Land Rover Repair: 99-2001 Air Suspension Check, airline connections, lifetime warranty

Question
Dear Dennis,

I'm thinking about purchasing a 99-2001 DII. there is a couple on craigslist i want to check out this weekend.After reading 10 odd pages here a major issue w/ these is the air springs.

my questions are:

*pretty much all of the DII 99-2001 need to have their air springs replaced soon or converted over to coil. the impression i get is they tend to fail around then?

*how easy is it to replace the air springs w/ aftermarket ones?(i was looking at the lifetime warranty ones) a simple DIY at home? i think i remember an expert indicating a LR specific diagnostic equipment is required to reset the system? so even if i replace the air springs myself I'd still need to find someone to reset the system?

*I'm thinking about carrying a spray bottle of soapy water when i check out the DII this weekend. whats the correct procedure i need to raise the airbags to see if they are leaking?

*am i correct that the airbags tend to go out before the compressor  

Answer
I hope I didn't miss your viewings.  The air springs should be at height when you see the truck, if not they are definitely leaking.  When you start the engine they should come up in a few seconds, if not it's time for a replacement-spray the bottom of the springs and the airline connections.  The lifetime warranty ones are definitely worth it, and less expensive than LR originals.  Replacing the springs or converting to coils are both DIY jobs.