quality of these. Can't wait to install.











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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Resurfacing this thread!

Been a while since I've been on the forums but thought I'd give an update!

I ran into some electronic issues. One was the door jam sensor which seems to be glitchy and sometimes will tell me that the passenger side door is open when it is actually closed. Usually happens when I go over a bump. The light will turn on as well.

Second issue I am having is an airbag light. The code that showed up said it was the side airbag on the seat. 

Anyone have any easy fixes for these issues or know if any solutions? 


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## Gonzalo1495 (Feb 2, 2015)

recaro19 said:


> Resurfacing this thread!
> 
> Been a while since I've been on the forums but thought I'd give an update!
> 
> ...



WD-40 the problematic door. The microswitch tends to stick inside there. That or replace the switch (Easy). 

Airbag: Either buy a second hand airbag on ebay or wire in a resistor into the wires.


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## hunTTsvegas (Aug 27, 2012)

There is also a company (module masters) that will repair the door actuators and correct the flawed design or, if I can find it, someone had a DIY floating around. 

VCDS will let you scan the module and tell you exactly what the issue is. If you don't have it, it's an extremely useful piece of software. 

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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

hunTTsvegas said:


> There is also a company (module masters) that will repair the door actuators and correct the flawed design or, if I can find it, someone had a DIY floating around.
> 
> VCDS will let you scan the module and tell you exactly what the issue is. If you don't have it, it's an extremely useful piece of software.
> 
> Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk


VCDS is what we used to scan the car so I'm familiar with it. 


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Gonzalo1495 said:


> WD-40 the problematic door. The microswitch tends to stick inside there. That or replace the switch (Easy).
> 
> Airbag: Either buy a second hand airbag on ebay or wire in a resistor into the wires.


Awesome. Thanks. I know it's easy to say replace the switch but it ain't cheap!! Lol....cheapest switch I found (in CAD) was around 250 bucks. Plus the labour for taking apart the door and re assembly.

In terms of the airbag, can you explain more about wiring in a resistor? Is there a tutorial on how to do this?


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Hello VW Vortex!! 

Resurrecting this thread as I'd like to keep all the information and posts i do to my car in one centralized location. I figured it is easier to keep the history of what i've done to the car in one place rather then posting a bunch of threads.

Anyways, it's been a while since i've been on here. Mainly because of the harsh canadian winter and me going into hybernation mode. The TT was my winter driven car but I didn't really do much to it up until now.

I just got back from my buddy's shop in Newmarket (Ecowagen's - Check em out if you are in the toronto region) and did some preventative maintenance along with the Malone Stage 1 tunning. all i can say is WOW! My car feels alive again!

I got a flashing check engine light a few weeks ago and the computer said coil packs 2 and 4 were shot. Replaced all four with oem replacements. Was going to upgrade to the R8 plugs but we didn't have the adapter plates for them and I heard they don't really do much in terms of performance other then lighten the engine bay by making you remove the valve cover  I was also having some boost issues where i'd lose boost mid way through the spool. Turned out that the n75 valve / switch was wonky so that was also replaced. My control arms still haven't been put on yet although that is going to be the next item on the list that I tackle. Just waiting to accumlate some more suspension parts (shocks and lowering springs) so I can do it all at once.

The car is now tuned to Malone's Stage 1. From what their site says, the stage 1 tune (which took about 15 min to upload after receive the file) takes the 225 tt to 260hp and 257ft/lbs. I defeinetly feel it and the car is a blast now. I'll probably upgrade to the stage 1.5 once i do the diverter valve but the only problem with that is i'll need to bump up to 94 octane and our gas sucks up here. Petro Canada is the only place that offers it and i don't trust their gas as i'm a shell guy! Anywyas, if you guys are in the Toronto area and looking for a tune i'd highly recommend Malone. They woke my TT up and it's a solid tune at a great price.

Next items on the list to tackle:

- install Gruven rear control arms
- upgrade front control arm bushings
- engine and transmission mounts (thinking the BFI stage 1)
- Shocks and Lowerin Springs (was going to go coil over but I don't really need adjustments and they'll probably seize up here in the winter!)


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

And yet another resurrection of this thread when I first got my TT. On my third year with this beauty and finally have some major updates!

Post pics tomorrow 


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

So, it’s been a while since I posted on here. Life sort of got a hold of me and the things I wanted to do had to wait... for 2 years! Haha

Basically the car was getting worse and worse. Sounds from the suspension, sloppy turns and body roll. I was feeling attached to the car I. The way I wanted to. When I first got the car my plan was to tackle the suspension first so after two years, I did just that. Got the car back yesterday and here is the result!

All work was done at Eco-Wagons in Newmarket with the very knowledgeable Andre. Awesome little shop and they are VW/Audi Specialists. They’ve been taking care of the TT since I got it.

If anyone has any questions feel free to ask!

Upgrades:

- KW Suspension V1
- PowerFlex poly Strut bushings
- PowerFlex poly Sway Bar bushings (F&R)
- PowerFlex poly Subframe bushings (F&R)
- Gruven Rear Control Arms
- Rear bushings for bottom control arms (OEM)
- Front Control arms (Poly in rear part/OEM for front - this kit we had was for an mk4 so the fronts didn’t fit the TT arms)
- PowerFlex poly dog mount inserts (full refresh)
- front ball joints
- sway bar links (F&R)

Remaining Parts to add:

- trailing arm bushings (OEM)
- rear bushings for upper control arms (OEM)
- ECS Engine and Transmission mounts

For the engine mounts, I’m still on the fence because of the added vibrations it will give. The car feels so solid now and has a very slight increase in vibration from the poly we put in. But, I like the feel of the car telling me what’s going on. Anyone have experience with the ECS mounts?













































































































Clearly the shocks were in need of some serious replacement!! This could have been part of the knocking sound I was experiencing. Overall, all the bushings were in need of replacement. Probably a good idea after 16-17 years!




























Rear subframe out and a good thing we did because the only way to service the Haldex properly is by pulling it down... unless you have magic ferry hands to unscrew the filter!  














































How to turn a Quattro into a 2WD 
































































Car went down about another 1/4” but need to let the suspension settle as it’s a bit difficult to set right now. Back rear already is a little off so still need to fine tune the stance a bit. Thinking a little lower 















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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Started another thread about suspension noises after the refresh we did. Adding it here to keep things together!

https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?9309111-Upgrade-Suspension-and-still-having-issues-HELP&p=113397507#post113397507


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## recaro19 (Feb 17, 2016)

Ok so... 

Now that I've got the suspension some what sorted out, i'm starting to ponder about plans for the next step of this long and exciting build to get my TT to a level that I have been dreaming of for a long time so wondering what you would do next? Here's what i'm thinking:

1) Engine Mounts - I tried the ecs poly engine mounts but they were absolutely HORRIBLE. They angled my engine in a horrible way and were not installing properly. Added way to much vibration and my mechanic thought it was making the car more dangerous so we went back to stock mounts. 

2) More Poly?? - are there any other bushings I should change to stiffen things up? Suspension still feels a bit "soft" so want to ensure I get the suspension right before doing any further performance upgrades.

3) Sway Bars? - I'm assuming this will stiffen things up for me and get the car handling a bit better. Still getting some body roll although the car is way better now with the KW suspension.

4) Upgraded Brakes? - How much HP are the stock brakes good for? 

Let me know your thoughts! What would you do next?


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