2012 Audi TT RS...Finding love again for the Audi Brand

[SouthShoreM3]

Hey All,

I have been a long time reader of the forums, but never really a contirbutor so to say. There are some incredible information out from everyone and knowledge that some of you have provided me over the years on vehicles has been extremely helpful. At the end of the day we should all buy what we want and not what someone else suggests. I currently own a 2010 E90 M3 that is a DINAN car except exhaust AA right now, but hopefully switching over to something new soon (and yes i have the badge, but its also because I have the engine to match and dont care about the 10 point badge thing) and hopefully supercharging it soon...we will see.

On to my story of Audi and the TT RS.

Which is why i bring up this statement as some of you are probably thinking why the Audi??? I asked mysefl them same thing when I was ready to write a check for this car back in January as I have had awful experience with my previous Audis (2006 Audi S4 25th anniversary quattro and a 2008 RS4). I loved these two cars until I started having serious issues...driveshaft melted from the exhaust on the S4 and the RS4 needed the entire engine replaced (luckily still under warranty, but had to bring it to 4 dealerships until the right one diagnosed it--InSkip they are fantastic). There is no denying the fact that german's build some of the best all around vehicles in the world. When it comes to performance, comfort, design and all the creature comforts anyone could want in their vehicle...they give it to you in exceptionally different flavours and options.

So on to the Audi TT RS. I bought this car because in November of 2011 I was really starting to think I need daily driver that gives me better gas mileage and that can perform in great weather of Boston all year round. My initial instict was just to buy something modest, but as I am sure many of you can relate...how and where do I draw the line of modest and practical. We all have a passion for cars that I would consider the same passion a drug addict has for....well no need for detail. I was going to suck it up and get an SUV....i drove an X5M, Cayenne GTS 6spd, and the new SRT8 Cherokee...they are all fast and great cars, but i have gone the SUV route and I was thinking to myself....I dont have kids (yet), i barely have anything big enough to lug around in an SUV (the dog would like it better), gas mileage would be the same if not worse than the M3 and the automatic transmission (except the GTS) would lull me to sleep, but would be great for all the traffic i sit in 85% of the time.

I saw the TT Rs and then for some reasaon i felt compelled to see it. I went a dealership in Brookline, which had one in the showroom, but they would not let me start the car or even put the key in the ignition...bizarre and considering I just drove up in a heavily modified M3 and a fine tailored italian suite, i guess it wasnt enough for me to look serious at the car.

On to the next dealership in Burlington. I went up one day on a Friday to take a look and the color I just fell in love with. Its Monza Silver and some of you will say why silver??? One its rare pickings for color and I just dont like white on the car. Daytona grey was the other option, but my 2010 E90 M3 is JZB and its already hard to keep one black car clean on a daily basis. The monza silver for anyone that is familiar with Audi, used to be Avus Silver on the RS4 and the S4 25quattro. It really is a beautiful color and changes shades during different times in the day. Again this dealer would not let me start the car. How are you going to buy a house if you have never seen it or been in it!!?? I mean what the hell. I finally was about to walk out again and say this is why I will never buy an Audi again. They just dont get it. But the Sales Manager came down allowed me to start it on, but could not drive it because its so "rare". Come on guys its a 70K that has limited allocation. I could go tot he ferrari dealership 30 miles away and go take almost anyone of those cars for a test drive. Lets be serious

So that following week (minus all the horriblness i had to go through to get the car) I went that weekend and bought it. I couldnt believe I just bought an Audi for one again, this car is about as impractile as it gets except all wheel drive/navigaton/bluetooth. What did i just do!??! The day I went to go pick it up in January 2012 it snowed about 8 inches that night and into the morning and the car had its high performance summers on it....great this not a good start (and it comes with the new toyo T1S sport, but thats a whole other thread).

I asked them about break in and all the other details just to get my own entertainment that morning (audi dealers are clueless when it comes to high performance cars from my experience and my salesman came from Lamborghini...scary). Off I was driving the car for the first time.

Now here is what you really want to read if you havent been lulled to sleep yet and why I have a new respect for Audi:

INITIAL RESPONSE

during my negtiotation with Audi i got them to throw in a ski rack and roof rack to support the ski rack. When they had the boxes there and they were big, i was think how the hell am I going to get this home? they Fit in the car so easily by just putting the rear seats down...perfect this car is already changing my mind about not being practical.
break in time was 1200 miles form what i read so going easy on the car for a while, but with how many miles i average a week (500) this would be quick.

When i turned the car on i was expecting to be disappointed and immediately wanting to find an aftermarket replacement, but i got the sports exhaust witht he black tips (goes very well with the color and complete bottom rear diffuser is now carbon fiber as well OSIR). the sounds was quite pleasant and raw. the sports exhaust comes with a sport button like the M button in our cars. this is supposed to tighten up throttle, suspension, and open the other exhaust pipe (reminds me of the DINAN exhaust on a cold day, what a horrible look) to open the sound when increasing through the RPM range.

the steering was numb in the parking lot and very loose and I thought what the hell is this??? but when you gradually increase your speed the steering tightens right up to where it should be. I actually like it loose like that in a parking lot and makes it easier to navigate (though there is not much car to navigate as it looks small in size).

Very firm ride from the beginning...much firmer than the M and this has the megthorical (spelling sorry) suspension, which goes from firm to more firm...personally I like the firm ride so this isnt an issue. the roads here are horrible so makes it a little tough at times.

Never been a fan of wings, but the wing on this car looks fantastic with the body and lines and curves fo the car. In addition, total visibility out of the rear and does not block view at all (its now replaced with carbon fiber from OSIR--yes modding begun quickly and i love being able to see the carbon shine in the sun when driving).

drive positioning for vitals on the car are in great view (car even comes with an internal boost meter in inside, but reads from min to max). the feel of that flat bottomed steering wheel in your hands is something of pure bliss. It feels fantastic in your hands with the perfect amount of grip and thickness. The shifter feels the same way in your hand with the meatiness to it that the M3 just lacks and never feels quite right...almost delicate at times.

Transmission and gearing is absolutely perfect. Please keep in mind that I have a 4.10 diff in my car now and that was one of the most modifications i could have ever spent money on and the TT RS feels very similiar to the 4.10, except its 3.55 i believe. Pure audi greatness in that regard for 6spd and something i really hope BMW fixes down the road if they cntinue to make manuals for us pursits (even though the germans say we dont know how to drive stick). the car is always in the power band adn there is constantly low amounts of torque. there is definitely some very brief and initial turbo lag (this is my first turbo car so bare with me on my knowledge and vocabulary), but it turns very quickly into throwing into your seat. this was all being used through 1000-3800RPM for the first 1200 miles.

when you sit in the drivers seat you have a great position in the car and feel a very low center of gravity, which i like. Definitely blinds spots in the rear pillars and the rearview mirror is a little small, but great visibility everywhere else. Very similiar to the M3, but i feel you are just slightly higher up in the M3. There is cut outs for extra headroom for people greater than 6'2. My dad is 6'5 and fits with no problem....well it does take him some time to get in and out!

The doors are incredibly heavy and it seems like every time you open them to get out they just fly back at you..which is always a pleasant experience.

In addition, there is plenty of boot space and i can fit two set of golf clubs back there no problem (seats folded down of course), where i have a real tough time getting my clubs in the back on the M3 without having to take at least the driver out of the back (not folding seats down).

there is also very little storage space in the car except a few stash bins until the seats (fits my saturday night special...hah) and some bins in the doors. Other than that nothing...

the interior is pretty simple, but ideal for what i was looking for. Great Bose sound system from the factory (B&O not available which would be amazing), the recaro seats are good, but the M3 just is in another league (wish we could get euro spec seats here) when it comes to seat comfort and holding you in your place. Stiching is beautiful and it looks like the 1M took some design ques from the TT RS. The MMI interface in this car is out of the R8, but man is the idrive a far more superior piece of technology. this thing is so slow and outdated its scary. I feel like I am back in the RS4/S4 from 2008...I mean seriously could they not put a better piece of technology in the car??

Car also came with heated seats (option), which is definitely a must here in Boston. Especially for someone like me that doesn carry a whole ton of junk in the trunk. the dash is disappointing and looks like it came out of an A3 and is plastic. Back seats are totally useless and i acutally got stuck back there for about 15 minutes one day.

DRIVING

this car handles truly exceptional. I definitely had my doubts with the AWD, but the balance and steering in the car is just fantastic. It is so quick and agile (even with SottoZeros in the winter) and keep its wieght going in the right direction all the time. There is little to none in understeer in hard fast turns, but you sometimes will get it as you just feel like you can drive and push this car with confidence that can sometimes make you pull back on the throttle and hit the brakes in the M3 (AWD is a beautiful thing for a man's driving confidence). I always have loved the dimensions and weight balance that they created the current M3 platform off of and the TT RS is no slouch in that department with the wieght balance. It would be nice if we could throw some meatty rubber in the rear, but 255 is all she will ever see for a contact patch on this car, but Audi has made it work

the sound that comes from the 5 cylinder engine is almost as acusitcally entertaining as when i first bought the M3. It has a vicious rasp at start up adn idle and when you hit the sport button and open the valve it brings it to life even more. I have to admit though, there is not much of a different in sound with the sport button on when under load and I truly think it came down to $1900 option for gloss black oval tips and a rubber house that opens and closes the valve. the true sweet spot for this car is between 3800RPM and 5500RPM. Everything just blends perfectly during this range.

Now when the suprt button is engaged, the stiff, firm and very active suspension gets a little more tightened up and you could feel driving over an ant. This is a required taste and feeling for a DD driver, but it is something that some days is better than others.

Once the initial turbo lag has subsided, the car has brutal excelaration for a car that comes with 360BHP and 343FT TQ out of the box. It is very quick (getting a first so called "kill" a few weeks ago to the new 991 C4S...yes you read that right...it was by about 2-3 car lengths and the distance was about 3 stop lights in distance....so maybe not a legit kill, but i was shocked and so was the porsche salesman and the man test driving the car...). this car is very quick, but with almost 5K on the odometer i am getting ready for upgrades and seeing the full potential of this vehicle. I promised myself i would not touch the car, but we all know how that goes.

I am getting a little exhausted and my brain is not working to well so i will leave it at this. Having the fortunate and lucky opportunity to drive to very different, but equally engaging vehicles. I have alto more to experience in this car, but the botttom line is that this car has become a perfect DD. Its comfortable for the most part, has all the technology that I need, engaging to drive, a sleeper for the most part (not too many people around here know what a TT RS is or an M3 at times), I can do 100 and still get 17-20mpg, but get a steady 25mpg throughout the week and only have to fill the tank up 1-2 times a week as opposed to 3 or more in the M at times depending on how much driving,

if anyone is in the Boston area I would love to meet up and if you are curious about the car that I too hated for the last several years, I am telling you that this car will sway your opinion. Its more of a DD than I could ever imagine.

only problem is now i get horrible looks on people's faces when i tell them that a little coupe is my DD and the sedan is the weekend warrior. The E9X is truly a special car and car that I want to keep for as long as I can no matter what.

thanks for reading all and i hope it wasnt too boring...my mind went dead but said to myself I must finish. not a masterpiece but a start.

[SoTempted]

Whoa, I love the TT-RS but that is WAY too many words...

I'll just sub in hopes I can get to reading this throughout a week's worth of dumps.

[Adriansideways]

Seems you like it ....... Not the car for me I love my ///M way to much understeer no balance

[Topspeed]

Originally Posted by SoTempted

I'll just sub in hopes I can get to reading this throughout a week's worth of dumps.

Easily the top contender for quote of the year.

[LarThaL]

I have owned Audis for years. TTRS is a great car and an absolutely phenomenal modding platform. You will be able to get close to 500hp and 500lb-ft in a car that has AWD and weighs like 3300 lbs. Just don't love the looks. Not bad, by any means, but not sleek and sexy like the M3. Good choice. Hope you enjoy it.

It is intesreting how nit-picky people get when comparing BMW M, Audi RS, and Mercedes AMG. These all relatively equal cars, with each having their pros and cons. Can't really go wrong wih any of them.

[Darth One]

all that and no pics??

[SouthShoreM3]

Jesus I'm sorry guys. I can't believe how stupidly long that is. Please bash freely. I will post some pics this weekend. All iPhone just as an FYI.

[crabman]

In my mind while a two seater and four can be compared in terms of performance they don't directly compare as they have different purposes. Going from there while I've nothing against the TT and like it there are other 2 seaters I would purchase instead.

[larryn]

Nice long writeup. Funny, I never see any other E9x M3s on the S Shore. I am in Pembroke. Where are you?

[kchu221]

damn... that was the longest ive seen someone write with no pictures, haha but honestly i really do like how the TT looks, but from seeing where you live, where it rains and snows often, and STI or an EVO prolly wouldve been more practical for you. Anyways congrats on your purchase!

[Hurricane]

I had a pretty tough experience with my RS4 as well. I loved the car but became agitated with carbon build up, DRC recall, and replaced piston rings. All of these things were covered under warranty but it was enough to scare me from the brand and why I made the jump to the M3. I am curious to see how your third go around will be. I hope it's positive. Let me know if you remain issue free.



[QUOTE=SouthShoreM3;11899636]Hey All,

On to my story of Audi and the TT RS.

Which is why i bring up this statement as some of you are probably thinking why the Audi??? I asked mysefl them same thing when I was ready to write a check for this car back in January as I have had awful experience with my previous Audis (2006 Audi S4 25th anniversary quattro and a 2008 RS4). I loved these two cars until I started having serious issues...driveshaft melted from the exhaust on the S4 and the RS4 needed the entire engine replaced (luckily still under warranty, but had to bring it to 4 dealerships until the right one diagnosed it--InSkip they are fantastic).

[SouthShoreM3]

Again sorry guys for the length. Stupid long, but sometimes it good to get some SH##t out. I will put pics up this weekend.

Larryn I am in Braintree but work in Norwell. I have seen maybe 3 Ms in the area (silver, black, white).

Guys to sum things up these are two totally different cars and there is absolutely no comparison. When I get in my M it feels like a total privilege. But the RS feels special in its own way and far more enjoyable than the RS4 in my opinion in alot of ways.

The tt rs though has become in my mind more practical than I thought and I get great performance when I want it. The one thing that drives me crazy is how much the brakes squeak. The compound on the pad is not built for daily driving and I have to do 60-10 sprints in the morning in order to get them to optimal heat temp for them Not to squeak (I bed them in several times at the beginning). Unless its 60 degrees out they constantly squeak when coming to a rolling stop.

Is it worth the price tag Audi MSRP it for that's in question. Luckily I have great negotiating skills!! Ha

I had no interest in STi or EVo is they are a bit too boy racer for me.

Its a solid car all around and the Wife likes it because it isn't as loud and she can drive this much better (although I don't ever allow that for obvious reasons we know).

2 totally different cars and that's a nice thing. Would I trade the M or the RS...RS all day guys.

Once I do some modifications to the car then I will see if this car has potential to match up to the M.

Hopefully July stage 2 will all be put on (going with AWE).

[mdosu]

I love Audi designs, just don't love the weight and weight distribution of the front engine cars.

I've always love the style of the RS4, RS5, and the new S8

[HBspeed]

I'm leaving for Germany next Saturday to do European Delivery on mine. I'm just as excited... although I don't think I'll have it in me to write that much about it!

[SouthShoreM3]

Considering the AWD and the aluminum frame technology they are using this car is fairly light. I believe weighing over 3300. If you see where they put the engine in the bay, its set back near the firewall almost and down.

That's exciting about the euro deliver. The dealer I wanted to get it from could not get allocation and I wanted to get the M off the road ASAP. No more winter for that car which I am very happy about. Just sunny days and when the pollen is at a minimum. Look into AWE for anything aftermarket. I would love to go with the APR ECU, but very few dealers can do the tune in house and I am not shipping my ECU in the mail (going through a law suit with UPS right now from damaging a brand new set of HREs).

[kmarei]

Originally Posted by HBspeed

I'm leaving for Germany next Saturday to do European Delivery on mine. I'm just as excited... although I don't think I'll have it in me to write that much about it!

That trip should give you enough time to read the OPs first post

[hakaida442]

The 991 C4S isn't even out anywhere in the world right now. It hasn't even been announced at any any auto show world wide.

[SouthShoreM3]

Excuse me typo the 911 c4s

[hakaida442]

No you probably mean the 911 997.2 C4S.

[amitkhas]

thanks for sharing!

i also live in the boston area, and have noticed a distinct trend of crappy audi salespeople. They are usually very arrogant.

nonetheless, that's pretty gutsy to buy a car that expensive without even a test drive.

their crappy sales people is prob the main reason i went bmw over audi when i bought my car last year.

[crabman]

I was trying to decide whether to read War and Peace or your post but I didn't have enough time for your post so I went with War and Peace. lol Just kidding. You're feeling the love. Thats what its all about. Enjoy.

[Cabinetman]

Originally Posted by amitkhas

thanks for sharing!

i also live in the boston area, and have noticed a distinct trend of crappy audi salespeople. They are usually very arrogant.

nonetheless, that's pretty gutsy to buy a car that expensive without even a test drive.

their crappy sales people is prob the main reason i went bmw over audi when i bought my car last year.

This must be a trend with Audi dealerships everywhere. I went to a local Dallas/Ft. Worth area dealership and got treated like a second rate customer. I wanted to look at a new S4 and the salesman told me they only let serious customers drive new S4s and I could sit in a used S4 if I wanted. I'm not sure what dictates a serious customer, but I ended up buying a new car two weeks later and it wasn't an Audi.