I am finalizing the build on my defender 90. I am torn between coil or air suspension. I mainly will use the car on the road and for inclement weather. Anticipate little hard core off roading, if any. Mainly want it for poor roads and bad weather driving. I know the air suspension is expensive if out of warranty repair needed. Is is worth the $1600 cost for on the road ride and handling?

 

Yes it is worth !, beside the access height, ride is smooth, takes bumps on high speed.. Lowering when loading and extra height future when stuck on something.
Anyway It's only § 1600,- ( UK £ 2000,- € 2800,- ) you are so lucky in the states pay half the money we do.

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Air sus will obviously never be as reliable as coil but I think the benefits far outweigh any disadvantages whether you have the 90 or 110.

FYI, I had one replaced under warranty for my RRS. It developed a small leak with the only symptom being a squeak when going over potholes. I didn’t notice until lowering my side window one day while driving through Dallas—which is kind of like going off road really...

Because air pressure in the system is continuously monitored you could drive for years like this. Although the repair did not cost me anything, I think parts and labor were about $1,100 if I recall.

As I knew I would be driving my car way past warranty I did some research and found that the air suspension units were not that expensive. I don’t have the numbers with me but I think they were about $300 for each corner. And replacing them is actually way more easy than if you were to replace coil suspension. I’m not a mechanic but I would not hesitate doing the job myself. There are a few YouTube videos showing you how to do this.

 

In my years of reading the opinions of the "traditional" (those who are committed to pre-1995 technology) off-road community, three items stand out regarding what they desire to see in the New Defender to give it off-road-credibility: 1) coil springs -- so it can function robustly as an overlander, far from civilization, 2) coil springs -- so the owner can lift the vehicle by installing new, taller springs, thereby enabling the use of very large tire diameters, 3) a price which does not approximate a Mercedes or a Range Rover. I am very impressed that JLR is trying to accommodate these folks' desires -- who presently buy Jeeps and Toyotas.

If you are on-road, and do not go off-road, and are NOT towing or carrying heavy loads, I think the coil vehicle will work fine. I loved our 2016 Evoque, which has coil springs -- we had no complaints.

If you tow, the air leveling suspension is very helpful. If you plan to add a winch, you will need a stiffer set of coil springs, if you do not order air suspension (which automatically compensates for the extra weight).

 

If you plan to have people climbing into and out of the back of the 90 fairly often I think the air suspension at the lowest setting may come in handy. Speaking from experience it is a stretch to the ground stepping out of the back and onto the pavement. Even at that I understand where you're coming from because options do add up. I was going with coil builds of the 90 for months until it came time to order and I was unable to get my hands on a test of the coils, I tested a 110 P300 with air suspension and then finally a 90 came in for a test but it was a first edition 90 so the air suspension is standard on there. I didn't want to take any chances on ride quality so I optioned in the air suspension.

 

"dealership unaware"

lol

 

These exact same people (or their fathers) were complaining in EXACTLY the same way when coil springs replaced leaf springs on the Defender in 1983 . I saw exactly the same arguments raised - leafs are more reliable, leaf springs are easier to lift, etc. etc. etc. Some people are just very resistant to change of any kind.

Air springs were invented in 1901, they have been in common use in heavy duty applications since the Second World War, and essentially replaced steel springs in US long haul trucks and buses since the 1980s. Most long haul trucks regularly exceed 1 million miles on air suspension.

(Edit) I'll also add that the most common complainers are the people who would never under any circumstances buy a new vehicle - so they have zero impact on the manufacturers decision making. Car companies exist to sell new cars and will design their offerings to meet the want and needs of the new car purchaser - not the guy who will pick one up second or third hand and then fix it himself with aftermarket or used parts

 

In my years with modern Land Rover vehicles, I have only been left hard-down looking for a flat bed twice -- once by a transmission line bursting and pumping all the fluid overboard and once (just recently) by the fuel pump ECU unit failing. I have never read of the wise folks of off-road complaining about either one. Still, I do think lifting to BIG tires is easier with coils ....

Subsequent generations must always overcome the prejudices of their ancestors -- if one is willing.

Enjoy !!

 

Here is my 2 cents (and is not scientific):
1- air suspension is nice to have. Some times is a "life saver" when you need to lift the vehicle to go over some obstacles. Having springs won't cut it in most cases. It will be binary.
2- yes, air suspension may be more expensive to fix than coils, but not as expensive as a Mercedes. Is probably more reliable than many other air suspensions out there. I can go as far to predict that there will be other things breaking before your air "springs" will bust or break.
3- if you are still worried about repair cost, before you get out of factory warranty, buy an extended warranty from and by Land Rover. It may save you quite a bit of $$$
4- coil springs and regular shocks are good, but for a vehicle at this price, I want better comfort. Yes, 1600 $ extra, but for me it was worth every single penny.
Anyways, it comes down to a personal choice after all. Whichever you chose, you probably would like this vehicle a lot. I know I do !

 

It is my understanding (please confirm if you have experience) that the coils are offer substantial comfort and compliance (potentially less than air, however) and flatter cornering than air. Aside from the debate regardig long-term reliability, I have a question that has not yet been asked:

What is the weight savings on coils?