Discussion
Hello all,
Have just booked our trip to Switzerland with some friends for Xmas - driving down through France over 2 days to Zurich, staying there 3 or 4 nights and then we want to drive to a ski resort for another 3 days and then spend 2 more days driving back through France again. So, I'm hoping that the trip through France and to Zurich (looks to be all motorways if we want to do it like that) should be pretty trouble free, but the drive up into the mountains is concerning me.
Who on here has taken their TVR to The Alpes for a ski trip?
I know that snow chains are a legal requirement once you get up into the mountains. Has anyone ever put some on their TVR?
Also, am I right in assuming that getting to Zurich should be OK - never driven there before?
(Oh, and answers such as "you're mad, don't do it" aren't gonna be helpful as we kinda have to now - everything booked and no alternative car to take!)
The *one* possible alternative we do have is to leave the TVR in Zurich and take the train to a ski resort somewhere, but that's more of a last resort (no pun intended!).
Any help appreciated.
Ropey
Have just booked our trip to Switzerland with some friends for Xmas - driving down through France over 2 days to Zurich, staying there 3 or 4 nights and then we want to drive to a ski resort for another 3 days and then spend 2 more days driving back through France again. So, I'm hoping that the trip through France and to Zurich (looks to be all motorways if we want to do it like that) should be pretty trouble free, but the drive up into the mountains is concerning me.
Who on here has taken their TVR to The Alpes for a ski trip?
I know that snow chains are a legal requirement once you get up into the mountains. Has anyone ever put some on their TVR?
Also, am I right in assuming that getting to Zurich should be OK - never driven there before?
(Oh, and answers such as "you're mad, don't do it" aren't gonna be helpful as we kinda have to now - everything booked and no alternative car to take!)
The *one* possible alternative we do have is to leave the TVR in Zurich and take the train to a ski resort somewhere, but that's more of a last resort (no pun intended!).
Any help appreciated.
Ropey
Went in my old Vectra once , normally you park and stay down the mountain where the snow is thin on the ground and catch the cable up the mountain. you rarly see chains used in this day and age everybody uses snow tyres during the winter .
Ski during the day apres ski during the evening , so no driving anyway .
Ski during the day apres ski during the evening , so no driving anyway .
No real help but if you do get some then you could run a "who wants to borrow my chains" thread after as your not the only one looking at the moment http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=451782
oh and I may want to borrow them too
oh and I may want to borrow them too
I've not used them but you could try auto socks.
http://www.autosock.co.uk/
Apparently work pretty much as well as chains, but are a much lower profile.
http://www.autosock.co.uk/
Apparently work pretty much as well as chains, but are a much lower profile.
Driving to Zurich - no problem! Driving up to the ski resort though will depend upon snow falls. They are extremely efficient at clearing roads and following a dump of snow the roads are normally cleared back to dry tarmac in 24 hrs, however, if it is snowing at the time or there is a forecast of heavy snow then I would recommend the train option. I would say that chains on a TVR would mean a strong possibility of them catching the wheel arches which would be messy! Sounds like a fun trip though!
Hmmm, snow socks look quite good, but not sure if they're legal in The Alpes??!! There's even a comment on that site somewhere about how they can't be substituted for chains - as they're legally required.
That site also says that chains aren't recommended for TVRs, but i don't see why not?? OK, I know the clearance is quite tight on the rears but it's not THAT tight, surely??!! I did find someone on here who mentioned in a post something about driving with snow chains on his tuscan - so I might PM him and see what he did. I can't believe that I'm the first person to want to put on snow chains??!!
As you say - the chances are that they'd have the roads cleared pretty quickly - it's more about what happens if as we're heading there it starts snowing heavily. Been caught in that scenario before, in my uncle's merc - he had to don the snow chains about a quarter of the way up the mountain.
Would much rather keep the car with us rather than training it.
That site also says that chains aren't recommended for TVRs, but i don't see why not?? OK, I know the clearance is quite tight on the rears but it's not THAT tight, surely??!! I did find someone on here who mentioned in a post something about driving with snow chains on his tuscan - so I might PM him and see what he did. I can't believe that I'm the first person to want to put on snow chains??!!
As you say - the chances are that they'd have the roads cleared pretty quickly - it's more about what happens if as we're heading there it starts snowing heavily. Been caught in that scenario before, in my uncle's merc - he had to don the snow chains about a quarter of the way up the mountain.
Would much rather keep the car with us rather than training it.
Have found these babies: www.snowchains.co.uk/main/klack_and_go_pro_tech.htm
Am waiting for them to email me back to see if they'll go on a TVR - although I stuck my tyre size into their calculator and it gave me a set of chains to buy - £126 mind! Ouch!
These ones seem quite cool cause they don't need you to faff around try to get your hands around the back - they've got a quick release system. Watch the video - it all seems oh so simple!! Bet it's not like that when you're half way up a mountain, in a snow storm, -5 deg C outside and pitch black!!
Come on, someone else must have driven their TVR in snow chains??!!
Am waiting for them to email me back to see if they'll go on a TVR - although I stuck my tyre size into their calculator and it gave me a set of chains to buy - £126 mind! Ouch!
These ones seem quite cool cause they don't need you to faff around try to get your hands around the back - they've got a quick release system. Watch the video - it all seems oh so simple!! Bet it's not like that when you're half way up a mountain, in a snow storm, -5 deg C outside and pitch black!!
Come on, someone else must have driven their TVR in snow chains??!!
Hmmm, I'm starting to feel defeated!
The other big problem is I don't know any of the resorts, so trying to work out which ones are more car friendly is a little tricky. We usually go to Les Arcs in France, and I would have no worries about taking the car there as I know the resort well and know which roads they keep clear and which ones they don't. I think we may end up leaving the car in Zurich and getting the train somewhere - if we can even get a booking (26th-29th December appears to be quite a busy time - I wonder why??
).
On the other hand we might ditch the idea of skiing altogether and just find somewhere pretty that we can do some walking. Anyone have any recommendations for somewhere withing a few hours drive of Zurich??
The other big problem is I don't know any of the resorts, so trying to work out which ones are more car friendly is a little tricky. We usually go to Les Arcs in France, and I would have no worries about taking the car there as I know the resort well and know which roads they keep clear and which ones they don't. I think we may end up leaving the car in Zurich and getting the train somewhere - if we can even get a booking (26th-29th December appears to be quite a busy time - I wonder why??
).On the other hand we might ditch the idea of skiing altogether and just find somewhere pretty that we can do some walking. Anyone have any recommendations for somewhere withing a few hours drive of Zurich??
My concern, appart from the fact that there was no snow in any but the very highest resorts that early last year , wouldn't be so much getting there, it would be the couple of kg's of road salt you are about to deposit all over your chassis. Certainly wouldn't put my Tam through it.
Thoroughly envious of the low level drive but would take another form of transport into the mountains. Sure they must run a ski transfer.
Thoroughly envious of the low level drive but would take another form of transport into the mountains. Sure they must run a ski transfer.
Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow tyres are excellent, almost as good as studded snow tyres which are illegal in the UK. Snow chains should be only used if it is absolutely neccessary. You will find that the ski resort main access roads are cleared regulary so you shouldn't need the chains. but will have a layer of compact snow to drive on. You should raise the suspension if you can or the front spoiler could end up as a snow plough!!. If you can get sizes to match your car get the Pirelli's.
Ropey,
Why do you persist with this topic and your statements "Surely someone must have used snow chains on a TVR".
No they have not. Only someone insane would do that.
It's a high performance rear wheel drive sports car with ultra low profile wide tyres. It is pretty poor in the wet and totally rubbish in snow. With snow chains, it will simply be a bit less rubbish. In no way will be it good or safe.
Have you seen how much clearance there is not betwen the wheels and the arches, especially with a full tank of fuel and a boot full of luggage. That space will soon be packed with snow.
The problem with snow chains is their tendancy to flail the bodywork. That is why no one would use them on a GRP car. It is not unlikely that they will simply trim off your bodywork as you drive along!
People have already told you about the salt rotting your chassis.
It is easy enough to lose control of a TVR in the dry. You can guarantee that you will lose it in the snow and be faced with a costly repair.
Then their is the likelyhood of another inexperience tourist with an ill prepared car losing it and sliding into you.
The sensible person buys the cheap flight and a transfer to the resort.
Why do you persist with this topic and your statements "Surely someone must have used snow chains on a TVR".
No they have not. Only someone insane would do that.
It's a high performance rear wheel drive sports car with ultra low profile wide tyres. It is pretty poor in the wet and totally rubbish in snow. With snow chains, it will simply be a bit less rubbish. In no way will be it good or safe.
Have you seen how much clearance there is not betwen the wheels and the arches, especially with a full tank of fuel and a boot full of luggage. That space will soon be packed with snow.
The problem with snow chains is their tendancy to flail the bodywork. That is why no one would use them on a GRP car. It is not unlikely that they will simply trim off your bodywork as you drive along!
People have already told you about the salt rotting your chassis.
It is easy enough to lose control of a TVR in the dry. You can guarantee that you will lose it in the snow and be faced with a costly repair.
Then their is the likelyhood of another inexperience tourist with an ill prepared car losing it and sliding into you.
The sensible person buys the cheap flight and a transfer to the resort.
Blimey - is that what you class as helpful advice??
Well, i've seen on here that many people have tken their TVRs when they've been skiing, so i was assuming that they had come across the snow chain thing - sorry if that was supid of me.
As for the chassis thing - i actually use my TVRs as every-day cars, and providing you get them regularly serviced and checked out, I don't see a reason for not taking them most places. Some people never use them on wet days - what a waste, i say. Providing your sensible and don't stomp on the throttle on a wet road - I have no handling issues.
I bought my car to actually use, not sit in some garage looking pretty covered in moth-balls.
As for the chains, I've found someone on here who has put chains on his tuscan - you only need 10mm clearance, and I appear to have quite reasonable gap around my wheels?? Oh, and there was no damage to his car either.
Also, half my trip is going to Zurich, so i'd quite like to take the TVR for that bit.
And, if you would read my last post, I actually say that I'm giving up and probably not going to go skiing.
Well, i've seen on here that many people have tken their TVRs when they've been skiing, so i was assuming that they had come across the snow chain thing - sorry if that was supid of me.
As for the chassis thing - i actually use my TVRs as every-day cars, and providing you get them regularly serviced and checked out, I don't see a reason for not taking them most places. Some people never use them on wet days - what a waste, i say. Providing your sensible and don't stomp on the throttle on a wet road - I have no handling issues.
I bought my car to actually use, not sit in some garage looking pretty covered in moth-balls.
As for the chains, I've found someone on here who has put chains on his tuscan - you only need 10mm clearance, and I appear to have quite reasonable gap around my wheels?? Oh, and there was no damage to his car either.
Also, half my trip is going to Zurich, so i'd quite like to take the TVR for that bit.
And, if you would read my last post, I actually say that I'm giving up and probably not going to go skiing.
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