Non Region Specific Would you bring Snow Chains for Car Rentals?

[KingGrump]

Have you looked at the Air BnB type services for vehicles? People rent their car/SUV/truck to you. Find one with AWD and good snows. Golden!

Almost all rental cars, regardless whether they are AWD/4WD/FWD/RWD are generally equipped with all season tires. There are often huge performance differential between all seasons and full on winter tires in snowy conditions.

 

[Talisman]

Almost all rental cars, regardless whether they are AWD/4WD/FWD/RWD are generally equipped with all season tires. There are often huge performance differential between all seasons and full on winter tires in snowy conditions.

Very true. A tip for renting in Canada is requesting a vehicle with Quebec plates as it is provincial law that all vehicles have winter tires.

 

[skiki]

I would consider the alternative of something like the Auto Sock.

So when will they make an over-boot out of this stuff? Looks like it would pack up smaller than yak trax to protect boot soles. Or are Auto Socks only good for driving on snow, and would wear out too fast on dry pavement?

 

[dbostedo]

Or are Auto Socks only good for driving on snow, and would wear out too fast on dry pavement?

Yes, they wear out on dry pavement... I drove mine a bit on dry and they were worn some.

More to the point on over-boots though, I'd guess that they need a significant amount of weight to be grippy. I don't think (though I don't know) that the material would work as well on ice as something like YakTrax.

 

[ZeeJM]

Buy chains in your destination city. If you don’t use them, return them in same city. If you use them it is still cheaper than the rental upgrade to an all wheel/4 wheel drive rental.

This is the way.

 

[pete]

agreed on getting them and returning if not used in destination city.

weight if hauled on plane would likely be an adder besides the hassle

Damage to the vehicle may be an issue if it's a premium with oversized wheels.

You might be as well off with a Minivan and chains ... I haven't shopped rentals in a long time but the Minivans were far less costly, have lots of tire to fender space for chains.

 

[Ogg]

agreed on getting them and returning if not used in destination city.

weight if hauled on plane would likely be an adder besides the hassle

Damage to the vehicle may be an issue if it's a premium with oversized wheels.

You might be as well off with a Minivan and chains ... I haven't shopped rentals in a long time but the Minivans were far less costly, have lots of tire to fender space for chains.

Also minivans are pretty much all FWD or AWD these days as opposed to a RWD full sized SUV. I drive a full sized truck daily and even with good tires and an upgraded LSD it is sketchy in 2wd in snowy conditions.

 

[johnnyvw]

agreed on getting them and returning if not used in destination city.

weight if hauled on plane would likely be an adder besides the hassle

Damage to the vehicle may be an issue if it's a premium with oversized wheels.

You might be as well off with a Minivan and chains ... I haven't shopped rentals in a long time but the Minivans were far less costly, have lots of tire to fender space for chains.

I would check into that at the store(s) you may buy from. I looked into that a number of years ago, chains were non-returnable, probably because a lot of people have that same idea

 

[pete]

I would check into that at the store(s) you may buy from. I looked into that a number of years ago, chains were non-returnable, probably because a lot of people have that same idea

very true ...

while many folks don't care for Walmart, they are quite liberal about this stuff. I forgot my chains once on a western trip, snow storm predicted, picked up my size in Cheyenne and returned them in Iowa .. no issue.

(my legal out statement: this was 6 yrs ago but suspect with a receipt and unused, still true today)