[Billydotbags]

I can't believe there is a car which everyone loves and nothing goes wrong with it. Surely some of the contributors must have some niggles about the car.
I want to buy one - would like the 2.0fist (dyslexia rooles) but wonder whether the extra ££s between that and the 2.0 fsi are really worth it.
The windbreak thingy. Is it a hassle to fit?
Is the little computer thing worth the money or is it just another gadget.
thanks to anyone who replies
Bill - Richmond U.K.
(ps I've seen one blue Eos on the road here in Richmond- even my wife likes it.)

 

[Gavster]

Hi Bill,

I hope I'm not speaking out of turn here as I am still awaiting delivery but...

As with any car, the EOS does have a few niggles. Some are problems and others are characteristics. Although you will find far less of these niggles with the EOS than many other cars.

Trawl through the threads on this forum and you will find the information that you are looking for.

Even then, I wouldn't be put off. Niggles or no niggles, the EOS is a truly excellent car and you will find that almost every single owner on this forum will tell you that they are delighted with their purchase.

 

[nail-z-gull]

I've had my EOS for a week now and I don't have a single complaint. I think the car is fantastic and the lack of them on the road only adds to the appeal.

Just need some more sunshine.

 

[GOgg]

The extra spend for the 2.0t is worth it if you love having power. The manual gearbox and that engine are real sweet. Turns the Eos into a real sports car.

 

[old git]

I have the 2.0 tdi with a DSG auto gearbox - the changes are quicker than anyone could make manually and it's very fast with a sports option selector which basically sends you up the road like a bat out of hell, or (cough) very fast indeed. The windbreaker thingy is simple to fit getting it off is just a tad more difficult- it helps if you have long arms

 

[old git]

Err... what exactly is the 'computer thing' ?

 

[Billydotbags]

I have looked at other websites relating to c+c cars and the Eos has the least issues of any substance. (none as far as I've read.)

I would like the 2.0tfsi but wonder whether that makes me the same as the 60 yo who buys an MX5 (forgotten youth)

I'll probably end up with one but tell the wife it's just the 2.0! I'll have to follow some others who keep the clean lines and remove everything except the VW sign.

Still waiting with anticipation for the test drive though. Pity they won't let me have it for the weekend!

The computer thingy is the display on the dial which tell you about petrol consumption etc, Is it really worth having?

 

[old git]

Well, Billydotbags, the 'MX5' scenario is way off the mark - the EOS is just much too sophisticated to ever fall into that category. The computer thingy IS very useful and the engine is so refined it's reassuring to see the mpg looking so good. You know, the big plus for me is that nowadays if we run out of basics, milk, bread etc. my wife always wants to go, hmmm... why is that??? I notice this especially on sunnier days. Never had so much milk in the fridge!!

 

[old git]

And something else..... you're(as in 'we') a long time dead!

 

[GOgg]

The "thingy" if what you mean is the multi function computer option then go for it. It lets you program some basic things with the car.e.g. time the auto lights stay on for and lots of different options. Without this option its a trip to the dealer each time if you want to change things. In saying all this I don't know how much it costs extra, but for £499 you can buy your own VAG-Com and do everything it does and a hell of a lot more!

It something I never got the option of unfortunately.
HTH

 

[swordfish]

I'll probably end up with one but tell the wife it's just the 2.0! I'll have to follow some others who keep the clean lines and remove everything except the VW sign.?

The TFSI only says FSI on the back, but the I is in red. So, unless your wife knows her cars, or you actually like the looks of the debadging, I wouldn't bother!

 

[archiea]

I see billy, you are looking for the dirt, the scum behind the gloss, the seething underbelly truth about the eos... lets face it.. you want to hear the flaws, the things that will suck one's love from their car like a supersized sponge from the wizards of Dupont.

I will not fail you...

I will offer to you a nitpicky, anal retentive, OCD detail-gasmic view of the Eos that you will have to take, not one, but two showers to wash yourself from such an acrid and corrosive view of the Eos!!

First, the JD power associates related stuff: warrenty issues.

Personaly, i've had the trunk lock mechannism fail, some seat adjust and window buttons stick, and a portion of the trim start to bubble from the heat of the sun. the truck lock & button switch parts was ordered within a week but Eos specific trim pieces is taking weeks.. I have yet to receive it. So be prepared to having to wait for Eos specific trim should that need replacing.

I've heard people having issues with leakage relating to they krytox (sp?) lubricant and/or alignment issues. Most of these seem to have been resolved, but prepare for diligence on your part to maintain the seals.

As a result of these warrenty experiences, I am concerned for a car that relies on so many motorozed parts for everyday functions, like the trunk. everytime I use the trunk, instead of thinking of how the hinges may need lubricating from time to time, i'm think of yet another cycle being consumed my an electro-mechannical part of the car. while the roof operation prepares us for this, the trunk is something that we all take for granted. Yet its part of the roof mechanism.

A tangent to this is the ugly reality of being rearended in this car. ballpark estimates say that what may cost a typical car $2000 in a rear end collision may cost $10,000 on this car. we are talking about one of the most common collisions here, and who knows what lasting issues may continue relating to alignment, like leakage, since the frame is bent. Its a grim, sky-is-falling senario, but anyone who has is rear-ended will have it be a reality to them.

Flaws inherit to the 2.0t seems to be the high pressure pump and the A/C as far as common failures. Luckily these are common to the 2.0t line so getting parts shouldn't be a problem. Others have mentioned the issues wth the base in the Dynausio set up as well as the CD player.

items under the design flaw catagory would be the little strap that hold the seatbelt getting worn away prematurely. Someone at the vwvortex site had addressed this in this thread..
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3304938

here's a photo of their solution... kewl, eh?

Some say the brake and gas are too close together... I have a EEE shoe and it felt that way at first. I got used to it.. and now realize how easy heel/toe operation is with their orientation. This is being changed, though, in 2008.

IMHO, the stock, nondynaudio speakers are easy to distort considering the volumes one must use in a convertable, FYI. I got a Hertz speakers installed, and it made a difference.

next, sqeak and rattles. people have spoken about this at length. perhaps is the pessimist in me but I think owning a convertable, thats part of the equation. question is what is permissable:

I think a rattle car is a bad thing, period. Chronic rattles should be dealt with whether its an alignment issue or the sealant/lubricant one like the krytox. However, there are some cases where i've seen that the car may sqeak momentarily: for instance my car is parked in such a way that during the day, the back of the car is exposed to the sunlight more than the front. So when I take the car out, the rear window is rattling.. WTF!!! however, with the entire car about 5 mins in the sun and it heated up overall, the creaks go away.

So my point is that with a car where the top is a moving part, i think it inevitable to have a completely squeak proof car. I mean for chrissakes, the top is made in sections joined by rubber seals. However, any sort of rattles should be because of the uneven heating, i.e. uneven expansion of the components because of uneven heat distribution... which is not a normal condition for the car. So when the car is evenly heated by the sun, it appears to be rattle free.

relating to this: scuttle shake. Like the above statement, the car is a convertible, so comparisons to the GTI should just not happen. yes, if your eyes are on the rear view mirror when you hit a bump, you may note that the top moves a little different from the bottom with the top down. however compared to most convertable, the car is and most importantly, feel solid. Theres no sense of loose nuts and bolts with this car, and with the top up its really not an issue.

However, there is this perceived notion that the rear of the car rattles. Well.. it does.... well.. not the whole rear of the car... just a part. if you own and eos, open the trunk and wiggle the divider. the trunk divider has some play in its hinges and locks. I believe it is this that we hear as we go over bumps, perceiving some sort of jiggling in the rear. Consider it as part of the ownership of the car.

 

[archiea]

part two:

Driving perception: relating to a 2.0T, I think its really subjective. it even matters what you drive: standard or auto. I'll start with the percieved 'delay' that some people talk about. Some say there is no turbo lag, others say there is, other say its there but inperceptable. this is my first turbo, and there is definitely a percieved boost in acceleration at around 2000RPM. When i drive my 300hp V8 i get a very linear, acceleration, with the eos its like a hushed acceleration with a sudden boost. its worse with new Eos drivers because the car definitley adjust during the break in period... for the better.

Personally i think both the car and the driver are broken in. the first few weeks, I was burning rubber at launches. i'm not sure how it was the car's computer mellowing out or me, as now i barely do so, except under sudden acceleration. So while I think the car does a remarkable job as a turbo, its ain't as smooth as a non turbo high HP car. Is it a deal breaker for some? i don't know. Like I said, its really subjective.

If you are a driving connoisseur, and are locked into the 2.0T, you should carefully examine the choice of transmission. For day to day driving, if you do alot of stop and go driving, with the 2.0t you should decide on what you prefer: the conveninece of the DSG but with a turbo lag, or the phisicality of the stadnard, but with a direct control on engine power engaging the wheels.

I think in the latter, you can offset the ramp curve in acceleration that exist in the 2.0t's low RPM/high torque curve with the clutch, so that you feather off the power should the car lurch. Of course you're gonna have great looking calves as a result, so be prepared for the work out. However some people can't live without having that pedal that disengages the connection to the wheels, and I think with the 2.0T's high torque that appears so low in the RPM range, and quite suddenly, in stop and go traffic can be pain for folks with the auto tranny.

Regarding the DSG, if you are a standard driver that swears against anything without a clutch, you may want to reconsider the DSG, especially if you are the only one in the family that drives standard, should an emergency happen.

I think the DSG goes a long way towards creating an effortless driving experience while offering a really elegant ride with the jolt-free shifting. I also think that the widsom and engineering of the Drive, Sport and SelectShift mode goes a long way toward appeasing the needs of those of us who loved driving standard, but need the convenience of an auto.

The D mode offes an economocal way to drive which takes advantage of the low RPM torque to provide good fuel economy should you desire to drive with non aggresive acceleration. Push on the gas and the shifting alters from the ~2250 RPm mark to the ~3500 RPM mark to allow for more heavy acceleraton.

The S mode seems to benefit the 2.0T turbo qualities. Cruising at sub highway speeds may have you under 2000 RPMs on 6th gear, and with the turbo, at least, at not full spin. As you look in your rear view mirror and check your blind spot in anticipation to shift lanes, pop it into S. remember, this is DSG: in the time that its taken you to inspect the other lane, the S mode has downshifted the tranny, put the RPM in a range where the turbo can engage, and you end up hitting the gas with much of the power for the engine available to you.

So, for me, a former standard driver, the S program really can fulfill alot of what I prefered standard orver auto trannies: that abilit to anticipate aneed for acceleration.. and with the DSG, its far faster than me fumbling with the clutch and stick.

Also, in S mode, the manual states that the car does not use the engine for breaking... i find that it does, especially when you are near to stoping.. I can feel the 2nd gear rob speed from the wheels.. and thats a good thing... I switch from using S mode to select shift when going down hill, with the 4 banger its hard because the engine doesn't rob as much power as a V8's huge flywheel.

So you asked for whats wrong with the car and I'm suddenly singing praises for the tranny. well for many drivers, especially here in the states, they see that as a minus... having to actually know how to drive instead of the computer knowing. Some really see the acceleration lag and don't wish to understand its reasons and work arounds. I posted solutions that I found to perceived annoyances to the car. what can i say.. i'm more of a solutions-oriented complainer!! ;D

Relating to the DSG is the roll back problem. If you examine a DSG infested EOS, you will note how when you relase the brake when you are in drive, there is a slight vibration to the pedal... this is the clutch engaging. in the time that it takes for that to happen. If you are on a hill, the car will roll back. If you braked for a short period, I think the clutch will still be engaged, but if you are waiting at a light, expect the car to roll back. What traditional auto trannys do is constantly push the car forward while braking... I hate that. Thats what I love about the DSG, it brakes like a standard where in D it coasts, and it S it uses the tranny to thelp stop.

What i do, being a standard driver for most of my years, I engage the emergency brake when on a hill and I'm about to accelerate. the DSG engages while the car is stationary and you just let go of the handbrake. I do something similar with the traditional auto trannies that i drive when on a steep hill, as it relives stress from the tranny.

So for some used to auto trannys, its a bit of a shock to witness a DSG roll back on a hill when the brake is relased. . Also while parked on a slope, if you lock the car in park, it will also roll quite a bit as well.

lets see...other items: some VW vets say that the sunroof switch is a step back to the dial that they are used to. Some say that the sport seat in the sport models are too narrow. the rear seats will affect long torso people are far as head room and the center console pokes too far back, causing seated occupant to have the side of their knees rubbing against it.

Some say the tool box in the trunk is an unessarary use of space, the batteries in the 3.2 v6 verion of the car take up trunk space.

You can hear "hissing" from the front shocks when going over bumps, moreso than in other cars.

here in the state's the optioned packages are silly, i.e. you don't get homelink and self darkening mirrors on a 30K car without paying over $3K more US dollars for a lux or sport package. the lack of the xenons on anything short of a 3.2L has almost caused riots. Good dealers are few and far inbetween. Many of the service people don't even know what the krytox lubricant is for and your car is pretty much a gunea pig to the service staff. Not enough accessories, what few there are geared toward women.

No availability of leather delte option her ein the states for cow huggers

the view in the states that anything short of 300hp and that is cute and a convertable is a "chick" car, with VW's advertising not helping that matter. VW's poor reliability rating when your elitist BMW and Merc driving friends try to belittle your car out of jealousy because it is just as styling as theirs. Its jellybean shape. It doesn't handle like a GTI, forget that its a hardtop convertable and the GTI is not. Fully loaded a 3.2L eos can cost as much as a base audi, forgetting that the base audi has less features than a US $31K 2.0T, let alone a fully loaded 3.2 eos, and not to mention that the audi is a soft top, fer chrissakes! Apples and Potatoes!!!

Jeremy Clarkson thinks the focus CC is better than the Eos.

Even after all of that: I luv the car!!!

 

[shorenuf]

Arciea
Thanks for the extraordinary accounting!! I had my own scribbled list from hanging out at the forums -- you included everything I noted and more except for one thing -- the crazy compass readings after the top was operated. Anyway, I have kept your list as a text doc -- hope I don't add too many things to it by the time I see my car. Now that people are putting substantial miles on the car, more problems are likely to surface, I suppose.
Thanks too for the driving lesson. I've always been an automatic, keep it in D driver -- your explanation for what to do on inclines was excellent.
No car is perfect, and my dealer has an excellent service department. I know I will love my Eos too!
Roberta