I am looking for recommendation; I am about to embark on replacing CA bushings on rear suspension. Upper control arms and stabilizer links. Links for stabilizer bar already been replaced.
The recommendation I am looking for is what to do with airsprings. Car is riding perfect no problem with suspension, knock on head as it is best piece of wood around! It has no leaks, the car is a good weather, weekend ride sits in garage whole week. It does not drop at all; just after winter when I start car after it sits 3 months I get "vehicle too low" message, but it rises up itself after 5 min of engine idling. Knock on wood again!
The dampers in the car still have readable serial number stickers:




Anybody can say that these airsprings are original? I wonder if one of previous owners had them replaced. I doubt these are original shocks as logo is not Bilstein's. But then again: I never saw original airspring shock.
I am not ready to loose air suspension. Nor have desire to do all 4 corners.
I know it will be prudent to do shocks together with CA bushing and I am not getting any younger.
Any way, what is popular opinion on the subject?

 

Here two pics of one of my original front Bilstein's on my SV8 at the time I replaced them (in 2021).
The Bilstein logo/reference/sticker was on the very top part of the air spring:


There was however a second sticker that looks exactly like yours:



And here a picture of the replacement piece that was fitted.
Looks to be very similar to the original.
So yours may be original ...or not!

 

I don't know what the yellow dot is (op's picture). Originals were Green Dot (comfort) or Red Dot (sport).

 

'Popular" or not, I BOUGHT a pair of grey -market almost certainly "Suncore" (ZERO markings, plain black box).

Did the worst leaking right-side front OEM Bilstein one weekend, The minor leak left side a weekend - or two - later.

Same on the rears. Bought as a pair. Have had good weather, so working on re-roofing the house instead whilst they hold-down a chair..

Air strut function works as OEM, but "Be Aware" ..These ones have NO damper modulation control solenoid valve. Plain fixed setting, same setting, all the tme 'comfort' level dampers.

At a skosh under $800 for all four, total, I'm good with' dat'. Very!

 

Thanks everybody!
@paydase I will have to take second look I could not see top part of the airspring on my car..
The serial numbers on shocks in a car begins with 04; car is model year 04, manufactured date 06/2003. I should contact Bilstein if they can tell me manufacturing date from serial numbers!
@Thermite So, did you have to put a load resistor into connector to stop error message from CATS? Or, did Suncore shocks already have resistor build in? Just checked their site It implies their airshocks are now compatible with CATS. If this is true, I should buy set and replace current shocks just as PM! Car fund will not be depleted. I am not getting any younger and getting up from under car is getting more and more difficult.

 

My 2005 XJ8-L left the factory February 2005.

My air struts need a resistive dummy load. Not for function. For shutting up the "CATS System Fault" message and amber warning LED.


'Anecdotal evidence" is that Suncore "used to make" (and "may" still do, given JLR's Chinese JV is now their largest market) - a unit that DID have the modulation solenoid.

I use a Torin adjustable gas strut stool - round seat, square storage tray base - to manage the changes of altitude.
If they didn't make it cheaply and well, I'd have to roll my own, defecate, go blind, leave home or such.

Nine bucks at Ollies worth of Astroturf-like outdoor Olefin under the vehicle stops sockets rolling off to Bluff, NZ... or wherever truant sockets end-up?

Two trolley/floor jacks, one bottle jack, decent tools, it's only about one hour per corner in my 80th year, even without air tools. Bilstein's own YouTube videos are the best, simplest, and least distracting.