Advice For Renting A Car For Winter / Snow Driving In CO

[cornerstone]

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[PeteM]

I take it your a yank mate? Or are you visiting?

If so I am taken back that you say 'Hire'...... I was in US a few years back driving a Suburban ...it was the latest model (apparently) and whilst at lights a guy asked me what I thought of it compared to the old one.... I explained that it was 'hired'.... he said "Really? How much higher?".... he then drove off annoyed as I couldnt stop laughing!!

I was then told by my mates that you guys across the pond dont say 'Hire' but use the term 'Rental'

Sorry I dont mean to TC mate but when I read this I immeadiately thought of that...

[woof*]

Yeah we rent.

Hire would involve a human's services, like hire a painter.... and rent a car.

There are not all that many days in Colorado that you would really need a 4 wheel drive vehicle if you are driving city streets and highways.

I would imagine any car that Avis or the others offer will be equipped with the proper tires..snow tires or M&S. I lived there 20 years and only needed chains 2-3 times and that was in the mountains.

Mostly it's about driving skills, technique and judgement. If you have no experience in this area, learning "on the job" in an icy snowstorm isn't really a great idea The biggest advice I can offer is keep a healthy distance from he other cars and don't be in a hurry.

[cornerstone]

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[woof*]

If you are headed into that stuff for sure.. then go ahead and get a 4 wheel drive suv. You can also buy inexpensive "chains". There is a type that are really plastic coated cables that go on and off very easy and work very well.

[Nanuq]

Ahhhhhhh, finally a topic I know something about! (cracking my knuckles and getting comfy)

I'd recommend a light AWD with good ground clearance. Here's why:

If you're driving uncleared roads then you need to NOT drag your undercarriage.

AWD should be adequate, it would be nice if you could "lock" it into 4WD so there's no hesitation if you need the traction and the system is slow.

I doubt you can get studded tires. Here in Alaska they don't rent cars with studs, instead it's good all-weather tires. Something about liability. But if you're in cold, dry, packed Colorado snow you won't need studs. Those are for ice. You want WINTER tires, not "all season". Studless Blizzaks are okay (if you can't get hard-core dedicated studded tires).

You want a light vehicle so you can corner and stop with less mass fighting you. I know most people say you want something heavy, but then you slide off corners and down steep hills. I have a beast of a Land Rover, and a nice light one. The beast is used to pull people out of ditches, because it can plant itself on the snow and PULL. The light one is much weaker for that, but also much easier to handle on slick roads. My favorite wife drives a turbo New Beetle with gnarly studded tires and she can rocket around in winter almost like she's on pavement. Me? Not so much. It's all about dealing with your momentum.

You want a tall greenhouse so you can see around you. Tiny windows cover with snow and ice faster and you're blind.

DON'T let them wash the car just before you pick it up! The locks and doors will freeze.

Make sure it has a good heater, and apply some Rain-X to the front glass, so the ice and snow come off easier.

Here's my choice: ground clearance, light weight, locking 4WD. Notice I'd been pushing snow with my radiator before I took this, and those are 33" tires.

[PeteM]

Ah!! The old company car ! Cant beat it...

I think the best way mate is going to be to find a suitable company in general terms and then call them to discuss specifics... of course I imagine that might stir up a potential hornets nest when it comes to insurance waivers etc.. so it might be worth considering exactly what you tell them... and perhaps look at buying inexpensive chains etc

[hiker01]

Any Mini SUV (all Rental Companies carry them), preferrably AWD, would work.....I've driven all over Colorado's highway and off-road (rain and snow) with a Chevy and Dodge and they were all great. As mentioned, it's about skills and adjusting to driving conditions......and having the right vehicle.

[miagi]

Being Norwegian i feel i can vouch in aswell winter driving half the year ... SUV vs standard coupe/estate all depends on where you will be doing most of your driving ; for driving in the city on snow/ice/slush id prefer a lower car as it sits better on the road when doing quick turns to avoid accidents.. - outback or mountain where you can encounter uncleared roads - def agree with nanuq! high clearance and good wheelsize.

growing up we did A LOT of winter drift circuit in my neighbourhood -scandinavian powerslides where u pull the handbrake as u turn in (quick off the hadbrake), drop it to 2nd gear and full trottle. - that thought me much about how to avoid hitting that object looking inevitable at slippery conditions... - remember foot off the throttle AND the brake, clutch in (neutral for u automatic drivers) and stear out of the slide... brake when regaining controll - and a lot of times fullthrottle to help stear out of the slide

get wintertires not that all-round stuff. id choose to drive german (audi bmw merc) or a volvo. allways keep good clearance to the cars front and back and think twice before venturing up or down steep hills

- oh and remember ; the most dangerous driving conditions are "black ice" where rain/water have just frozen on top of clear asphalt being quite invisible. a good snowy road actually have a lot of traction

[Nanuq]

Miagi

[Ronin]

I live in CO.

Depending on the time of year, mountain driving is NOT BAD. We joke about our "Solar Snow Plows" (at 5280' and much much higher in the mountains, snow on the roads actually does NOT last too long if the Sun comes out, and the plows are doing their job. The intense Sun melts away a lot of snow on the major roadways.) ((Don't forget your Sunscreen, Intense UV up in the mountain sun. It is not uncommon to come home from Skiing with severe Sun & Wind burn))

There are services like the "Colorado Mountain Express", a Van Service that hits many of the ski towns or popular mountain towns.

DON'T GET SUCKED into believing a SUV is better. The MAJORITY of off-the road, accidents I have witnessed, in the mountains, are CRASHED SUV's. SUV drivers think they are immortal for some reason, take more risks, go to fast, and FAIL TO STOP ON ICE when the 5hit hits the fan. Nearly all accidents involve ICE on the roads, and simple physics tells us a larger, heavier vehicle regardless of how many 'drive' wheels it has is harder to slow/control/stop on ICE.

My personal "Ski" vehicle / Mountain Car is an VW Golf. Two wheel drive, with 4 snow tires. I have NEVER had an issue, and go anywhere the 'average / light SUV' goes. I shake my head at the MANY SUV's that are off the road when I go Skiing.

Fact: If you are sticking to the interstate, state routes, we have snow plows that also spray Ice melt, and drop pulverized granite for traction, in addition to the Sun. The roads will most likely be WET. Properly timing your drive to avoid a major snow storm / blizzard is all you need to do.

IF renting a car, check the tires for good tread and a M&S (Mud and Snow) rating. Rental Cars will be All Season (which will be adequate if you follow my advice on timing your drive). Front Wheel Drive, or, if you must, a "Light SUV" is the way to ago. Avoid the rear wheel drive American Muscle Car styles.

ICE is the enemy up there.

[cornerstone]

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[PeteM]

- oh and remember ; the most dangerous driving conditions are "black ice"

Sorry mate but I have to disagree with that...... The most dangerous driving conditions are.... Sitting in the passenger seat with my mum driving.... Well thats what its called but its more like talking and looking everywhere but at the road ahead while the car is moving (driving really doesnt describe anything she does when in the drivers seat...)

I am still haunted by all those wing mirrors flying off parked cars !!!

Edited October 23, 2012 by PeteM

[chronoluvvv]

i'm with Ronin on the anti-SUV stance

unless you plan going off-road a regular 2wd (preferably fwd since all these rentals have engines up front) with snow tires will do just fine

[rogerthat]

Since you mention unpaved winter mountain roads/druveways you in my opinion absolutely need 4wd

And may still need to pay for a plow or leave your vehicle far from the house

And as mentioned above I would want one with the ability to lock in 4wd low

According to your pics the standard SUV would be a jeep Cherokee and would be the most likely to have 4wd low locking gear

If you rent at the Denver airport there should be multiple cars to choose from

At the big airport locations in the us you are not assigned one vehicle

You pay first for class of vehicle and then are usually given 5 plus choices within each class

You can sit in each one

And if needed you could upgrade to the next class on the spot, really rate for all cars to be booked

That is the major benefit from renting at the major airport locations, that and the lower cost

At least that is how it has worked for me recently at major us airports and Denver is quite big

[kbh]

Subaru. If it's good enough for the official car of the USA ski team, it should be good enough for you.

Actually from a few friends that live up in New England, they all swear by the Subaru in winter.

[Nanuq]

Gaahhhhh, I hate to say this, because I DETEST Subarus (spit spit spit, I said it and it left a terrible taste in my mouth)

Go with the Subaru (spit spit spit). Not because of the US Ski Team, that's all marketing. Do it because they have:

• a modicum of ground clearance
  
• they're light
  
• they have AWD
  
• they have big windows.
  

If you're using unplowed driveways you need ground clearance. Front-wheel drive should be okay. If they're unplowed uphill driveways, you need AWD or better, 4WD.

Don't bother with the chains, you won't use them. Low range is not necessary for snow driving. That's for hard, technical offroading or pulling someone out of a ditch.

At home we often get big snow dumps overnight and I'll go to work knowing I need to clear it when I get back home. So I often have to drive uphill through as much as 3 feet of new snow, and my Land Rover always makes it, because it has ground clearance, real 4WD and real snow tires..

[Ronin]

+1 What Nanuq said.

The ONLY "Chain" requirement here is for multi-axle trucks.

If you really, really, really will be off road, on fire roads, or LONG un-serviced driveways, a AWD/4WD SUV ~might~ be required for clearance in very deep snow. Otherwise, just grab a Mid-Size FWD car, and inspect the tires.

[Nanuq]

+1 what Ronin said.

The nice thing about Colorado snow is it's airy light fluffy stuff, a joy to ski in, and drive in. That amazing light powder snow... you could probably drive a Toyota through 3' of it and laugh yourself silly. If it was heavy, wet saturated east coast snow, that's another story.

We had a snow dump here a couple years back on my birthday in April, it was that light airy fluffy snow (very unusual for here) and I took the day off work because it was so much fun to drive in. I was out blasting around in the Rover pushing snow with my headlights, it was so deep, having the time of my life. The snow would come up over the hood bonnet like a submarine bow wave, breaking against my windshield! What a HOOT to drive in!! If you get some of that in Colorado you'll love it.

Get thee some ground clearance and good tires, and Robert's your uncle.

[cornerstone]

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[Nanuq]

...if there's a possibility of me just paying someone to plow it.

I saw what you did there, you rascal. So will you be hiring this individual, or renting him?

[cornerstone]

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[Nanuq]

Here's the neighbor watching you drive up to the house, thus equipped ...

[cornerstone]

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