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Camping with your car
The best spots in Alaska to camp
Advice for camping in Alaska
Final word
 

Camping with your car

When you go camping, having your car is a big advantage. You will be able to haul whatever you need to your campsite with ease. You also will not need to worry about having to arrange any transportation to or from the campground.

You also have the advantage of using your car as emergency shelter if the weather deteriorates. Most campgrounds will have a nearby parking lot where you can leave your car. Some may even let you take your car to your camping spot.

The best spots in Alaska to camp

Alaska has tons of phenomenal spots to camp. These are the very best:

• Quartz Lake Campground – One of the more scenic places that you can camp in Alaska, Quartz Lake Campground is also an ideal spot for fishing. It will cost you about $20 a day to camp there. You can easily take your car or RV there.
• Brushkana Creek Campground – You can take your car or RV to Brushkana Creek. It is one of the more scenic spots that you can camp at in Alaska. It’s an ideal place for a tent set-up and costs $12 a night if you bring your car or RV.
• Eklutna Lake Campground – Eklutna Lake Campground is located in Chugach State Park and has some of the most incredible views of nature in Alaska. It has a gorgeous lake. It will cost you about $25 per night to camp there. You can take your car or RV there.
• Hidden Lake Campground – Located in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, the Hidden Lake Campground features camping next to the lake. RV and cars are a perfect fit for this campground. It costs $10 per night to camp here.
• Sourdough Creek Campground – Coming in at $12 per night, Sourdough Creek Campground is a wonderful spot to camp out and enjoy nature. Cars and RVs are welcome here.

Advice for camping in Alaska

Camping in Alaska is great, but there are a few things that you should know first:

• Plan for a less busy time – The weekends are always busy when it comes to camping. If you want to avoid the crowd, we recommend camping during the week if possible.
• Bring lots of water – You will need several bottles of water per day. So, be sure that you bring a couple of twenty-four packs of water with you. Otherwise, you will be spending quite a bit of time at the water fountain.
• Leave nothing behind – It is important that you do not leave any trash at these or any campgrounds. Liter can seriously harm the environment and threaten the future of these campgrounds.
• Make sure you know how to set up your tent – Your camping trip could end up becoming a disaster if you are not able to set up your tent. So, make sure that you practice doing so in your yard first.
• Keep your socks dry – Nothing is worse than wet socks. Be sure that you you’re your socks securely and in plastic so that some rain will not ruin them.

Final word

Camping is something you absolutely need to experience when you are in Alaska. It is the best way for you to experience the gorgeous wilderness that Alaska has to offer. Just be sure that you plan ahead so that you do not run into any issues such as not being able to set up your tent.

If you need a car so that you can drive to these campgrounds, you should consider shipping your car to Alaska. Just give us a call today and get a free quote. We can take the rest from there.

Jump to section:
Getting a ticket in Alaska
Where you can pay your tickets in Alaska
Ways you can avoid getting a ticket when you are driving
Final Word
 

Getting a ticket in Alaska

Just like any other state, you can get a ticket because of your car or driving for a variety of reasons. These reasons include illegal parking, speeding, not signaling and more.

Alaska has a particularly low amount of police. There were less than two hundred officers employed for every 1,000 residents according to a 2008 census statistic. More than one third of Alaskan communities have no police whatsoever.
However, this does not mean it is impossible to get a ticket if you choose to drive poorly.
 

Where you can pay your tickets in Alaska

In Alaska, you have several options of paying your ticket (so long as it does not require a court appearance). You can pay it online, by mail, or in person.

To pay online, you can visit this link. To pay by mail you should search the court directory and mail your check and ticket to the appropriate court address. Be sure checks are made out to “State of Alaska”. To pay in person, you will need to visit the particular court that your ticket is attached to and write out a check or money order.
 

Ways you can avoid getting a ticket when you are driving

If you live in Alaska or even if you are just visiting, you should use the following tips to help you avoid being ticketed:

• Pull over right away – As soon as you see the officer with his lights on behind you, you should pull over immediately. You do not want them to think you are leading them on some sort of a chase.
• Find a safe spot if possible – If possible, and without taking too long, you should try to find a less busy side street or even a parking lot. This will provide more safety for the officer when they are approaching your vehicle and will increase the chances of being let off with a warning.
• Engine off, keys on dash, hands on wheel – Unspoken protocol says that you must shut off your engine, take your keys out and throw them on the dashboard in plain sight and you must keep your hands on the wheel at 10 and 2. This will show the officer that you are fully complying with the stop which is a very good first step.
• Be honest and polite – The officer knows why they pulled you over and witnessed what you did. Lying or acting aloof does not change that one bit. In fact, saying that you have “no idea” why you got pulled over might serve to annoy the officer making it more likely that you end up getting a ticket. Do not get “snippy” either. Being polite and well-spoken will help your case as well.
• Quiet down – if you took the advice above and shut your car off, then you will not need to worry about your radio/stereo making noise during the stop. However, you should take a moment to silence or shut off your phone as well as telling any passengers to quiet down.

Final Word

Getting a ticket in Alaska is as standard as it is anywhere else. You can pay online, mail in your payment, or pay in person. By driving safely and abiding by all traffic and parking laws, you can avoid getting a ticket altogether. If you do get pulled over, pull over quickly, admit what you did, and be polite to the officer.

Jump to section:
What does the fuel tax in Alaska cost?
Why does Alaska impose a fuel tax?
Ways to use less gas
Final Word
 

What does the fuel tax in Alaska cost?

The fuel tax in Alaska is 14.66 cents per gallon as of July 2019. This is the lowest fuel tax rate in the entire country. This is part of the price you pay per gallon when you buy gas. So, if you are paying $2.50 per gallon on gas in Alaska, the gas station is only getting about $2.35 per gallon.
 

Why does Alaska impose a fuel tax?

Fuel tax is nationwide. Every state imposes one. Simply put, the country knows that people need gas. So, they levy a gas tax to raise income for the state so they can complete projects such as road repairs. As we stated previously, this tax is included in the price of gas per gallon. So, you will not pay more than you initially estimated.

As of February 2020, the fuel tax in Alaska accounts for just over five percent of the price that you pay for gas. This number will obviously change as the price of gas increases or decreases.
 

Ways to use less gas

If you feel like the fuel tax puts the price of gas over the top, you can always try to use less gas. Here’s how:

• Drive slower – If you drive at a slower speed, you will burn less fuel. This is because your engine needs to work harder the faster you drive. Thus, it needs to use more gas.
• Keep it light – The more weight you have in your car the harder it will be on the engine. So, do not use your car as a method of storage if possible.
• Make sure your tires are inflated – When your tires are properly inflated your car tends to use less mileage. This will burn less gas.
• Cut out the idling – It might not be easy in Alaska because of the frequent low temperature, but you should avoid warming your car up because it is any easy way to use gas.
• Skip driving altogether – You can always forego driving for walking or bike riding if your destination is close enough.

Final Word

The fuel tax in Alaska is nothing to get bent out of shape about. Especially since it is the lowest in the entire country. At about 15 cents per gallon, the tax on filling an average car (12 gallons) would only run $1.80 in tax. So, do not worry about the fuel tax taking a chunk out of your wallet in 2020. If you want to save on gas if you are headed to Alaska, you can always choose to ship your car to Alaska.

Jump to section:
Advice for the first time that you travel to Alaska
Don’t make these mistakes in Alaska
Getting around Alaska
Conclusion
 

Advice for the first time that you travel to Alaska

If you are on your way to Alaska for the very first time, you should plan your trip very carefully. You will want to maximize what you get out of your trip with consideration to the amount of time that you have. There are a ton of great sights for you to see and things for you to experience such as the glaciers and northern lights.

In terms of specific planning, you should start figuring out the details of your trip to Alaska over a month before you head there. You need to figure out things like where exactly you are going to stay (Anchorage, Fairbanks etc.) what hotel you will stay in wherever you are going, if you will ship your car there or rent one, and make a list of the things that you will want to do and see.

Keep in mind that the sooner you book things such as a hotel stay or car shipment, the better chance you have of saving some money.
 

Don’t make these mistakes in Alaska

The following are common mistakes that people make when they visit Alaska that you should try and avoid making yourself:

• Not bringing a map with you – If you will be out on the road in Alaska, you should always have a hard copy map with you. A GPS or app on your phone might not work in more remote areas due to a lack of service.
• Getting too close to the animals – Some people venture far too close to animals such as bears and moose in order to get a better view and/or snap a photo. This is a bad idea because these are wild animals and the can inflict serious harm upon you if they feel threatened.
• Not having a car – As we have mentioned, public transportation in Alaska is fine but it is not always the most reliable. In terms of general commuting as well as sight-seeing, having your own car to get around is a much better option.
• Eating at the hotel – A lot of people make the mistake of only eating at the hotel when they visit Alaska. Not only is this considerably more expensive, you also miss out on the experience of dining locally.
• Not having the right clothes – As you likely already know, Alaska can get quite cold in certain areas, especially during the winter. Make sure you bring some warm clothes that you can wear in layers, even if you are going to Alaska outside of the winter months.
• Driving too slowly while sight-seeing – Try not to drive more than five miles under the speed limit when you are driving in Alaska. Many tourists make this mistake and then get honked at or yelled at by local residents.
• Not seeing the wilderness – There are some people who will travel to a city like Anchorage and then not even leave the city during their entire trip. This is a terrible mistake because you are forfeiting the opportunity to see the incredible Alaskan wilderness.

Getting around Alaska

Public transportation is decent in Alaska, but you should not solely rely on it when you visit. Ride-share apps like Uber are available in Alaska but on a more limited basis because the population is lower thus there are fewer drivers. So, that is an option but at times you might find it difficult to find a driver. It also depends on your location.

There is also the option of taking a ferry or cruise in Alaska to see the sights. However, due to availability and expense these are not really options for consisting commuting. You also have the option of traveling on the Alaska Railroad which is good for sightseeing and a long-stance trip but is not an option for getting around in Alaska for shorter distances.

You can always rent a car or ship a car to Alaska. Having your own car to get around Alaska is always the best option of any of these. For any longer trips or for a move we recommend that you ship your car to Alaska.
 

Conclusion

When you travel to Alaska for the first time, you should make sure that you plan your trip well ahead of time. When you do arrive, try not to make any commonly made mistakes such as not having a map or getting too close to the wildlife. You will likely need to mix and match methods of transportation but we do recommend that you have your own car in Alaska for the sake of convenience.

Jump to section:
When you should ride your bike and when to avoid it
Where you should ride your motorcycle in Alaska
Advice for riding a motorcycle in Alaska
Conclusion
 

When you should ride your bike and when to avoid it

Motorcycles are actually more popular in Alaska than you might think. During the warmer spring months as well as during the summer months the weather is usually ideal for riding your bike in many areas in Alaska. However, in much of the fall and the winter, it is not recommended to ride through any areas with inclement winter weather.

Riding a motorcycle on a snowy or icy road carries too much risk for a serious accident to occur.
 

Where you should ride your motorcycle in Alaska

You can take your bike pretty much anywhere in Alaska during the later spring months and all of the summer months as roads will be cleared of any snow and ice. However, some trips will be a bit more worth your time than others.
These are the best trips that you can take on your motorcycle in Alaska:

1. Denali Highway – One of the most famous stretches of Highway in Alaska, the Denali Highway is the best way to experience true Alaskan wilderness. It is over a hundred miles long, so plan to be out on the road for a while if you go this route. Be on the look-out for animals crossing the road.
2. Petersville Road – With breath-taking views of Mount McKinley, you really cannot go wrong with a trip down Petersville Road. There are also several attached trails that you will have fun exploring as well with features such as creeks.
3. Dalton Highway – In North America, this is the most north that you can ride a motorcycle. The road includes a bunch of beautiful and serene Alaskan scenery. However, true rest stops are far and few, so be ready for a long haul.

Advice for riding a motorcycle in Alaska

Before you head out on the road in Alaska on your motorcycle, make sure that you read the following tips so that you can get the most out of your time on the road while you stay safe:

• Safety first – Always wear your helmet, obey local traffic laws, and ride defensively. Do not speed or take any unnecessary risks.
• Focus on where you want to go – Always keep your focus and eyes on where you want your motorcycle to go rather than where it is currently going. What we mean is that your bike tends to go where your head is focused. So, when you are coming around a bend, for example, focus your attention on navigating the bend properly rather than on avoiding an oncoming car (when you do that, you tend to end up focusing on the car, thus increasing your chances of colliding with it).
• Review the current version of Alaska’s motorcycle manual – Each year Alaska makes some minor to major changes to some of the laws regarding motorcycles. You can keep up to date by reading the state’s motorcycle manual each year.
• Make sure you are familiar with your motorcycle – Get used to your bike if it’s new by riding carefully around an empty parking lot before you head out on any Alaskan roads. Specifically, get used to the throttle grip, front and rear brakes, gearshift lever and clutch lever.
• Ship a motorcycle to Alaska instead of buying a new one – Shipping your motorcycle to Alaska is easy with Alaska Car Transport. You can get a quote anytime then contact us to get your motorcycle to Alaska without having to drive it yourself.

Conclusion

Riding a motorcycle through the various parts of Alaska is an opportunity that you should definitely take. Many of the roads are not littered with traffic the way that the rest of the country, so cruising is incredibly enjoyable. The sights, from wildlife to glaciers, are must see. Just be sure to stay off of the roads during any nasty winter weather for safety’s sake.

Jump to section:
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.

Jump to section:
Travel to Alaska during the less busy seasons
Consider shipping your car to Alaska instead of renting one
Pick a few things that you want to do and see
Eat locally, not at the hotel
Comparison shop for tours and other things
Conclusion
 

Travel to Alaska during the less busy seasons

It should come as no surprise that your trip to Alaska will cost less if you choose to travel there when tourism is at its least busy. For Alaska, this means that you should consider going there in April/May or September/October. Those are not part of the summer tourist season, but they are also not part of the potentially frigid and snowy Alaskan winter season. This way you can save a few dollars while avoiding the unpleasant winter season.
 

Consider shipping your car to Alaska instead of renting one

When you are traveling to Alaska, you will likely end up needing access to a car to get around because public transportation will only get you so far there. So, your options will be to rent a car or ship your car to Alaska.

Renting a car is fine for shorter trips. However, the expense can get pretty high pretty quickly. If you are traveling to Alaska for more than a week, you should consider shipping your own car there. Not only will this help you save some money, but you will have more freedom with your own car because you will not be limited in where you can drive the car as you would be with a rental agreement.
 

Pick a few things that you want to do and see

This is where many people end up losing out on money and time when they first visit Alaska. Many people will try and see as many sights and attractions as humanly possible during their trip. Doing so will be both too costly and time-consuming.

Instead, decide on a handful of things that you want to see and focus on them. Most of all you will have a finite amount of time in Alaska so make the most of your time there but do not over-extend yourself.
 

Eat locally, not at the hotel

This will not seem like much during each meal but over the course of a week or two, it can add up quickly. If you eat at local restaurants and diners instead of ordering room service at the hotel, you can easily end up saving over a hundred dollars on the cost of food over a week.
 

Comparison shop for tours and other things

If you are planning on taking a tour, always shop around online. Some tours might need extra people to participate in order to run the tour, so tickets might very well be discounted on a particular day. Also, some tours just end up being cheaper than others.
 

Conclusion

When you have a limited budget for traveling to Alaska, you need to prioritize what you will be doing with your trip. You need to figure out where traveling and what to see is most important to you before you even book your trip. Doing things like dining locally, shipping your car instead of renting and comparison shopping will all make noticeable differences in the amount of money that you end up spending during your Alaskan excursion.

Jump to section:
How you can get to Alaska for the first time
Decide what you want out of the trip before you go
Important things to know about Alaska
Final Word
 

How you can get to Alaska for the first time

When you travel to Alaska for the first time, you have a few choices when it comes to how you get there. You can fly there, drive there, or, depending on where you are traveling from, you can take a cruise or ferry there.

In order to take a ferry, there you will need to be in Washington. The Alaska Marine Highway (the Alaska ferry system) only stops in Bellingham, Washington and Alaska. If you want to take a cruise to Alaska, you will need to be on the northern part of the west coast. The majority of cruises to Alaska depart from Seattle and San Francisco.

Flying to Alaska is as simple as going online and buying a plane ticket from the area that you plan on traveling from.

Driving to Alaska would require that you have your passport because you will need to drive through Canada in order to get there. The distance that you end up driving will depend on where you are departing from. If you are driving from Seattle to Anchorage, Alaska it will be about 2,300 miles. So, it will take about three days of driving to get there.

We recommend that you fly there. If you do, you can always ship your car there with us so that you can start driving around shortly after you arrive there.
 

Decide what you want out of the trip before you go

There is much more to do In Alaska than most people initially think. Sight-seeing, for example, is a big activity that residents and tourists alike enjoy. However, you will likely not be able to see everything that Alaska has to offer until you travel there a few times, or you move there permanently.

So, the point is that you will need to plan out what you want to see before your time there starts. If you want to see the northern lights, you should figure out the arrangements before you even leave for Alaska.
 

Important things to know about Alaska

Before you trek to Alaska, check out the following tips:

• Be prepared for a dry climate – The climate in Alaska tends to be much drier than most places in the country. There just is not a frequent amount of precipitation in the state.
• Get ready for things to cost a bit more – Most items cost a bit more in Alaska because they need to be imported a great distance. So, expect a slightly higher expense when you buy things there.
• You won’t get great cell phone service – Be ready for your cell phone to have little to no service when you are traveling in Alaska. There are not that many cell phone towers in the more remote portions of the state, thus there is less cell service.
• Alaska is not all snow – The southern portion of Alaska only sees snow as frequently as many places in the rest of the United States. It is the northern portions of Alaska that are covered in snow year-round.
• Alaska is huge – Alaska is actually the biggest state in the United States and its not really close. Texas is half the size of Alaska and Alaska is one-fifth of the size of the lower forty-eight states.

Final Word

Alaska is a wonderful place to visit and/or move to. You just need to figure out what you want to do when you get there as well as how you plan on traveling there. The most sensible option is to fly there. If you do and you want to save on the expense of renting a car, you can always ship your own car there with us.

Jump to section:
Where you will find the most abandoned cars in Alaska
What to do if you find an abandoned car in Alaska
Laws to know about abandoned cars in Alaska
Conclusion
 

Where you will find the most abandoned cars in Alaska

Right now, you can find abandoned and junked vehicles scattered throughout Alaska. However, you can find a high concentration of them in Anchorage. Each year, the city of Anchorage ends up being responsible for the towing/removal of hundreds of these types of cars.

The city has now officially contracted a towing company to do all of the work. However, because of how many new requests they continue to get in addition to the backlog of abandoned cars in Anchorage, they expect it to take a while before they are caught up with all the removals.
 

What to do if you find an abandoned car in Alaska

If you find a vehicle that has not been moved in over three days, it can qualify for abandoned status. If there is a car that is parked on a public street that is inoperable, un-registered or visible stripped down, it can qualify for junk status.

If you come across one of these types of vehicles when you are in Alaska, report them by calling Alaska Police Department’s Junk Vehicle Hotline at 907-786-8830.

Now, it could be sometime before the cars actually end up getting removed. As we mentioned above, the backlog for the abandoned vehicles in Anchorage is quite large. APD wants to stress that once you report one of these vehicles, you should not report them again even if they do not get removed for several weeks.
 

Laws to know about abandoned cars in Alaska

There are several laws in Alaska regarding abandoned vehicles in Alaska:

• General laws about abandonment – You cannot abandon a car on any road, highway or area such as parking lots. You cannot abandon a car on private property without the permission of the property owner. If you do abandon a vehicle, you will be liable for the cost of its removal.
• The presumption of abandonment – This is how Alaska officially determines a vehicle is “abandoned.” When a vehicle is in the condition that would be considered “stripped wrecked or inoperable.” More specifically, if the car has at least two of the following, it can be considered abandoned:
  
  • missing tires or missing wheels
  • glass that is broken
  • missing parts
• The claim of ownership by a private property owner – If you leave what is considered to be an abandoned car on private property for at least six months, the owner of the private property can then claim the title of the vehicle if they so please.
• The removal of abandoned cars – The removal of abandoned cars from public areas such as highways and roads will happen under the guidance of someone authorized by the state. The removal of an abandoned vehicle from private property will be at the request (in writing) by the private property owner.
• The notice to owners – Within 30 days of the removal of the vehicle, the owners of the car that are on-record must be notified by the person or company who stores the car as to why it was removed from its former location and where it is being kept/impounded.
• Disposal of abandoned cars – Abandoned vehicles will be stored/discarded where the state deems it appropriate.

Conclusion

Abandoned cars are definitely an issue in Alaska, specifically Anchorage. If you see any cars that you think are abandoned, you can report it by calling the Junk Vehicle Hotline. If you need to dispose of a vehicle, you should consider selling it or getting it scrapped rather than just abandoning it.

Jump to section:
The importance of changing your car’s fluids
How the weather in Alaska will affect how often you need to change your car’s fluids
Advice for automotive fluid changes in Alaska
Final word
 

The importance of changing your car’s fluids

Getting your car’s fluids changed regularly is quite important to the health of your car’s engine. This includes the oil, wiper fluid, radiator fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and air conditioning coolant.

If you do not check the levels and conditions of these fluids, you could risk your car not running properly or even at all.
 

How the weather in Alaska will affect how often you need to change your car’s fluids

The cold weather in Alaska can affect how often you need to change some of these fluids. For example, your oil will need to work harder in colder conditions. You also likely drive places more often because walking somewhere in that sort of weather is never ideal.

When there are significant drops in the temperature the fluids in your engine such as the oil will have changes in their viscosity. This means the fluid will get thicker and will work a bit less efficiently. Other fluids such as transmission fluid will also thicken, consider getting a fluid like this changed to a full synthetic in order to help avoid any possible issues.
 

Advice for automotive fluid changes in Alaska

• Get any and all fluid changes taken care of before the cold weather hits – In the future, you should get your fluids checked and changed, if necessary, in October or November in Alaska. If you wait longer than that, you could be risking performance issues with your vehicle.
• Go synthetic whenever you can – Getting a synthetic version of whatever fluids you have the option to is a great way to maximize performance during the winter. This is because synthetic fluids tend to be more resistant to being slowed down by low-temperatures.
• Make sure your oil is not dirty – Going into the winter is not a good idea. This is due to the fact that dirty oil is much more susceptible to temperature changes. Thus, getting new oil put into your car with a new oil filter is a great way to maintain the oil’s performance during the winter.
• Drive slower for at least the first few miles – Driving more slowly for at least the first few miles of your drive will help the engine and fluids warm up to a point where performance will improve significantly.
• Skip the idling – We know this might sound counter-intuitive but, believe it or not, when many cars idle, they do not lubricate internal parts of the engine. So, you can possibly have a bunch of internal movement going on with no lubrication. This obviously causes damage to internal engine parts after a while.

Final word

The fluids in your car always need to be paid attention to. However, that is even more important when you have your car in Alaska. That is because the cold weather can cause the viscosity of the fluids that are in the engine such as the oil and the transmission fluid. If this happens, your engine and car will not perform nearly as well as it had been.

If you need your car shipped to or from Alaska, you can get in touch with us today to ask any questions that you might have or to get a free quote. You can also call anytime at (907) 331-3100.