2010 Audi TTS 8J Coupe

As posted in the car thread, I've recently found myself in possession of this Audi TTS, which will initially be a gap filler between company cars and then will replace our boring estate as a second car. I have until June to get it into a state where it can be a daily driver for a while, so had best get cracking on...

The Good:

1. Full service history from main dealers and specialists, including a big one 2000 miles ago which included the timing belt, haldex oil etc
   
2. Long MOT with the only advisories being for corrosion on the springs
   
3. It's got tonnes of paperwork for consumables
   
4. The engine runs very well and it's clear of warning lights etc
   
5. Generally tidy bodywork save for one panel
   
6. Good quality rear tyres with 6mm plus tread left
   
   

The Bad:

1. It's done 133,000 miles and it shows! The interior and paintwork in particular are tired and it's on some aftermarket alloys, one of which is very scratched up. There's also some heavy scratching to the panel around this wheel
   
2. Shifting it into first once you've been higher up in the gearbox is tricky. Coming out of reverse it's fine, but from the other direction it's nearly impossible to find first. There is a heavy and imprecise feeling to the stick in general, and I'm hoping the issue lies in the linkages and not the gearbox...
   
3. There is extensive water ingress in the boot area
   
4. The front left tyre has a slow puncture and the front right only has 2mm tread
   
   

So what have I done so far?

1. Cleared all drain holes, the ones that runoff from the boot and the fuel cap one were completely gummed up so I'm hoping this may have dealt with the water ingress. The boot was also sitting a bit proud of the bodywork so I've lowered the stops and catch. I currently have the dehumidifier running in the car trying to get the last bits of moisture I couldn't get at with a cloth and kitchen roll out
   
2. Ordered some glue to sort the seal around the front windows, as there's also some water ingress into the cabin here
   
3. Booked with local specialist to investigate the gear shift issue tomorrow
   
4. Ordered stock alloys which come with two good tyres. I'll fit these and take the rears from the current alloys to make a good set all with 6mmish tread. I'm considering putting winter tyres on the alloys that are coming off, or I might just get the scratched one reconditioned and sell as a set
   
5. Fitted a Pioneer Carplay head unit and DAB aerial (priorities priorities...)
   
   

Still to do:

1. Fit reversing camera
   
2. Install Audi Sound Plus kit (this and the above are waiting until I know I have the water ingress sorted)
   
3. Fit LED internal lighting
   
4. Get cruise control retrofitted
   
5. Full valet and paintwork restoration
   
6. Longer term possibly replace the clutch and get a stage 1 remap should it prove reliable enough to cope with that
   
   

Following the completion of this work I'm hoping Xzibit (please god just not Tim Westwood), may turn up and inform me my ride has now been 'pimped'

I was just about to post "Change the alloys" then noticed you are doing that. It will instantly look better.

Mostly ride TT's

Bio checks out.

Yeah, I'm not sure what was going through whichever previous owner's mind when they put the black ones on. It also came with a full set of the rubber floor mats including for the boot, which I'm really not a fan of so they're going on fleabay the next time I get a cheap fees offer.

Haha very true! It's like it was meant to be...

Car's back from the specialists having had a minor service and the heavy gear shifts issue looked into. Thankfully the gear shift was an easy and pretty cheap fix, where the base of the shift leaver attaches it had corroded and seized over time, so they loosened up and lubed and replaced the appropriate part. Also replaced the centre LED brake light as that was giving an error and some of the LEDs were on the way out.

It's home now and I'm now waiting to see if the work I did clearing out the drain holes has sorted the water ingress issues in the boot.

A few more pics of the next bits of work to be done, firstly bringing the alloys back to stock and cleaning up this scratch

Then a proper deep clean of the interior, where the cream/white accents have taken on rather more of a yellow hue...

Excellent thread, good news on the gearbox. I bet that’s put your mind at rest a bit.

Interested to see how this one unfolds.

Thanks! Yes it's definitely one thing off the mind - I got it for quite a lot below market value so would probably have sprung for it if it was the gearbox, but I'm very happy not to have had to. The specialist did a minor service on it at the same time (even though the last one was 2000 miles ago that also was over a year ago) and remarked that generally it's in really good nick so that's pleasing.

It became evident my clearing the drain holes hadn't stopped the water ingress however, so yesterday I took the inner boot trim off and lay in there whilst my long-suffering wife turned the hose on the car. Water started coming in through the base of the drivers side spoiler mount very quickly:

Looking at the Audi forums there are two ways to deal with this. Either get a new gasket and remove and reinstall the spoiler (a bugger of a DIY job or probably a fairly steep cost at a body shop), or the DIY approach involving lining the junction between the spoiler mount and the bodywork with automotive sealant. Given the forecast for the next few days, I cracked on with the latter. Despite having masked everything up I didn't do the neatest of jobs (I'm awful in general at stuff like that), but I think it should be watertight and given the spoiler only opens over 80mph I think the amount of time people will spend looking into the gap isn't going to be massive.

This afternoon I'll take the front wipers and plenum off and clean out the front drainage holes if the weather holds.

I reckon what you needed as well as masking is a set of those silicone shaping tool thingys

But it doesn't look like an easily accessible area so well done.

1 Attachment

is a set of those silicone shaping tool thingys and thousands of hours of practice and experience

That’s all :)

Which puts me at 0 out of 3 ;)

After the overnight rain it looks like the fix has held, but a little bit of water is still getting in through the top bolt in the picture above. It looks like at one time it had a small rubber washer under it which has rotted away. I’ve popped some sealant around the bolt head and tightened it back into place so hopefully that’s solved that.

Should have some good progress over the next couple of days with the new alloys going on tomorrow then wheel alignment and cruise retrofit on Tuesday.

Busy week on this - new (well second hand but original spec) alloys fitted and balanced, wheel alignment done, cruise control fitted and the sound plus kit has arrived. I've also repaired the parcel shelf mounts and replaced the non-functional rear numberplate lights with LED ones.

Took it for its first longer drive on Friday and all was good so I think once the irritating little issues are solved this should be pretty solid.

I've also spent the week fixing pin-prick holes in the sealant under the spoiler and leaving the boot trim removed with a bucket underneath every times it rains. The flow is definitely reducing but water is still slightly getting in. I have now sourced a second hand spoiler with a good seal which is probably going to need to go in when I have the time.

Hopefully I'll get the audio upgrade in next week and get the car watertight, then sort out aesthetics. The alloys I've got for it could use a reconditioning but I think this will have to wait, the priority at the moment is to get the paintwork and interior tidied up.

It certainly looks better back on the stock wheels:

I've been installing the Audi Sound Plus system this week - it's a pretty simple installation and the version I bought didn't require any repinning of the retrofit loom so really was 'plug and play'. It's not quite finished yet as I need some new rubber grommets to fit the bass speakers to and having taken the door cards off have also found a lot of the clips are broken and in some case the holders are too, so have those on order to get fixed up. The door cards now feel like they've doubled in weight with all the sound deadening, so it had better improve things sound quality wise!

I also finally pulled my finger out and got the wipers and plenum off to clean up the front drain holes today and am pretty glad I did. I'm not sure when water last exited via here but it was clearly a while ago...

Thankfully after Henry had got in there and done his thing and I'd removed the insert and washed it out thoroughly it's back to the state where it might actually allow some water to drain...

I also replaced the various interior bulbs with LEDs today, next up - retrofitting footwell and door card lights and then getting everything very thoroughly cleaned...

great thread.. any plans for the engine? map or exhaust??

Thanks! I've been meaning to post an update on this as I've been busy...

First up, I can now safely describe it as the car that taste forgot. What you see below is the effect of a misspent youth playing the Need for Speed series...

Anyway since I last posted I've got hold of a VCDS unit and have been scanning for fault codes. It's generally really clear with one on the AC (which still blows fine) and a load related to the radio now I've taken the factory head unit out.

Buried away however was a fairly innocuous looking one in the 4WD system, which upon researching basically suggested the Haldex controller had fried itself and the car was only running 2wd. This doesn't trigger any kind of warning light interestingly. Audi will only replace the whole Haldex unit at £1,000 plus but thankfully there's a great company (Haldex Repairs) in Crewe that will refurbish the control units. I got under the car and pulled that out on Monday, posted it to them on Tuesday, they confirmed it was shagged on Wednesday (quite spectacularly in fact, the circuit board had completely burned out and melted the pins that connect out to the rear diff), repaired it and had it back to me by lunchtime today. I refitted it, took it for a quick spin, and am still trying to remove my eyeballs from the back of my head.

The Haldex units on these things are 'interesting'. Audi don't list the Haldex oil filter as a consumable so it never gets replaced on the standard service schedule, but as with any oil filter over time they'll get completely clogged up. I got the company who repaired the unit to send me a service kit with a new filter at the same time. It's in a horrible position to get to when working under the car so after struggling with trying to remove the old one for a bit I've got it booked in for a specialist to do the replacement next week, which should only be 30-60 mins labour for someone who can get it up on a lift and doesn't have sausage fingers.

I'm feeling a bit smug about having sorted this as according to the paperwork the Haldex pump has been replaced twice in the past year so I'm guessing previous owners have tried to get it back to life and failed, but it's now running fault free and once the filter is replaced should be set for another 30,000 miles.

I'm not going to start tinkering with the engine immediately, however if it proves to be reliable then I'd certainly consider going stage 1, however a lot of people have apparently had issues with the stock clutch slipping once they remap, so going for a Sachs upgraded clutch and DMF and a remap will be the thick end of £1500. It might be a post-bonus treat next year.

Exhaust wise, well that decision might be made for me in not too long as the back end of the car isn't in a great place corrosion wise. The subframe, springs, lower arms and sway bar all look bad and there's also quite a lot of rust on some areas of the exhaust. Touch wood from poking it with a screwdriver it seems to be surface rather than structural but it's not going to get better on its own so I have it booked in at a place down near Brighton who will take it for a week, have a good dig into it and treat everything with Lanoguard. That's the hope anyway, there is now the slight worry they will ring up and tell me I'm driving a cheese grater that's only good for scrap and I will have thrown a lot of money and effort down the drain.

Good job about the haldex, yeah I remember Audi always said their auto boxes were sealed units, but any 3rd party would recommend changing the oil at 60k.. I always thought the haldex units needed done every 40k..
I had a 2.0TFSI 220bhp in a Skoda Superb and put a racechip tuning box in it.. I had it on the rolling road at 295bhp and 350lb/ft.. bought for £75.. I ran it for 38k from new and never had an issue. What power is the TTS standard?

PS.. look at all those restrictive boxes.. :-)

Yeah the haldex oil gets changed at 40k but for some reason VAG don't list changing the filter as part of that process and don't sell it as a part despite all other car manufacturers that use the Gen 4 unit having it as part of their standard service schedules. I'm guessing mine is still original given it seems to be corroded in place!

Wow that's some impressive figures from a £75 box! The TTS is 272bhp and 258lb/ft as standard, most of the stage 1 figures quote about 315bhp and 300lb/ft but as I say the clutch is a known weak point. It'll probably depend on how much previous owners have abused it as to whether it could manage a remap.

The box was great and I had it on a rolling road to get figures.. handy as the car was leased so I could remove when going into the dealer for anything..

Bring back neons

A sentiment I am fully on board with!

I dropped the car off at the specialist for the rust treatment today. He drove me back to the train station in it and was pleasantly surprised not to immediately feel something wrong with it (apparently this happens quite a lot). He reckons the wheel bearings may need replacing based on getting some resonation. I'd felt that on the motorway previously and it improved after a wheel balance but didn't disappear completely.

Hopefully they don't dig up too many more issues as they start pulling it apart this week, it feels weird not having it outside the house given I've spent most of the past 6 weeks fiddling with something on it. I suppose I might even have to go back to riding my bike!

It was all going so well, until they started prepping for the Lanoguard application and this big bastard hole appeared in the rear subframe. We are, therefore, looking at a subframe replacement and therefore doing the other heavily corroded suspension components at the same time. But hey, what's a four figure repair bill between friends?

Not good.. I suppose you think of a 2010 car being quite fresh, but really it's nearly 15 years old.. and showing it underneath.. What's the plan? new 2nd hand subframe? or can you get a new new one?

Yeah in my mind 'old cars' are the old Golfs, Novas and AXs people drove around in after just passing their test when I was a teenager. Sadly that was 17 years ago and as you say a 2010 car now isn't quite as fresh as you'd think.

New subframes are available and come in at around £600, so for that and the various arms that were required plus labour we're looking at something in the £1600 region. All four springs have corrosion warnings from the last MOT so I'm considering just getting them done at the same time if everything is having to come out. 3 of the four shocks have been done relatively recently, which is good as they're the hilariously expensive mag ride jobs, so I've asked for the condition of those to be checked and if they're ok then I'll get the springs swapped now, if they're on the way out too then I might move to coilovers in a few months when budget allows.

The plus side is the shell of the car itself actually looks OK, I was worried about what they might find when they took the wheel arches off and went digging but the nasty stuff appears confined to the subframe and suspension components. Painful as it is I think it's also better they found this now than me finding out when the back end of the car collapsed a long way from home!

Just discovered this non-bike current project section and I bloody love it.
Can particularly relate to the car stuff, specifically “old cars” having just spent a year getting a Discovery 3 up to scratch, which to me is still a very modern car, despite being a 57 plate!
Conversations like that make me feel like I’m really getting old.
Great to follow this, and feel inspired to put some upcoming automotive idiocy in this forum area!