 Poster: A snowHead
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So - we have to have snow chains /winter tyres fitted/snowsocks . Whilst hire cars at gva (Swiss side ) come winterised , those at Lyon and Grenoble don't and you have to pay extra for snow chains /winter tyres . This seems an appalling rip off as one is charged 70, 80, 90 euros for snow chains that cost 30 euros in a supermarket . You can't bring your own as you don't know exactly which car you will get and whether they will fit . So what does everyone do ? Do you just go to a supermarket to buy some to fit the car you're allocated and then take them home and sell them ? Or set up a collection of the things ? Or are there snowsocks that fit most small hire cars that you can just bring with you ? I'd be interested to o find out what everyone who hire does - it seems such a waste of money to pay way over the odds for snowchains
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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IME snow chains are a LOT more than €30 so €90 isn’t the rip off in comparison. Mine were >£150 IIRC, modern ish cars and big wheels.
If you needed them €90 will feel cheap so I suggest it’s an unavoidable cost.
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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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You take your gamble..
I often purchase at the supermarket on the way - 30 EUR generally covers it. Yes, I do indeed have about a dozen sets of snow chains… literally.
Few tips - if you get snow chains from the car hire place then 100% without exception check the tire size against the size shown on the box. Do not trust the staff to get it right - one of the most serious situations I’ve ever ended up in on a mountain road was caused by Enterprise giving me the wrong set and me letting my guard down.
Similarly; most of the providers at Geneva now only sell snow socks, with no chains to rent - and the prices are mental.
So basically, stop at the supermarket on the way, and sell them once you’re home.
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@userscott, thank you - much appreciated - also , useful tip re checking the snow chains supplied. Must have been a nasty experience . @Wi11iam, - maybe the answer is that we hire bottom of the range motors !
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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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| boulevardier wrote: |
| @userscott, thank you - much appreciated - also , useful tip re checking the snow chains supplied. Must have been a nasty experience . @Wi11iam, - maybe the answer is that we hire bottom of the range motors ! |
We got stopped on the way up Val Thoren - had been queuing for five hours in a blizzard. We were 4/5ths up the mountain road when the dibble said nobody is going past without chains. No problem, I said. Got them out, and they didn’t fit!
Thanks to Enterprise being shoddy and me being lazy. The scary part was gunning it down the closed road in a blizzard to get to the supermarket so the trip wasn’t ruined. Me and my mate agreed to have a crack at the road and if we stacked it, then we would go twos on the deposit lol.
Never again… PS - the reason for renting was that you got 16 mm chains rather than the €30 9 mm chains you buy in the supermarket.
As for paying £150 for chains - that’s only if you’re wanting to get fisted buying Thule ones or the ones with the big plastic mechanism on the front. Husky 16 mm to fit an EV9 are only £63…..
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Grenoble car hire (Avis) has the option of booking a car with winter tyres.
I have done that. If it looks like a snowmageddon day when I arrive I'll spend the money and get chains too.
I want to get to the resort, not at all fussed about leaving 
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