Hey, all. I've got a lot to say about this new system. I'm hopeful that my experience might help others understand that with this suspension you can have your cake and eat it too.
A few days ago I had an Air Lift Performance suspension system installed on my 2010 SS. I never really considered air before; my plan was to go with coil-overs. Not that I would really
need coil-overs. I wanted to lower the car, and coil-overs seemed like the trick way to go. Ajustable, race-inspired, etc...
I checked out all of my options like I'm sure many of my fellow Camaro owners do. After hearing what the guys at
Air Lift Performance had to offer, I felt like this system - if it did what was promised - would be give me everything I wanted:
great performance,
a killer stance that didn't lock me into a static, driveway-scraping drop, and
ride quality at least as good as OEM.
Being that I've only run with the system a couple of days, my experience can be considered first impressions.
The Look
First of all, if I'm being honest, looks are at least as important to me as performance. Yes, my close racer/hot-rodder friends will probably disown me for saying that. They're motto is "if it doesn't make the car faster, it doesn't belong". That being said, I was amazed to hear the extremely positive comments from them about the looks. It can't be denied: A dropped Camaro is a sight to behold.
How low do you like it? The system accommodates what you want. Up to 4" lower than stock. Ok, you're not going to DRIVE it that low. There is something very cool about dropping it on the ground at the local cruise night. Passers-by agree. (BTW -- putting it on the floor can be very addictive.) When I'm ready to leave I start the car, it AUTOMATICALLY goes to my preset "sweet-spot" right height, and I'm off and away.
The Performance
Impressed so far. It appears that air systems have come a long way - especially this one from Air Lift. I think it's billed as being the latest and greatest; I'm certainly not an expert on the evolution of these systems, but I can tell you that my preconceptions about their performance were way off.
I can't give you a definitive answer because I need more seat time, and I want to give it a good workout at the track before I'm comfortable reporting in more detail. I can say that it feels every bit as controlled as OEM - I would go so far as to say it feels more controlled than stock. I had it at the track before the system, so I'll do a follow-up with the "after" to see what it's capable of. Stay tuned on this topic...
The Ride Quality
Not "mushy" (another preconception), equal or better than stock (again, I need more seat time), seems to handle bumps in the road better AND stay under control. I remember seeing old-school kits that had the car and driver bouncing oddly as they went down the road. Not with THIS system. Another evolution I suppose.
I share all of this because I know there are others like me that want the same things I do. There's not a lot out there about this system. It's kind of a well-hidden secret in my opinion. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have, and I will definitely post updates to let you know about the performance at the track.
