Life's Too Short to Drive Boring Cars

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
07/06/2020 at 18:35 • Filed to: Audi, Audi TT

Back in 2019 I told myself if I ran into the right example of my childhood dream car, I’d sell a smart to make room for it. That day has come.

When I was a kid I super wanted a first generation Audi TT. Had a poster of a yellow one on my wall, had several diecasts of them, and always had one in my garage in videogames.

As an adult, these cars seem to be holding their value pretty well. Okay e xamples without rust in my area ask $3k- $4k, even more for convertibles with the famous baseball glove interior.

Couple days ago Sheryl and I spotted a TT for a deceptively low price. Only stated problem was failing emissions. That later evolved to the car not running at all. Excellent.

We showed up at the guy’s place and after playing around I figured the problem to be a bad starter. He figured I was going to pay for a tow. Nope, I offered about 50%-ish of the ask, got the title, then bump started my way out of his driveway. He didn't seem too pleased that I got his "non-running" car going. Oops. lol

Aside from Plasti-Dip removal the car just needs a good wash. Everything works (ice cold AC!) and the car happily races to redline in each gear. It has higher mileage than I wanted but it’s been pretty well cared for so it’s really tight. This is solidly a case of meeting a hero and it being a good thing.

This one is the 1.8 Quattro with manual and despite the smaller engine this car’s an absolute hoot to drive. The last car I’ve driven that made me smile this much was the current generation Miata.

The car I axed for this? The 2005 convertible smart. It’s been such a headache keeping it roadworthy that I just don’t drive it far from home for fear I’ll need a tow. I generally view smarts as pretty reliable, but this one? Ugh what a pain. It won’t be missed.

DISCUSSION (23)

CTSenVy > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 18:38

Always liked the look of the TT’s. Loved the feel of them in Gran Turismo. Good pick up!

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 18:42

Funny he never thought to check a starter, well some people have no idea. Good score.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 18:46

We bought a First Gen new... and it’s been remarkably reliable, but for the fact that I’m pretty sure AUDI is Latin for “Check Engine Lamp”.

That’s a great story on the Bump Start, too... Way to rub the Seller’s face in it!

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 18:49

This is pretty fantastic. I just love the bump start. You have never experienced life until you have bump started a car.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 18:49

Yeah... bump starting... another skill that is dying with the death of the manual transmission.

Nice score!

Though I personally am strongly biased against owning German luxury cars because I don’t want to pay for the more expensive repairs/maintenance I know I’ll have to pay sooner or later.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 18:52

I'm going to start a betting pool on whether you can go two months without a vehicle purchase

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/06/2020 at 18:57

Not actually possible.

shop-teacher > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 19:05

Whoa! You got rid of a Smart! I did NOT see that coming. I say good call though.

Are you keeping the Ranger?

dogisbadob > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 19:05

I like the first-gen TT more than I should

Mercedes Streeter > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/06/2020 at 19:06

That’s a bet...I’ll probably lose.

Wait a minute, I did go about 6 months with the TDI!

Jb boin > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 19:15

Be wary that if it’s a 225hp pre-BAM (APX if i recall correctly) and it hasn’t been remapped early in it’s life and still has its original turbo, head and exhaust manifold, it’s almost guaranteed that at least one of the three has cracks.

The older engines didn’t have a EGT sensor and were having a mapping that was too lean, causing these parts to crack.

The OG 150hp (the AG, the same i got in my A3) also doesn’t have a secondary electrical water pump that is running for 30seconds or a minute after the car has stopped which helps but you still have to remember that it’s a car that really needs to have the cool-down time before shutting down the engine, the turbo is behind the engine and is quite often still red hot when stopping the car after having driven it “the right way”.

Here, it’s only a stock 150hp :

Crackheads !

Kinja'd!!!

Cracked K03(s) (from a 150/180hp) and K04 (210/225/240hp) :

Kinja'd!!!

DANGER TO MANIFOLD !

Kinja'd!!!

Mercedes Streeter > shop-teacher
07/06/2020 at 19:36

I know! So unlike me! lol

We’re keeping the Ranger until something breaks that’ll cost more than the truck’s value to fix. Spent too much getting it road trip ready to toss out too soon.

Sheryl’s likely picking up a Bronco this weekend and maybe a Chevy HHR to compliment it, so we’ll have a whole stable of wacky stuff.

diplodicus forgot his password > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
07/06/2020 at 19:44

Audi is actually Latin...

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > diplodicus forgot his password
07/06/2020 at 20:00

I know. We own a dozen... A8s, TT, Coupe GT and a V8 Quattro.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 20:04

Weren't there multiple motorcycle purchases in there?

Mercedes Streeter > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/06/2020 at 20:57

I got a free Honda Spree that I’m using as decoration, I sold a few bikes, and I did get a Suzuki Burgman.

Darn, more like 4 months. lol

Mercedes Streeter > Jb boin
07/06/2020 at 21:01

Oh my! This one has the 180 hp 1.8. I'll definitely keep all of that in mind as I want to keep it as nice as possible for a long time. :)

TheJWT > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 21:28

The styling of those 1st gens has really aged well

Bylan - Hoarder of LS400's > Mercedes Streeter
07/06/2020 at 22:51

That seller is kicking themselves so hard for not knowing they could bump start a manual

Sweet wheels, doug demuro would approve

3 Jeeps and a Mazda wants a Fiata > Mercedes Streeter
07/07/2020 at 00:13

Had an art teacher in high school that had one of these in silver (1999ish?) That i loved. Id still like to have one.

Stef Schrader > Mercedes Streeter
07/07/2020 at 05:23

YES! I love these so much.

Jb boin > Mercedes Streeter
07/07/2020 at 07:36

I thought that i saw the red TT logo from the 225hp, by bad :)

It definitely needs a remap, especially with the Quattro, depending on the year/engine code you have a K03 or a K03S turbo, the K03S have a different impeller and can do ~5-10hp more with a simple remap ; it’s a well known engine and easy to remap with a simple 15€ cable, the ECU can do multimap (you can switch between 3 maps before starting the car, nice feature if you want for example a st ock map, stage 1 p remium and stage 1 E85 ) .

Other recommanded mods are a Powerflex (or similar) dogbone mount, i got the red version ( diesel) which is already sensibly harder than the stock one while softer than the yellow (sport) and black (race) ones, it really did make a big change on the gearshifts without adding much vibrations.

Of course a foam panel filter (avoid cotton ones) and additional holes on the bottom of the airbox (it’s a turbo engine so air quantity is more important than intake temperature) will make the car sound sensibly better .

Check if the dump valve is not torn (mine was) as its quite easy to change and test (air should not be able to pass on one side to the other), the replacement part is the same on all 1.8T and doesn’t cost much.

The same for the PCV puck, if its old, change it as its a 5 minute job and can avoid oiling your intercooler and intake : I haven’t got a speck of oil arriving at the throttle body in the la st 2 or 3 years since i changed the PCV puck and cleaned the intercooler and throttle body (it was surprisingly dirtier than my 330000 km V6 TDI intercoolers and shudder valve ).

And you can also pressure test the intake as quite often small hoses can become brittle and leak, i usually put a tin can on the intake and put a plastic wine cork (don’t use a real cork one as it will disintegrate into the intake) on the PCV puck port to test it :

Kinja'd!!!

If you do so, you also have to open the oil filer and plug the underside of the PCV pluck (i use my thumb) and not put more than 1 bar of pressure ; if there is no leak it should keep the 1bar and not do any... air leak noise .

ps: and don’t forget to always put very good oil on the engine and change it “ often” as its heating quite much and can end up having oil ports partially plugged and loosing pressure .

RangerSmith > Mercedes Streeter
08/21/2020 at 08:21

Wisely done on the 1.8! I’ve always had a soft spot for the TT