acer rose

This is probably going to seem like a dumb question, but are all Canadian rental cars set up appropriately for winter driving?

SAW 04

Hi,

You get a wind shield scraper!!!!

stuartm

Hi,

Im over in Van form 25t November - 12 December, how much would i look to pay to hire a car / people carrier for a week????

Stuart

dbd

They usually come with flares, a shovel, Mars bars, a bag of cat litter, multiple blankets and a flask of soup. If you're a member of the rental company's VIP club the car comes with a pneumatic lady of eastern European extraction who promises to keep you warm.

Seriously, Hertz in the US have nice ice scrapers in the shape of a #1, I don't think they have thenm in Canada so, if you see one, steal it.

hawkeye

Try this

http://www.cheap-car-rental.com/ca_index.asp

But you will be looking at any thing from £237.00 to £530.00 depending on what car you choose.

acer rose

Oooh, more left in our budget for luxuries such as coffees and donuts then

So, if I am planning to take a trip into the mountains for skiing, I need not worry about winter tires, block heater connections etc, but I must remember to purloin an ice scraper. Ta.

dbd

I suppose I don't know where exactly you intend to go skiing but I've been to various resorts in Colorado and Utah as well as in Quebec in my rear wheel drive car using all season radials. I suppose it would be more sensible to have a front wheel drive car for the winter but roads to ski resorts are going to be ploughed. If you're going really off the beaten track then the items listed are the ones to have and, no, they don't come with the car.

acer rose

Cheers. Was thinking about Quebec and hoping it was popular enough to be ploughed, but once bitten (small mountain in California, unploughed road, American car, snow chains and lots of inexperience were not the greatest combination).


Not planning to go far off the beaten track, but my SO always takes the piss when the shovel, chocolate and rugs are put into the car in the UK in November. Kitty litter is a top tip though.

Pretty Flowers

What do you use kitty litter for? :scared:

dbd

I don't think there's anywhere in Canada where chains are allowed so no need to worry about them. I find the big problem in winter is visibility rather than traction, I hate that driving by braille for the first five miles.

dbd

If you get stuck you sprinkle it under the wheels, it's better than gravel and, if you don't get stuck, you can use it for the cat.

iaink

Traction. Dont use clumping litter though

Sand or Ash will work just as well, and Crappy tire were selling these neat fold out spiked mats that would be even better. Most of the advice you hear about mats/ old carpet etc is useless, you just end up firing the mat backwards into a snowbank.

Best bet is not to get stuck in the first place

iaink

Then wait for your windows to clear before going anywhere

I do wonder about the sanity of the people you see driving around in igloos with just a 6 inch wide letterbox slot for forward visibility and nothing in any other direction!

Probably explains the high insurace premiums.

dbd

I don't like not being able to see out of the side windows but they don't thaw enough to open them by the time I get to work. I can't use the office garage door lock from the car in winter because, when I get to work, the windows are still frozen shut. I have to get out !

iaink

I must be having a seniors moment...I dont understand the problem.

Get an autostarter and heat it from the inside out, or just scrape the ice off the windows like everyone else? I must be missing something I guess.