[doughboy]

Originally Posted by shrink

its worth noting that the vreds are a premium brand (if less well known than continental etc) whereas falken are a bit more of a budget brand with pretentions of performance.
My money would be on the vreds, or check out camskill and see how much you could pick up some continental sport contact 3's or Goodyear F1 asymmetric 2's for

Vreds and Falkens are both mid range tyres in price and build. Neither are budget or premium in any way.

I won't be buying FK542 again, they ruined the car IMO:

1) they can't handle the weight of a e9x are not stable at speed.
2) they tramline like hell
3) the transition from off power to on power has the back end stepping out all over the place
4) you need to hold the wheel with two hands when braking to stop the torque steer and swerving over banding / lines etc.
5) no confidence in the wet, not progressive in the way the breakaway at all

Also camskill in my experience are a bunch of tossers, all this BS about signing a disclaimer to sell you non run flats? My arse.

Agree, the best all round quality tyres for your 3 will be Conti sport contact 3 (withoug going nuts on 5's or super sports). Yet again all out winner of the latest EVO tyre test and easliy the best tyres I've run on a car, its a pity I tired to save a few quid and ended up spoiling the car with the poo FK452. Oh well, i'm trying to wear them out ASAP which is fun

Try Event Tyres, cheaper and all inclusive mobile fitting at home or work.

[DanTheManc]

I bought Falken FK452's for my previous car (VXR) after reading glowing reviews and seeing how cheap they were.

Once fitted, I experienced a huge loss of grip compared to my previous continental tyres to the point that I lost all confidence in spirited driving. I gave them time to wear in and they were still terrible. I would say dangerous in the wet. Even setting off at low speeds in the wet caused the traction control light to flicker. They are not a performance tyre and there in no chance I would fit them to my 335i.

I have no idea why they are rated so highly? Yes, They're cheap but I wouldn't recommend them at all.

[shrink]

the continental SC3's are always my default choice.

I advised my mate to buy a set for his 330ci.. and they have been phenomenally good, even in light snow!

[dobbo99]

i got falkens, as they were the best rated tire in my budget.
they are OK. certainly an improvement over bridgestone runflats, but I think I will dig a little deeper into my back pocket next time around.

the only complaint I really have is that non-runflats make the front end a little lighter steering wise which is a little unnerving to start with - whether this would change with a different brand tire I dont know.

+1 for Event Tyres as well, seemed to be cheaper and easier than everyone else - turned up at work and changed all 4 in under an hour.
although the guy made me laugh when he said "you know the front tires you ordered are a different size to the backs dont you??"
raised eyebrow.

[dan_s2k]

I recently for Vreds fitted all round on mine after reading reviews. So far I can't fault them, although I haven't really pushed them to be fair. After researching prices I got them from mytyres.co.uk who were the cheapest and got them delivered to a local tyre fitter who fitted them for £10 a corner. Total cost was about £470 for 17's fitted, I think that included 3% topcashback.

[zltm089]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Vreds and Falkens are both mid range tyres in price and build. Neither are budget or premium in any way.

I won't be buying FK542 again, they ruined the car IMO:

1) they can't handle the weight of a e9x are not stable at speed.
2) they tramline like hell
3) the transition from off power to on power has the back end stepping out all over the place
4) you need to hold the wheel with two hands when braking to stop the torque steer and swerving over banding / lines etc.
5) no confidence in the wet, not progressive in the way the breakaway at all

Also camskill in my experience are a bunch of tossers, all this BS about signing a disclaimer to sell you non run flats? My arse.

Agree, the best all round quality tyres for your 3 will be Conti sport contact 3 (withoug going nuts on 5's or super sports). Yet again all out winner of the latest EVO tyre test and easliy the best tyres I've run on a car, its a pity I tired to save a few quid and ended up spoiling the car with the poo FK452. Oh well, i'm trying to wear them out ASAP which is fun

Try Event Tyres, cheaper and all inclusive mobile fitting at home or work.

Good post Mike!

[doughboy]

I'm planning to get some new rims this year, so the FK452 will go on ebay then, someone will buy them

Only be getting SC5 or Mich Super Sports for the 19s.

You get what you pay for with tyres no doubt about it.

[Cyprio]

I think with the Falkens it's been a way of buying into a cheap(ish) tyre when folk upgrade from 18" to 19" alloys.

Personally I thought there was always a bit of a Falken tyre-love-in going on (no offence to anyone) and I suppose I can understand why, as for most people 'cost' is always the prevailing factor when making a purchase of this kind.

[Cyprio]

Originally Posted by doughboy

I'm planning to get some new rims this year, so the FK452 will go on ebay then, someone will buy them

Only be getting SC5 or Mich Super Sports for the 19s.

You get what you pay for with tyres no doubt about it.

Think I'll be trying your recommended tyre next time.

[Guvernator]

Originally Posted by Cyprio

I think with the Falkens it's been a way of buying into a cheap(ish) tyre when folk upgrade from 18" to 19" alloys.

Personally I thought there was always a bit of a Falken tyre-love-in going on (no offence to anyone) and I suppose I can understand why, as for most people 'cost' is always the prevailing factor when making a purchase of this kind.

^^^^ This definately. When I first joined the forum months ago I asked for recommendations on replacing the rft's and the Falkens immediately came up time and again. When I dared to question the wisdom of putting a non-premium tyre on a 300bhp car, I was comprehenisively put in my place, it's just good that I am so thick skinned.

I don't have anything against the Falkens and for those on a budget they are probably a very good choice. Personnally I'd rather spend a bit more money on the bits of the car that actually keep you on the road.

As for the lightness in steering feel at the front reported by dobbo99, this unfortunately is just a side effect of switchig from the rft's which have a very stiff sidewall to normal tyres which have a little more give and you'll get this with any non-rft tyre. It could probably be dialed out to a large degree with a decent geo setup which I would always recommend when you change tires anyway.

[zltm089]

well, i'm against putting budget tyres on a 300bhp car aswell!....but i thinks vreds are mid range and the amount of positive reviews...i had to give it a try....

but i'll never put nanghankock/ budget ebay tyres on my car.....

mid range is the lowest i would go....

[HighlandPete]

Are we all talking about the same Falken 452 tyre?

I chose them after reading the reviews and also a test by Wheels, where the 452 was virtually performing as well as the Goodyear F1 asymmetric on test. I was going to fit the Goodyear as I'd had a superb results on the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 on the 330d touring. But the asymmetric wasn't available in my sizes for staggered 17" wheels. So thought I'd give the Falken a try. To be honest they are in the same league as the Goodyear GS-D3 (chosen by me for its winning test after test, against the Michelin and Continental of the period). Plus I wanted a tyre with a good wet weather bias, as in the Highlands we do have more than our share of rain.

I must say the Falken hasn't disappointed, whether it is the fact I'm on 17" wheels, or not, which makes the difference but no issues in the wet. They have worked as well as the Goodyear GS-D3 'wet meister', with a bit more comfort.

I do suspect some of the contrasting views are to do with wheel and tyre sizes, plus suspension set ups. Whether the quality of the Falken has varied over production I don't know, but do question why the wide opinion, when track testing clearly put the Falken 452 as punching well above its weight.

HighlandPete

[dakhu1]

Got 452's on my Golf GTi and hate them - they just dont feel grippy enough, esp in the wet!

[dobbo99]

Originally Posted by Guvernator

It could probably be dialed out to a large degree with a decent geo setup which I would always recommend when you change tires anyway.

will it? cos for me, that would be £150 very well spent indeed

[a11y]

Originally Posted by dobbo99

will it? cos for me, that would be £150 very well spent indeed

I'd say only partly: castor has more of an effect on steering weight that anything else (camber or toe-out/toe-in). And I doubt castor is easily adjustable on the e9x although I'd love to be proved wrong!

IMO a decent geometry check/set-up by someone who understands the effects of each adjustment and - importantly - understands the characteristics of the car, is well worth it. I get an annual alignment check done usually around April, i.e. after the worst of the winter potholes are gone and to get the handling spot on for the "summer".

I'm still firmly in the "love" camp for the FK452s - just my personal experience. But then my favourite tyre I've used so far was Uniroyal Rainsport 2's so perhaps I've just got strange tastes, although that was on a much smaller/lighter car than the e9x.

[Guvernator]

Have you also tried playing around with tyre pressures? If not it might be worth giving it a try or asking people's opinions on different tyre makes in regards to feel. For all their faults, the inherent stiffness of the rft's makes them feel that little bit sharper than most other tyres, whether it's worth putting up with all the other negatives just for this though is up to you.

Personally I can live with a little vagueness as I don't try to set laptimes in my car everyday so would gladly sacrifice a little steering feel rather then having my fillings loosened everytime I run over a pebble.

[dobbo99]

yes, played around with tire pressures, on my 19's i run 38 on front and 41 on back, seems to be a reasonable compromise.

to be fair, if it was too heavy then Id probably moan as well!

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by doughboy

...You get what you pay for with tyres no doubt about it.

Not in the case of Bridgestone runflats. Nearly £300 a tyre and still crap.

I recommended Falkens (after everyone raving on here about them) to a mate who was after a cheaper set for his Insignia. Says they are not so good in the wet.