How different is the quality of the ride between the two? My logic is saying the spacer is actually compressing the coils but still giving you the lift right? If correct that would effect quality of the ride. The coil lift on the other hand are made larger for lift and still able to give a quality ride. Any input? By the way I owned a YJ for a few years. Now own the 012 4 door Sahara and cant believe how far they've come awesome ride. Great forum thanks

 

A spacer isn't going to compress your stock springs any it's self. Your jeep won't be any heavier than without them. Without extended bumpstops you'll compress your springs more while flexing, which may shorten the life of the springs. You'll also get less droop with a spacer than you would with taller coils.
Long story short a spacer lift won't really change the ride quality on road, but may not perform as well as longer springs would off road.
I run a spacer lift and it rides like stock and does everything I want it to off road.

 

I would go with the 2.5" coil kit. It is more, but down the road you will think yourself! I ran the TF 2.5" coil kit for a year and loved it! Before that I had a 2" spacer lift and I wish I had gone with the TF kit first. Just my

 

I ran spacers before new coils and it made a huge difference in ride with coils. The spacers made a pretty rough ride then after coils it rides better then stock