Tires

I’m having a hell of a time deciding what tires i want to get. I will need some soon, so i need to make a decision. I dont know if i want a softer tire, which can get me some grip, or a harder tire, which i can get better life out of. I’ve never had much luck with tires. I had a set of Bridgestone Potenzas (not sure which model) which were a 400 treadwear which lasted ok… A no name set of 500 treadwear that didnt last at all, and the set i have now - Falken Ziex ZE512… I think i have about 12K miles on them (maybe 13K)
If i go with a softer tire, i want to stay in a somewhat cheap range…
Softer (but i know, not really all that soft)
Cooper Zeon 2XS - $91 a tire
Nitto NT 450 - $90 a tire

Mid range (as far as hardness):
Cooper Zeon ZPT - $74 a tire
BFG G-force sport - $89 a tire
Kumho 712 - $83 a tire
Kuhmo SPT - $84 a tire
Hancook Ventus HRII - $75 a tire

or really really hard tire
Yokohama AVID V4S - $101 a tire

Now, i know that the treadwear rating isn’t an industry wide standard, just a company wide thing, which is what makes me think the AVID V4S would be a really hard tire, konw that yokohama makes some good, softer compound tires… i just dont really know what direction to go… i’d like a middle ground - good traction, and long life… the falken’s i have now have been alright… traction fell off fairly quickly tho after they were new…
Any other suggestions?? I’m so last as to which direction i want to go with buying new tires… its a rough decision… i havent had luck in the past with harder tires lasting me any longer than slightly softer ones… i may end up getting as many miles outta the Falkens (treadwear 320) than i did outta the 400 and 500 treadwear tires… Only thign is, with my Falkens, i never had to rotate tires… fronts wore as quick as the rear for some reason

oh, and i just found out, the place online where i can get the Nitto’s has free ground shipping, which saves atleast $50… which is big… same place i can get the Hancook’s, and Falkens again.

Another thing… any advantages/disadvantages of going with a 255 width tire this time (rather than the stock 245)

-OK, I’m done