Which Falken tire should I choose?

[chesster6969]

I've got a set of BBS RS 003 16x7 ET25 wheels.
Im getting the centers powdercoated silver and getting the lip polished.
Theres a warehouse local to me that sells tires and I was interested in some Falkens they sell.

They stock:
Falken Ziex Ze512
Falken Azenis ST115
Possibly Azenis Sports

Im going with a 205/50/16 tire. Keep in mind I live in SoCal so I NEVER see snow. I do want good wet traction and hydroplaning resistance.

Would you guys recommend any of these? If not another good tire?
I also was planning on AVS ES100's or Potenza 950's or 750's

Also, if I go with wider lips (16x7.5 instead of by 7) what would be the recommend tire size to keep close to stock dimensions.

Thanks for helping me out.

[808BMW]

Azenis are out of the picture if you want good wet tires.
If your willing to take it easy in the wet, then I would still get them, just have to pay attention and keep it safe in rain, and watch for puddles.

205/50 is fine if you change the lips.

[Erick]

AVS100s are awsome tires, however I am told they dont last long.

Mine are 2 months and 1/2 old.... so I really can't tell the wear just yet.

[e30Matt]

AVS are good tires, but like any ultra high performance tire, don't have much life. I'd recommend those over Azenis for the street because they're better suited to the variety of conditions.

[nando]

I have Yokohama AVS now, they're pretty much gone after 10k (a lot of hard driving and freeway time, one autocross).

I'm going with bridgestone RE750s for my next set.. should be better all around for a little bit more money.

[Beej '86 325es]

I've run the Azenis Sports and they are sticky as hell and they wear out quick too.

I've had a couple pairs of Kuhmo Ecsta Supra 712s, they are pretty much just a glorified street tire, but are good if you're doing a lot of daily driving. They last a lilttle longer than any performance tire I've used and are pretty decent in the wet. Plus they're cheap.

[EtaSport]

Get the Ziex. I ran hard compounds on my bottlecaps and driving on wet roads was scary to dangerous during take-offs. I have yet to get my Ziexs to spin on dry or wet pavement. The deep rain gutter down the cetner disperses water at an alarming rate in my opinion. I can hardly even feel puddles when at speed. The Ziex is an all season tire, but it has a soft compound and sticks very well. I am not expecting to get 30k miles out of these at all since ive got some negative camber out back and started noticing wear on my old tires with just under 10k, But I can probably get 2-3 years of seasonal driving.

[Jand3rson]

I've had a couple pairs of Kuhmo Ecsta Supra 712s ... pretty decent in the wet.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!

Those tires don't hold on for SHIT in the rain. And not just from when I wrecked my car, I used to get wheelspin in 1st just about everytime I took off with those glorified rubber bands on my car, and that was with the ETA!

[nando]

I should say that I think my driving style, suspension setup and the AWD of my car contributed to the excessive tire wear on my AVS. My friend has a 318is with the same tires, he got them about two weeks after me, and his still look pretty good with similar mileage. for the price, you can't beat them (they stick great when it's wet), but i want something a little bit better for my next tire.

btw, WTF is a thread about tires doing in appearance & cosmetic? :loco:

[318driver]

I have the Zein in the same size that you are getting. I like the way the perform in both wet and dry. Very good in wet!! i dont like how the side wall look tho, It looks stretched which some people like but i dont like the look. Id rather have a flat sidewall or beefy. I want to try to fit 215s or 225s next time. Good luck.

[chesster6969]

So its between the Falken 512's and the Yoko AVS's.
Hows the noise from these two tires? The reviews I was reading said the AVS where VERY audible and the Falkens quiet.

So I can use a 205/50 on a 7'' wide rim AND a 7.5'' rim? Im assuming the contact patch would be the same though.

[Beej '86 325es]

I've had a couple pairs of Kuhmo Ecsta Supra 712s ... pretty decent in the wet.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!

Those tires don't hold on for SHIT in the rain. And not just from when I wrecked my car, I used to get wheelspin in 1st just about everytime I took off with those glorified rubber bands on my car, and that was with the ETA!

Decent for a "performance tire." Obviously not as good as an all season. I've run a lot of performance tires on my eta and they are the best I've run in the rain.

[chesster6969]

I've had a couple pairs of Kuhmo Ecsta Supra 712s ... pretty decent in the wet.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!

Those tires don't hold on for SHIT in the rain. And not just from when I wrecked my car, I used to get wheelspin in 1st just about everytime I took off with those glorified rubber bands on my car, and that was with the ETA!

Decent for a "performance tire." Obviously not as good as an all season. I've run a lot of performance tires on my eta and they are the best I've run in the rain.

The Kumhos or the Falkens?

[randomtask37]

I've had a couple pairs of Kuhmo Ecsta Supra 712s ... pretty decent in the wet.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!

Those tires don't hold on for SHIT in the rain. And not just from when I wrecked my car, I used to get wheelspin in 1st just about everytime I took off with those glorified rubber bands on my car, and that was with the ETA!

damn dude, then u need to lay off the throttle! currently im running all-weather tires that have worn to practically slicks and i dont have that much trouble. sure i drift every time i go through a corner but when it comes to strait line i dont have any trouble keeping them planted.

[nando]

So its between the Falken 512's and the Yoko AVS's.
Hows the noise from these two tires? The reviews I was reading said the AVS where VERY audible and the Falkens quiet.

So I can use a 205/50 on a 7'' wide rim AND a 7.5'' rim? Im assuming the contact patch would be the same though.

I haven't noticed any noise with my AVS (I drive on the freeway every day at 70-90mph). not even a squeak around corners. I have no idea what the people on tirerack are complaining about, maybe they are used to granny 600 treadwear tires?