Driving in the alps

A snowHead

Hi,

I have booked a trip to Serre chevalier for the first week in February next year.

We are flying into Turin and hiring a car with snowchains to travel to resort. I have never driven in the alps before.

Got a few questions you could help me with.

Firstly if I get a diesel car, do I need to get any additive or anything to stop fuel freezing? Underground parking would be preferable but don't know if there is any in le bez.

Also any other advice you could offer which would help us on our way would be appreciated.

A snowHead

5 or 6 years ago had a rental from Milan, with summer tyres and chains .... When finaly arrived in Tignes close to midnight, discovered that (a) chains were broken into several pieces and (b) my rental car had different summer tyres on left hand side than on right hand side ..... Check before you drive off from a parking lot. February should be with lots of snow, if there is such option, book a car with winter tyres. Snow chains should only be in addition.

Fuel should be ok even if it is diesel. Check advice on driving on wintery roads.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Cars from Turin come with chains and diesel additive so don't pay extra for them. We were given the bottle and told to put it the additive in ourselves. This led to much drama as we managed to get the lid of the bottle stuck in the fuel tank. If you don't do that you should be fine!

You need to Login to know who's really who.

@craigjbarker, I must admit I have never been given the diesel additive at Turin, but all the fuel stations in SC sell winterised diesel. You will have a full tank, and Turin diesel is not necessarily winterised. As winter equipment is compulsory after you reach Susa from 15 Nov-15 Apr, I expect your car will have the required equipment, but that doesn't necessarily mean it is included in the rental.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks for the reply's.

I will try snow chains on the car before leaving airport to make sure they are ok.

Doing the search on t'internet I did not see any options for winter tyres only snow chains. How do other people book to get winter tyres?

I presume if I don't get any additive given it will be available from a petrol station on the way to Serre? Will it best added when I get there and used up some fuel then topped up with winterised diesel?

You'll need to Register first of course.

Snow tyres are not compulsory provided you have chains but they are highly desirable. Take a small kids beach spade to clear snow from around wheels if you have to fit chains.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

We hired a car from Hertz, Turin once and the car wouldn't start for the return home - It was Risoul which is higher than Serre Che and the locals said it was the coldest they could remember. It shows what the cold can do to Diesel though without additives.

Most over your journey will be autoroute and realtiively simply, with only one major pass to drive over. There is a ski resort at the top (Montgenevre) and ski resorts are brilliant at keeping roads clear of snow as blocked roads tend to hit sales.

We've only used snow tyres twice in the alps. We did find that the wheels spun when trying to drive on to the chains, spinning them out the back. We were advised to push the car on to them, which worked wonders. I also found a pair of thin gloves very useful. Dexterity is hard with numb fingers or very thick gloves.

After all it is free

@craigjbarker, when I worked out in the alps, we never worried about the diesel in our minibuses the only thing we bothered about was not putting the hand brake on but leaving in gear overnight as the handbrake could potentially freeze!!!!

@craigjbarker, The last few times friends hired a car in Italy (can't recall if Turin or Milan) they were not given diesel additive and at least at the time, the city diesel was not winterised.

This led to once a space heater at the local garage pointed at the fuel tank and once to adding a couple of litres of petrol to the tank as by the time they arrived in resort all the local garages were closed (and littered with empty bottles of additive).

It doesn't need to be that cold for the diesel to "freeze".

@terrygasson, which alps? French diesel is generally winterised anyway, as I think is the stuff sold in resort (we have a petrol car so it's not something I ever consider).

No idea how to force provision of winter tyres. Technically they are required on Aostan motorways 15.10-15.4

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@under a new name, it was the French alps (meribel)

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@terrygasson, that would be why you never had a problem then...

snow reports

Make sure the hire company give you instructions for fitting the chains. Also, as you propose, practice putting them on before your drive off.

@craigjbarker, Italian rental companies can be very shonky. I was given a car at Milan this summer with 2 bald front tyres and it had more dings than a Christmas carol.

The summer tyres and snowchains approach would not suit me. On and off with the chains, often in places that aren't ideal for stopping, in the freezing cold and very likely in the dark, can be a nightmare. Winter tyres with a set of chains you may never need is the only way to go.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

We had problems with our car several years ago when we'd filled it with diesel in Turin after a trip to Ikea to furnish our apartment. It needed a new fuel filter and tank draining.

A snowHead

@Hells Bells, what was wrong? Or is it a petrol car?

A snowHead

@under a new name, waxed up.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I checked the Italian signs last time I drove down to turin. Snow tyres are not compulsory but if you don't have them you must have chains in the boot at all times during winter.

@cameronphillips2000, you don't generally drive a car onto modern chains. You put them on with the vehicle stationary. Sometimes need to drive OFF them, though as there's usually some bit right under the wheels.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

It can be quite an effort to get what you need in italy, although there was some talk of winter tires being mandatory on winter rentals at least out of venice starting this year.
Last time i had ordered a winter tire car but they did not have a big enough car for me so i said ok then give me chains for free. When i went to open the box to check the condition of the chains she stopped me and said its not necc for you to check since i am not charging you for them !!

You'll need to Register first of course.

@essex,

would have been a consoling thought on a dark night when you discovered they wouldn't fit.

@Pruman, you're right, chains can be a pain but you sometimes have to fit them, even with snow tyres. A pretty important skill for anyone who drives a lot in the mountains. The really cheap supermarket ones you often get with rentals are often particularly nasty and if you don't fit them right they can break. If you're lucky they just fall off. If you're unlucky.....

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@pam w, ah, yes, you're quite right, I only ever notice the winter tyre bit as we don't possess chains.

After all it is free

I've just had a look on www.arguscarhire.com which I used to book a previous car at Turin over the summer. I think car was with Budget on arrival, but no idea if it is always them. I picked a random car, Sat-Sat in January. A Fiat 500L for £140 for the week. When I clicked on the 'book now' it quotes £17.12 as a compulsory fee for snow chains which is added to the quoted price. There is no option to remove it from the booking, so chains must be included. Another check on another car suggests the same. You can book with Argus through Quidco for a cashback saving.

@Hells Bells, that's who gave me a car with two bald tyres. I wrote to Argus about it and their couldn't be less bothered, saying I had to direct my complaint to the Italian rental company. Apparently I hadn't studied their Ts and Cs closely enough. So, in future I'm going direct to the likes of Avis etc and pay the extra.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@Pruman, we had a brand new car with them a few weeks ago.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

If you fill up with diesel near the alps then it will be winterised and should not wax until below-20 ish.

snow reports

I've had 2 or 3 cars from Turin (although not for a few years) and never had one with snow tyres... Confused

Have had snowchains though.

I've had a couple of hairy, very snowy drives as a result - one on the relatively flat motorway from Aosta to Turin.

You may also need to be careful on the high pass between Italy and Serre Chevalier. I once got up the pass no bother with chains on but (due to so much snow on the descent) then practically toboganned the car down the other side. All a bit alarming....

Thanks for the help.

I like the idea of winter tyres and chains.

For winter tyres the price comparison sites I was on don't give the option and a phone call to one got the answer that it would be possible but they could not guarantee it would be an option if I booked.

So I phoned avis who said they do them but could not book them until after 15th November. So I will wait until after then.

You know it makes sense.

I now like to book direct with real companies (avis, hertz etc), they have no interest in helping you switch cars or options if you go thru a middleman to save a little.

Help!!

Driving in the alps

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste