Winterized cars at LAX
Sep 11, 2014, 4:27 am
#1
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Winterized cars at LAX
We are visiting the US during winter break and we will be arriving at LAX. We are thinking about driving to Zion national park and Bryce Canyon national park. Would I be able to get a car that is equiped with winter tires?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Sep 11, 2014, 7:28 am
#2
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This is one of the ways that the US rental market is substantially different from Europe. There is no option to select and purchase winter tires at reservation. Everything uses regular, all-season radials.
Also, keep in mind that LAX is usually nice and warm even in the winter. There's probably not much demand for long drives to colder destinations. So even if winter tires were offered at some locations in the US, I doubt LAX would be one of them.
Also, keep in mind that LAX is usually nice and warm even in the winter. There's probably not much demand for long drives to colder destinations. So even if winter tires were offered at some locations in the US, I doubt LAX would be one of them.
Sep 15, 2014, 1:30 am
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This is one of the ways that the US rental market is substantially different from Europe. There is no option to select and purchase winter tires at reservation. Everything uses regular, all-season radials.
Also, keep in mind that LAX is usually nice and warm even in the winter. There's probably not much demand for long drives to colder destinations. So even if winter tires were offered at some locations in the US, I doubt LAX would be one of them.
Also, keep in mind that LAX is usually nice and warm even in the winter. There's probably not much demand for long drives to colder destinations. So even if winter tires were offered at some locations in the US, I doubt LAX would be one of them.
OP - best bet is to a get 4x4 or AWD vehicle. If you're here for a while, maybe tool around in a "normal" car until you're ready to head out, then take it back to LAX and ask for an upgrade, explaining why.
Sep 15, 2014, 3:33 am
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Hm. Much of Zion is at lower elevation, where there's not as much risk.
But Bryce Canyon is another story. You have to drive up a winding mountain road to get up there, and I'm not sure but I think at times chains might be required. (The entrance to Bryce is somewhere between 2500 and 3000 meters elevation.)
Out here in the southwestern US, people who live a lower elevations (which is most of them) most often go straight from all-season tires to putting on chains, since it's only at higher elevations that you're more likely to have significant snow and/or ice.
But I don't know how you get chains for a rental car. These days chains are made to fit particular tire sizes. So even if you had chains at home for your own car, you can't bring them on the plane and expect them to work on the rental car you happen to get, because it's very unlikely it'd have the same tire size as you car back home. But I doubt that LAX stocks chains for their cars (but that's still more likely than them having winter tires, I would think, so perhaps you could ask them?). And I don't know offhand where you get chains yourself for a rental car you've just picked up.
One possibility maybe would be to rent one car at LAX and then go to Avis someplace like St George UT and swap out for a car that's more suited for Utah winters? I dunno if that would work or not, I'm just thinking out loud.
But Bryce Canyon is another story. You have to drive up a winding mountain road to get up there, and I'm not sure but I think at times chains might be required. (The entrance to Bryce is somewhere between 2500 and 3000 meters elevation.)
Out here in the southwestern US, people who live a lower elevations (which is most of them) most often go straight from all-season tires to putting on chains, since it's only at higher elevations that you're more likely to have significant snow and/or ice.
But I don't know how you get chains for a rental car. These days chains are made to fit particular tire sizes. So even if you had chains at home for your own car, you can't bring them on the plane and expect them to work on the rental car you happen to get, because it's very unlikely it'd have the same tire size as you car back home. But I doubt that LAX stocks chains for their cars (but that's still more likely than them having winter tires, I would think, so perhaps you could ask them?). And I don't know offhand where you get chains yourself for a rental car you've just picked up.
One possibility maybe would be to rent one car at LAX and then go to Avis someplace like St George UT and swap out for a car that's more suited for Utah winters? I dunno if that would work or not, I'm just thinking out loud.
Last edited by sdsearch; Sep 15, 2014 at 3:39 am
Sep 15, 2014, 10:11 am
#5
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sdsearch is right. Typical routes from SoCal into Zion are fairly low elevation and unlikely to need chains.
There are lots of places in the west, however, where highways - even interstates - can demand chains. Rental agencies don't provide chains. It means a prudent /renterdriver plans carefully and some times has to change routes or timing.
There are lots of places in the west, however, where highways - even interstates - can demand chains. Rental agencies don't provide chains. It means a prudent /renterdriver plans carefully and some times has to change routes or timing.