I personally take what people behind the counter of tire shops say with a grain of salt. They are selling tires, not necessarily out testing them out. Now I haven't tried all of these tires out that you mention, but in comparison to a tire such as the BFGoodrich KDW's that came stock on my car, the Falken ZE-512's actually rate higher in my book. They don't look QUITE as nice as the KDW's do, but they are softer, grab better in straight line, handle comparably in cornering, better value, and definitely lasted longer by almost 8k miles. Now it's your decision, but I(along with quite a few others on this board) definitely recommend the ZE-512s..
Im not sure who was posting negative remarks about the Falkens, but they never really stated WHEN they purchased them, and WHAT MODEL they purchased.. But once again, good luck with your decision.
Mark
