HELP! Coilovers or Bags?!?!?!

**midtenn** · 10-25-2018 09:57 AM

I know, I know.....

I have said in many different posts that I am going to bag this TT and be done with it, but I am starting to have second thoughts. I am not putting this thread in here to bash one option or the other because I have had bags and unless you have had them....don't knock them.

Here are my thoughts:
Bags - I have had them on my Mustang and completely fell in love with the stance and the ability to slam it OR raise it up if I was going over a speed bump or a driveway with a steep entry. They really are the best of all worlds. I can raise it or lower it as high or as low as I want, whenever I want, and they have 30-way adjustable dampening. I never had issues with mine but the thought was always in the back of my head. "what if this" or "what if that". I do have AAA so if there was a major issue I could just have it towed home and deal with the issue there. I don't really attend car shows and I only go to cars and coffee a few times per year, so what am I really doing it for now? I am 42 and I still love nice cars but do I really want to trouble myself with potential issues. I stress potential issues because I have never had any but I do see where there could be.

Coilovers - I have never had these, I have only done springs/shocks or bags. I really have no clue what brands are good, because I don't want junk. I am familiar with KW but I have also seen MSS and some others out there. I think I could achieve the stance I want out of these but what happens when I come to some sort of obstacle that I can't negotiate? Like that ridiculously tall speed bump or that entry angle into a driveway or parking garage...what then? I feel that you would constantly be adjusting the height of them until you found that happy medium.

I like the price of coils vs bags. If I did coils I would have money left over for other mods (intercooler would probably be first on the brain here). So I would like some input on this. What are your experiences? What brand of coils do you like? Am I over thinking the adjustment of coils?

DO NOT bash bags (if you are a bag hater) because they really are great.

Thanks in advance and I am sure that I will add more info about this later or additional feelings on the topic.

**big residual** · 10-25-2018 10:29 AM

If you just care about the aesthetics, then do a decent set of lowering springs. H&R are probably your low cost option, MSS are higher quality, but if you’re not tracking or autox-ing, it might not be worth the extra cost. Bottom line, tighten up your wheel gap with springs and be done with it.

I can’t see a reason to do coilovers if you’re not tracking or doing autox. Camber plus improved stiffness and compliance seem like the angle here.

Bags? I only think of then as relevant for the stancelife vein—if you want to slam your 8S, then maybe that’s the direction. My take is the car only need to be lowered about 10-20 mm max, so why all the extra complexity.

Obviously, doing just springs will save you the most money. I thought I would go insane from the stock wheel gap (I’m running 18x9.5s w/ 275/35s), but I barely notice. I will do coilovers soon, but only for track performance.

**midtenn** · 10-25-2018 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by big residual

If you just care about the aesthetics, then do a decent set of lowering springs. H&R are probably your low cost option, MSS are higher quality, but if you’re not tracking or autox-ing, it might not be worth the extra cost. Bottom line, tighten up your wheel gap with springs and be done with it.

I can’t see a reason to do coilovers if you’re not tracking or doing autox. Camber plus improved stiffness and compliance seem like the angle here.

Bags? I only think of then as relevant for the stancelife vein—if you want to slam your 8S, then maybe that’s the direction. My take is the car only need to be lowered about 10-20 mm max, so why all the extra complexity.

Obviously, doing just springs will save you the most money. I thought I would go insane from the stock wheel gap (I’m running 18x9.5s w/ 275/35s), but I barely notice. I will do coilovers soon, but only for track performance.

Good points, but I already have H&R springs. The drop is ok.....I want it a little lower, especially the rear. Now I run them on stock shocks so they are SUPER bouncy, and I really hate that part. I had considered running those springs with aftermarket shocks but if I want it lower overall I am not sure that would get me there.

It is my daily, so about 80 miles per day, at a minimum.

**ourlee** · 10-25-2018 04:58 PM

What do bags cost?

**Snax** · 10-25-2018 05:15 PM

Just springs are obviously the cheapest, but like you said, the bouncing drives me nuts, not to mention car sick on long drives. Now I have h&r on my a6 and it almost rides stock. So it worked out in my situation. From what I'm gathering from what you posted, I would say bag it. Like it was already mentioned, coilovers in my opinion still bounce a little and are setup for track use. I'm never taking my car to a track or doing 90mph down a curving mountain road so I could careless how much better the handling is improved. I want the car to sit low and ride smooth. No better way than to bag it. Think of this too, scraping the front bumper once or twice and having to get it repainted, will cover the extra cost of the bags compared to a nice set of coilovers. Just my 2 cents

Audizine mobile app[/url]

**tt-ho** · 10-25-2018 05:40 PM

coilover options for tts is pretty pricey as well, at the point i say just bag it :) .. i was really low with coilovers on my mk2 and wish i was on bags at the time. im currently on H&R springs since car was new but maybe one day ill consider bags. maybe. :)

**bknewtype** · 10-25-2018 05:56 PM

my experience:

springs if u just want a mild drop and wont care about adjustments

coilovers if u want to set it and forget it

bags if u want to stance out and adjust on the fly

i had all 3, and enjoyed each setups for what they are. i would love to bag my tts, but i just dont have the money for it

**midtenn** · 10-26-2018 06:22 AM

Originally Posted by ourlee

What do bags cost?

on black friday, the airlift 3P system will run around $2500

**midtenn** · 10-26-2018 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by Snax

Just springs are obviously the cheapest, but like you said, the bouncing drives me nuts, not to mention car sick on long drives. Now I have h&r on my a6 and it almost rides stock. So it worked out in my situation. From what I'm gathering from what you posted, I would say bag it. Like it was already mentioned, coilovers in my opinion still bounce a little and are setup for track use. I'm never taking my car to a track or doing 90mph down a curving mountain road so I could careless how much better the handling is improved. I want the car to sit low and ride smooth. No better way than to bag it. Think of this too, scraping the front bumper once or twice and having to get it repainted, will cover the extra cost of the bags compared to a nice set of coilovers. Just my 2 cents

Audizine mobile app[/url]

Yep....very good point about the painting also.

**midtenn** · 10-26-2018 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by bknewtype

my experience:

springs if u just want a mild drop and wont care about adjustments

coilovers if u want to set it and forget it

bags if u want to stance out and adjust on the fly

i had all 3, and enjoyed each setups for what they are. i would love to bag my tts, but i just dont have the money for it

The only way I am affording bags is with my "side hustle". My wife won't let me take big chunks of money out of the checking account to deal with stuff for the car, so I started a little decal business on the side LOL. Sure it takes me a while to save up for stuff but at the end of it she can't complain about the things I spent my money on LOL

**chasiu** · 10-26-2018 06:45 AM

I have KW V2 set to the lowest on my TT with 034 camber mounts and the car feels great. I don't track the car but I do like the feeling of the car being planted even on the road.

Does your TT have mag ride? Because according to KW's site for 8S, the ones with mag ride can actually go lower than ones without mag ride (kinda odd). My TT does not have mag ride and I do wish the front of the car can go lower. Already took out the spring seats in the rear to go an extra 13mm lower.

**midtenn** · 10-26-2018 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by kevinlee709

I have KW V2 set to the lowest on my TT with 034 camber mounts and the car feels great. I don't track the car but I do like the feeling of the car being planted even on the road.

Does your TT have mag ride? Because according to KW's site for 8S, the ones with mag ride can actually go lower than ones without mag ride (kinda odd). My TT does not have mag ride and I do wish the front of the car can go lower. Already took out the spring seats in the rear to go an extra 13mm lower.

And if you don't mind me asking...how much did the V2's cost? I do not have mag ride.

**chasiu** · 10-26-2018 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by midtenn

And if you don't mind me asking...how much did the V2's cost? I do not have mag ride.

KW has them listed for $1699.99 on their site. https://www.kwsuspensions.com/produc...-152100ad.html

**midtenn** · 10-26-2018 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by kevinlee709

KW has them listed for $1699.99 on their site. https://www.kwsuspensions.com/produc...-152100ad.html

ugh....for that price i will just do the bags and be done with it LOL

**bknewtype** · 10-27-2018 01:49 PM

i think the dealbreaker is if you have crap roads, and if your planning adjust ur ride height often

bags are a must for me because im in NYC and the roads are CRAP. potholes everywhere, steep driveway inclines, it makes no sense to have a slammed car( and i love the look )

im never slamming a car on coils ever again. its either a conservative ride height with springs, or go big with bags

**Snax** · 10-27-2018 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by bknewtype

i think the dealbreaker is if you have crap roads, and if your planning adjust ur ride height often

bags are a must for me because im in NYC and the roads are CRAP. potholes everywhere, steep driveway inclines, it makes no sense to have a slammed car( and i love the look )

im never slamming a car on coils ever again. its either a conservative ride height with springs, or go big with bags

Audizine mobile app[/url]

**midtenn** · 10-30-2018 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by bknewtype

i think the dealbreaker is if you have crap roads, and if your planning adjust ur ride height often

bags are a must for me because im in NYC and the roads are CRAP. potholes everywhere, steep driveway inclines, it makes no sense to have a slammed car( and i love the look )

im never slamming a car on coils ever again. its either a conservative ride height with springs, or go big with bags

I agree with you on this. I love a low stanced car but I really don't know how these static guys do it. I would just be waiting on my oil pan to get ripped out LOL.

**bknewtype** · 10-30-2018 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by midtenn

I agree with you on this. I love a low stanced car but I really don't know how these static guys do it. I would just be waiting on my oil pan to get ripped out LOL.

heres how i went with bags:

i did a full s5 front end conversion on my slammed a5. freshly painted. within driving 5 smiles, i scraped on an incline. 20 minutes later i ordered bags.

LOL