Wanting opinions between two tires (cannot decide)
 

First and formost, please dont tell me "Search!". I have done my share of searching already on this forum, as well as other web pages already. I am getting ready to buy a new set of tires in the near future and have begun to narrow it down. Currently I am looking to decide between two tires, Falken ZE-912's and the Falken FK-452's. Currently on the car are a set of Falken ZE-912's (got the car with them) and they have been alright, they have worn pretty well however living in Miami, FL I do desire good performance in rain (I do not push the car hard in the rain, but peace of mind knowing the tires will hold up well for highway rain driving is extremely important to me).
Here is a link for each tire from Discount Tire Direct for each tire,

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...%2FPerformance

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...%2FPerformance

Additional notes: I do autocross so grip is important, however tire life is important too and i know i cant get both. 452's have 300 treadwear while the 912's have a treadwear of 360. Input and opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,

ive had the 912's for several years and I keep buying them because theyre cheap.

they handle well wet and dry but they WEAR FAST.... you have to rotate veeeerryy often at least I had to. Even with the 360 tread wear rating I cant seem to get a worthy life out of them.

I would just get the 452's the wear isnt a big difference and they handle better.

That's one thing im concerned about with the 452's since they are rated to wear faster. I have the 912's and like I said I do like them, but the 452's are rated better for wet conditions than the 912's from what I've seen.
I did get a quote from a good local shop to get the 452's mounted and balancing included for $610... :dunno: The 912's I'm sure would be just slightly cheaper..

the 912 is an all season tire.

do you need that in FLA?

I just got through a set of FK452s. very nice tires

im aware it is a all season, however that is what is on the car now (what i got it with) and they have done okay. what was your experience with the 452's, and around how long did they last you?
I have had the 912s since i got the car (again had them at purchase) in December 2010. I do spirited driving often and put the tires through 2 autox events. They are about to hit their indicators. I've had the car for roughly 1.5 years and put 10k miles on it now so that is good life for my tastes considering the 2 autox events. (I will be doing events monthly/bi-monthly now however)

did 2 years on the fk452 (minus 6 months for winter)

they were fine except one wore faster than the other 3. i got a good deal on conti WD's so i just changed up

pretty sure the 452s will hold up better under more serious use. also better dry/wet grip and stiffer sidewall

drove hard on them? any autox/track events? i only put 10k miles in my 1.5 years of ownership so depending on how many miles you put on the 1.5 years you ran them i may expect slightly more life than you received with them which is great news for me

912 has a 40,000 mile warranty. Also non-directional tread pattern can be rotated from left to right as wall as front to back. That will help them last longer. Assuming you do rotate your tires. Most people dont. I have never been a fan of directional tires because they cant.

20,000 miles and a few autoX events on my 452s and they have ~25% left on them

I like directional tread, I have to vote 452, all day long.

Are these the only two tires you are considering?

I will consider other tires, so long as they are within the same price range as the $610 really is the top of my budget. And thanks for the input slvrstreak!
Yes i do rotations (every oil change)

the continental extreme DS have good reviews. about the same price as the FK452s

Go with 452's. Ran them last time. Just put on 912's last year and not digging the look or handling. All season is nice and so is the rotating but my 462's we're so much nicer. Live in NY but store my 8 in the winter. Only went with 912's cuz of price diff. I went with 40 series vs 45. Got em for $109/each. Speedo is now off 3mph. Burning these off and going back to 452's next time.

I would stay away from Falken. They're cheap tires that have decent grip, but I've never had any of their tires last longer than 20,000 miles. I've tried 245/40/18 Ziex-329s, 245/40/18 fk452s and 225/45/18 Ziex-912s.

^ Ive had two sets in a row of the 452 that have both lasted 30k

If you want good performance and all season capability consider the new Falken Azenis PT-722. 40,000 mile warranty and stiffer sidewalls than the 912 giving you better performance than the 912. I had the 912 once on my Evo and took them off the next day. I put the new Azenis on couple cars already and people have been giving me some good feedback on those.

here's a link

http://www.falkentire.com/Tires/Pass...s-PT722-A-S-22

Also if you're looking for the absolute best performance Falken is coming out with the new FK-453

http://www.ityre.com/i/tyre/27058.jpg

Falken FK-453
The AZENIS FK453 is the latest generation of Falken’s steadfast ultra high performance tire, available in a wide array of diameters, from 17-inch to 22-inch, along with staggered widths, making this tire versatile, resourceful, dynamic, and powerful. In addition, FK453 features the latest developments in noise-absorption technology, and incorporates a high silica compound that presents better dry and wet grip. The multiple nylon-reinforced layers allow for better high-speed stability, an important asset based on the driver’s exacting demands.

That is a matter or perspective.