I posted this in the '06+ forum and like the newbie I am was pointed in this direction:

I've narrowed down my upcoming tire purchase to a couple options (I think) but I just wanted to get some opinions from people who have owned these tires before. First off, these would be dedicated summer tires for daily driving with auto-x and track use occasionally. I also tend to drive pretty 'spirited' and run negative camber so I know I'm facing more treadwear issues than the average commuter. I've heard from a friend locally that he wouldn't recommend DD use on the Azenis because of the treadwear issue but I also have another friend using them on his FG2 and hopes to get two summers' use out of them by rotating them every 1000 or so miles.

How does the treadwear compare with the Ecsta's? I keep hearing the Azenis gets amazing traction but have never run into a comparrison of the two to know which one is superior or by how much.

Anyways, obviously any input is appreciated.

 

The Falken Azenis RT-615 gives better grip on dry pavement than the Kumho Ecsta MX. For a side-by-side autocross comparison test, read this.

The MX gives somewhat better grip in rain than the RT-615. Neither is all that great in rain, but the MX is not as bad as the RT-615.

The MX lasts somewhat longer than the RT-615, although neither lasts all that long; typical treadlife is 15-20K miles for the MX, vs 10-12K for the RT-615.

So it all depends on what you're looking for, and what you're willing to trade off. If you care ONLY about dry traction, then get the RT-615. Or, even better, get the Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec, if they make it in your size; it's even stickier than the RT-615. If you also care about wet traction and/or treadlife and you're willing to trade off some dry grip, the MX might be a good choice for you; there are also tires that are even better in rain and last longer, if you're willing to trade off a bit more dry grip than the MX.

 

just buy some Bridgestone re-o1R

 

I will vouch that the 615s wear really, really fast. I have already rotated mine 3 times in under 3k miles and I'm starting to see wear. I run a stupid camber and drive like a fool though.