[FrEos]

...drive off while the roof is coming down?

I know you can't lower the roof unless you are stationary, but what happens if you're half way through and try to pull away? Obviously this is difficult in a manual car with your finger still on the roof switch, but I'm just curious as to the protection systems VW have built into the car.

 

[SiJ2000]

You can cause damage to the roof... If the roof is just about to mate with the A Pillar at the front and then you go into a pothole, the roof pins can miss the holes and twist. This is not repairable. It would require a whole new roof mechanism...

If you really had to move whilst the roof closes, wait til the front pins go into the A Pillar, then you can crawl slowly whilst the boot comes down, but only in desparate situations, like tragffic lights go green again suddenly!!!

In other words, just stay still for 30 seconds!!!

 

[Stephb]

I tried putting my roof down whilst at traffic lights once then the lights went green and i was the first car!

my roof was in mid air! so i pulled off slow with my roof in the air still and pulled over after the lights to carry on putting my roof down

Steph xx

 

[FrEos]

Ok, thanks for the input, guys. I just wondered if there was some electronic device which actually prevented you from driving off half way through.

 

[genusloci]

i never put my roof down at the lights just to risky ..and if there is something fixys (people who have fixed roofs) hate its someone at the lights getting a little sun on there way home .. i mean ...how many times have you heard a fixy say well its not worth it for the 2 days a year you get to take the top down is it ... or seeing them pray for rain when your sat at the lights ... when i was a fixy there was nothing i injoyed more than seeing a BMW with the roof down on the M1 in a freek down poor ... in fact i still injoy that !

the only people who like open top cars aprt from poeple who have them are lorry divers as they get to look at the ladys legs ..
lucky sods ...

 

[bugger]

thats not all they are looking at....

 

[Shockwatches]

...drive off while the roof is coming down?

I know you can't lower the roof unless you are stationary, but what happens if you're half way through and try to pull away? Obviously this is difficult in a manual car with your finger still on the roof switch, but I'm just curious as to the protection systems VW have built into the car.

I've found when I come to a light that has just turned red & I open up every one looks and stares very cool if you can pull it off in time.

 

[lordy]

It must be a cultural thing, but if you tried putting your top down at a set of trafffic lights in the UK, I would expect a barrage of phlegm to be heading in your direction soon after.

I always lower/raise my roof out of the way. I never do it on my driveway because of the slope, so I have a couple of places around the corner on the flat where I can discreetly do it. I'll lower/raise it at the supermarket, but I always park well out of the way of everyone else anyway.

I've had a couple of people stop me and ask if they would show me the roof, which I have been glad to do for a fellow enthusiast, but I wouldn't do it purposely to 'show off'; it's just asking for trouble.

 

[davidp]

It must be a cultural thing, but if you tried putting your top down at a set of traffic lights in the UK, I would expect a barrage of phlegm to be heading in your direction soon after. ....., but I wouldn't do it purposely to 'show off'; it's just asking for trouble.

Thats interesting, I put my roof up and down in garage forecourts, on the drive in fact 'almost' anywhere, except at lights.

Has anyone ever been spat at, had *** end thrown in or a bag of chips. In reality, very few people would do such a thing. Most are fascinated by the roof itself and enjoy watching it. Obviously you wouldn't do it in daft places like in a rough area next to a gang of 'hoodies', that would be stupid. But I've never even heard any derogatory comments. What are other peoples experience?

PS. I got laughed at once by a van driver while test driving an open top Copen, but its such a tiny car. Cute though, but not with me in it!

 

[GOgg]

David, Thats been my experience as well. No adverse actions or comments, in the main compliments.

 

[SiJ2000]

I've been fine as well

 

[neh321]

Has anyone ever been spat at, had *** end thrown in or a bag of chips. In reality, very few people would do such a thing.

No, it's the fear of it happening rather than any actual experience. My only experiences have been positive ones from people fascinated by the mechanism or by watching a car totally change from being a coupe to being a convertible in under half a minute!

 

[NinjaDonkey]

I'd just left my local dealer after putting the top down. The sky looked lovely and blue. The sky right behind didn't look so blue...!
Anyhoo, I got to the lights and saw some specs of rain. I didn't want to risk getting wet so started to put the top up.
It had pretty much completed it's cycle; the boot lid was back down but the rear window was still in it's up position. I started moving and went to pull in to let it complete the transformation. Whilst I was driving it kept pinging at me saying "Speed too high". I was going about 20 mph at the time. Oopsie.

Anyhoo, pulled in and completed the top down operation. I don't seem to have any problems since but REALLY wouldn't want to repeat that again!

 

[lordy]

My parents have an MX-5. A couple of years ago they went out and parked up at the side of the road. Mum stayed in the car while Dad nipped into a shop. Whilst she was sat there, some pondlife moron walked past and flicked his cigarette onto the seat. One burnt seat cover.

I'm glad to read that no one has had anything other than positive experiences from other people, just like myself. But, it's naive to think that there isn't a section of society who don't take pleasure in damaging other people's property. Bad things happen to good people everyday.

I adore my Eos, and my family and I get a huge amount of pleasure from it. I'm happy to show anyone who is interested the roof folding, etc, etc. But I just don't want to risk the ire of some idiot with a grudge against anyone with anything of worth. It happens.

 

[Jaydee]

I have to say that I am still showing off and posing happily, dropping and raising my top in as noticeable a place as I can! My only issue is that I can't see it doing its thing!

My worry is that one those morons who throw their *** ends out of their cars/vans thinking their rubbish is biodegradable or interesting to watch as the sparks hit the road, will cause me damage.

Am I being silly thinking that a dog end actually could fly into my car? It's the only thing that really exercises me on trunk roads and motorways.

 

[davidp]

........Anyhoo, pulled in and completed the operation. I don't seem to have any problems since but REALLY wouldn't want to repeat that again!

Thanks for doing the road test ninjadonkey. Thats good news that you can pull away OK. As Simon says once the roof is engaged with the 'A' pillars its a lot safer and you should be able to move away slowly without issue (watch out for potholes though!). When you drove off did the roof stop or did it continue its sequence while you were moving?
David

 

[rick atkinson]

When parked up if i stop the hood midway through it,s cycle so i can lubricate and clean rubber seals will it do any damage ?

 

[J.D]

When parked up if i stop the hood midway through it,s cycle so i can lubricate and clean rubber seals will it do any damage ?

No it won't do any damage Rick, that's the only way to get at all the seals.Just be careful when the roof starts to lower itself with no pump pressure. Always best to be nearer to roof up position than down.

 

[sid]

I never do at a light, I know the long ones in town but I'd be afraid if the car behind me is too close and my trunk lid would hit them. Just saying.

 

[Ray-of-Sunshine]

I thought I previously had read that the service position was the sunroof fully open the rear window up but to stop before the roof pillars disengage or you can screw up how the roof memory position or something if its switched off for a period of time. and the last remaing end parts of the roof pillars can be treated through the rear flaps with the roof fully down.