Falken Ziex Ze512

Matrix

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Hey folks,

I just ordered a set of 4 Falken Ziex Ze 512 "ultra-high performance all-season" tires. They look really nice and have been rated #1 by some consumer magazine. They're supposed to be high performance tires for people who see some snow but not enough to justify 2 sets of tires. I got what seems to be a nice deal on them.

Does anyone have any experience with these tires? I got the OEM size 215/45-17 ZR tires.

Anyway, I'll put up a review once I've got them on the car.
 
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Not a bad tire. I have the same size. Very smooth at highway speeds, but the overall grip in, eh, ok. Soaks up the bumps a bit better than expected.
 
We have these tires on the P5 and the LX. Very happy with them, they are way better than the stockers in the wet. Quiet on the road, and good grip in turns. They should be ok in snow, these are FWD cars, so unless you're on summer performance tires, you'll generally be fine.
 
i just got those tires on mine, and so far they are nice. we've had alot of snow and ice to and they have handled well.
 
I got a set of these in the fall. Decent tire, better than average grip, quiet on the highway, and they absorb bumps. For the $312 shipped I paid for them I don't have any complaints.
 
I run them in the winter. I'm happy with them for what they are, but they blow in anything over 2" of snow. Drive safe and slow and you'll be fine. Stay out of the deeper stuff because you'll go nowhere...

I had 6" of wet snow the other day and got stuck in my driveway.
 
griswold said:
I run them in the winter. I'm happy with them for what they are, but they blow in anything over 2" of snow. Drive safe and slow and you'll be fine. Stay out of the deeper stuff because you'll go nowhere...

I had 6" of wet snow the other day and got stuck in my driveway.

Yeah, we don't get much snow here in VA, but when we did the stock RE040's were useless. At least these will provide a whole lot more in winter weather than the stockers did.

I had them mounted and balanced (sounds like a dirty joke) this morning, and so far they have been great. It rained a lot last night and the roads were very wet, but I didn't have even a hint of a problem zipping around. And just like o.g.sk8r said, they soak up the bumps really well. The ride is much smoother and more comfortable than the RE040's were able to provide.

So far so good!
 
Matrix said:
Yeah, we don't get much snow here in VA, but when we did the stock RE040's were useless. At least these will provide a whole lot more in winter weather than the stockers did.

I had them mounted and balanced (sounds like a dirty joke) this morning, and so far they have been great. It rained a lot last night and the roads were very wet, but I didn't have even a hint of a problem zipping around. And just like o.g.sk8r said, they soak up the bumps really well. The ride is much smoother and more comfortable than the RE040's were able to provide.

So far so good!

Yeah, I'm in Boston, so they get more of a workout in the winter... That said, I've never been stuck out and about, though it came close a few times. As a VA tire, you should be A-OK. They are a pretty good rain tire, as you've mentioned. I'm going on my 3rd winter with them!
 
Good too know they last a good amount of time. I just ordered a set for 296 shipped. I ill give impressions when im get them on.

How long you guys been on them?
 
SenorCorwin said:
Good too know they last a good amount of time. I just ordered a set for 296 shipped. I ill give impressions when im get them on.

How long you guys been on them?

Understand that I drive on them from about November to early April, but I've still got lots of tread left. They'll definitely last longer than the RE040's.
 
Do they hold in the rain? Last time I had Falkens, they would not hydroplane but in the wet they would grip, grip, grip, then LET GO in a big and irrecoverable way. Wrecked a car that way (part was pilot arror, but part was good tread on bad tires). How predictable are the new Ziex's at the limit in the wet?

I'm in the market for new 17's, but am seriously thinking of sticking with the P5 16" wheels and going UHP 16" instead - better choices there at lower $.
 
ping said:
Do they hold in the rain? Last time I had Falkens, they would not hydroplane but in the wet they would grip, grip, grip, then LET GO in a big and irrecoverable way. Wrecked a car that way (part was pilot arror, but part was good tread on bad tires). How predictable are the new Ziex's at the limit in the wet?

I'm in the market for new 17's, but am seriously thinking of sticking with the P5 16" wheels and going UHP 16" instead - better choices there at lower $.

I've only gotten sideways once in the wet. I'd say they're better than the RE040's...

I can't *really* answer that because your expectations of wet grip and mine may be different. I've never had any complaints of wet grip but, at the same time, I'm not always pressing it that hard in the wet either.

BTW, what falkens let go on you like that?
 
Good tires. Way better in the snow than Kumho ASX's. I am running 215/40/17 Ziex's on my P5 for the winter.

I've slid the car all over the place with the Ziex's. I found them to be quite predictable.
 
Mine were older, original Ziex's, tread pattern kind of like the old Pirelli P7000 (wavy, kind of a mix of the early BFG KDW2 and a Dunlop 9000, sort of). This was back in 1999 though, put a foul taste in my mouth for Falkens ever since. Probably undeserved of the tire line as a whole.
 
I'm waiting for the Azenis 615's to be released in 215/45/17. Says 2nd quarter of '06. I want'm for summers...

THen I'll move to a true snow tire in winter. In New England, the 512's are too much of a sacrifice in winter drivability, though they're nice when its not snowy...
 

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