Falken Tires - Good, Bad, Ugly ?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,311
Likes: 11
From: Manchester, CT
I just bought the 912 Falkens for our allroad in 17" stock size 225/55s ....$72 each ; other allroad owners like them so I try them and give up my impressions soon after they are mounted. 
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 15
From: Louisiana
03 E500 and Corvette
I am on set # 4 of tires on my E500.
Conti's ok until 28K miles (Made in Germany)
Bridgstone UT-1 Technology, (made in Japan) Noisy rough hard , growl noise from cupping replaced at 20K
Cooper Z tires (made in Japan) Noisy rough hard, growl noise from cupping replaced at 18K miles. (I am curious that the Bridgstones and Coopers made in same factory in Japan with different name)
Micheiln's Pilots, (Made in USA) Great, smooth, no cupping even wear, like a new car.
I will only run Michelins on the E500. Given the cost of Coopers/Bridgstone I could have bought the Michelins, put change in pocket and had 40k+ miles of quiet safe driving. I learned my lesson in switching tires. The Pilots I use are the same tires that come on the 07 S500. Jim $.02
Conti's ok until 28K miles (Made in Germany)
Bridgstone UT-1 Technology, (made in Japan) Noisy rough hard , growl noise from cupping replaced at 20K
Cooper Z tires (made in Japan) Noisy rough hard, growl noise from cupping replaced at 18K miles. (I am curious that the Bridgstones and Coopers made in same factory in Japan with different name)
Micheiln's Pilots, (Made in USA) Great, smooth, no cupping even wear, like a new car.
I will only run Michelins on the E500. Given the cost of Coopers/Bridgstone I could have bought the Michelins, put change in pocket and had 40k+ miles of quiet safe driving. I learned my lesson in switching tires. The Pilots I use are the same tires that come on the 07 S500. Jim $.02
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
2001 E430 4Matic
I didn't mention that I paid $60 for mounting and balancing. I also bought road hazard for $12.50 each although I don't know if a mail order house will ever pay me sight unseen like they claim if something goes wrong with the tires.
I don't know how you got 4 tires or less than $200, michakaveli. That's great!
I don't know how you got 4 tires or less than $200, michakaveli. That's great!
Super Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 527
Likes: 9
e63 p30 estate
heh. i was the one who got a set of four mounted/balanced for $200. i didn't mention these were 205/15s. and i paid cash. 
i can hook you up w/ the shop's name, but i sees you're in NJ so that'd be kinda pointless...
i can hook you up w/ the shop's name, but i sees you're in NJ so that'd be kinda pointless...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 9,815
Likes: 13
John Deere
I think a lot of it comes down to buying the right type of tire for your car.
A non AMG 210 does not need GS-D3s. If you have modded the suspension out the wazoo and are some sort of handling freak, then maybe (but id say that you bought the wrong car).
These are touring cars, and really don't need high performance tires. And as you notice, hi-po tires are noisy, ride stiffer, and wear faster.
A non AMG 210 does not need GS-D3s. If you have modded the suspension out the wazoo and are some sort of handling freak, then maybe (but id say that you bought the wrong car).
These are touring cars, and really don't need high performance tires. And as you notice, hi-po tires are noisy, ride stiffer, and wear faster.
Lol! Ok, the GS-D2's were OEM on my car new, so that is what I stayed with after the inevitable sidewall bubbles and foghorn-load road noise. I switched to something else. Then, I bought a spare set of wheels from a fellow member that had almost new D3's on them. And I gotta tell ya, Goodyear heard the complaints and re-engineered the tire (it seems). The tread is much more aggressive, but more importantly, I have no noise after around 25k on the current summer set. For winter, I switch to Mich P/S all-season, and of course I can feel the difference, but the D3s are much stickier for summer high-speed cornering.
But, I did replace the entire suspension, so it's much less of a touring car than it was from the factory.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2015
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Holden
Falken Tires Review Site
I run this site here that should offer some good advice on Falken Tires http://falken-tires-review.com/ 
Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 246
Likes: 3
From: SoCal
2012 GL450, 2013 Lexus GS350 F-Sport
I bought 3 sets of Falkens for my previous beater cars and a minivan. Good value, good owner reviews, decent price. I'd recommend the brand. I'd consider it for a Benz, also.
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Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: No. Calif., SF Bay Area, Orinda
2001 E430, Obsidian Black w. Ash/Orion Grey, 195,000 mi.
I have Falken ZE-912 tires on my E430 and I'm quite happy with them. They are quiet, the handling is good and they don't seem to be wearing any faster than the Contis and Michelins I had before. And they were a good price too - around $100 each plus T,M&B at Big O, IIRC.
Fred
Fred
