air suspension or springs, which way should i go...

as far as which is better, there's a long-standing feud in the p38 forum (search, it's the most prolific topic I think, many threads....) some call coil conversions castration, some call them an improvement. I won't get into that and I can't comment on the ride in a MkIII as I've never been in a converted one.

As far as a US dealer, I have rebuilt airsprings for 1/2 the cost of OEM new, OEM new airsprings and coil conversion kits.

http://www.rover-renovations.com/Range-Rover-Air-Springs-s/265.htm

Keep the system intact. You will be glad that you kept everything intact and working properly. I have already begun to decode most of the MKIII Systems. The EAS system is complete. You can pick up an EAS Activate for a small price and be able to perform all of your own EAS computer diagnostics. I am in the process of writting software for recalibration and such.

http://www.rswsolutions.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=268&Itemid=77

I agree with Malafax_dand. Keep the air suspension and replace both sides (left and right) if you can bare the cost. I can recommend using anything other than OEM, and if you want to replace them or just one, pm me. I'll get you our pricing with shipping.

I have Arnott coil springs on mine and love them. I would go that route as air springs tend to need maintenance more frequently that coils... and at a higher cost.

Complete coil spring retrofit setup is ~$500-$700.....single airbag suspension strut is $1170 at the dealer (plus tax)......arnott or strutmasters, 100% better and easier on your wallet (and sanity).

LOL I just cannot get over this MKIII forum!!! what a huge difference then the P38 forums, just like Dennis stated.

I cant speak on a MKIII with coils but one of the 3 P38's I've owned was a coil conversion and the feel and drive felt better IMHO. It was also the oldest and most worn out of the RRs.

If you have any interest at all in selling your 04 for anything near blue book value do not convert to coil springs. Unlike many people on this forum, the average Joe will take a pass on a highly modified used Range Rover.

remington said:

If you have any interest at all in selling your 04 for anything near blue book value do not convert to coil springs. Unlike many people on this forum, the average Joe will take a pass on a highly modified used Range Rover.

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I disagree with that, the "average joe" doesnt know anything about air suspension, or even that a range rover has them...

when i sold all of my P38's, I would say "this one has the adjustable air suspension" or "this one does not have......" and everytime i would have to go into explaining what the hell the EAS is and how great it is blah blah blah, integrated with the traction control blah blah blah...

the average joe could care less, the "average joe" like the look and the leather.

Man-O-War said:

Complete coil spring retrofit setup is ~$500-$700.....single airbag suspension strut is $1170 at the dealer (plus tax)......arnott or strutmasters, 100% better and easier on your wallet (and sanity).

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or $429 ea.....

http://www.rover-renovations.com/FR-MKIII-strut-p/rnb000740-r.htm

http://www.rover-renovations.com/FL-MKIII-strut-p/rnb000750-r.htm

and the "average joe" doesn't know about the EAS, when I bought mine, my learning curve was "hmmm, what's this button do?" followed by "what the hell was that?" a few days later....

gw2doc said:

remington said:

If you have any interest at all in selling your 04 for anything near blue book value do not convert to coil springs. Unlike many people on this forum, the average Joe will take a pass on a highly modified used Range Rover.

Click to expand...

I disagree with that, the "average joe" doesnt know anything about air suspension, or even that a range rover has them...

when i sold all of my P38's, I would say "this one has the adjustable air suspension" or "this one does not have......" and everytime i would have to go into explaining what the hell the EAS is and how great it is blah blah blah, integrated with the traction control blah blah blah...

the average joe could care less, the "average joe" like the look and the leather.

Click to expand...

It's apples and oranges because the P38 is a whole different situation. It's so old and cheap to buy that it attracts a much less informed buyer and/or ends up being used as an off-roader. A 2004 Range Rover is still relatively new; typical buyers will be quite familiar with the details of the MKIII in my experience. It's no mystery, ask a dealer which is easier to sell, a MKIII converted to coils, or a stock one. Most dealers won't even sell a P38 any more.

Talk to Dennis.

To continue the sometimes violent argumentation from the P38 forum here is... redundant :think:

Generally, your not going to need to spend several1000$ to get your EAS back up to snuff. Like Dennis (and right around the same time), when I bought my P38 I was almost instantly confronted with EAS issues. Like Dennis, with the help of RR.net and the board, I figured out what to do about it. The repair ended up costing around $100 and a couple hours time. The dealer woulda charged me more than 20x my cash outlay.

Taking your RR off air is needlessly disabling one of it's best features.

Remington, no offense man but you have no clue, is it that you just cant be wrong? Again we are talking about your "average joe", now your saying "typical buyer", who is the typical buyer anyways? All Dennis and I are saying is that people who have never owned a range rover or know anyone who owned one, average joe, dont know about the EAS, and ill go one more... Your "average joe" or "typical buyer", whatever you want to call it, doesnt know the difference between a MKIII or a P38 either, sure you put em side by side and anyone could see there is a difference but it would take exactly that. And i dont need to ask a dealer, ive asked dealers plenty of other questions they had no clue about.

BTW the only reason the P38 looks so "cheap" like you say is because of what you are comparing it to, almost a decade of improvements! That goes for any car!

Sure it's possible I'm wrong, I mean the original poster is asking for opinions so I gave him mine, take it for what it's worth. Having said that, I currently own two MkIIIs so that in and of itself seems to give a little more weight to my opinion that someone that's never owned one don't you think. As for having a hard time telling a P38 and a MkIII apart...you have got to be kidding I assume, they are so completely different as to be hardly recognizable as being made by the same manufacturer. But hey it's all just opinions here, I'm not setting myself up as the world authority.

I see you have an 03 so I was thinking you were still driving the P38, sorry.

In continental Europe , putting a MKIII on coils would just mean a lot of trouble with your insurance and with the authoirities in case of an accident , even a minor one , same for the P38 though , as its a huge mod compared to the original manufacturer spec sheet . You would need a special " M.O.T " that could take monthes to pass , with many tests and a lot of cost .
The coils conversions done on P38's and MKIII in Europe are done at owner's risk mostly , and i do hope those guys will never get in an accident , because they could pay a hefty fine , plus what the insurance company will not want to pay .......

Jaybear

remington said:

As for having a hard time telling a P38 and a MkIII apart...you have got to be kidding I assume, they are so completely different as to be hardly recognizable as being made by the same manufacturer. ....

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to play the devil's advocate again, my wife (who can recite the subtle differences between the 500 different shades of white and pick out the make/model/year of any top end camera glimpsed in a movie) STILL gets the MkIII and p38 confused every now and then. We've had our p38 for 5 years....