I was fresh out of college and had my first job that didn’t entail a cash register and working until 1:00 a.m. My professional life started as a claims adjuster for AIG, and I thought I was loaded because I was making more than minimum wage. This notion of being a fiscal titan lasted for a month and ended when I realized that I had a lot more living expenses than I realized existed. Ah, to be young, dumb and hopeful once again.
My bills were paid, and I had just enough money to be perpetually broke. Life was good and I was optimistic until my 1994 Ford Thunderbird stopped cooperating with my daily commute. I wasn’t stoked by the demise of my T-Bird, but we had some good times. I often reminded myself to be happy that I had driven the car a lot and not to be upset that our time was over. Haven’t we all had an existential crisis over the demise of our daily driver?
With the demise of the Ford, it was time to shop for a new car. I was young, single and I thought I was cool, and figured I needed a car to reflect that. The Audi TT has been out for a few years and always caught my eye, especially in silver, and I decided to do some research before buying one. It was an eye-opening research experience and, in 90 seconds, I realized even used ones were beyond my tax bracket. That was 17-years ago, yet I still look at Audi TTs and cannot explain why. Maybe it’s nostalgia for something I never owned in an era when I thought I was young and hip? Regardless of the motivation, I’m still window shopping for an Audi TT in silver.
The Pick of the Day is a 2001 Audi TT Quattro listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Seattle, Washington. (Click the link to view the listing)
“On 05/29/2001 University Audi in Seattle sold it to Auto Gallery Audi in Woodland Hills, CA, who facilitated a corporate lease to an Audi employee,” the listing states. “On 05/26/2005 University Audi bought it from Audi Financial with 8,587 miles. It was then sold to the second owner on 07/06/2005. On 09/19/2005 it was traded into a new car dealer in Marysville WA for a full-size pickup. The third owner purchased it on 11/02/2005 with 9,704 miles.”
It’s powered by a turbocharged 1.8-liter inline-four engine that produced a factory-rated 225 horsepower when new. The engine is paired with a six-speed manual, which put the power on all four wheels thanks to Quattro all-wheel drive. If one is inclined for some peppy driving, 0-60 mph takes 7.7 seconds.
The black leather interior has seating for four, but I think the cramped backseat is better suited for luggage because I can’t imagine anyone taller than 5’1” fitting comfortably back there. Judging by the pictures in the listing, the Audi TT is in good shape without any major interior or exterior issues. Any blemishes are the result of being a 21-year-old car and should be easy to tidy up.
The listing price for this 2001 Audi TT is $11,325. To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
