Reviews On Coilovers & Airbags

[Hakan]

Hey everyone just wanted to make a review Tread on Coilovers and airbags. basically just to help out people that havnt bought them yet.so BRAND , TYPE (coil or airbag), Handling , Comfort, ease of adjustment.

SO ILL START OFF I used

JOM COILOVERS FOR GOLF MK3 vr6 OF EBAY $400 shipped
front 8kg
rears 6kg i think
Easy height adjust just have to apply high pressure grease so its easier to turn the adjusters . very good handling the lower you go the harder the suspension gets .

[Mk3 AAA]

what about static?

[Jarred]

As good of an idea that this thread is, I think that it's hard to provide an accurate comparison between coilovers unless you have used different coils in your own car, otherwise it is just ttoo subjective. (ie one persons comfortable, is another persons annoying as hell too stiff)

Experiences will vary greatly on ride height and suspension setup (if adjustable dampner etc) as well as wheel sizes, and even tyres of car/engine.

And I dont think there is even a point comparing bags to coils.

just my two bob.

[Defaultuser0520]

I have lowered springs (manufactured) so I'm out of this discussion....

[Ben J]

As good of an idea that this thread is, I think that it's hard to provide an accurate comparison between coilovers unless you have used different coils in your own car, otherwise it is just ttoo subjective. (ie one persons comfortable, is another persons annoying as hell too stiff)

Experiences will vary greatly on ride height and suspension setup (if adjustable dampner etc) as well as wheel sizes, and even tyres of car/engine.

And I dont think there is even a point comparing bags to coils.

just my two bob.

This is pretty true. On my old car I had hottuning coilovers, with bump stops and helpers removed, down as far as they could go, and I thought the ride was okay. I'm sure the majority on here would find that fairly unbearable.

My bags now are incredibly nice though

[MattyT]

Agreed, at best this thread will be a subjective collection of whatever setups people have. But you know what? That's just fine! It is at least a good list of who has what and how that may help others into making decisions on what kind of bags or coils they might get.

Personally, I have KW V2 LEs, and I have found them to be very, very good. The ride is somewhat stiff, but this is largely because I've got them a bit too low really. At some point in the near future I intent to raise the car 10-20mm all round which should help this.

[ffoff]

This is a little pointless but I'm bored so I'll join in.

Running Koni red shocks, with ground control coilovers sleeves and Eibach springs. Super comfy when they're not riding on bump stops like I have mine. Only issue is they don't go low enough.

[Ben J]

I suppose I also could add a more helpful reply, for people to take as they like.

My old vr6 had "hottuning" coilovers (which I believed were marked tatechnix or something, a lot of those cheap coilovers are exactly the same) which I bought from hottuning in germany or belgium or wherever they're based for something like $400 posted. For the price they did all I could want them to do, they got the car nice and low (or pretty much standard height if you don't want to slam it) for a cheap price. The ride was okay if you set them at a reasonable height, although as you got lower they became very bouncy. They definitely made the car feel more sporty and made it feel as though it handled nicer and although I never got them out on the track, I did occasionally go for "spirited" drives on the street and they seemed to do alright, although the bounciness made them not brilliant. They were fairly easy to adjust, even though I lost the tool to do it with. Taking the helper springs out made them even easier to adjust.

I pulled the helper springs and bump stops out of mine and they went this low, which was low enough to destroy more than a couple sumps, oil pumps and oil pump drive shafts:


Would I recommend them? Well it depends on why you want to change your suspension and budget. If you're looking to get low on the cheap, then yes, definietely. If you're looking to keep a decently high ride height and improve performance, then no. If you can spend a few hundred more, I would be buying these: CXRACING Coilover Suspension 92-98 VW Golf MK3 Damper | eBay

Whilst I haven't been in a car with those coilovers, from what I have read they are some of the best out there for the mk3, maybe as good/better than the KW's and a set is under $1000 landed. If I were to go coilovers again, those are what I would be buying.


My new car is on airlift air bag suspension. By the time I got all the parts needed to do the install it costed me a few grand, and they are much more illegal than coilovers. I do love them though. The ride is very very nice, and they lay my frame out on the ground. As far as ease of adjustment is concerned.... well it doesnt get any easier than hitting a switch and watching a pressure gauge to change your ride height

I've taken the car out on the track a few times with the bags in, and they handle okay. As you can change the pressure in each air bag you can pretty much change the spring rates to whatever you like. I think a good coil over or shock and spring combo would handle better, but they definitely handle much better than the stock suspension.

If you're wanting to go really, really low, have the money, want a ride that is possibly even more comfortable than stock and the practicality of changing your ride height at the flick of a switch, then I would recommend going on air bags for sure


hope thats somewhat helpful for people, although these are just my opinions ofcourse. As I said in an earlier post, what I find feels as comfortable or "sporty" could be very different to what other people think, its a pretty personal thing. I think if you're looking into getting some new suspension, see if anyone who has the same suspension is willing to give you a ride so you can get a feel for how they're really like. Then you'll know for sure. Ofcourse, this can be hard to do, so just do a lot of research and pick something that sounds good for you.

[HaydEn]

Nice in depth coverage Ben.

I too have tuning art Coilovers, far as im aware essentially the same.

As Ben stated, pretty sporty, or super lows.
Can't really see but with 16's on the front a tennis ball can't get under my sump.

They are still comfortable although big bumps in the road are harsh. This is with a 165/50 on a 7" wheel however.