Falken Ziex ZE-512 - The Replacement?
Written: Apr 04 '04 (Updated Jan 24 '06)
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Pros: Sticky for an All-Season tire, low price
Cons: Winters can still be scary - but then again, I have 245whp to the front.
The Bottom Line: An all-season tire for the enthusiest. Be careful in the winter.
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| nad_masters's Full Review: Falken Ziex ZE-512 Performance Tire |
My original review was actually put under "Falken Zeix ZE-502" because there wasn't a spot for Falken's Ziex ZE-512 in ePinions. It seems to be a replacement for the ZE-502. However, the tread design is very similar, and only seem to be slightly different in the center groove. Thanks to scmrak, the ZE-512 is finally recognized as a seperate product in ePinions, so ZE-512 owners and potential future reviewers rejoice!
Now, on with the original review. :)
I put these on after wearing out my Firestone Firehawk GTA which came stock with my 2001 Nissan Sentra SE. The Firehawks were horible, and had many complaints - esp. in the rain and snow. The cost of the Falken Ziex ZE-512s were under $100 each at DiscountTire.com (which I can't find them anymore at time of writing). It costed $80 more for Sears to mount and balance them. Because my stock tire was 195/55/16, there was no direct replacement for this size (except for another Firehawk), so I decided to upsize it a bit, going for the ZE-512 205/55/16 instead. So far, it does not look any different, and does not seem to affect my spedometer or my odometer at all.
Street driving did not seem to feel any different than the Firehawks. A little noisey, but just barely. It also felt a bit stiffer, too, as I could feel a little more of the road than before. However, overall, it felt like and sounds like the stock Firehawks. Because I got used to the Firehawks, I was still driving very conservatively and did not feel like I should test the limits of the tires on the street, least I hit someone's granny.
It was in the autocross schooling a week ago that allowed me to finally give the tires a work out. From my last experience with the 'hawks, I had to pump a lot of air to stiffen it up so it wouldn't ride on the sidewalls. Usually around 48 psi in the front, and 45 in the rear. And varied every so often to adjust for conditions. Still, the front end pushes very easily, and the rear (under hard braking) tends to fish around.
With the new Falkens on, I found that 48 psi in the front, and only 37 in the rear worked wonders! There is absolutely no sidewall-rollovers, and front end push was only happening because I pushed too hard. The rear end never felt squirrly, and launches needed less feathering of the throttle.
After the day was done, the front tires' tread was already looking frayed, but not worned down. The rear, however, looked new and unused. Time to rotate already, it seems.
Rain performance was exceptional. The tires rarely hydroplanes (at least compared to the Firehawks), and during corners, I felt like I was on rails (provided I wasn't doing anything stupid). The rear end was not as tail-happy as with the Firehawks, and front end seems to be able to pull out of most troubles without a sweat. I cannot evaulate snow performance, as I just installed them right after 2003's winter. I'll see how they perform in 2004's winter and update this review as soon as the first flake falls.
All in all, a great all-season tire without going to the Falken Azenis, which are cheap and hugs the road, and still street legal - all great attributes for the autoXing enthusiests with another set of rims and winter tires installed for the winter. For those (like me), who autocross once in a while, and don't have the space for another set of rims/tires, the ZE-512 is a great compromise.
UPDATE Jan, 2006 - After two winters, my experience with these tires are actually pretty scary! Not sure if it was the tires or the fact that I have 245 hp to the wheels and upgraded brakes, but I am constantly worrying about slippage in bad snowy conditions. However, when the roads are cleaned by the city, driving feel is much like the experience in rain.
This all-season tire lasts longer than the summer-only Azenis, but as for winter use in high-powered cars (especially front wheel drives), you may feel you can do the same with the Azenis. Of course, in some parts of the country, driving with summer tires in the winter is illegal. Make a safe decsion.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 96
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