Airdam or bellypan?
 

Looking for advice for my 97 Saturn coupe.

Is it better to remove the existing spoiler lip and add bellypan coverage or fab a front vertical spoiler as low as practical to the ground?

The tradeoff between deflecting air around the front vs guiding it underneath is what I'm pondering. (I'll add as much grill blocking as the ambient temp allows)

I know the Saturn Ion Bonneville car used a front valence but I'm guessing they had to maintain front aero downforce for traction and steering.
While at 60 mph those aren't nearly as important for my car.....

Thanks for any good ideas.

Front air would be easier and it would give you a good return for your dollars.

If you have a good functional belly pan you don't need an airdam. The belly pan also has several other benefits. It helps the engine warm up faster hold the heat which in turn can be like a WAI.

Airdams are tricky and can create more drag then without. I tried 2 airdams and with on the road testing with a SG had a decrese in FE.

So I say grill block belly pan. YMMV

airdam/ bellypan
 

I'm thinking that GM probably did a pretty good job with the underside of the Saturn and it's original airdam.If you go lower,you'll be increasing frontal area,actually increasing drag,and you run a good chance that it will strike the ground each time you go up or down a driveway.Some reports document that bellypans can show zero mpg improvement,some mpg improvement,or remarkable mpg improvement.There are no hard and fast rules on this one.If your going for really low drag,then I'd say do it,as future aftbody modifications will rely on the quality airflow only a full pan can provide.Carmakers aren't stupid and they can't waste shareholder money,and as you'll see more and more O.E.M. underside modifications to new cars,you definitely get the idea that they consider the underside something worth investing in .