Ordering tires (tyres, lol) from Demon Tweeks in Wales

[M-Sport fan]

Has anyone ever tried to order tires (not wheels) from Demon Tweeks overseas?

I know that some have bought wheels not sold here at all by American vendors from them and other offshore vendors, but are there any NHTSA/DOT rules or laws preventing the sale of tires not ever sold here??

I am having an impossible time trying to find any great, NOT 200 tread wear street SUMMER tires in a 215/40-17 size, and really want the Pilot Sport 5s this company sells in that size and which Michelin flat out refuses to sell here, at all, in any size currently. (Trillions of other 215/45s sold here, but NO 215/40s! )

Yes, I know all about the ('all season') Neo Gens in that size, and they are what I may be forced to go to IF I cannot buy the (full summer) PS5s I really want.
(Also know all about the Kumho PS31s and Yok Advan Flevas as well, but they are less desirable to me than even the Neo Gens at this point!)

Thanks in advance.

 

[rallytaff]

I don't know about tyres, but you can save a bunch of money by buying off them. Years ago, I bought a load of rally stuff for my Toyota and saved a lot by not having to pay VAT. Did have to pay Customs but it was still a great saving. I've been looking for tyres too! Might drop in and see them in June when I'm there.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Their price (maybe even once one figures in customs and shipping?) on the PS5s is ridiculously low compared to what Tire Rack gets for even smaller size PS4s/etc.

They have the Toyo (a respected name brand, no??) TR1s, the successor to their T1-Rs in that size (again, which we are NOT allowed to have here, at all in any size at all ) for $77.00 a tire!!

 

[LucasHigh]

I mocked up an order and it's telling me they wont deliver to texas, at least not tires

 

[M-Sport fan]

Yeah, I just tried to do a check out with those Michelins they refuse to sell here, and it is telling me to contact their customer service/export dept. to complete the order.

Now I have to make sure that I have international calling on my phone's voice plan.

I guess Michelin just does not want to sell U.S. any tires at all unless we a driving a HUGE road tank SUV or truck (or a $150K+ 'supercar')?!?!?

Even the PS5 which IS supposed to be available in our OEM 205/40-17 size (and IS listed as being brought into the country according to THEIR OWN site!) is NOT available, since they do not care about selling anything to even existing small car owners anymore, just like the big automakers.

It should not be made this damned impossible to put a good, non-200 tread wear summer tire underneath these cars!

 

[Dialcaliper]

Yeah, I just tried to do a check out with those Michelins they refuse to sell here, and it is telling me to contact their customer service/export dept. to complete the order.

Now I have to make sure that I have international calling on my phone's voice plan.

I guess Michelin just does not want to sell U.S. any tires at all unless we a driving a HUGE road tank SUV or truck (or a $150K+ 'supercar')?!?!?

Even the PS5 which IS supposed to be available in our OEM 205/40-17 size (and IS listed as being brought into the country according to THEIR OWN site!) is NOT available, since they do not care about selling anything to even existing small car owners anymore, just like the big automakers.

It should not be made this damned impossible to put a good, non-200 tread wear summer tire underneath these cars!

PS5 in 205/40R17 does appear to be (maybe) available at various US and Canadian dealers, just not on Tire Rack. Googling the size brings up some possible results, including one through Amazon 😂

https://a.co/d/iThQu3Q

It is definitely sad that fewer and fewer manufacturers are offering 23.X inch rolling OD tires, especially in 16”, which is dropping to obscurity. In the 200TW department the one that smarts is that Nankang offered the older version of the CR-S in 225/45R16, but with the revision, they’ve dropped that size (despite probably still having the molds for it) and only offer one size of 16” tire (a 195/50R16)

 

[M-Sport fan]

PS5 in 205/40R17 does appear to be (maybe) available at various US and Canadian dealers, just not on Tire Rack. Googling the size brings up some possible results, including one through Amazon 😂

https://a.co/d/iThQu3Q

It is definitely sad that fewer and fewer manufacturers are offering 23.X inch rolling OD tires, especially in 16”, which is dropping to obscurity. In the 200TW department the one that smarts is that Nankang offered the older version of the CR-S in 225/45R16, but with the revision, they’ve dropped that size (despite probably still having the molds for it) and only offer one size of 16” tire (a 195/50R16)

I spoke to Michelin in S.C. directly today, and they confirmed that it IS supposed to be available, but is not currently (unless one is lucky enough to find a vendor/retailer with stock on hand), and there are no projected build dates on schedule from them to replenish said stock.

Moot point anyway, even if they were plentiful, since I do not want to stretch a fairly narrow tread width 205/40 over an 8" wide wheel, regardless of some of the actual benefits to doing such.

As far as the CR-S style Nankangs go, for a 215/40-17 size their price has skyrocketed up to (in some cases) ABOVE the already insane co$t of the A052 Yoks in that size!!

So if I wanted a (low mileage gumball) tire for summer street use, which would be downright dangerous on anything more than just damp roads, I would go with that (bigger, more trusted name brand) one anyway.

The one from Nankang which I was considering for my Dekagrams, despite their 200 tread wear rating, (and if they were going to take over summer driving duties completely), is their widest tread width tire in that size, NS-2R in a 215/45-16. (The RT615+, Rival S 1.5, and most especially the RE71Rs at only 6.8" tread width{!} in that size look like snow tire width by comparison )
Going by their tread pattern, and despite their tread width, they appear to be at the very least a good, if not great tire in the rain.

But of course THAT tire is having problems getting into ANY ports at all (Phil's Tire claims they are either sitting on ships in containers off shore, or the ships have been completely turned away), as even Demon Tweaks says they are on a long term backorder there, in Wales due to problems getting them into the country.

I do have a new, still stickered, set of Yok A052s in 225/45-16 sitting in my living room, if anyone is interested.

 

[Dialcaliper]

I spoke to Michelin in S.C. directly today, and they confirmed that it IS supposed to be available, but is not currently (unless one is lucky enough to find a vendor/retailer with stock on hand), and there are no projected build dates on schedule from them to replenish said stock.

Moot point anyway, even if they were plentiful, since I do not want to stretch a fairly narrow tread width 205/40 over an 8" wide wheel, regardless of some of the actual benefits to doing such.

As far as the CR-S style Nankangs go, for a 215/40-17 size their price has skyrocketed up to (in some cases) ABOVE the already insane co$t of the A052 Yoks in that size!!

So if I wanted a (low mileage gumball) tire for summer street use, which would be downright dangerous on anything more than just damp roads, I would go with that (bigger, more trusted name brand) one anyway.

The one from Nankang which I was considering for my Dekagrams, despite their 200 tread wear rating, (and if they were going to take over summer driving duties completely), is their widest tread width tire in that size, NS-2R in a 215/45-16. (The RT615+, Rival S 1.5, and some others in that size look like snow tire width by comparison )
Going by their tread pattern, and despite their tread width, they appear to be at the very least a good, if not great tire in the rain.

But of course THAT tire is having problems getting into ANY ports at all (Phil's Tire claims they are either sitting on ships in containers off shore, or the ships have been completely turned away), as even Demon Tweaks says they are on a long term backorder there, in Wales due to problems getting them into the country.

I do have a new, still stickered, set of Yok A052s in 225/45-16 sitting in my living room, if anyone is interested.

Makes sense, though FYI, 205/40R17 is not really a “stretch”, unlike 205/45 in 16”. The 17”
published specs usually measured on a 7.5” rim, with a “standard” rim width range from 7-8”. As in you’re not doing anything outside of the manufacturer recommended.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Makes sense, though FYI, 205/40R17 is not really a “stretch”, unlike 205/45 in 16”. The 17”
published specs usually measured on a 7.5” rim, with a “standard” rim width range from 7-8”. As in you’re not doing anything outside of the manufacturer recommended.

Yes, I know it is within manufacturer recced specs, but those PS5s are notoriously narrow in tread width, so it will start to appear 'stancer' like.
(Hell, who knows, maybe even their 215/40-17 PS5 has a stupid narrow tread width, and would as well. Michelin just refuses to even allow me to see the dimensions of that tire here, since they refuse to sell it here!)

Some of the tire seller sites actually list some of the UHP all seasons in a 205/45-16 as within spec with an 8" wide wheel, but then some say 7.5" max.

Yeah, really confusing, especially when some installers are refusing to mount anything even that miniscule 0.5" over spec width wheel.

 

[LucasHigh]

just put some 205/45/16 ns2r's (from Phil's tire) on my 16x8 wheels and they fit pretty flush as it seems ns2r's run a little wide.

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^True, but if I am going to bother with the Nankangs already, I am going for the even much wider tread yet (and taller, to help fill out my factory ride height wheel wells ), 215/45-16s.

Besides the possible greater damage to the wheels from a 205/45 series tire on shitty late winter/early spring roads (vs. a 205/50-16), what really bothers me about all of the 205/45s is how short in height they are (yes, only slightly less than the factory 205/40-17s, but in my opinion those are already too short as well).

The problem is that my preferred XL rated side walls are usually only offered on the lower profile offerings (205/45-16 vs. 205/50-16).
Sadly, the most excellent Conti DWS06+es do not offer an XL option in EITHER 16" size, otherwise they would have been on my street daily use Dekagrams already.

 

[LucasHigh]

I daily the ns2r's on 16inch rpf01 and those are known to be weak with no problems yet, definitely would be easier to stomach on a 7 wide wheel though