cnp - that's awesome advice on the subie. We'd be better off awd wise with one of those vs. the volvo, but i'm also kind of thinking I stumbled upon a mustachian vehicle accidentally.
Eric - Chain control is dead simple. When it snows hard, and it often does, CALDOT institutes chain control. This means they literally stop all traffic on the Interstate (usually I80) and check each car for either 1.) 4WD or AWD with at least Mud & Snow tires (they NEVER check for the M&S logo) or 2.) chains on your FWD vehicle or RWD vehicle. No wiggle room. You either have this or you don't pass the checkpoint.
From experience, I can tell you that chains on a rear wheel drive vehicle don't work. I've seen countless BMWs, non 4WD trucks, mercedes, etc in the snowbank stranded. So if you have RWD only I suggest finding another ride.
I'm a total complainypants about chains because they have a max speed limit of 25-30mph which is a PITA. Even in the biggest storms there are low roads with 50mph speed limits that are bone dry. People with chains have to stop on the highway in a storm, put them on, stop when they get off the highway, take them off, drive 5 miles, stop, put them back on, climb into the next neighborhood. It's not the end of the world but it still sucks.
If (when) you do buy chains (even if you own 4WD), I recommend the self tensioning "Z" cable type. Buy yourself 1 or 2 extra tensioners. It's a little more money than the cheapest manual tension ones but I've never had to cut away a self tensioner from an axle, and I've cut away my fair share of cheap manual tensioners. Hitchhiking to the hardware store, buying wire cutters, buying a new set of chains, hitching back and cutting one chain that got loose and wrapped itself around an axle greatly outweighs the extra cost of the self tensioners. Don't ask me how I know.