Required snow tires & rental cars?

Old Jan 25th, 2015, 02:29 PM
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Required snow tires & rental cars?

Hi all,

I saw on the Utah Department of Transportation website that snow tires are required on certain roads/highways for a period of time each year. I will be traveling to Utah in early March and will be renting a car to drive from Salt Lake City to Moab (and back). I noticed that one of the roads I would have to take is on the list. I'm presuming that snow tires/chains are not automatically supplied by car rental agencies even if it's state law? I'm just curious how all of this works if you're renting a car/are clearly an out of state visitor/ and don't check snow tires in their luggage?

If I'm incorrect and car rental places do supply them in Utah, please forgive me ignorance

Thanks in advance!
librarychica85 is offline  
Old Jan 25th, 2015, 03:25 PM
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If no one has a definite answer, I would call a few SLC car rental agencies and ask them. I would guess the cars might have snow tires if they were local cars but many times the cars come in as 1 way rentals and might not have snow tires. I doubt they will have chains.

Are you used to driving with chains?? That's a whole 'nother thread.
DebitNM is offline  
Old Jan 25th, 2015, 04:08 PM
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If you don't know how to drive in snow or with chains or how to properly attach the chains, then don't go where they are needed. It will take a little longer, but you can get from Salt Lake City to Moab by taking I-15 to I-70 and/or wait until the storm passes and avoid the need for chains.

Some rental contracts do not allow you to put on chains.
emalloy is offline  
Old Jan 25th, 2015, 06:18 PM
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I assume you are planning to drive over Hwy 6 thru Spanish Fork Canyon and up over Soldier Summit where chains in a storm would be a definite requirement. Most of our roads where chains are required during storms are also allowed with 4X4 and good snow tires.

Most rental companies will not allow chains on their vehicles. And trust me, you DON'T want to even think about trying to put them on!

You would be much better off to wait a day until the snow stops falling and the roads are cleared. I would never drive Hwy 6 in a storm and I drive up and down I-80 between Park City and the valley every day for work.
Dayle is offline  
Old Jan 25th, 2015, 06:22 PM
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You can also rent a true 4x4, but they are expensive. I have a Toyota Forunner. Last week we had a monster storm of extremely wet snow (unusual for us) and my normal 25 minute commute took 1 and a half hours.
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Old Jan 26th, 2015, 08:11 PM
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Dayle--I miss our Forunner!! It could go anywhere!
StantonHyde is offline  
Old Feb 27th, 2015, 03:42 AM
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I wouldn’t even try to use the chains if you are not familiar with putting them on or driving with them. Driving is very different with chains and when you are on unfamiliar roads in bad weather it could be dangerous. I would look at alternative routes, keep up to date with the weather reports, and take your time over the driving. There will always be alternative ways to get to a place so I don’t think you should worry about having to fit chains.
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