What's up guys,

Just had a quick question. What size tires are people running on there stock SI rims ....I was thinkin' on getting the Falken ZE-512 ZIEX 205/50HR15. Suggestions? Comments? I'm lookin' to spend about 200 dollars also ...the cheapest I found was 222 shipped for those tires. Later guys, TIA

 

i'm running falken azenis sports on my stock si's and they're pretty good

not that great in the wet, especially when u live in a rainy city like vancouver

excellent dry traction though

 

im running the parada spec 2 there grip decent when its wet out, good traction on dry pavment

 

Is 205/50/15 too big though? I want the widest tire I can get w/o having the tires make noises and rub against the wheel barrel when I make turns. My car has not been slammed yet either, so keep that in mind please. Thanks again

 

if SIs use the same rims as VTEC, which i think they do, then 205 is fine. our wheels are 6.5" width.

 

Stock tire size is 205/55/15 IIRC. 205/50/15 is slightly smaller in diameter. So you will get an effectively shorter final drive ratio which will aid acceleration. But your speedometer (and odometer) will be reading 3.4% too high.

There is no comparison between the Falken Ziexs and the Falken Azenis. I've owned both. The Ziexs are an All-season tire deigned for good treadwear. If you only care about tire life and maybe drive in the snow a few times a year, these are for you. You might get 40,000mi out of the Ziexs. As a dry weather performance tire, they are mediocre at best. The Falken Azenis, on the other hand, cost a bit more than the Ziexs in 205/50/15, but they are an all-out ultra high performance summer tire. The Azenis are very sticky with a soft compound and stiff carcass. You might get 15,000mi out of Azenis.

Andrew

 

Yes, stick with 205/55/15. You don't want to be at 4,500 rpm when you're cruising on the freeway. (Okay, that was an exaggeration).

I got the Yokohama YK 420's. They're for all season, but they handle great for what they are. Very nice control. Quiet too. Cheap too, but not quite as cheap as you're aiming for.

Falken Azenis are wonderful if you want a super performancy, great handling tire. But they don't last, and they get loud, and they're still more than you want to pay. And I'm not sure what diameter the 15" one is.
'Fraid you're gonna have to shell out more than you were planning, bro.

Dan

 

If it reads 3.4% higher on the speedometer and tach, that means what exactly? 205/50/15 will burn more gas and do nothing for you as far as acceleration and handling goes??? Thanks again ...this is my first time buying tires.

 

What is your motivation for wanting to downsize, anyway? Basically, your speedometer reads the speed by how fast the wheels are turning. Smaller tires have to spin faster to achieve a given speed, so the speedometer, which is calibrated for a tire diameter of about 24", will think you're going faster than you actually are. Similarly, the engine will have to rev a little higher to achieve that wheel speed. Meanwhile, your odometer will rack up miles faster than they are actually accumulating.

As far as accelleration and handling, well, your handling will probably improve. Also, your gearing will get shorter. A little bit better punch probably, but you'll have to shift more often and you'll have to wind it up a little farther to go really fast. In other words, yeah, you burn more gas on the freeway.

Do whatever you want, but I'd recommend sticking with 205/55/15.

Dan

 

I have Toyo Proxes T1-S I think they are one of the best tires out there...