At $6,900, is this 2004 Audi TT 3.2 a Bauhaus bargain?

Now that you can’t go to any Audi dealer and waste your hard-earned money for a new TT, today’s Nice Price or older models like the no dice 3.2-litre S-Line version are the only way to go. Let’s find out if we want to go there at this price.

One thing that has been bothering me for some time is that we call large-scale storms in the Atlantic Ocean as “hurricanes”, while in the Pacific Ocean we call the same phenomenon as “cyclones”. No one seems to be able to offer a logical explanation for this disparity, and I’ve asked the question to several Starbucks baristas and that weird masked guy who takes pictures of license plates outside my Trader Joe’s.

What we do know is that the 1971 Mercury Cyclone spoiler that passed our way last Friday didn’t generate much interest. This was because it had a lower-spec 351 CID engine instead of the rarer and more powerful 429 V8. Based on your comments and the huge 95% “no dice” loss to Merc, that little engine demanded a lower price than the $65,000 requested in the ad.

Last Friday’s Cyclone was an obscure collector car that very few people could appreciate or perhaps even recognize. On the contrary, 2004 Audi TT 3.2 The one we are going to discuss today can be considered a future classic due to its form-over-function design and desirable drivetrain. In its favor it also has a low (115,000) odometer reading and, based on the pictures, a very nice overall presentation.

First shown as a Bauhaus-inspired concept car reflecting design cues from the Auto Union racers of the 1930s, the TT then arrived as a production model for the 1999 model year. While it received praise for its unique styling and industrial, borderline steampunk interior trim, the car received undeserved notoriety for its impure aerodynamics, which caused instability at speed. Audi offered a quick fix in the form of suspension changes and a large ducktail rear spoiler to keep the car from spinning out of control at Autobahn speeds. On this car, as you’ll see in the pictures, the spoiler sticks out like an unwanted, but much needed cowlick.

Underneath all that avant-garde styling lies not an Audi platform with its iconic longitudinal, hanging-out-the-breeze engine, but one adopted from Audi’s parent, Volkswagen, and shared with the cult-status Golf R32. This means that the AWD system, denoted as quattro like other Audis, is actually VW’s Haldex-based Synchro system, designed for a transverse engine and transmission layout. I say tomato, you say tomato.

The transverse engine, as the TT’s attached name suggests, offers 3.2 liters of displacement. It fed six narrow-angle cylinders, covered with a communal four-valve-per-cylinder head, and produced a solid 247 horsepower. According to the seller, it is mated to a six-speed ‘Tiptronic’ transmission; However, from my understanding, the gearbox should be the more desirable and effective dual-clutch DSG. The TT 3.2 and Golf R32 were, after all, the first cars in the Volkswagen family to offer DSG. Despite that discrepancy, the ad claims the car has been well maintained and has no drivetrain issues.

In fact, this TT appears to have been well cared for overall. The black paint shows no obvious flaws, and the headlamp covers are perfectly clear, their yellowing being one of the flaws of the first generation TT. Underneath the car sits a set of factory six-spoke alloy wheels that appear to be in excellent condition and shod with Pirelli tires with plenty of meat left on the bone.

This TT is dressed in S-Line trim, so it’s a little more fancy pants than the base car. Helping with that impression, the cabin is adorned with leather on the seating surfaces, steering wheel and shift knob. Everything else is either decent quality plastic or brushed metal trim, and, being such a small car, everything is within arm’s reach. Befitting the age of the car, the leather now maintains a lustrous patina, but is happily not overly worn or scuffed. The rear seats seem to still retain their original, less flashy appearance, which fits, as the space is actually so tight that no one can really occupy it.

Everything looks stock and in good condition, except for the digital display between the tach and speedo. In typical Audi fashion, it has abandoned its pixels over time. This is such a common problem on Audis of this era that owners brought a class action suit against the company to replace the clusters at no cost. Obviously, this TT did not participate in that action. However, it is not a lost cause, as there are businesses that will replace the screen with a newer, better version for a nominal fee.

Other incentives for the purchase of this TT include a clean title, a recent passing grade from the smog tester, and all original glovebox accessories. According to the current owner, this TT “is fast and handles very well.” They also claim it is “a lot of car for the money.” We will see about that now.

This well-equipped and seemingly well-cared-for TT 3.2 is priced at $6,900. Potential buyers of the TT may cross-shop its contemporaries like Porsche’s Boxster or Nissan’s 350Z. It’s safe to say that no car in this price range will be in as good condition as this TT. And the first generation Golf R32s? Get out of town.

What do you think about this TT and its $6,900 asking price? Does this seem reasonable considering the car’s features and presentation? Or does that price ensure this TT is DOA?

You decide!

San Francisco Bay Area, California, CraigslistOr go here if the ad disappears.

Help me with good price or no dice. Contact me at robemslie@gmail.com and send a fixed price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.