I bought grey market tires for my VW

[skyactiv]

I bought GT Radial Sportactive 2 summer tires for my GLI. They are not on the GT Radial USA website, but are on the UK and German sites. They do have a DOT number and the UTQG: Treadwear 320, traction AA, temp A. It also has an E4 number. They have a 2 ply sidewall and the steering response is a perfect match to my car.
The tires were developed in Germany. I assume they are made in China.

I bought them online at Walmart and had them installed Saturday. I'm very impressed with them so far but I cant give a complete review until driven in the rain. $81.55 each shipped to WM and I paid for the install at the tire center. The balance is perfect. $428 in all.

There are grey market Goodyear tires, too. There is a 225/45R18 Goodyear tire not on the USA website you can buy online, the Eagle F1 Sport

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Manufacturing date?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Yes, I recommend tires like this all the time to people with driving conditions where summer tires work

My favorite such recommendations are the Goodyear EfficientGrip and ContiPremiumContact series. Occasionally, Nokian's summer tires pop up, too. Grand touring summer tires are often the best choice for many people that can use summer tires. However, in the US, they are mostly relegated to OE fitments on Euro cars.

For winter tires, there's Conti's TS-series. Also, speaking of Conti, they don't like to sell their flagship ContiSportContact series here (Conti's competitor to the Michelin Pilot Sport series), instead just giving us the cheaper ExtremeContact (which is more like the BFG Comp-2)

Simpletire and Prioritytire have a lot of those gray market tires. Here is the EfficientGrip in your size 225/45-18.

I'm not so sure I'd do this for a cheap Chinese tire, though

 

[drtyler]

Why did you choose these tires over a set of Continentals (or any other name brand)?

 

[eljefino]

Wouldn't it be more clear to say Walmart is the exclusive distributor in the US of this product? Grey Market to me means bypassing the exclusive distributor, and skipping the warranty (which I suppose walmart is doing.) I remember getting "grey market" camera film back in the 90s that was labelled in Japanese. It worked fine.

 

[skyactiv]

Why did you choose these tires over a set of Continentals (or any other name brand)?

GT Radial is a name brand. They have a tire plant in the USA and an engineering facility in Akron, Ohio.

 

[tcp71]

how can walmart sell a non-DOT approved tire?

 

[TCL]

You are the only one who has to be the judge of what's right for you.
Enjoy...

 

[skyactiv]

how can walmart sell a non-DOT approved tire?

You didn’t read my thread. They have a DOT number on them.

 

[FowVay]

Post up the serial number and we can identify the manufacturing facility.

 

[drtyler]

GT Radial is a name brand. They have a tire plant in the USA and an engineering facility in Akron, Ohio.

Thanks for the info, I did not know.

A few days ago, you posted a video or review of the Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02. Hopefully the GT Radial will be as good as the Conti's.

 

[dishdude]

GT Radial is a brand of Giti Tire out of Singapore.

 

[Vercingetorix]

I worry about maybe having to find a replacement. Waiting for one from overseas would suck.

 

[eljefino]

Giti is a legitimate tire brand also sold by Discount Tire. It's just this particular model that's WM only.

When I need almost any tire after five years it's been changed or discontinued. Look at the MXV4+Energy, it didn't start life with that stupid name, LOL. So I never buy a full set of the same name twice, it seems.

 

[michael007]

Unpopular opinion but some should consider cutting Chinese manufacturing some slack as this is an old mentality. My Pilot Sport 5's are phenomenal. I also recently read Canadian Blizzak stock are being made there but I haven't seen proof of this myself.

Others here have mentioned it's all about the quality control these days, not the country of origin. I personally agree.

I bought GT Radial Sportactive 2 summer tires for my GLI.
The tires were developed in Germany. I assume they are made in China.

out of curiosity, why assume? does it not have a "made in xx" on the sidewall?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

how can walmart sell a non-DOT approved tire?

Most non-US market tires are still DOT approved and have the same markings and other stuff as US-market tires.

 

[eljefino]

Unpopular opinion but some should consider cutting Chinese manufacturing some slack as this is an old mentality. My Pilot Sport 5's are phenomenal. I also recently read Canadian Blizzak stock are being made there but I haven't seen proof of this myself.

Others here have mentioned it's all about the quality control these days, not the country of origin. I personally agree.

Well and where does rubber grow? Asia. Keep the factory near the raw materials.

 

[nwjones18]

I've had good luck with the GT radial tires I've used. I've been looking at the goodyear reliant all season's for the wife's CRV. Only available at Walmart, and only on their website not Goodyear's..

 

[dumkid]

the last gt-radial made (dextero) tires i bought were from Indonesia. plant code 1y9. quite a few brands of tires are made in this factory

 

[mk378]

This isn't gray market, but merely a Walmart exclusive model intended for sale in the US. It means you'll need to go back to Walmart with any warranty issues. If you go to a different dealer, the manufacturer denies existence of this model. This is also common with appliances.