hi all

new member here. i am looking to get the 2021 D90 P300 and i have a choice of air suspension and coil suspension.

i don't have any experience with air suspension. i've been reading about it as well as specific LR air suspension on the other models. there are quite a bit of air suspension related issues but i also understand that most likely only those who have issues reported the issues and those who didn't experience issues never reported.

i live in the northeast US and i don't plan on doing serious off-roading, but i will be taking on occasional steep mountain roads with uneven terrain and such. most of the time i will be driving it on road with a mix of local roads and highway/freeway.

the air suspension option is $1600 and i am kind of on the fence.

some of the questions that i have are:

does the air suspension improve the quality of ride in a meaningful way under various driving condition and ride heights?

if the air suspension fails, what kind of repair cost will i be looking at and how many miles does it usually happen?

i understand that the air suspension has 4 modes: access, normal, off-road, extended. does the "normal" height exactly the same as the height of the coil suspension?

any thoughts and advice are greatly appreciated!

thanks
sacha

 

answered some

 

Sacha:

You ask the question which has been the subject of literally years of contentious discussion and debate by passionate persons who go off-road on difficult terrain; and by persons who go Overland with their vehicles in remote places; and also, by persons who drive on the street. I expect you will encounter no shortage of replies to your question.

I will answer to frame the topic in a way which those who will also answer can add further detail and insight:

1) Long-range overlanding in very remote places -- it is pretty well agreed that coil suspension is superior, solely for the reason that any failure of the air bags (either by being skewered in contact with a very sharp item or by failure of the sensors which set height or a computer failure situation) cannot effectively be repaired on the spot, and the vehicle may thereby, in the scope of time and distance, be made effectively immobile.

It was a great concern to many persons hoping to make the Defender into an Overlander that coil suspension be offered. It is good that it has, I think. There are multiple videos on this topic on Youtube -- the best in my opinion by an Australian with the last name of White and a site called 4x4 Overland (or so I recall).

2) On-road use of air suspension in areas where service of modern computerized vehicles is reasonably obtainable : Here, air suspension is agreed by most to be clearly superior, for three reasons: a) combined with independent 4 wheel suspension smart air bags give a superior ride in all conditions, b) air bags enable load leveling in towing conditions, which greatly increases safety and effectiveness and c) air bags are much more reliable systems than when they were first introduced.

3) Airbags can turn a very comfortable on-road vehicle into a very capable off-road machine and vice versa: Here is where the emotional controversy exists, where those who spend a lot of time off road in very difficult conditions lament the use of air bags, independent suspension and monocoque bodies (no ladder frame) as not acceptable. That belief may be a historically valid and logical conclusion for a vehicle which is ONLY or substantially ONLY used off-road. But, for a great combined on-road / off-road experience capable vehicle, many believe that what Land Rover has created in their move towards the new Defender, Discovery and Range Rover over the past 20 years meets the definition of what approaches the best possible compromise . OR NOT -- again this topic is contentious.

I have owned a 2016 coil spring Evoque and we loved that vehicle. It did not suffer at all IMO from NOT having air suspension -- primarily because it did not also have a low-speed transfer case, so it could not do really difficult off road work. As well, it towed very little. On the road it was a joy to drive as one would any say about any small Audi or BMW sporty coupe.

For the off/on road combo reasons noted above, I also love our 2011 LR4 and am falling for the 2020 Defender, as well. Both have air suspension. Towing is wonderful and the low speed transfer cases and computer logic performs exceptionally well off-road.

My only personal decision against air suspension is that I would not Overland seriously with Air bags and heavy computerization in the vehicle --- far, far away from available, computerized service capability. Instead, I would use the gold standard for this task -- which is a Land Cruiser. Elsewise, the Defender is ideal IMO.

 

My first air suspensions were in a 2002 and 2005 Audi allroad. Great ride, able to raise up and drive in deep snow but the air springs would fail by 100K miles.

Have since had the LR air suspension in an LR3 and now 2 LR4's. No air suspension issues over 100K miles in the LR3 but I did have to replace the LR4 air compressor at around 120K miles. Still worked but got very slow and loud. I was happy with getting 120K miles out of the original air compressor.

Aside from being able to drive through deep snow or sand, IMO, the air suspension provides an excellent ride. Plus it will self-level the vehicle when overpacked with family, gear & dog. Ever notice how goofy an Acura MDX or Honda Pilot looks when overloaded with it's butt nearly dragging on the ground?

 

This is the first vehicle I've ever owned with air suspension and don't think I could go back to coil again. The ride in the city is so smooth compared to the F-Pace that I had prior. I did spring for the extended warranty just in case, but I'm glad to see the 100k+ mileage others have experienced.

 

thank you all for your well thought out responses, i really appreciate it.

using TexasLandmark's analogy, i am getting cheese!