Book Winter Tyres Early to Avoid Excessive Costs and Lack of Availability, Advises Top UK Comparison Website

    SURREY, ENGLAND, December 18, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Carrentals.co.uk, the UK's leading price comparison website is advising all winter holiday makers ensure that winter tyres and snow chains are included in their car hire deal when booking in advance to ensure the best prices and utmost safety.

Winter tyres and snow chains are usually charged in addition to vehicle rental by most of the car hire companies and problems often occur because many car hirers at ski destinations assume that they will be included in the deal. This means that car rental companies can face a lack of availability and skiers may find that last minute requests result in a lack of supply and they are forced to drive without the correct tyres, which can be very risky in snowy mountains.

Gareth Robinson, Managing Director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: "Often customers are confused about the laws regarding winter tyres, since they vary from country to country. Many assume that the car hire company will incorporate winter tyres into the package, but in most cases the customer must request a 'snow pack' which comprises the appropriate tyres. Prices of the pack will depend on the individual supplier."

"Hire car companies at destinations like Milan and Geneva, for example, do not rent cars to customers solely for ski holidays. If a car is not being driven in the mountains, then vehicles often don't require winter tyres. This is the reason that most companies ask you to request tyres appropriate for the nature of your journey. It is well advised to book in advance to avoid any additional costs for last minute requests."

Car hirers must also consider snow chains for particularly bad conditions. Though they only need to be used when conditions require, it is advised that drivers carry them at all times.

"Snow chains can be rented form the car rental companies along with the appropriate tyres, at a cost. But the cheapest and most convenient option is to purchase them from a local supermarket and return them if they are unused after the trip," added Gareth.

The laws and recommendations regarding winter tyres are as follows:

Country - Winter Tyres Requirement

Austria - Compulsory between 1st November and 15th April

Canada - Recommended for mountain driving or snowy conditions, but not mandatory

France - Recommended for mountain driving or snowy conditions, but not mandatory

Italy - Recommended during the winter months as weather conditions cannot be predicted

Sweden - Compulsory for Swedish registered vehicles between 1st December and 31st March

Switzerland - Not mandatory, but drivers may be fined for not having winter tyres fitted if involved in an accident

Germany - Not mandatory, but drivers may be fined for not having winter tyres fitted if involved in an accident

USA - Recommended for mountain driving or snowy conditions, but not mandatory

Currently ski deals can be found GBP26 per day at Calgary Airport; GBP15 per day at Milan Malpensa Airport; Salzburg Airport from GBP21 per day; and from GBP24 per day at Geneva Airport.

Carrentals.co.uk is the leading comparator for car rental and customers can visit the website to find the best deals on car hire from famous brands like, Auto Europe, Budget, Holiday Autos and Alamo.

*All prices are based on 7 day rentals from 10 January 2011 and are subject to change.

About Carrentals.co.uk
Carrentals.co.uk was launched in February 2003 and grew to become one of the UK's leading online car hire companies by 2006.

In 2007 the company re-launched its site to create the first major online price comparator in the travel industry. Using the latest technology the Carrentals.co.uk site now searches up to 50 different car hire websites, providing an impartial comparison of the best prices available in over 10,000 locations.

Websites searched include Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, Ebookers, Hertz, Holiday Autos, Opodo, Sixt and Thrifty, with the Carrentals.co.uk site quickly comparing prices and allowing customers to refine their search by car type.

The Carrentals.co.uk site also features over 5,000 pages of travel information in a mini-guide format.

In 2008 Carrentals.co.uk was voted Best Car Hire Website in the Travolution Awards, and in 2010 it was Highly Commended in the Best Meta-search/Price Comparison category. To book or for further information visit www.carrentals.co.uk.

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