Welcome back to Shitbox Showdown! Today’s matchup seems very lopsided, until you start to look at the details. I’ll give you a hint: one of these cars passed a smog test. We’ll dig into those details in a moment, after we look at yesterday’s truck results:
Looks like a narrow win for the Ford. Neither one seemed too popular, however; we weren’t exactly “swamped” with comments, or votes. So let’s move on to a little psychological experiment involving a pretty but ailing German sports coupe and a dowdy American sedan with a trick up its sleeve.
California, as our Editor-In-Chief is finding out, is a land of a great many rules and regulations surrounding automobiles. Sometimes the rules work out in your favor, but quite often they really, really don’t. And when they don’t where does that leave you? Sometimes it means ditching the problematic car in favor of something that already meets the letter of the law, which leads us to today’s contestants. Let’s check them out.
2001 Audi TT Quattro – $3,700
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 1.8 liter dual overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, AWD
Location: Santee, CA
Odometer reading: 178,000 miles
Runs/drives? Runs great! But…
The Audi TT is a cool little car. Introduced in the late ’90s, it was sort of the Karmann-Ghia to VW’s New Beetle: a stylish, low-roofed 2+2 coupe with enough performance to back up its looks, and of course it’s available with Audi’s legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive system. The first-generation TT is another car with some history among the Autopian staff: Mercedes Streeter had a star-crossed ownership of a car almost exactly like this, in silver.
This TT features a 180 horsepower version of the VW/Audi 1.8T engine, driving all four wheels through a five-speed manual. Sounds good, right? Small car, decent power, tons of grip, three pedals on the floor – it’s a recipe for fun. Unfortunately, it’s also a turn-of-the-century Audi, which means it also has a fiendishly complex and notoriously finicky engine management and emissions control system. One sensor has a bad day, and the whole thing can go haywire. And that appears to be what has happened with this car: it won’t pass emissions because some sensor won’t reset. The solution suggested by the testing station was to drive the car a while and re-test, but that hasn’t worked. The next step would be to fire the parts cannon at it until the problem goes away, but the seller sounds unwilling or unable to pay for that, so they’ve bought a different car and are unloading this one as-is.
It’s too bad, because this car runs and drives beautifully, they say, and it is in nice condition for 178,000 miles. Everything works, including the air conditioning, and the registration is actually still current, so there’s a little time to work out the emissions issues.
Cosmetically, it’s not perfect, but it looks pretty damn good. These are not low-maintenance cars, but they are reportedly very good cars to drive (I’ve not had the pleasure myself). Plenty of them are available for less money than this, but they’re likely to have a lot more problems than a failed smog test. And if you live somewhere besides California, you can likely ignore the fault and drive it as-is.
1989 Chevrolet Corsica – $1,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.8 liter overhead valve V6, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Lemon Grove, CA
Odometer reading: 153,000 miles
Runs/drives? Runs great!
But let’s suppose you don’t want to deal with all that, and just want something that’s ready to go as-is. You’re willing to sacrifice cool styling and leather seats for mechanical simplicity and reliability. And you’re intrigued by the idea of a once-common but now rare car, with an uncommon and desirable mechanical spec. Have I got the car for you! Feast your eyes on the 1989 Chevy Corsica, equipped with a 2.8 liter V6 and a five-speed stick.
Yep, that’s right; Chevy’s humble L-body sedan could be had with a manual. And it’s a good one: the Getrag 282 five-speed (yes, the ad calls it a four-speed, but it has a fifth gear). I’ve had two of these before, one in a Cavalier Type 10, and one in a Quad 4-powered Olds Calais. It’s not as precise as a Honda or Mazda gearbox, but it’s a damn sight better than the vague, rubbery messes that Mopar and Ford called manuals back then.
Now, even the best manual gearbox in the world couldn’t turn a Chevy Corsica into a performance car, but the alternative is a mushy three-speed automatic that soaks up the V6’s power like that one soggy French fry soaks up the pickle juice on the plate. With the manual, this car could almost be considered sprightly. It still handles like a Chevy Corsica, but you can’t have everything. The seller says this car runs and drives just fine, and has a new battery and a recent clutch replacement. It has been sitting for a while, and the registration is several years out of date, but it just passed a smog test.
Cosmetically, it looks like every other remaining Corsica: dreary. And why are they always maroon? These things did come in other colors, right? Once upon a time, this would have been the ultimate stealth car, but it’s such an uncommon sight these days that it might actually get noticed. Nah, who am I kidding? It’s still a Corsica. No one cares. But it’s cheap, it runs fine, and it’s ready to rock.
Yes, I know this is a silly comparison. But let’s just say you have your heart set on a manual, and you have a very limited budget. Are you going to choose the car that looks good and is fun to drive, but needs work to be able to drive legally, or the drab, uninspiring one that’s less than half the price, and ready to go right now?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
The TT emissions system shouldn’t be too bad to fix. Find the code, work down the troubleshooting tree, call it a day. Or live in a place with out emissions tests!
The Corsica is one of those cars that we all go “ooooo, a manual” only to realize it’s a late 80’s GM product. Not that the engine and transmission combo are bad, but you’ll probably be more comfortable and safer in the TT. That being said, I’m tired of fixing German vehicles for awhile.
Corsica for me.
Corsica. Not that I really want it, but for my kid learning to drive this would be a great one. Parts are plentiful, it’s from California so rust isn’t going to be problematic, and it doesn’t need to be fancy, just transportation. I would have said no until I saw the stick. That sold it.
The TT is going to be a fickle mistress. I know it’s going to bankrupt me in money and spirit while looking cool the whole time. Gotta pass on that one.
This also feels like a poll of who exactly The Autopian’s readership truly is:
TT: Enthusiast or at least wanting to be an Enthusiast. Cares about performance, ignores cars that have no performance cred, disdains cars that pretend to have performance cred but really don’t. Dream car is whatever was cool when they were 17.
Corsica: Car nerd. Likes to geek out about the minutia of cars of all types. Prides self on knowing at least a bit about most vehicles on the road. Dream car is an embarrassingly simple car that fits the exact needs of their life and nothing more. Thinks a 2012 Yaris Hatchback with a roofrack is 106 hp of freedom.
“I am in this picture and I don’t like it.”
TT describes me, but it’s an old Audi. Corsica for me.
I never said I wasn’t running a grand sociological experiment on all of you… (twirls mustache)
How DASTARDLY of you!
(Is there any other context for using the word “dastardly”?)
Proud nerd, here. What to do…
I disagree. I appreciate both types of cars for what they are good for. For a runaround town cheap shitbox. For sporty thrills and tearing up a mountain pass a sports car. But not this one. For hi speed thrill driving you cant go cheap. It ends up being expensive in repairs or funerals. If you get the TT here the best tgibg to happen to you is it imploding on the tow home.
The very first real job I had out of college, my boss had a TT and we regularly drove it to meetings and such. I hated every moment inside it.
Corsica.
Ain’t no smog tests out here in the willowwacks, so TT it is.
TT. I had a good friend with a (four shades of ugly blue) Corsica back when these things weren’t very old, and it was a dreary, depressing mess of GM malaise. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t come up with redeeming qualities for the car.
We did have some fun with that crapbox Corsica, as there was a spot in our company’s parking lot near a drain where if he hit the throttle in reverse juuuuust right, he could get the back tires to hop off the ground in a hilariously dangerous fashion. I’m not sure how he discovered his car would do that, but we all enjoyed the spectacle more than we probably should have.
Contrarian here — I’ll take the Corsica, even if it’s prior to the (much nicer) interior refresh. With the money saved, ditch the crappy tires and put on some better ones, preferably with nicer aftermarket alloy wheels. Slap on new, better-calibrated shocks and struts all around. That will make it more fun to drive — the Corsica/Beretta platform was surprisingly good, if set up properly. Heck, with the money saved, get it a cheap Earl Scheib re-spray and party like it’s 1989… 😀
My thoughts almost exactly, I’d look to source a used set of factory alloys and polish up the paint that’s already there first (and no, they weren’t all maroon – there were plenty of silver and blue ones but the paint delaminated early and enthusiastically on those!)
Really, the only thing I’d wish for that wouldn’t be easy to change out is a maroon interior instead of gray.
Sounds like a plan to me. I would just look for a set of 5-stars from an 87 Z-24. The 2.8 and a 5 speed were pretty fun and a decently quick car.
Taco Tuesday is followed up by Wrong Decision Wednesday. Buy the Audi and sacrifice a goat to the wrathful gods of fussy German cars. It’s not like anyone in their right mind would try to DD it anyways.
My dad had a 2001 TT with 225 horsepower and AWD. Before any tuning was done, it would top out at 145 mph and 0-60 mph was a little bit over 6 seconds. The launch was impressive. With tuning, it became something much faster.
I’d definitely buy the TT, and convert it to electric to get around the emissions issue. It’s a bit heavy for my liking and its aero kind of sucks because of the way the back end was designed, but it is the better of the two cars overall from a road loading standpoint. And it’s fun to drive, unlike a Corsica.
The TT really shouldn’t be that hard to fix with some proper troubleshooting and a VCDS cable
This is a tough call. The Corsica is from the most dreary days of GM interiors, and even with the 5 speed the driving experience is a lot like sitting in a barrel of warm spit.
The Audi though… is a wonderful drive, and a lovely place to sit, but it’s a lot like sitting in a barrel of (financial) gunpowder hoping nothing sparks….
Ah well, it’s better to go out in a happy bang than to die a slow unpleasant death of a thousand little indignities….
So: Audi!
COTD
Nah that Terrible Tattered Audi is soon to be recognized by everyone in town. Hey did you see Bills TT broken down on main st yesterday. No but i did see it getting towed last Sunday. Well hell i gave him a jump 2 weeks ago on lake rd. It will be the hillbilly version of wheres Waldo. Where did you see bills broken downn TT last?
It’s TT Time for me. I loved driving these li’l puppies — full disclosure: Audi loaned two or three to me for a week or two each — and they are a blast. I suppose the suspect senor is hidden someplace where it requires dismantling the car for access, but otherwise, replace it and check the wiring. I don’t live in CA anyway. Plus, if the thing has covered that many miles, it seems likely to have a few more left to it. Plus AWD.
Corsica? Wake me up when it’s gone, thank you. Even with a manual gearbox, this is so far from being a canyon-carver that it’s, well, pathetic.
really don’t thing these are big enough for smuggling people…
I live in a state with no emissions and have lived with a check engine light for months. Give me the protruding navel.
Heck here in Pa with low battery, but tested fine. Check engine but OBD2 says O2, which is a required turn on at 90,000, and an ABS sensor even though i replaced the ABS. Several years with all 3 even my Mechanic says F It.
Corsica. I had a Citation with this engine (but not fuel inj). It had a little spunk to it, even with an automatic. The car isn’t something you see every day, a new clutch, it’d be a hoot. I’d say you can get parts for it, but I’m not so sure these days…
I appreciate the fact that a manual Corsica still exists in decent condition but I sure have no interest in actually owning one.
I’ll take the Audi. When I was a kid and the TT first came out, I thought they were ugly but the first gen ones have really grown on me over the years. Plus I live in Michigan so emissions testing isn’t a concern for me.
Corsica, please.
Judging by the clock on the dash, the Audi thinks it’s 2001. I’m speculating the battery was dead or disconnected and the car was brought back to life to take pictures for the ad. The rectangular middle part of the display appears to be mostly dead (or slightly alive) – not sure how much that would cost to repair/replace.
The Corsica is meh at best, but would probably be all right to drive and parts should be plentiful and inexpensive. Basic transportation at a decent price.
OTOH the Chevy is the first car I’ve seen that has [what look like] hand-painted whitewalls on the tires. 😐 Seriously, is that overspray?
TT for me. If I got to drive something old and with an unknown amount of time left, then let’s gamble. To put it another way: which one looks better on the back of the tow truck? See how easy that was?
Besides that Corsican looks like what Cheech and Chong would rock in the remake of Up in Smoke…
Or a remake of The Corsican Brothers…
Take your vote and get out.
There’s something fishy about those women my brother.
There’s something fishy about all of them my brother.
I don’t trust that evil Fukair…
Oscar worthy.
Stick shift Corsica hits me right in the car pervs.
And I’ve owned a Corsica (automatic, garbage) AND a TT convertible (motor mount failed at speed).
Audi. I can probably register it with a friend in a non-emissions county in PA for 3 years until until it hits the 25 yr emissions exemption. The Corsica is from the era that made me swear off GM forever.
Like it will last 3 years. I love the optimism though.
Whether I walk or buy the Corsica, I’ll get to my destination more reliably than with the TT.
This. An old GM will run badly longer than most cars will run at all.
I grew up in a 1991 Corsica LT. With the venerable GM 3.1 V6. It was decent for a ‘90s family sedan. Mom bought it in late ‘91 as an ex-program car from the Chevy dealer. It was fully loaded (or as loaded as a Corsica could get). She drove it like a bat out of hell for 10 years and 175,000 hard miles and it hardly ever missed a beat. I spent many days in that gray cloth interior with my Game Boy on road trips.
Love the TT plus, yknow, airbags
But will they actually work? ????
With German electronics of that era they may work when you least expect it!
Do you need airbags when being towed?
Easy pick for me, the Audi! My old TT was a pile of trash, but this one has benefited from not living in the Midwest its entire life. Find a better driver seat and taillight from a TT being parted out on Facebook (there’s always a TT getting parted out somewhere) and you’ll have yourself a stylish little fun car.
That said, you’re going to need something better than the seller’s ~$15 code scanner to work on those systems.
This Audi is from the worst era of VAG products. And personally I’ve always felt that VW products are such a pain to work on.
Oh, they’re terrible! I’m not sure why I keep buying them. LOL
I know this will sounds nuts…. But I’m going with the Corsica. Because the Audi is from the awful era of VAG products. At $1500 just drive it till it detonates which seeing as how the famous saying is that GM cars will run the worst for the longest means probably for a decent amount of time
We don’t have emissions testing in Indiana. Audi all day, even though I swore off those 1.8t engines after constant maintenance on my ex’s Passat. I’ve always liked the TT, and manual is the way to go with early models. My fiancees mom has a 1.8t with an auto, and it’s not as fun as I would have hoped to drive. I assume at some point TTs got a quicker shifting automatic.
Audi, pardner, just for the looks alone. Plus, I think know how to fix this one.
Famous last words.
” I think know how to fix this one.”
We now have your epitaph. Check that off your bucket list.
Is that the same as the Southern “Hey y’all watch this?”