 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello Fellow Snow lovers...
We're hiring a car from Geneva airport at the end of January to drive to Les Carroz, we have the option of paying for snow tyres and snow chains... I was definitely going to get snowchains but wondered whether to fork out £100 for snow tyres as surely snow chains are adequate?? Any advice much appreciated!
Lou.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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SnowgirlinLondon, welcome to snowHeads 
I was under the impression that cars had snow tyres as standard, as it's the law in Switzerland that they need to be fitted? Are you renting from the Swiss sector or the French? If French, try the Swiss side. £100 seems a lot.
Winter tyres are useful as in a lot of situations, you can avoid having to use chains....which are a hassle!
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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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SnowgirlinLondon, welcome to snowHeads.
Who are you hiring the car with? I normally book with Holiday Autos and never pay extra for the winter equipment. On every occasion my rental car has come equipped with winter tyres, and on every occasion except one the car came with chains.
Much easier to rent from the Swiss side. Try this link for discounted car hire from Geneva.
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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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| SnowgirlinLondon wrote: |
Hello Fellow Snow lovers...
We're hiring a car from Geneva airport at the end of January to drive to Les Carroz, we have the option of paying for snow tyres and snow chains... I was definitely going to get snowchains but wondered whether to fork out £100 for snow tyres as surely snow chains are adequate?? Any advice much appreciated!
Lou. |
the cars do come with winter tyres - the chains they put in the car are the same you can buy for about 30 euros in a supermarket - it's a stitch ! The other person is right - hire on the Swiss side - if you hire on the french side and you try to enter Geneva via the short stretch of motorway you will be forced to pay the Swiss motorway tax whereas the Swiss hire cars come with the tax disc...or they used to anyway.
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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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| krunchie63 wrote: |
| ... whereas the Swiss hire cars come with the tax disc...or they used to anyway. |
Yes they do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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SnowgirlinLondon, Hi, I always use argus car rentals for hire in Geneva (usually SiXT are the actual hire company) and never had a problem with them. The cars always have snow tyres and to hire snow chains are only a few quid if you actually pay it. I say that as I've worked out that if you don't add them you only have to go into the car park office and tell the guy there you ordered them and he just picks a set out for your car and hands them to you. As said before make sure you hire on the Swiss side rather than the French sector or it may cost you a not inconsiderable amount to get back!
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| Quote: |
it may cost you a not inconsiderable amount to get back!
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it will cost you rather little, actually, but it is a hassle.
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| pam w wrote: |
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it may cost you a not inconsiderable amount to get back!
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it will cost you rather little, actually, but it is a hassle. |
....not inconsiderable amount....rather little...???????? 40 swiss francs i think..that's 10 packs of fags where I'm from.That could keep me going all morning.
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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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krunchie63, you don't have to take the Swiss motorway to return to the french side of GVA, so it's not essential to have the vignette. You can take local roads, but it is significantly less straightforward than a few miles on the autoroute.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| krunchie63, you don't have to take the Swiss motorway to return to the french side of GVA, so it's not essential to have the vignette. You can take local roads, but it is significantly less straightforward than a few miles on the autoroute. |
I know - that's why I mentioned it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| krunchie63 wrote: |
| rob@rar wrote: |
| krunchie63, you don't have to take the Swiss motorway to return to the french side of GVA, so it's not essential to have the vignette. You can take local roads, but it is significantly less straightforward than a few miles on the autoroute. |
I know - that's why I mentioned it. |
So this option costs rather little 
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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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| Quote: |
| So this option costs rather little |
and it could be less than the amount you save by renting on the French side. The price differential is not consistent, however, and I would always advise people to rent on the Swiss side, to save hassle. There are a number of good reasons for preferring the Swiss side but the price of a vignette - around £16 - is not, in itself, one of them.
For many people who drive their own cars to the Alps for one week a year, snow chains are vital, but the much greater cost of snow tyres isn't. Sure, you might have to put on snowchains in situations where snow tyres would have given you enough traction, but it's hardly worth spending £280 or more just to avoid that. With hire cars, I would certainly not spend £100 for snow tyres, if that was the option. When I used to hire cars in Geneva (from both French and Swiss sides) I confess that I never knew whether I had snow tyres or not. But I did always have chains - and, despite frequent claims here, they are not ALWAYS and automatically provided on the Swiss side. If you don't get them - and one of my visitors could not, despite requesting chains on booking, and on arrival (at the French side Europcar) - you can buy them, and practise putting them on, at a supermarket en route. Unless it is Sunday, of course.... in which case, at least it's a good day for praying.
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Cheers guys...loads of helpful advice.
Have a good season!
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