 Poster: A snowHead
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Did you know, it's as cheap for two people to hire a car for a week than source a transfer from Chambery to La Tania. Well I never.
But, it does mean using diddy cars. Now, I know that with the back seats down in an A3 that I can fit a pair of 187cm skis into the boot, on the diagonal. But, can I do this in a;
Renault Twingo,
Fiat Panda,
Vauxhall Corsa,
Ford Fiesta, or
Vauxhall Astra
It would be better to know now, rather than in the airport in five months, and the higer up that list, the cheaper the car hire. Anyone tried it?
Cheers
Marc
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Would have thought you could fit them in any of these by putting the tips through the gap between the driver and passenger seats, but no actual experience of actually doing this in any of these cars.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Mosha Marc, fitting big skis in little cars can be a problem unless there's nothing much else in there. Why not (assuming you don't want to downsize your skis) rent some magnetic roof carriers for the skis?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I haven't taken any measurements, but I have driven ALL of those cars, and I think this:
Twingos have a stupid tiny little boot. Too small.
Pandas are bigger than you think they are, but still will be just too small I reckon.
Corsas and Fiestas are about identical. You'll just about do it.
Astras are massively bigger than all the others, get one of those.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Or what pam w said. I was going to mention that you can get portable roof carriers but I forgot.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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pam w, paulio, I've had those magnetic jobs before, but daft as it sounds, the cost of hiring the racks is nearly as much as upgrading from the smallest to largest car.
As there's two of us, I think I'll go for the Astra to be on the safe side. Thanks paulio 
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There's no point being uncomfortable for the sake of £50 or whatever.
I have too many memories of sitting in the back of cars apparently designed for legless dwarves, with 40kg of suitcase on my lap because there's no room in the boot.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Mosha Marc,
We've managed 2 people and 4 sets of skis plus clothes etc in a corsa/panda/C3 etc so I dont think you'll have any problems. It's a nice short drive so even if you're a little cramped you should be ok!
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Roger C, I could only barely get just my own body into a C3, let alone luggage and skis. Are the two of you extremely diminutive in stature?
Actually now I come to think of it, I did drive the C3 from Morzine to Avoriaz with about 3 sets of skis+boots and a snowboard in it, but it was tight.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The Astra is good advice. I have driven an automatic Corsa with the skis down the middle - but the tips were getting into the hand bake area. No worries with gear changing for me then, but a manual shift might have been a hassle.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I got myself, swirly, scottishskier and gorilla (none of us are particularly small) plus skis/boards into a VW Polo without anyone dying so just 2 of you in any of those should be luxury!
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achilles, automatic cars on icy roads.
*shudder*
Yeah, cos what I really need, half way round this hairpin with almost zero friction against my tyres, is a sudden massive burst of torque in first gear. I'M DRIVING SLOWLY IN A HIGH GEAR FOR A REASON.
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You know it makes sense.
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| paulio wrote: |
automatic cars on icy roads.
*shudder*
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think you mean "folk who cant drive automatic cars on icy roads" *shudder* 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Managed to get 4 pairs of skis and luggage + girlfriend and me [im not on the small side] in to a fiat panda. a bit cramped but saved a few euros.
Still got the bad back though.
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Poster: A snowHead
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If there are only two of you and you don't mind sitting one in front of the other then you can drop the back of the front passenger seat to get your skis in. It does mean someone has to sit in the back seat behind the driver which can be equally difficult in a small car if the drivers seat has to be pushed back to accomodate long legs!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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barry, maybe. It had a mind of its own and seemed to relish in oversteering me toward armco barriers.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Quote: |
What you click on is not always what you get
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very true. I once hired a particular vehicle in a group, because of needing to get a folded wheelchair in, then we were given a car in the same group but a very different shape, which was a major hassle. Geneva, that was. But it is, as Roger C says, just a short drive, so if cost is the key factor you should be able to cope, even if you do have to drive with the window open and your ski jackets on.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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paulio, I was just driving the Corsa to spyderjon - and trying to give the idea of how the skis fitted in. That said, it is possible to drive an automatic on snow and ice. There is a snow button on the ones I drive that inhibits 1st gear, and the selector can be moved to stop the gear going above a given ratio. I admit I have never driven an automatic in the Alps, but I did drive on very compacted, icy road, with considerable care I must admit, in Surrey last winter. I have been thinking of taking an automatic car to the Alps next season, I would be interested in hearing from any sH who has practical experience of doing so.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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achilles, I couldn't find the snow button when I drove a C3 from Geneva to Morzine in a blizzard. It only seemed to have 'death mode'.
Amusingly, also, I had some snow chains in the boot that I'd paid extra for, and couldn't be arsed putting them on because it was getting late and looked a bit chilly out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Mosha Marc, I hired a Nissan Note from GVA in Feb (viz. that's what they gave me) and I'm confident you'd get skis in it. Not luxurious, but nippy (and big) enough. And not a Vauxhall/Opel, which in my book is always a good thing.
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paulio, surely that's half the fun, though if it's a little un the armco will take care of it! Actually though, wouldnt most autos have a "sequential" box along with full auto these days - thus making it even easier (i think) to keep revs when and where you want em? (my near 3 tonner has sequential aswell as full auto and is the easiest thing i've ever piloted when slippy). Maybe not universally available on little uns though (but i tend to not even notice having driven over and crushed such things on the road!  )
to OP, astra would seem plenty big enough, even with all your other gear
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I fire up North all the time in my corsa. Ski`s will go onto the handbrake and make it very difficult to use, gears are ok. If you put the skis at an angle on the back shelf and rest the tip up against the passenger window you`ll fit in ok and there should only be a slight obstruction to the passengers view. Back seat down I can`t see it fitting i`m afraid
Best advice is probably stick with the astra though.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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kill_reign, yup, it's coming back to me now - i did much the same as you. It's in the Zafira, I throw the skis in directly fore and aft - with the back centre seat down. Quite right - I wouldn't want to have more than 2 skiers in a Corsa - Arno must be made of sterling stuff with his 4 in a Polo!
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As it's an airport run there will be a couple of pairs of skis, a couple of boot bags, a couple of daysacks and a couple of clothing bags. And we're talking £15 between fiesta/corsa and Astra (and that's split between two) so i'll try the bigger one.
Many thanks all.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Isn't it part of the fun of a skiing holiday to play 'how many people can you get in one car with all the kit". We did 6 with 2 board bags in one Peugeot 307 estate round the M25 a few junctions at stupid o'clock (don't tell plod!). Then on arriving in GVA we had a c2 and c3 - again not really an issue, just dropped the split rear and stuffed the board bags thru from the back. Did mean we had to do take 2 cars to the supermorzine in the morning however or do a shuttle run.
About 1 month later we had a couple of estates between 10 of us but with a couple more board bags - only issue was that these annoying modern estates have roof bars you can't get rope underneath so the 'tie the kit on the roof' option wasn't going to work. Bit uncomfortable but not really a drama...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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annoying modern estates have roof bars you can't get rope underneath
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 how amazingly stupid. What are they for, then?
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If possible always try and get a Compact C class car as opposed to an Economy E class.
I usually look for car hire code CDMR, which is compact class, 4 door, manual, unspecified fuel, a/c.
That said even the economy class cars if theres just two of you you can usually get teh back seats down and put long stuff diaganolly across the boot or sticking forward in between the driver and passenger. But normally its worth paying a tad extra each to get a C class, as between a couple of people its not normally that much more.
I did once manage to get an Economy Estate, which turned out to be a skoda fabia estate, and that worked well, for the price, as it was cheaper than a compact car. I think that was in Austria though.
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
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annoying modern estates have roof bars you can't get rope underneath
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how amazingly stupid. What are they for, then? |
So the car manufacturers can try and make you buy their roof rack every time, as you old one won't fit, and in keeps the generic roof rack manufacturers like Thule on their toes.
Annoys the crap out of me.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Be sure you are actually getting the car you specify, hiring cars abroad I don't think I have ever got the same car I ordered on the internet. Undoubtedly there is some small print somewhere that gets them out of this.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My only experience of car hire to go skiing: Hiring an astra estate between to go from salzburg to skiwelt.
In that car we fit: 4 adults males (inc. driver), 3 snowboards and a pair of skis, 3 big bags and snowboad/ski bags and boots...
Granted, not the comfiest of trip, especially for the guys in the back, but it all fit...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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achilles, I drove our merc auto e class estate to the alps for about 10 years (with winter tyres) and it was fine, it had an eco or sport (ha ha!) mode the eco mode made it start in 2nd. Only ever got stuck once, in flaine car park when i had to reverse out, winter tyres don't work going the wrong way and in reverse gear. Merc was really good because the box is so gentle changing gear, and it got to loads of places that had 4x4 with summer tyres very stuck.
Small hire car= use blow up roof rack, skis go on that in a bag always worked for us.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| achilles wrote: |
| Arno must be made of sterling stuff with his 4 in a Polo! |
IIRC Swirly was the one with a snowboard binding in his face. i was driving and therefore relatively comfortable! 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I'm delighted you all find driving autos on ice so easy.
Would someone like to explain how to do it please, short of welding the gearbox so it's stuck in 3rd.
It's one of the most terrifying experiences of my life.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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paulio, Not sure if you are talking to me or easiski. Personally I select the snow button. Vehicle starts in 3rd gear (1.8 engine, adequate welly). Simples. Can be disengaged by pressing snow button again - or selecting 1 or 2. Also simples. The drive with care. Less simples, but no worse than driving a manual shift car, IME.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 7-08-09 10:13; edited 1 time in total
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That bloody C3 didn't have a snow button, I swear!
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You need an auto that has good fine throttle control so you can be very gentle, and one with a switch or a way of forcing so it that will start in 2nd or even 3rd. The merc had the longest throttle pedal travel of any car i have driven, more like a truck! sporty it was not but in snow etc with winter tyres it was great.
My wife has a hyundai coupe and its automatic, it is useless in anything slippery, loads of torque steer, rough gear changes compared to merc, goes with its "sporty" marketing image, (mirage more like!)
edit sorry cross post with achilles
Last edited by After all it is free  on Fri 7-08-09 10:16; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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paulio, quite possibly. The only automatic I have driven on snow and ice is my Zafira - so Vauxhall not Citroen. Changes are smooth. There is a 'sports' mode button which I have almost never used. Somehow 'sports mode' and 'Zafira' seems a paradox!
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 7-08-09 10:19; edited 1 time in total
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paulio, I drove about 8000 km in Canada on unmade roads covered in ice and snow using a bog standard Auto. The gentle changes do help. But so do studded tyres
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FAQ
. The prices were very good but we hired between 4. Used 
