All Season vs Summer tyres (Falken ZE-329 vs Dunlop Direzza DZ101)

[Yuen 16]

I am about to get a new set of 205/60/15 tyres for the 15" stock wheels on the E36 320i. Currently running on Dunlop LM701. I can get Falken Ziex ZE-329 for $520 fitted, or Dunlop Direzza DZ101 for $596 fitted by Discount Tyres in Glenfield.

Differences:

Falken is all-season tyre, and non-directional.

Direzza a summer tyre, and directional.

Which one is better for NZ roads and weather? I need a set of tyres with good grip in the wet and good tread life. The Direzza should be better for performance but I don't expect too much from 15" which would probably have a fair amount of sidewall flex anyway.

Also does anyone know the type of manufacturer's warranty Dunlops or Falkens come with?

Cheers.

Edited August 13, 2007 by Yuen

[greenday-rulz21 4]

Falken Warranty Info

Dunlop Warranty Info

[Yuen 16]

Cheers Nick, but those only apply to US/Canada, I haven't had luck finding an actual document for NZ.

[greenday-rulz21 4]

Yea, I assume NZ warranty would be same or similar. Tyre stockists should have a copy of the manufacturers warranty document (You might have already checked?). Cheers

Edited August 13, 2007 by Nick021

[Gus 5]

i found the direzzas great all year round...good solid tyre, decent price

[Yuen 16]

Yea, I assume NZ warranty would be same or similar. Tyre stockists should have a copy of the manufacturers warranty document (You might have already checked?). Cheers

Haven't gone to a tyre shop to ask about the warranties yet, but on the phone with a shop that sells Toyo tyres, I asked whether they had a warranty (Toyo NZ's site said 5 years), and they said there is no way, and told me the warranty was much shorter, covered less km's (something like 10000) etc etc. So I wanted to find actual documents to make sure other shops don't try to BS me.

i found the direzzas great all year round...good solid tyre, decent price

Cheers Gus.

The summer / All season thing is an american market dynamic.

Europeans have "summer tyres" and "winter tyres" the latter applies to countries where you have snow for significant periods of the year -Holland , Germany, Scandinavia etc.

Summer tyres are used in Spain, France, Italy etc, because they generally do not have snow unless you go looking for it.

Some of the best tyres are "non directional" so this is not a decider

From my understanding most of the tyres responsibly imported here are European spec Summer tyres

The construction of the tyre - the ratings etc will be a fair indicator. All of the tyres you mention are low to medium range tyres so look for decent load rating to match car decent tyre shape & tread. And for me at least 3 decent grooves right round the tyre to get rid of water is better than any tricky tread pattern.

Thanks Ron, you have a point about the non-directional, nowadays many of us get caught up in the hype, I do like the non-directional for rotation purposes (left rear wheel had some camber wear when the 17"s were on but it seems to have disappeared after I put the 15"s back on).

Tread Designs:

Falken:

Direzza:

[Carl 3]

There's quite a few of us using the Direzza's including myself and mine have done quite well on the road and track and they look good.

[Andrew 30]

There's quite a few of us using the Direzza's including myself and mine have done quite well on the road and track and they look good.

x2

[ED1RTY 2]

Ill be getting 205/50/16 Direzzas soon, they will be getting a mild stretch to fit on my x9's from what I have heard they are great tyres for the money.

From personal experience I would steer clear of the Hankook Ventus Range. Utter Crap TBH

[Grant 4]

Direzza's are going on my RK's this weekend

[hybrid 1039]

went to direzza's on the e30 I know they are still new but what an awesome tire ...

running falkin fk-452's on the e46 and they have better tire wear than the 451's. Again awesome in the wet.

As others have said, dont worry about the US marketed stuff that just doesnt really even matter in this country.

[Yuen 16]

Ill be getting 205/50/16 Direzzas soon, they will be getting a mild stretch to fit on my x9's from what I have heard they are great tyres for the money.

From personal experience I would steer clear of the Hankook Ventus Range. Utter Crap TBH

Are you keeping the car Chris? That's going to be some stretch! FWIW I had 225/45/17 Hankook Ventus HRII H405 on the ACS wheels... they were pretty good value for money to me at 160 ea, I used them on the track, and they held up well.

Thanks everyone for your input. Guess it's a no brainer then - I am going with the Direzzas. It will be interesting to see how well they work as a higher profile tyre.

Edited August 15, 2007 by Yuen

[ED1RTY 2]

Are you keeping the car Chris? That's going to be some stretch!

I was running the 205/40 Hankooks on the x9 wheel. That was stretch. To much I might add.

By getting the Direzzas ill be adding so extra height to the side wall which should mean they wont have to be stretched as hardcore. Also want some extra cushining (sp) for my poor wheels. The 205/40's were just to harsh.

Im not to keen to keep the E30 but at this stage it looks like im going to be. There is no market for my car (well there is a market but noone seems to be able to afford it/want it for what im asking) so ill be doing H&R springs, Hubcentric spacers, as the ones i have at the moment have a centrebore waaaay to big for the hub and also doing Direzzas, those three things should make for a hella improved ride quality.

[Carl 3]

TYRE = Round rubber thing filled with compressed air

TIRE = Continually reading poor gramma and spelling, listening to women on the phone etc...

E: I know US still use tire, but the UK, Canada, Australia, NZ and SA say tyre, ie, everywhere but US

Edited August 15, 2007 by Carl

[Silver Fox 43]

TYRE = Round rubber thing filled with compressed air

TIRE = Continually reading poor gramma and spelling, listening to women on the phone etc...

E: I know US still use tire, but the UK, Canada, Australia, NZ and SA say tyre, ie, everywhere but US

Japan, use Tire, see toyo stickers on racecars.

[charles28 117]

I am about to get a new set of 205/60/15 tyres for the 15" stock wheels on the E36 320i. Currently running on Dunlop LM701. I can get Falken Ziex ZE-329 for $520 fitted, or Dunlop Direzza DZ101 for $596 fitted by Discount Tyres in Glenfield.

Differences:

Falken is all-season tyre, and non-directional.

Direzza a summer tyre, and directional.

Which one is better for NZ roads and weather? I need a set of tyres with good grip in the wet and good tread life. The Direzza should be better for performance but I don't expect too much from 15" which would probably have a fair amount of sidewall flex anyway.

Also does anyone know the type of manufacturer's warranty Dunlops or Falkens come with?

Cheers.

I ended up getting Firestone Firehawk TZ100's, they seem to be good enough for the 320i e36 that i have.

[Carl 3]

Japan, use Tire, see toyo stickers on racecars.

Japan doesn't have English as a national language and we've all seen/heard of the terrible Engrish over there so they're discounted.

[Yuen 16]

I was running the 205/40 Hankooks on the x9 wheel. That was stretch. To much I might add.

By getting the Direzzas ill be adding so extra height to the side wall which should mean they wont have to be stretched as hardcore. Also want some extra cushining (sp) for my poor wheels. The 205/40's were just to harsh.

Im not to keen to keep the E30 but at this stage it looks like im going to be. There is no market for my car (well there is a market but noone seems to be able to afford it/want it for what im asking) so ill be doing H&R springs, Hubcentric spacers, as the ones i have at the moment have a centrebore waaaay to big for the hub and also doing Direzzas, those three things should make for a hella improved ride quality.

Ah I see. Just keep it, you've done so much to it, it's got a personality of its own!

[ED1RTY 2]

It sure does!!!

And it is a very tempramental personality at that!!

[Grant 4]

Direzza's are going on my RK's this weekend

I lied - I actually ended up putting Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin's on the RK's

Cheers

Grant

[ED1RTY 2]

Must be time to visit the confessions box then eh

Lying is a SIN!!

[Yuen 16]

I lied - I actually ended up putting Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin's on the RK's

Been wondering about the Adrenalins, what are your impressions so far Grant? And how's the pricing?

[Grant 4]

The Bridgestone Adrenalin tyre replaces the S03 in their range.

Yuen - I have driven to Hamilton and back today with them, and compared to what I had before they are a big improvement (the car had average rims, and less than average tyres on them before). I paid about 1100 for the set (225/45/17)

Cheers

Grant

[Yuen 16]

Good to hear... should work better as they wear in a bit! The tread pattern on the Adrenaline is pretty nice.

[Grant 4]

I am going back to Hamilton on Monday - I will come home via the back roads and give the tyres a good work out then and pass a more constructive judgement then.

Interestingly enough though I have read two reviews where they compared the Adrenalin with the S03, and in both cases the Adrenalin outperformed the S03 in every test.

Cheers

Grant