Car rental cancellation because of lack of winter tires
We are currently in the Pacific Northwest and have a car rental starting tomorrow. After checking with the rental agency I've confirmed that the car does not have winter tires and is in my opinion not fit for traffic given the current weather warnings and advisories. Where I come from driving in winter without winter tires is illegal.
Can I cancel the rental and expect a full refund?
Best Answer
As a general rule, US rental car companies do not provide Winter tires as standard in any locations, and in most locations they are also not available even as options.
Many vehicles will be fitted with "M&S" (Mud and Snow") tires which are a mid-way between a standard tire and winter tires.
There is no legal requirement for vehicles to have winter tires, although obviously they can help from a safety perspective depending on the conditions.
As far as whether you can cancel or not, this will depend entirely on the conditions of your booking. Most car rentals in the US (especially with the major rental car companies) can be cancelled at least up until the pickup time with no fee. If your booking is one of these them obviously, yes, you can cancel now without any impact.
If you have a pre-paid rental then there will likely be a fee to cancel, although the exact fee will depend on factors like the company involved, where and when the vehicle was rented, and how long before pickup you are canceling.
The only way to confirm if there is a fee to cancel, and if so how much, is to check your reservation details and/or call the company involved and ask.
If they state there is a fee then you can certainly request they waive the fee based on the conditions, and in particular your concern the the vehicle doesn't have tires suitable for the conditions - but as winter tires are not a legal requirement any concessions granted would be at the discretion of the rental company.
If you do decide you continue with the rental you may want to familiarize yourself with how to check if a car has "Mud and Snow" (M&S) tires, which are standard on many vehicles now days. If the company is one that lets you pick your own vehicle, then you will be able to look for one that has these tires. If the company is one that assigns you a car, and the car you are assigned doesn't have M&S tires on it, you can always ask for them to swap you to a difference vehicle (of the same class!) that does and they will likely agree.
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Can Car Rental cancel your reservation?
Another part of the reason is that the car rental industry, unlike many hotels and almost all airlines, still allows you to cancel or miss a reservation without paying a penalty.What is car rental cancellation policy?
Cancellations are accepted up to one calendar day before reservation date. Reservations canceled more than 24 hours before the pick up time are free. If the reservation is canceled within 24 hours of the pick up or if the reservation is not used, a $50 cancellation fee will apply.Do rental cars in Vancouver have winter tires?
Renting a Vehicle in Winter? Most rental vehicles will be equipped with M+S tires, which meet the minimum winter tire requirement. If you are renting a vehicle and travelling outside the Greater Vancouver or Greater Victoria areas, it's a good idea to ensure your vehicle rental is equipped with winter tires.Why are rental cars so hard to come by?
Rental-car companies and analysts say they expect shortages to continue in the coming months due to the global chip shortage and other supply-chain constraints. With demand for rental cars expected to be high, plan to book early and brace for high prices in popular leisure destinations.Why avoid driving on winter tires in summer?
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Mike B, Mike B, Brett Sayles, Erik Mclean