At $8,000, Would You Give This 2008 Audi TT A Sporting Chance?

Oddly, for an Audi, today’s Nice Price or No Dice TT eschews a Quattro drivetrain for a lighter and a bit less expensive to maintain FDW setup. Let’s see if that, and an automatic, are reflected in its price.

Here’s a sobering thought: at some point in time in the not-too-distant future, old Volvos are going to be too clunky, too internal combustion, and far too analog to be considered viable daily drivers by anyone but the fanatical. Until that dark day comes to pass, there are cars like the 1991 Volvo 240 GL we looked at yesterday. At $6,000, that Volvo isn’t just a solid set of wheels; according to those of you who awarded it with a 60 percent Nice Price win, it’s a bargain as well.

While old Volvos may have a reputation for durability and longevity, the same can’t be said for the wares of the company’s German competitors over at Audi. Oftentimes complex and demanding to both own and repair, Audis of a certain age generally enjoy a less enviable reputation.

That may mean there’s some benefit in this 2008 Audi TT, as it shuns much of what makes the marque unique today. That’s partly because this second-generation TT rides on a platform that’s shared with the contemporary Volkswagen Golf, Beetle, and Jetta, not the more senior Audis. As such, it has a transversely-mounted drivetrain rather than longitudinally, and, in this car’s case, there is no Quattro AWD. That sideways drivetrain is composed of a 2.0-litre TFSI four and—in a singular nod to Audi complexity—a six-speed S-tronic DSG automatic.

Wrapped around that simplistic and Volkswagen-forward platform is a body that’s pure Audi, harkening back, as established with the first generation of cars, to the Auto Union racers of the 1930s. This one is painted, appropriately enough, in silver with a black convertible top. Accentuating that, the seller has fitted the car with black aftermarket alloys that, aside from the color, don’t seem to offer a significantly different appearance from the factory wheels. The Audi logo in the grille and the fuel filler door have also been given the blackout treatment, perhaps in solidarity.

With just 89,000 miles on the clock, the car hasn’t had the opportunity to really get wrung out, and it all looks to be fairly tidy and clean. Some peppering is evident on the plastic of the rear wheel arch, something that should be addressed lest it get worse. There also seems to be something going on with the top, right above the passenger side seat, but it’s hard to tell from the picture what that is, and nothing is mentioned in the ad..

Things get spiced up in the two-seater cabin. There, the typical doom and gloom German black interior is enlivened by a pair of wonderfully upholstered sport bucket seats in baseball glove burnt umber and featuring expressive leather stitching up the sides. The bold color palette is extended to the center console and door trim, making for a very inviting space. Based on the pictures, everything looks to have held up well for its age. The dash houses the typical Audi info screen between the main dials as well as a double DIN stereo and nav unit in the center stack, making the space feel reasonably modern amidst the old-school round vents and brushed metal trim.

According to the seller, the car wears brand-new Michelin tires and received an alignment at the time those were mounted. A new battery has also been installed. The only issue noted in the ad is a TPMS warning lamp, which the seller says is only the result of the recently installed tires. If wanted, the original wheels will come with the car in the sale, as will a clean title. The asking price for this seemingly lightly used TT is $8,000.

What’s your take on this Audi and that asking? Do you feel that’s a fair price for an Audi that eschews much of what makes an Audi and Audi? Or, if you’re going in on Audi, do you demand the full experience or a far lower price for a pretender?

You decide!

Denver, Colorado, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Stephen Wolfson for the hookup!

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