I just found out that I cannot put tire chains on my HHR. What do others do when it snows, simply park it.

 

How about snow tires? With studs...

 

Or just drive it....... Just can't go anywhere it's "chains required". With good all season tires my HHR does well around here. We do have hills, but no mountains.

 

Live in Western Oregon, lots of hills and need to drive to Reno this Thursday for training classes (lots of mountain passes to cross) and was hoping to drive the HHR, guess I'm stuck with the gas hog 4X4 truck.

 

goetylsd, looks like we have almost the exact same HHR

 

Oh, that's cool.

 

You might be OK with the HHR, NW. I travel from Eugene / Springfield to Bend / Redmond once a week or so, and haven't had to put chains on yet. If you're going via 126, that road is pretty good. Oregon DOT keeps them real clear. Some bits you might be travelling on packed snow, but it's really not bad. Check the ODOT website before you go for the road conditions. They even have webcams in places along the roads, like the 126 / 20 merge. Watch your outside temp, and take the chains with you just in case. Carrying them is a requirement.

I got lucky this year, but next winter I'll have studded tires for the bad stuff

 

Yeah, I'd think studded tires would probably be the next best thing to chains... Maybe it would be a worthwhile investment.

 

Today Chains are a real unknow item any more in most areas like the old radiator bags hung on the outside of the grill.

Only a few areas still require them and most are in the Oregon, Nevada and Eastern California areas. Because of this most car companies have done away with the required fender clearance needed for them. GM used to have it required on all cars but the Corvette.

Also todays tires are so much better along with most traction aids on most vehicles that they are not really needed.

I live in the snow belt off lake Erie and the snow is really not an issue. We also take a lot of trips to WV where the mountains there are never an issue.

The thing to worry more about is ground clearance as once snow get so deep the chains will not matter like most cars and then you would need a 4x4 any ways.

I think you would be fine with a good set of winter tires in the mountains and not worry about chains or even studs. Todays tire compound more than make up for many of these old outdated aids.

I have driven in snows this year pushing it with the air dam on my SS and never had any drama or butt clenching issues.

My only real issue in winter is just the people who can't drive in the snow. They drive with the death grip and usually hold up the traffic that can drive.

I expect even in areas like where you are at they will start to accept the new winter tires and no longer require chains with the better tires and so many cars unable to use them. Only Trucks may be requires to use them in the future.

 

I was talking to a Les Schwab tire center yesterday and they said they even have a studded tire now that do not have the metal studs in them. Not sure how they work but may go that way next year. For now I'm just taken the
4X4 Dodge Diesel.

http://www.lesschwab.com/tires/winter/observe.asp