2004 Audi TT Review
2004 Audi TT Review





+16
Used TT for sale
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2004 Audi TT appraisal values can range from $1,693 - $4,343.
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Distinctive styling, cutting-edge interiors, available all-wheel drive, optional Bose sound system is superb.
Cons
- Confusing interior controls, roadster's hefty curb weight limits handling, coupe's useless backseat.
What’s new
A more powerful 2004 Audi TT 3.2 joins the lineup with a 250-horsepower V6 and a new "Direct Shift Gearbox," an automanual with technology that promises both smooth automatic operation and quick manual gear changes. A pair of gills at each front corner, a larger rear spoiler, unique wheels and a rear fascia accent distinguish the TT 3.2 from its stablemates. You can get the 3.2 in both coupe and roadster form. Also this year, xenon headlamps are now standard on all models.
Edmunds says
For buyers seeking the ultimate performance sport coupe or roadster, the TT may disappoint, but if you're willing to give up a little performance in the name of style, the 2004 Audi TT is a real head-turner.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2004 Audi TT.
Most helpful consumer reviews
5 out of 5 stars
Art in Motion
Mystro,04/20/2004
250hp quattro AWD 2dr Roadster (3.2L 6cyl 6A)
The Audi TT is a work of automotive art.
Every piece and detail is well thought
out and made of top material. In a
world where most auto makers give the
look of aluminum and leather. The Audi
TT is the real deal. Nothing fake or
cheap in this car, high-end all the
way. This car is for people thats been
around sportscars and have that "Been
there, Done that" mentality … with
Porsche's, Vette's,etc.. Audi WILL
impress you. Quality is in the details
and the TT's beauty is more than skin
deep.
4.75 out of 5 stars
A Joy Every Time I Get In It
faucj,07/15/2013
225hp quattro AWD 2dr Roadster (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
Bought it secondhand, w/ low miles. Blast to drive! At 40K, no problems, but I have a reputable independent mechanic do preventative maintenance & proactively replaced the timing belt, etc. Very sport-oriented: firm ride, short gear throws, purpose-over-comfort cockpit, all fine - I wanted a sports car - but even for this driving enthusiast more than five hours in it is a little much. … Top up, poor rear visibility - backing out of a parking space, especially with so many SUVs around, you can't see. Best to park backwards. Also, top-down requires a manually installed tonneau, which you have to keep with you, limiting trunk space. Research the forums - they're why I decided on the manual trans.
5 out of 5 stars
A even more fun car with DSG and V6
agentt,09/26/2004
250hp quattro AWD 2dr Hatchback (3.2L 6cyl 6A)
What more I can say?! Fun to drive. V6
and DSG push the car to another level.
Especially DSG, you have to try it to
believe it. So quick and smooth. And
the tuned sound from the exhuasts, it
makes you feel like you are inside a
F1. 4WD takes me anywhere I want to
go even a trip to the nearest skiing
resort in the winter. So versatile, I
can put 2 golf bags at the … back (both
rear seats have to be folded down)
without any problem. Put a car seat
at the back(Yes, you can put a car
seat at the back. My 2 year old
daughter loves to ride in my red TT),
it becomes my family sport wagon.
5 out of 5 stars
Pick of the litter of the MK1 TT's
Carl W. Krause,11/25/2008
250hp quattro AWD 2dr Hatchback (3.2L 6cyl 6A)
This is my third TT of the MK1 series and is the best of the three in my opinion. The VR6 is a better engine than the 1.8 turbo. I have no timing belt woes to worry about, for example, because the cams are chain-driven.
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More about the 2004 Audi TT
More About This Model
The TT coupe arrived for the 2000 model year at a time when Audi was looking for a car to play the Miata in its lineup. You know, something small and sporty with lines so seductive you simply can't turn away when you see one rolling down the street. Something with so much personality that it can speak for an entire line of cars. A roadster version arrived a year later, and now in 2004, one has to regard the TT as a successful image builder: The Audi brand has never been stronger in the U.S., while TT styling cues have shown up on the Chrysler Crossfire, Nissan 350Z and any number of concept cars touring the auto show circuit.
Of course, with a starting price in the low $30Ks, the TT is no Miata. And with a soft suspension and a generous curb weight, it's not a true sports car, either. Instead, this beautifully finished Audi has been likened to mobile art. Even in the car's fifth year, the coupe and roadster bodies still cast distinctive silhouettes, while their aluminum-trimmed cockpits continue to set the standard for interior design in this price range.
Yet, sales have cooled considerably, as strong performers like the BMW Z4, 350Z, Crossfire, Mazda RX-8 and even Audi's own A4 Cabriolet have given consumers reason to shop around. With a redesigned Mercedes SLK on the way, the TT needs an edge to see it through the next couple years. And so for 2004, Audi has fitted its image car with a new six-cylinder engine teamed with an all-new transmission. After spending half a day with this pair, we can tell you that it's the most satisfying drivetrain the TT has ever known.
Until this year, the most powerful engine you could get in the TT was a 225-horsepower version of the 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (1.8T) found in the A4 and most Volkswagens. When that kind of power is extracted from such a small-displacement engine, you're basically assured that said engine will have a peaky, high-strung demeanor out on the road. Thusly equipped, the TT is subject to frustrating amounts of turbo lag off the line and a delightful rush of acceleration once peak torque hits at 2,200 rpm. This is not a driver-friendly combination in heavy traffic, but it can be entertaining when an open road stretches out before you. The 225-horse engine has never been offered with anything but a six-speed manual transmission, though, so anyone who didn't feel like shifting his own gears had to settle for the considerably less riveting 180-hp TT, which picked up a six-speed automatic last year.
A better alternative is the 3.2-liter V6 now offered under the hood of the top-line coupe and roadster. In keeping with the space constraints of the TT's small engine bay, the 3.2-liter makes use of a compact "VR6" design, whereby the cylinder banks are mounted at a narrow 15-degree angle. Output is rated at 250 hp at 6,300 rpm and a steady 236 pound-feet of torque from 2,800 to 3,200 rpm. To ensure a broad range of usable power while increasing efficiency and cutting emissions, the V6 makes use of continuously variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust valves, as well as a variable-length intake manifold.
Managing the shifting duties is something Audi calls a Direct Shift Gearbox or DSG. If this term sounds familiar, recall that BMW offers a similar transmission with a similar name Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) in the Z4 and M3. In either case, we're talking about a real six-speed manual transmission that can effectively function as either a manual or automatic transmission. Peer into the cockpit, though, and you'd swear the TT 3.2 had a regular old automatic: There's no clutch pedal in the footwell and what appears to be a conventional automatic gear selector has the usual "P," "R," "N" and "D" slots.
But beneath the surface, all the elements of a conventional manual gearbox are in place, clutch and all (and there's no torque converter as in an automatic). Actually, the DSG has two electrohydraulically controlled clutches an advantage, according to Audi, in that two gears can be selected at a time to minimize interruption in power delivery during shifts. For instance, while first gear is engaged, second gear is "preselected." As Clutch 1 opens to disengage first gear, Clutch 2 closes to engage second. When the TT is in second, third, fourth or fifth gear, the DSG relies on computer control logic to decide whether an upshift or downshift is imminent and preselect the appropriate gear. Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system is standard, so power is automatically routed to all four wheels via an electronically controlled center differential.
Once seated in the cockpit, most drivers will find the DSG as user-friendly as operating an automatic. If you want the transmission to do all the shifting for you, simply move the gear selector to "D" (regular mode) or "S" (sport mode). In S mode, the DSG waits longer to upshift, hastens downshifts and generally turns out quicker, firmer shifts. If you'd like to take matters into your own hands, just slide the shift lever to the right to access the manual mode. To shift, you can either bump the lever up or down, or use the thumb paddles mounted on the steering wheel. We were partial to the paddles, which allow the driver to keep both hands on the wheel.
Our initial drive took us through the Texas hill country outside Austin, where the TT was first introduced back in 1999, and in this setting we found the 3.2 to be a pleasant and forgiving companion. We were slightly annoyed by delayed throttle response when laying into the accelerator pedal from a stop a quality present in both the coupe and roadster we drove but thereafter it was nothing but smooth sailing. The 3.2 asserts itself with a moderately deep exhaust burble upon takeoff, but this tapers off to allow quiet highway travel.
Low-end torque won't overwhelm anyone who's driven a 350Z recently, but as the needle climbs the tach, a very strong midrange opens up. It's all too easy to find yourself cruising along at triple digits given the engine's supreme smoothness. Passing and merging maneuvers come and go without fanfare, even in sixth gear. Motoring along in an Imola Yellow roadster, we were unable to escape the attention of a small-town state trooper, who coolly informed us we could either pay up or stay on until the following Tuesday as a "guest of the state." Audi claims a 6.4-second 0-to-60-mph time for the coupe and 6.6 seconds for the roadster.
People accustomed to driving an automatic will find the DSG a suitable substitute. In both D and S modes, shifts are as crisp and unobtrusive as they would be with any automatic transmission. Downshifts occur right when you need them. Moreover, the twin electrohydraulic clutches allow for such smooth gear changes that the fore and aft pitch you typically get with a manual-shift car (as the clutch is engaged and released) is nonexistent. The fact that Audi's engineers were able to refine this out of the TT 3.2 is a remarkable achievement.
The manual mode is a bit less enjoyable, at least from an enthusiast's standpoint. The DSG is certainly responsive, as firm shifts occur as soon as the driver taps the "+" or "-" paddle or bumps the shifter. Call for a downshift when heading into a corner, and the transmission will blip the throttle with a level of precision matched only by masters of the heel-toe technique. Unfortunately, we noticed that under full throttle, the DSG would automatically upshift for us at or before redline. This certainly reduces the risk of driver error, but to us, it defeats the point of having an advanced manual transmission with a manual mode.
Of course, if you're mainly looking for the convenience of an automatic transmission but with added responsiveness and control the DSG could be just right for you. It's definitely more fun than the so-called "automanual" modes that carmakers offer with conventional automatic transmissions. Versions of the DSG are likely to show up in other Audi products, though not right away, according to company executives, as the transmission is currently compatible only with transverse-mounted engines most Audis have longitudinally mounted motors.
Meanwhile, buyers looking for a more authentic "clutchless" manual experience should consider a Z4 with BMW's SMG, which is designed for a predominantly enthusiast audience. Interestingly, European TT 3.2 models are available with either the DSG or a regular six-speed manual transmission, but Audi officials said there were no plans to offer the latter option in the U.S.
When fitted with the six-cylinder engine, the TT coupe and roadster put on about 80 pounds each. This isn't a substantial weight gain, but engineers decided to move the battery to the rear of the car to improve the front-to-rear weight ratio. More importantly, 3.2 models benefit from upgraded running gear to help them cope with the extra power. These cars wear a larger set of ventilated disc brakes, and we can attest that brake feel is excellent. Additionally, the front and rear antiroll bars are larger in diameter and the spring rates and damper settings have been tweaked. The relatively straight roads along our driving route provided little opportunity to push the cars around turns, but it's fair to say that 3.2 models retain the mild-mannered demeanor of other TTs. That means a comfortable ride and capable, but not sporty, handling.
Equipment on 3.2 models is the same as on other TTs, but they have a few distinguishing cosmetic touches, including a revised front grille, larger intake ducts, a larger rear spoiler and, below the car's flush-mounted rear bumper, a honeycomb plate that surrounds larger exhaust outlets. Additionally, the TT 3.2 is eligible for an exclusive set of nine-spoke, 18-inch wheels.
Unquestionably, the addition of a V6 engine gives the TT much broader appeal among luxury coupes and roadsters. And even though the Direct Shift Gearbox doesn't live up to the performance potential of BMW's SMG, it should be a good match for the majority of buyers. If there's anything that gives us pause about this coupe and roadster, it's their $40,000-plus price tags: Cars like the 350Z, RX-8 and even the Z4 pack in more fun for less money. But if your budget is flexible, keep in mind that none of them can touch the Audi's interior.
Used 2004 Audi TT Overview
The Used 2004 Audi TT is offered in the following submodels: TT Coupe, TT Convertible. Available styles include 225hp quattro AWD 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6M), 180hp Fwd 2dr Roadster (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A), 225hp quattro AWD 2dr Roadster (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6M), 180hp Fwd 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A), 250hp quattro AWD 2dr Hatchback (3.2L 6cyl 6A), and 250hp quattro AWD 2dr Roadster (3.2L 6cyl 6A). Pre-owned Audi TT models are available with a 1.8 L-liter gas engine, with output up to 225 hp, depending on engine type. The Used 2004 Audi TT comes with all wheel drive, and front wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed manual, 6-speed shiftable automatic. The Used 2004 Audi TT comes with a 4 yr./ 50000 mi. basic warranty, a 4 yr./ unlimited mi. roadside warranty, and a 4 yr./ 50000 mi. powertrain warranty.
What's a good price on a Used 2004 Audi TT?
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, VA. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
Which used 2004 Audi TTS are available in my area?
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Should I lease or buy a 2004 Audi TT?
Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.
Check out Audi lease specials
Check out Audi TT lease specials
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