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Author Topic: Coilovers or air???  (Read 5518 times)

Offline Daled0111

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Coilovers or air???
« on: July 14, 2015, 07:06:27 pm »
Hello need help deciding which one coilovers or air ride

Offline dom069

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2015, 09:36:25 pm »
If you can afford air ride then it's a no-brainer imo.

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Offline sub39h

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2015, 09:55:24 pm »
What do you want from the car? If it's performance/handling then don't get air. (Someone no doubt will try and disagree with me - if they can name one performance car on the market that has OEM air I'll rescind my comment.)

My opinion is that air is if you want to slam the car. That is just about the only reason to get it.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2015, 09:57:37 pm by sub39h »
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Offline dazza

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2015, 09:58:09 pm »
Bag it.   :drool:


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Offline dom069

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2015, 10:15:12 pm »
What do you want from the car? If it's performance/handling then don't get air. (Someone no doubt will try and disagree with me - if they can name one performance car on the market that has OEM air I'll rescind my comment.)

My opinion is that air is if you want to slam the car. That is just about the only reason to get it.

Porsche Cayenne S?

Air lift performance struts will be better than cheap or 'mid-range' coilovers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCWfKovtx-g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ScCHuaCLrM

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Offline sub39h

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2015, 10:26:08 pm »
Cayenne S? A performance car? It's an SUV. Do Porsches (barring the Cayenne), Ferraris, Lambos, AMG Mercedes, BMW M-Cars etc etc come with bags? All the cars I can think of that DO come with bags as standard (big limos) tend to have had them removed to make performance AMG and M versions. The old SL had bags, the SL65 AMG got rid of them, and the SL65 AMG Black Series had coilovers. Do race cars have bags?

The videos you've posted are promotional videos from companies looking to sell their products and as much as I dislike the Nissan GTR I don't believe for one second that an air suspension company knows more than Nissan's top engineers (or Subaru's for that matter). If Nissan thought it would be faster with bags it would have bags.

Saying they're better the cheap coils is a moot point. If the OP has money for air he has money for decent coilovers. In the performance stakes there is really no contest.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2015, 10:29:24 pm by sub39h »
2006 Phantom Black A3 2.0T S-Line
DSG | Rear Parking Sensors | MFSW | BOSE | Auto lights/wipers | Half leather
MODS : '09 tail lights | TT vents | Bilstein B14 | RNS-E 2010 | AMI | AKS Tuning custom CAI | Titanium BBS VZs | NQS BBK | WALK | Autotech RARB | Bluemotion aero | Blueflame TBE | Autotech HPFP | MY11 Wing Mirrors | Bluetooth | S3 Intercooler
PLANS: Stage 2+

Offline RetroRaz

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2015, 10:43:12 pm »
Ive always had coilovers on my previous cars, they drive better than air, not saying air is bad quality,  i know you can get good bags like bagyard or airlift.

Also with coilovers you dont need to worry about the boot space, compressors going wrong,  bags leaking.

My current golf isnt lowered but if i wanted it slammed i would get a top end coilovers kit.

Offline olethalb

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2015, 08:36:01 am »
i'm with Raz, had air, fitted a fair few kits too but there's always a risk of something going wrong, fuse pops, relay dead, freezing lines in the winter, bags perishing, etc etc

i had top quality stuff with e-level and would occasionally wig out as all electronics do once in a while, my favourite was when it decided to air out the front drivers wheel sending the subframe into the floor and wheel into the arch at 70mph

i like to drive my car hard and with air there's always that concern in the back of your mind that it's far more prone to failure than any other suspension and if it was you'd be in trouble.

maybe i'm too old i don't know, for a show car i'd run air again, anything else - no, i like to get in my car in the morning and turn the key and drive off knowing my suspension works  :grin:

also be prepared to wear all suspension bushes out twice as fast and tyres as you're tracking will never be 100%

the air game is moving on though and coming down in price which will hopefully mean quality / new ways of doing it will be introduced, it's all a bit 'it'll do' when it comes down to it.
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Offline flashp

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2015, 08:43:04 am »
Bag it.   :drool:


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dansmith180

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2015, 10:32:24 am »
If you like to drive your car then KW or Bilstein coilovers.

If you like to show your car then get air ride.

Obviously air ride is getting better and handles pretty good but if you're into driving your car properly then good old coilovers is always the way to go.

Maybe even as a compromise get some H&R ultra lows and slam it for shows and raise it for the road? Bit of a PITA though  :laugh:

Offline Sug

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2015, 08:42:48 pm »
Get some decent coilovers. Unless your 18 and hang around in a macdonalds car park on a night then go for air
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Offline JoeDarKa

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2015, 08:51:53 pm »
I like to show my car and drive it so KWs are great!



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Offline Sug

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2015, 10:07:49 pm »
Cracking stance  :happy2:
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Offline Wolf Burger

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2015, 10:36:26 pm »
Get some decent coilovers. Unless your 18 and hang around in a macdonalds car park on a night then go for air

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Offline Daled0111

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Re: Coilovers or air???
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2015, 10:50:45 pm »
I like to show my car and drive it so KWs are great!



what kw coilovers have you got v1,v2,v3 or what