Air Bags vs. Coil overs

[anthony_VWJET]

Air ride kit vs coil overs. I would love coil overs for to enhance handling performance, but as well as aesthetic value, although after the clicking through ecstuning, I've become alot more interested and intrigued by Air ride kit suspension. I know that Air ride kit isnt for performance, but how does it compare to coil overs?

Im tossing up between the two, and the more i think about coil overs would only benefit if i was tracking the Jetta, but at the same time id be sacrificing comfort. As much as I would like to think one day I'd track the car, I probably wouldnt so not much benefit there. Besides the obvious, what other things would i have to take into consideration if i was to go down the Air ride kit path?

Thanks for the help!
Anthony

[GoLfMan]

a good quality coilover shouldn't comprimise ride, in some cases I personally think it rides better than stock!

Air ride too rides very nicely, however, the system does require more maintenance than coilovers. Plus the compressors going off all the time if you play with them get to me.

I'd go a quality coilover for half the price of air ride, drop it and leave it

[anthony_VWJET]

Thanks for the words of advice GolfMan! Appreciate it!

[WABIT]

and how do you know all this air ride info josh?

seriously! i would even dare to throw on a cheap set of coilovers on your 40k jetta!

so you want to know the benifits of air ride, let someone who knows explain it

you spend around 3k thats your basic kit, up down, 1 compressor and a decent tank
id look into air bags from the u.s or europe and contact a lowrider shop here for the management kit!!

or get yourself a set of coilovers that wont bounce around ALL THE TIME, price for those would be lets say..... V3's $2,700

then with air ride, you can drive at normal VW factory height and feel it drive a tonne better than the original suspension!

you can park the car and drop it! you can also adjust the ride height while driving.......

as for maintenance.... i dont see any problem with maintaining air ride, 99% of the guys on vortex with bagged cars use them for daily, some for even 3 years and going strong

also the compressors DONT just go on ALL the time... and their not even loud....

i will never look back to coilovers unless i plan to abuse them on the track....

thats my OP, this is coming from a guy who has both air ride AND coilovers

PLUS HOW THE **** CAN A COILOVERE'D CAR LOOK BETTER THAN THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dom

[anthony_VWJET]

Hahaha Dom, honestly, I was actually waiting for you to pass on some advice with some of the threads you got up on here. What you just said was exactly what i was thinking with the whole benefits of having air bags. Driving comfortable and not having to worry about scrapping and when desired dropping the car to look sex. Looking at ecstuning, they've got 3 types, manual, analogue and digital, would it be worth spending the extra money on digital? Overall how much do you think I'd be forking out?

[team_v]

Also note that you are required to get the system engineered when you install airbags on a car that did not come from the factory with air suspension.

This will be another cost to factor in.

You also have to consider the loss of space from storing the compressor/air cylinder and deciede if it is worth the trade off for air-suspension.

[WABIT]

good points V!

ok, in order to have a fully legal air ride car you need an auto level adjuster, it also needs to be engineered, but you can also risk it, not that im condoning it, i have not engineered it YET!

ok lets price some stuff up

front and rear bags from ECS $1,000 USD = $1,300ish AUD plus 3-400 AUD shipping.....
1,600-1,700 AUD shipped

i wouldnt even think about getting a management kit from OS...... EVER AGAIN! saves warranties and shipping costs!

we have 2 options... the analog/switchbox non enginerrerd type (ive got) was roughly $1500 AUD with 2 compressors and front back side side

so bags and BIG manual management total: $3,100 complete kit!

if i were to go back id just get front back, and 1 compressor, saves around $600aud

or the engineered type

fully digital system, you turn the car on, it inflates to your desired height, and keeps it that way untill u turn the car off, around 2,000usd
openroadtuning - AccuAir E-Level Touch Pad AMP

also price for a complete bagyard kit with the electric level management costs $3544.95 USD plus shipping would be $800aud
i could maybe squeeze the price cheaper

bags with auto management kit your looking at under 4k fully engineered NO PROBLEMS, NO DAMAGE, NO STRESS! AND A RIDE QUALITY TO DIE FOR!!!

problem is, you need to work out how much money you have and what you want to spend, then i can show you some options...
if money is no issue, i can work something out for you easily and cost effectively....

[anthony_VWJET]

Also note that you are required to get the system engineered when you install airbags on a car that did not come from the factory with air suspension.
.

Good point, I didnt think about that at all. To be honest I'm totally green when it comes to all this, so I've got no idea what to expect. When you say engineered, I'd need to get a engineers certificate to prove that its safe wouldnt i, in which meaning the kit would need to be installed professionally?

How big is compressor? Im thinking with the size of the boot of the Jetta, it shouldnt be too much of a sacrafice..

[anthony_VWJET]

good points V!

ok, in order to have a fully legal air ride car you need an auto level adjuster, it also needs to be engineered, but you can also risk it, not that im condoning it, i have not engineered it YET!

ok lets price some stuff up

front and rear bags from ECS $1,000 USD = $1,300ish AUD plus 3-400 AUD shipping.....
1,600-1,700 AUD shipped

i wouldnt even think about getting a management kit from OS...... EVER AGAIN! saves warranties and shipping costs!

we have 2 options... the analog/switchbox non enginerrerd type (ive got) was roughly $1500 AUD with 2 compressors and front back side side

so bags and BIG manual management total: $3,100 complete kit!

if i were to go back id just get front back, and 1 compressor, saves around $600aud

or the engineered type

fully digital system, you turn the car on, it inflates to your desired height, and keeps it that way untill u turn the car off, around 2,000usd
openroadtuning - AccuAir E-Level Touch Pad AMP

also price for a complete bagyard kit with the electric level management costs $3544.95 USD plus shipping would be $800aud
i could maybe squeeze the price cheaper

bags with auto management kit your looking at under 4k fully engineered NO PROBLEMS, NO DAMAGE, NO STRESS! AND A RIDE QUALITY TO DIE FOR!!!

problem is, you need to work out how much money you have and what you want to spend, then i can show you some options...
if money is no issue, i can work something out for you easily and cost effectively....

$4k? Thats not bad if you compare it to a decent set of coilovers that go for $1k less. What would the difference be between having 1 and 2 compressors? I'd image 2 would amplify the strength and maintain height easier?

Thanks for the help Dom! Appreciate it heaps! I'll do the maths first, and see how much I'll have to play with either at the end of this year or early next. If it wasnt for the 60k service + a/c + few other maintanence issues I'd be all over this. That being said, if you dont mind Dom when the time comes, I'll running straight to you for help/advice!

On an insurance note, would they toss out my policy because of this?

[Golf Houso]

On an insurance note, would they toss out my policy because of this?

If its properly engineered and deemed safe, I can't see any possible reason for them to. If the modification is illegal or a liability in the way of install or operation when the vehicle is on the road then it becomes an issue.

[WABIT]

insurance... tell them and they will cover it, you would have to show them a copy of your eng cert.

as for 2 compressors, they only aid the tank refill... 2 comps means quicker refill... abit pointless to have 2.... i did it anyways hahaha!
my setup with 8 valves which gives front back and side to side and 2 compressors....

thats how they look covered up! lost no space what-so ever


edit also just priced up a set of KW V3's for mkV jetta............ $3,375... just to lower your car........

[anthony_VWJET]

insurance... tell them and they will cover it, you would have to show them a copy of your eng cert.

as for 2 compressors, they only aid the tank refill... 2 comps means quicker refill... abit pointless to have 2.... i did it anyways hahaha!
my setup with 8 valves which gives front back and side to side and 2 compressors....

thats how they look covered up! lost no space what-so ever


edit also just priced up a set of KW V3's for mkV jetta............ $3,375... just to lower your car........

Thats awesome! This might be a stupid question, but how often do you need to replace the tank and how long did it take to install everything? And what do you do when you bust a tyre?

[GoLfMan]

edit also just priced up a set of KW V3's for mkV jetta............ $3,375... just to lower your car........

wrong...
thats full retail, if you get it through slammed distribution you wont be paying that much.

Plus Dom, where the hell did I say "cheap coilovers". You need to read what I said again.

You dont need V3's either. V1's or V2's both ride exceptionally well. I wouldn't get either though, I'd be going for H&R ultra lows.

[WABIT]

Thats awesome! This might be a stupid question, but how often do you need to replace the tank and how long did it take to install everything? And what do you do when you bust a tyre?

i dont need to change tanks ever.... i try to drain the tank and water trap every 2-3 months.... takes no more than 1min to do it all......

as for the tyre....... i usually carry it in the back...

and josh.. i dont understand how im wrong when ive been given an actual quote... there are dude's who have not seen VWW or their sponsors who just ring up and inquire about products.... RRP is the best price to go about building a project.... that way you dont get surprised when they hit you with a higher price when you think your getting discount..

dom

[Whubbsie]

you can park the car and drop it! you can also adjust the ride height while driving.......

pretty sure that you are ment to have a lock out system that doesn't let you do that (i.e you have to be stationary to adjust height).