What should I buy instead...of a TT

[Lashout_UK]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1339782.htm

Change the wheels (or the wheel colour) and you're on to a winner. That said, I doubt it's the car to buy if you're worried about running costs - though Lashout knows a lot more about these and may be able to give you a breakdown?

A Corvette (a C4, either an L98 or an LT1) will probably, I would have thought, be cheaper to run than the TT, with ease, unless you're unlucky (i.e. buying a really high mileage one or one that's been thrashed and abused).

Corvettes have no timing belts, no turbos, no intercoolers, no 4x4 system - just a simple V8 with one cam, 16 valves and 8 spark plugs. The things are made to clock up hundreds of thousands of miles with care and withstand silly amounts of abuse

As a bonus, they're easy to work on so even a local indy can undertake most jobs without issue

Regular servicing is simply just oil, filters and plugs - and every now and then coolant, brake fluid and trans/diff oil LT1's need their plugs changing on a ramp though as they're only accessible from underneath!

I'd hazard a guess that pads/discs and suspension consumables are probably cheaper, if not the same - a set of front discs for a C4 is about £80-£100, a set of front pads about £40-80 and so on....Oil and filter probably costs about £30-40, air filter is a tenner, and so on.....

Service schedule is something like this:

Ideally, every week, until you are familiar with the car:

Check Engine Oil level
Check Brake and Power Steering Fluid levels
Check Engine Coolant level
Check Windshield Washer Fluid level
Check Tire Pressures and Condition of tires

Every 3000 miles or every 3 months (whichever comes first):

All of the above plus:
Check Automatic Transmission Fluid level
Inspect the Engine Hoses
Inspect the Windshield Wiper Blades

Every 7500 miles or once a year (whichever comes first):

All of the above plus:
Change Engine Oil & Oil Filter
Lubricate Chassis and Top Off all fluids
Replace Fuel Filter and Air filter
Replace PCV valve
Inspect Exhaust, Suspension, Brakes and Steering components
Rotate tires if necessary
Check Rear Axle Oil levels
Check Throttle Linkage and Throttle Position Sensor setting
Check Serpentine Belt, Replace if Frayed or cracked
Check Spare tire

Every 30,000 miles or every 24 months (whichever comes first):

All of the above plus:
Change Automatic Transmission Fluid and filter, or if manual, change fluid
Drain, Flush and Refill Cooling system
Replace Spark Plugs
Inspect Plug wires, Distributor and Rotor
Check Shock Absorbers for leakage

Every 100,000 miles or 6 years (whichever comes first):

Perform ALL of the above steps plus:
Inspect Steering System wear indicators
Inspect Exhaust Manifold for cracks
Check Fuel Flow and pressure
Inspect Chassis for Corrosion and/or rust

That's an example of a pretty intense service shedule though, oil & filters (both trans & engine) are your prime concern really Most of the other stuff should be routine and done anyway!

 

[jigger]

I'd love something like a Corvette ! I could chat up the really hot chick at my local petrol station. It would be a license to stalk.

I take it real world petrol use is 10-15 MPG around town and 15-20 on a run ?

 

[Lashout_UK]

No, about 16-19 around town and 25-30, sometimes more, on the run

As mentioned the Corvette only weighs 1500 odd kg, is very aerodynamic and tall geared - and the engine is barely running most of the time In daily use mine would very rarely nudge over 2500RPM as at 1800 you were doing 70 anyway!

...after doing a 60:40 motorway/town jaunt for about 100 miles. I used to get that pretty much routinely anyway

Can't remember if it was US/UK mpg though...I think it was US (so it'd be 33 UK mpg) but something tells me the Euro models may have had the ECU recalibrated to take that into account.

Probably safe to rely on an average of something like 24/5mpg though - but it all depends on what you're doing with it though, the type of driving, how you're driving, how it's set up and the rear end ratio! How long is a piece of string

 

[DiG]

Thanks for all the information! Certainly looks like a great car, but insurance is £1500 compared to £600 on the TT! Tbh its the kind of thing I want to own when I've got some garage space to work on it myself, that and I think that much power as a second car is probably a bit unwise!

 

[Lashout_UK]

Haha! It's worth trying some 'specialists' like Greenlight/Brentacre/Adrian Flux for insurance - with club membership (£30 quid) it was £550 a year for my LT1 fully comp with Adrian Flux

Hey, there's no such thing as too much power - only too little! Throttle ain't a switch after all, but I know what you mean - very swift, and very easy way to dispatch of your driving license... Found myself doing triple digits a few times without realising it!

 

[DiG]

Struggling to find anything that appeals more than the TT, obviously until I acually drive one its hard to know, but you seem to get quite a lot:

This One has Leather, Cruise, Climate, Bose and Xenon.

Can anything be easily done to improve handling?

 

[mattx2]

Have you considered a rice mobile Supra / skyline / rx8

I've got a a3 1.8t quattro which is the same running gear as the tt and i'm not a fan would take my old na supra back in a second over it

 

[I get around]

I was gonna come in here and post something like "MX-5 is an equally gay hairdressers car?" but you beat me to it

I'd be looking at a 330i if I had that kind of money and was gonna be doing motorway miles.

 

[Joshy]

Have you considered a rice mobile Supra / skyline / rx8

Seeing as the OP seemed to be interested in the left field plug of a Corvette, I'll plug a Soarer.

"UZZ32" V8s have a mind boggling specification. Seriously, you'll struggle to find Brand new cars today that come with options such as a TV, Sat Nav, touchscreen trip computer, reserving camera, Actively computer controlled hydraulic suspension (which makes a 1600KG+ car corner like you wouldn't believe), auto dipping LED rear view mirror, heated electric memory seats, ultrasonic folding mirrors, and 4 wheel Steering as standard. Soarers came out of the factory with stuff like this in 1991 .

The "Lexus" V8 is arubly one of the best engines to come out of the 90s. Refined, quiet relatively economical (30MPG on a run wouldn't be impossible), relatively powerful (250BHP odd in active form, the hydraulic pump for the suspension saps a fair bit of power), reliable and with the right pipes behind, sound grrrrrrreat. Automatics only in V8 form though.

Twin Turbo cars are different beasts though. They are still very comfortable and refined, but they are comparatively basic to an Active, but a fair bit quicker. Concrete figures are hard to find, but a TT should be in the high 5s/Low 6s to the 0-60 sprint (I really need to test mine!) and should keep on trucking to in excess of 160MPH (170MPH has been mentioned!) once delimited. Suspension and Chassis wise they are remarkably similar to what you'd find in a MKIV Supra, and the MKIV Supra has almost always been regarded to be a brilliant handling car for it's size. The engine is still strong, reliable, and powerful (280BHP+). Again, economy is decent - A healthy TT should do 30MPG on a run with ease. If a manual gearbox is important to you (personally I think that one would ruin the car) they were available on TTs, but bare in mind that A) They are rare so command and B) That when new manual Soarers were the "basic" model and therefore probably won't have many options.

You'll struggle to spend £6k-7k on one. I imagine £4,000 would buy you one of the nicest examples in the country.

Yes, they are old cars, but I honestly do get a fair few comments about mine from the general, all of them being positive. I personally think that it is because is because they've aged very, very well and when well maintained don't look like a typical 19 year old car. With the right wheels can look PAINFULLY good. Here's the inspiration for my car

 

[DiG]

"UZZ32" V8s have a mind boggling specification. Seriously, you'll struggle to find Brand new cars today that come with options such as a TV, Sat Nav, touchscreen trip computer, reserving camera, Actively computer controlled hydraulic suspension (which makes a 1600KG+ car corner like you wouldn't believe), auto dipping LED rear view mirror, heated electric memory seats, ultrasonic folding mirrors, and 4 wheel Steering as standard. Soarers came out of the factory with stuff like this in 1991 .

Whats an Ultrasonic folding mirror, sounds dangerous Seems the TV and Sat Nav don't work in the UK, is that true?

More seriously, interesting suggestion, exactly what I wanted when I started this thread, for people who know a lot more than me to suggest things I have never thought of/heard about!

The fact that its a lot under budget is appealing, but I'm not sure about the way it looks

Keep the suggestions coming, very interesting to learn about these cars at any rate!

 

[Hades]

That's exactly the same as my old one. 02 reg, Morro blue, black leather (a really nice combination). Don't worry too much about people saying the handling isn't great. Try one. They are certainly better than most cars (not saying it's up to real sports car standards but it's still good nonetheless).

 

[Scania]

in what sense has anyone said the TT is a bad car?

Its bad because most assume your a Hairdressing Ladyboy.

E46 M3.

Everybody then will assume your a drug dealing gangster thug.

(Not sure if £7k is doable yet for a decent one mind....)

 

[Joshy]

Whats an Ultrasonic folding mirror, sounds dangerous Seems the TV and Sat Nav don't work in the UK, is that true?

More seriously, interesting suggestion, exactly what I wanted when I started this thread, for people who know a lot more than me to suggest things I have never thought of/heard about!

The fact that its a lot under budget is appealing, but I'm not sure about the way it looks

Keep the suggestions coming, very interesting to learn about these cars at any rate!

Ultrasonic mirrors maybe aren't as interesting as they initially sound . Otherwise known as "shakey" mirrors. They vibrate to clear rain and are apparently very good! I think the electric folding function was standard of all soarers, even my fairly basic spec GTT (Turbo) has them. The TV can adapted for the UK but I think converting the Sat Nav is a lost cause .

Its bad because most assume your a Hairdressing Ladyboy.

E46 M3.

Everybody then will assume your a drug dealing gangster thug.

(Not sure if £7k is doable yet for a decent one mind....)

£7k? Isn't that only just truly "decent" E36 M3 money?

 

[Gaygle]

E46 M3.

Everybody then will assume your a drug dealing gangster thug.

(Not sure if £7k is doable yet for a decent one mind....)

E46 M3 for 6-7k? Seriously?

A good E36 M3 will be £5k+, a good E46 M3 is £11k+ and if the OP is worried about running costs on a 330 or S2000, you think an M3 would meet his needs?

Recommendation fail.

 

[Sin_Chase]

I know, don't worry! I would love an S2000 but they are a bit expensive, the running costs are also pretty high aren't they?

No more than a TT will be.

 

[[TW]Fox]

E46 M3 for 6-7k? Seriously?

A good E36 M3 will be £5k+, a good E46 M3 is £11k+ and if the OP is worried about running costs on a 330 or S2000, you think an M3 would meet his needs?

Recommendation fail.

Quite, what an odd post, I wish people would at least do a bit of checking before they make recommendations - the point is people make a recommendation based on some sort of knowledge or reasoning rather than shout out random car models

 

[DiG]

Its bad because most assume your a Hairdressing Ladyboy.

E46 M3.

Everybody then will assume your a drug dealing gangster thug.

(Not sure if £7k is doable yet for a decent one mind....)

Nothing wrong with being a hairdresser, everything wrong with being a drug dealer.

Anyway, interested to know what the option would be the other way, forgetting sporty for a moment (there are a few good options now), what about just luxury motorway miles? Whats best for that?

 

[Scania]

Nothing wrong with being a hairdresser, everything wrong with being a drug dealer.

Anyway, interested to know what the option would be the other way, forgetting sporty for a moment (there are a few good options now), what about just luxury motorway miles? Whats best for that?

Just kidding.

Anyway,for that sort of money I'd be after - well am I guess - an e38.....

Hopefully, watch this space.....

 

[Housey]

Never understood the whole TT appeal. Looks odd, goes OK when chipped but displays typical Audi numbness.

 

[Gribs]

If you're happy to look at old Jap stuff then a S14a 200sx would fit the bill quite nicely. £4k will get you a decent lightly moddifed one.