This is the second set of tires on my "plus one" 225/45/17 '98 A4. After an accident that I ran over something on Southern California freeway, I decided to retire my other 3 Pirelli P7000 SS which I was really bothered by its groaning notice on ANY condition of the road. The first impression on these Falkens was they really quiet and smooth tires compare with P7000ss. They make my driving a lot more relax; the interior sounds was a lot less, almost to none except the wind noise when speed is above 75 mph. After switch to Falkens I can truly enjoy my BOSE sound system without crank up the volume too much. When I drove over the lane divider, it gives me a good confidence with a solid quiet "thump, thump" The drawback of these "ultra high performance silent tire"? They somehow make the steering lighter and less direct. It is probably less performance oriented then some of its competitors such as....P7000 or SP9000. But hey, they can be as low as $101 a piece for 225/45/17, what can you expect more? If "brand name" is the priority of your next tire purchase, Falken may not be on the top of your list. But if you want a silent and smooth tire without eating McDonalds everyday go check out these tires! I strongly suggest Falken ST-115 if you want tires that will deliver smoothness and quietness on your sports(y) sedan or coupe.