Recent Alaska Shipping News

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The risk for chips and scratches in Alaska
Keeping your paint looking fresh
Conclusion
 

The risk for chips and scratches in Alaska

In general, your car’s paint is always at risk for wear and tear. Whether its weather, other drivers or road debris, your paint will be constantly under attack no matter where you are. In Alaska, however, the weather and road debris factors get compounded by how extreme they are here.

On its own, Alaska’s weather is not too bad for your paint. Rain can cause corrosion but not much worse than it would anywhere else. But, when you combine snow with road salt and add them to the side of your car when you drive through it, it adds up to quick paint corrosion and damage.

Larger road debris is a rare issue in Alaska, but micro road debris like pebbles, road salt and sand are in high quantity in Alaska. When you drive over these things it kicks up and can instantly chip and scratch your paint. With that in mind, you should take whatever steps possible to protect your paint in Alaska.
 

Keeping your paint looking fresh

Thankfully, keeping your paint protected and looking fresh is simple and easy. You should start by getting your car washed regularly, at least once a month if not twice. When you do get it washed, get it waxed as well. Getting your car waxed will form a protective layer that will help protect against smaller forms of damage against your paint. Regular washing and waxing will go a long way to preventing corrosion from road salt and sand.

You can also consider getting a synthetic coating for your paint. A synthetic coating will be used instead of regular waxing. A synthetic coating is also a type of wax, but the difference is that the synthetic coating is more durable and will last longer. Finally, if you do get any chips, scratches or damage to your paint, be sure that you get it fixed as soon as you can as it can get worse over time and when you do get the additional damage repaired, it could end up costing you more.
 

Conclusion

If you value the appearance of your vehicle, you should take the best care of your car’s paint job possible. In Alaska, that will mean being a bit more vigilant due to the weather and all the small rocks, sand and salt on the roads which can cause considerable damage to your paint. In order to protect your paint, get your car washed and waxed often and get any damage to your paint repaired as soon as you notice it.

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Driving to Alaska
Shipping your car to Alaska
Conclusion
 

Driving to Alaska

Right now, you cannot drive to Alaska due to the restrictions regarding the pandemic in Canada. Eventually, those restrictions will come to an end. So, it makes sense to weigh the pros and cons of shipping your car to Alaska versus driving it there yourself.

Driving your car to Alaska yourself could be beneficial if you are in a rush to get your car there as shipping it will take a few more days than driving straight there will. Other than that and being able to sight-see there are no discernible benefits other than directly saving a few bucks.

However, with the money you save by not paying a shipping company, you will be spending money on things like gas and food while you travel to Alaska. If you are driving from further away, you will also need to spend money on lodging. Furthermore, you will need to miss more time off of work in order to drive there than if you just flew there while your car shipped.

Keep in mind that the drive times to Alaska are no picnic. One of the shortest drives that you can make, from Seattle, will take about 40 hours. From Houston, Texas it will take about 60 hours to drive to Alaska and from New York, New York, it will take approximately 72 hours.
 

Shipping your car to Alaska

Shipping your car to Alaska will make life much easier for you. You will be able to take a quick flight there while your car is transported by a professional. You also will not need to worry about the physical and mental stress of driving several thousand miles. You will also be able to avoid having to go through customs twice (once into Canada and once into the US/Alaska).
 

Conclusion

Shipping your car to Alaska is a much better option than trying to drive there yourself is. Driving will take days, if not close to a week depending on your starting location. Driving there yourself will also not save nearly as much money as you might think. If you do make the decision to make your life easier and to ship your car to Alaska, call the auto transport professionals at Alaska Car Transport for a free quote today!

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Staying safe with fuel for your vehicle
Getting the most out of your fuel
Conclusion
 

Staying safe with fuel for your vehicle

Most people take for granted how dangerous the fuel in their car can be. Once the fuel is safely in your car, you will not have anything to worry about. However, the process of pumping gas into your car can have a higher potential for danger.

For example, static electricity can cause a serious fire and explosion at the pump. The worst part is that this can seemingly occur without warning. To avoid any chance of this occurring, you need to make sure that you never use your cell phone or get back in your car while you are still pumping gas.

You can also cause fire by smoking while pumping gas or by not paying attention. The first is self-explanatory, never smoke while pumping gas, at a gas station or even right after pumping gas until you wash your hands. The later, not paying attention, simply could lead to over filling your tank with gas which is its own type of fire hazard. Be sure to always pay attention and do not over-fill or top-off your tank.
 

Getting the most out of your fuel

You will also want to get the most out of the fuel that you purchase, especially in Alaska. In Alaska, you will find yourself driving long distances more frequently than most places because towns and cities are considerably more spread out in Alaska. Thus, not being efficient with your fuel will end up costing you more.

So, in order to get the most out of your car’s gas, you can do a few simple things. First, you can do your best not to accelerate too fast or brake too hard. You can also do your best to avoid driving too much over fifty miles per hour. Next, you can also stop idling your car when possible. Finally, using cruise control can help a bit because maintaining one speed for long periods burns less fuel.
 

Conclusion

Fueling up your car can be dangerous if you are not careful. It can also be expensive if you are not careful. Thankfully, there are several very easy and simple ways to be careful when you are gassing up as well as to maximize fuel economy. Pay attention, do not smoke and do not get back into your car when you are pumping gas. Drive at a consistent speed, avoid quick braking and idling to get the very most out of your fuel. If you are in Alaska and need your car transported somewhere, contact us today for a free quote!

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Emergency supplies
How to maximize your trunk space
Conclusion
 

Emergency supplies

Driving anything more than a short distance in Alaska during the winter will necessitate that you are prepared for an emergency situation. This is based on the more extreme inclement weather that occurs in Alaska over the winter. So, a critically important part of this preparation is having the right gear to allow yourself the best possible chance of helping yourself out of a potentially dangerous situation.

Specifically, this will include: a flashlight with extra batteries, jumper cables, an ice scraper, road flares, a snow brush, blankets, extra warm clothes (such as coats and gloves), extra water, a bag of sand or kitty litter for traction, regular tools (such as a wrench, hammer etc.), a shovel, a compass, hard copy maps and whatever else you think you might need if you potentially get stranded.
 

How to maximize your trunk space

Having all these things in your trunk will definitely take up some space. So, you will want to organize it as best you can in order to maximize your trunk space. There are a few simple ways that you will be able to do this.

First, you should go through your trunk and remove anything that you absolutely do not need to keep in there. Do not use it as some sort of a long-term storage space. Next, make sure that you use all the space in your trunk. This includes any side compartments and possibly even any extra space where you keep your spare.

When you do load in all of your emergency supplies, be sure you do your best to bundle them together without damaging anything. Finally, when you are loading other items into your trunk start by loading in the big stuff first. Also, be sure you start by filling up the floor of the trunk first, then load smaller and lighter items on top of that. Realize, if you are not traveling with a full car of passengers, you can also transport items inside the passenger area of the car if you run out of trunk space.
 

Conclusion

Having the right emergency supplies in your car in Alaska can save you from getting stuck and freezing when you are out on the cold, dark and desolate roads and highways of Alaska over the winter. However, there are a bunch of items that you will need to be truly completely prepared. This can end up taking up a considerable amount of space in your trunk. So, if you feel you need room in your trunk on a regular basis, be sure you take the time to organize your trunk and maximize the space inside of it.

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What kinds of specialty vehicles can you ship
What you need to know about shipping a specialty vehicle to Alaska
Conclusion
 

What kinds of specialty vehicles can you ship

You might not know it, but you can actually ship a variety of vehicles to Alaska or anywhere else for that matter. You can ship motorcycles, trailers, construction/agricultural equipment, RVs and more. This can come in handy considering you might not want to ride a motorcycle to Alaska and things like construction equipment cannot be driven to Alaska even if you wanted to.
 

What you need to know about shipping a specialty vehicle to Alaska

Shipping a specialty vehicle to Alaska will entail a bit more preparation and effort than regular car shipping does but it will still be quite easy and convenient. First, you will need to make sure you schedule your shipment over a month in advanced, preferably six weeks. The carriers that are used to ship specialty vehicles are much fewer in number than traditional car carriers so you will need to book a spot on one further in advance.

Shipping on one of these special types of carriers whether it is an enclosed carrier or flatbed will also cost you a bit more than typical car shipping. So, you should be prepared for the additional cost. You can always get a quote by calling your vehicle shipper which will give you a very accurate estimate of the cost of your specialty vehicle shipment.

Finally, the manual preparation for the shipment will be more involved for vehicles such as RVs and construction equipment. For example, your vehicle needs to be clean in order for a visual inspection for preexisting damage to take place. Normally, you can take your car to the car wash the day before your shipment to get this done. With an RV or tractor, you will have to clean these yourself which could take up to a couple of hours.
 

Conclusion

Shipping a specialty vehicle to Alaska is no problem at all. In fact, it will make life much easier than riding a motorcycle all the way to Alaska or trying to haul construction equipment there yourself. The only differences between specialty vehicle shipping to Alaska and regular Alaska car shipping are that you will need to book your shipment a bit sooner, it will cost a little more and the manual preparation for your shipment might take some more effort than usual. If you are considering shipping a specialty vehicle to Alaska, give us a call today in order to get more information and to get a free quote at (907) 331-3100.

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How difficult is it to park in Alaska?
Where you can find parking in Alaska
Parking in the snow
Conclusion
 

How difficult is it to park in Alaska?

In general, parking is never too difficult in Alaska. The population is fairly low, so overcrowding does not contribute to any sort of parking issues. However, the weather can occasionally play a factor in how difficult it is to find parking.

Snow can make off-street parking in Alaska very difficult in the days after a bigger storm. So, you should be prepared during the winter months to have to spend some time to find a space to park.

You should also be aware that even during periods where there is not any snow on the streets that normal parking regulations should always be observed and obeyed such as laws regarding municipal parking.
 

Where you can find parking in Alaska

You can usually find parking in various areas in Alaska on the street. However, in areas such as Anchorage where the population is higher, parking can get a bit more complex. Parking in Alaska is at its worst when there is a major snowstorm (as happens fairly frequently in the winter months).

As far as parking laws, these are set at the city and town level in Alaska. So, not only are these laws not statewide, the vast majority of them are not even county-wide. Most of these laws tend to be pretty typical and similar to each other though. Do not park in a handicapped space unless you are handicapped, do not park in loading zones etc.

The biggest law to keep in mind in more populated city areas such as Anchorage is that you cannot park on the street or in any municipal area for more than twenty-four hours. This is enforced by traffic police possibly putting a stripe on your tire with chalk or temporary paint down to the pavement of the street or garage.

If they come back the next day and see that your car has not moved because the stripe still lines up with the pavement, they can ticket and/or tow your vehicle. The point is that you can park on the street or in the municipal garages in these areas, you just need to move your car each day.

You can also find parking in public garages in larger, more incorporated areas, like the city of Anchorage. You can also always try looking on sites such as craigslist for someone willing to rent a private spot near their home. You could also post your own ad seeking a spot there as well. The price that you will end up paying will vary based on location and demand.
 

Parking in the snow

Finding parking in a legal spot is not always easy when there is a considerable amount of snow on the ground. This is especially true in an area like Alaska where it snows fairly heavily and often.

In order to find a place to park when there is snow you can:

• Be patient – Wait until the plows get to work and start clearing snow from streets. If you clear out a spot and park there before the plows come, you could end up getting blocked in by a wall of snow and will need to clear out your spot all over again.
• Keep a shovel in your car – By keeping a shovel in your car, you can quickly jump out of the car and clear a space when you find one.
• Make sure that you are not parked in a way that prevents plows from getting down a street – If your car is parked in a way that prevents plows from getting down a particular street, you will likely end up getting towed.
• Be sure you do not park along a snow emergency route – When you see the blue signs along a road that say snow emergency route, be sure that you do not park along the side of those roads during a snowstorm. If you do it is likely that your car will be towed away.
• Consider a garage – If you do not have a garage of your own to park in, consider making use of a public garage. There are several in Alaska including .

Conclusion

Parking in Alaska is generally easier than most places due to a considerably lower population. You usually just need to make sure that you are aware of all local parking ordinances.

However, when it snows a lot parking can get fairly tricky in Alaska. Just be sure that you sit tight and wait for the plows to do their job. Parking will be easier once they do because you will be able to take your shovel and clear out a spot without having to worry that a plow will block you in with snow.

If you have a vehicle somewhere else in the country that you think would be better for driving and/or parking in the snow, you can ship it to Alaska. Just give the experts at Alaska Car Transport a call today at (907) 331-3100!

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The easiest ways to clear your car of snow
Why you need to completely clear the snow off your car
Conclusion
 

The easiest ways to clear your car of snow

When it snows, you will have your work cut out for you in terms of shoveling. You will also need to clear your car of snow. You should start with your car, then work on your driveway and sidewalk so long as time permits. At the very least you will need to clear the driveway around your wheels and in the path of your wheels.

You should start all of this with clearing off your car thus working top to bottom. Specifically, you should start clearing your car off by using a foam type of brush to clear snow off the roof, windows, door, hood, rear, and wheels (in that order). Be sure that you are pulling the snow off the car with the brush that you are using rather than pushing it. This is because this type of brushing is less conducive to causing scratches.

In terms of your windshield, you should consider running your car for a bit and heating the windshield. This will help melt any ice under any snow. In addition, you will need to have a good quality ice scraper and some extra time. Scrapping the ice off your windshield will be the most arduous and time-consuming part of this process.

You should also try to be proactive if at all possible. So, if you can park your car in a garage before a storm, do it. You should also move your windshield wipers outward off of your windshield. Doing so will prevent them from getting stuck to your windshield in which case you will need to wait until your car’s heat thaws them out until you can start driving.
 

Why you need to completely clear the snow off your car

It is obviously important that you completely clear all the snow from your car before you begin driving. This is not just because of safety but also because it is illegal to drive with a bunch of snow on your car. This is the law because the snow on your car not only has the potential to block your view, but it also has the potential to fly off of your vehicle and obstruct someone else’s view. So, if you plan on having to leave early in the morning when it is snowing, be sure to give yourself some extra time to safely clear the snow from your car.
 

Conclusion

Getting the snow and ice off your car after a storm is always completely necessary. It will keep you and other drivers safe when you are out driving on what are likely already dangerous roads. It will also prevent you from getting a ticket. Be sure when you do clear the snow and ice from your vehicle, that you do so thoroughly and that you give yourself enough time to do so.

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The advantage of mobile car repair
Providers in Alaska
Final word
 

The advantage of mobile car repair

Most people live life under the impression that in order to get their car fixed they must bring it to an auto mechanic. For some major repairs, this is true. But, for more minor repairs, there are services out there that will come to your house and make the repair. Yes, it will be a bit more expensive but if you can spare the slight increase in price, it will make your life that much easier.

You will not need to worry about brining your car to the shop and you also will not need to stress over getting a ride home. Most importantly, you will not need to go without your car for a day or more because the repairs will need to be completed when the repair service is at your house.
 

Providers in Alaska

There are several potential mobile car repair providers to choose from in Alaska. We recommend that you get quotes from each for the service you need as well as read reviews from past customers online.

One such provider is Berkley Automotive Mobile Mechanic Services. They serve the areas of Achorage, Sutton, Eagle River, Wasilla and more. They do a variety of repairs and have completed certain repairs in less than an hour in the past.

Victor’s Mobile Mechanic is another trusted option in Alaska. He is only available in and around Anchorage. His pricing is good in comparison to alternatives. He boasts a 4.3-star rating on Google as well.

Another mobile car repair provider in Alaska is Bruce’s Garage and Mobile Services. They serve Anchorage and the surrounding areas. They offer transmission, brake, oil, belt and pump services. They charge hourly for repairs which means at $75 per hour, repairs are quite reasonably priced.
 

Final word

Mobile car repair is a great option that you should certainly consider in Alaska. It will spare you the trouble of actually taking your car to a mechanic. You also will not need to go without your car for several straight days if you end up choosing this option. Just be sure you get a quote from any provider that you might be thinking of using. If you need your vehicle transported from or to Alaska, you can always get a free instant quote by visiting our homepage.

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The roads to avoid this winter in Alaska
Safe driving tips for winter roads
Conclusion
 

The roads to avoid this winter in Alaska

When you are in Alaska for the winter, you will need to be ready to get used to driving in the snow and ice on a fairly regular basis, especially in areas further north. However, there are roads that you should avoid during the winter unless you have no other options but to travel on them. The roads that you should steer clear of in Alaska during the winter are Richardson Highway, Seward Highway and Dalton Highway.

Richardson Highway has earned its reputation as being difficult to travel on during the winter because it is a several hundred-mile-long road that is extremely dark at night. It is also quite desolate so if you end up stranded, it could be a while before help arrives. Seward Highway is infamous for car accidents due to things like moose crossings and aggressive driving in no-passing areas. In the winter, these problems are easily compounded.

Widely considered one of the more desolate and dangerous highways in the entire country, Dalton Highway is another road to try and avoid during the winter months and even beyond. It is nearly five hundred miles long and for much of the road there are no services or stops at all. It has massive animals cross it regularly such as Grizzly bears and visibility can be very low at night.
 

Safe driving tips for winter roads

If you absolutely must travel on one of these roads you should do so with extreme caution. You should also prepare yourself properly. The first step for that is to make sure that your car has no issues and is running properly. After that, make sure it is winter ready and that your tires are ready for winter roads. You should also be ready to be stranded just in case. Doing so could make a huge difference for your safety. You should have things like flares, a spare tire, tools, extra warm clothing and possibly even a satellite phone.
 

Conclusion

All of Alaska’s roads can be tricky to traverse during harsh winter weather. However, several roads are much worse than others and should definitely be avoided at all costs. If you do need to use these roads during the winter, you should make sure that you and your car are prepared for the trip.

If you need any type of vehicle transported to or from Alaska, you can let our vehicle shipping experts take care of the entire process. Get a free instant quote today!

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The weather in Alaska and how it affects your car
Keeping your car clean in Alaska
Keeping your car comfortable in Alaska
Final Word
 

 

The weather in Alaska and how it affects your car

The weather in Alaska varies like most places depending on where you are and what time of the year it is. However, much of Alaska has some pretty serious winter weather for a considerable amount of the winter season each year. You should know that your car will likely need to get washed fairly often. However, this will also include making sure that the inside of your car is clean as well.

Most importantly, the possibility of harsh winter weather that exists in Alaska means that you should get a car that is ready for use in such conditions. If you already have a car, you should get it winterized. Getting your car winterized will cost you a few bucks and it will take some time out of your schedule, but it will allow you to drive safely and with peace of mind in the snow, sleet and ice.
 

Keeping your car clean in Alaska

When you deal with a lot of snow, slush and ice, you inevitably end up tracking a decent amount of it into your car on your shoes. This is also the case for any passengers in your car. So, you need to stay vigilant when it comes to keeping your car’s floors clean in Alaska.

The first step to take is to pickup a decent set of floormats for your vehicle if you do not already have some. You can stop at a place like AutoZone or you can even order them online. Just be sure that you keep your car’s make and model in mind when you are picking out your floor mats.

However, floor mats alone will not keep your floors clean. You will still end up with dirt, sand and salt on your floors. It is a good idea to vacuum your car every few weeks in Alaska.

Now, we just mentioned the sand and salt that will inevitably come along with snowy roads as a result of road-sanding in an effort to melt snow. Not only can you and your passengers end up tracking this into your car on your shoes, other cars can kick this up inadvertently at your own car. This can cause small scratches to the exterior of your car. So, we recommend getting your car waxed so that your car has an extra layer of protection from these micro-scratches.

Then there is the obvious, wash your car or get it washed once the roads have returned to normal after a snowstorm. Just do not wash it yourself if the temperature is below freezing, hot water on the windows when they are frozen can cause such a quick temperature change that the glass can end up cracking.
 

Keeping your car comfortable in Alaska

Once you have the hang of keeping your car clean in Alaska, you can focus on the overall comfort of the inside of your vehicle. In Alaska, this is primarily just keeping yourself and all of your passengers warm.

This really comes down to general car maintenance up-keep, because if your car’s heaters work, then you should not have any trouble keeping your car nice and warm. However, you will also want to make sure that if you have an older car that the insulation of the car is still doing its job the way it used to. If its not, you will end up running the heat higher and more frequently which will make you guzzle gas. So, talk to your mechanic about this if you think it might be an issue for you.
 

Final Word

Keeping the interior of your car comfortable in Alaska basically comes down to keeping it clean and keeping it warm. If you take precautions like getting floormats and making sure your car’s heater is functioning properly, you should not have any problems. If you have a car that you think will keep you comfortable and warm when you are driving in Alaska and you want it shipped there, Alaska Car Transport can always give you a hand.