eGolf feels....wobbly?

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tlovejr

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Joined
Jan 18, 2020
Messages
17
So I’ve been driving my 2019 eGolf for about a month now, and love it overall. However, I’m a bit disconcerted by one specific part of the driving experience. At times, the car feels wobbly (for lack of a better term). Almost like its top-heavy, or just got rocked from the side by some unruly frat boys.

I drove a Nissan Leaf for last 6 years, so I’m very familiar with EV driving. I’ve been driving German for decades, going back to my 1994 VW Corrado. My current second car is a 2016 Golf Sportwagen. I like to think I’m pretty attuned to my vehicle while driving, and I have to say that is like nothing I’ve experienced before. Putting aside other components of the driving experience, the (or at least my) eGolf sometimes feels… wobbly.

I replaced the Ecopia’s with Firehawk Indy 500’s, hoping that the more performance oriented tires would make a difference. I can say that the car definitely feels planted, and I can now hit curves hot with no problem. Yet, at times, the car still feels odd. I kept the standard size due to range concerns with going wider, but perhaps I needed to change the profile size in order to get some drop?

This part seems doubtful, but I sometimes wonder if it has anything to do with the brakes? I don’t know why, however sometimes when I engage the electric e-brake, the car almost wobbles, ever so slightly and briefly, in place. Sometimes when I release the e-brake, it almost feels like theres a hydraulic system dropping the car from a lift (in the bouncing hydraulic suspension sense, not like a hydraulic lift in a maintenance shop).

Anyone ever noticed this? It’s hard to write-up because it’s odd. I’m hoping it’s as simple as the 55’s need to be dropped to 50’s.
 
Can you elaborate more? You say the car feels planted......but also wobbly? I think those two are opposites, no?

Is this an up and down movement or side to side movement? When hitting bumps? On a billiard table smooth road?

I can't say I notice any issues with my e-Golf. My wife doesn't like the car because she says it feels too sporty, like my old BMW 328iS did. I like the way it drives. I think it handles great with the Ecopias, and I typically take on ramps and off ramps aggressively (at least according to my passengers).
 
f1geek said:
Can you elaborate more? You say the car feels planted......but also wobbly? I think those two are opposites, no?

It sounds like it, but not actually so. At least not as I'm conceptualizing it. Planted meaning the car feels rooted; rubber, chassis, etc. all tight as can be. No concerns about traction. I think the best way to describe the wobbly part would be to imagine a truck with a really cheap body lift. The lower half can be rooted to the road, yet the body sitting on the chassis may, well, wobble. Side to side, not up and down.

When does it happen? Still working to identify how to best reproduce. Backing out of my driveway, turn the wheel to point forward, start to slowly accelerate, and then there's the brief wobble.

(as I write this I realize the body lift example may fit best).

I do also notice when releasing the e-brake. I'm a scifi guy, so I imagine a shuttle being released from its holding clamps. Theres that slightest bit of wobble before it straightens itself out and takes over.

Man this is hard to describe. Again, it's ever so slight. But I keep detecting it. It's flagging my internal radar, which is annoying.
 
No such feeling with my 2019 SE with stock wheels and tires. And pretty much all my driving is freeway. Very stable. I just wish the steering feel wasn't so light.
 
eGolfJoe said:
No such feeling with my 2019 SE with stock wheels and tires. And pretty much all my driving is freeway. Very stable. I just wish the steering feel wasn't so light.

That seems to be a common complaint with many modern German cars that use electrical power assist instead of hydraulic. Going back and forth between my antique Audi quattros, the 20 year old BMW 540i wagon, and the eGolf I do notice it, but don't find it to be that bothersome most of the time. Tha said, the 1980s Audis do have the best steering feel of the bunch for sure.
 
I saw someone respond that you can adjust the feel of the steering through VCDS coding . but not sure if OBDeleven has something easier.

Also , i plan to get 17 inch wheels to reduce the sidewalls to hopefully get a more planted feel when doing turns.
 
Much happier with the handling/feel since changing over to 225/45 R17 (Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06/Konig rims). I would still like to drop suspension 25-30mm but until someone makes an appropriate shock/spring combo I will stick with the current setup.
 
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