Recent Alaska Shipping News

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The benefit of car detailing
What you need to know about car detailing
Final word
 

The benefit of car detailing

When you get your car detailed in Alaska or anywhere else, you are essentially choosing to get your car cleaned in such a meticulous way that your vehicle will be put back to near new apperance. There is much more labor and effort involved in car detailing than you get with a typical old car wash. As you might expect, car detailing is considerably more expensive than a typical car wash. Detailing will also take more time as well.

The benefit versus just getting your car washed is big. It will help you tremendously if you are trying to sell your car, trying to use your car as a ride-share driver or even if you just want your car looking as good as it can possibly can. If you plan on shipping your car, you will need to get it cleaned before your auto transport driver shows up to load it onto the carrier. Getting your car detailed prior to shipping can help expedite the amount of time that your driver will have to spend inspecting your car for preexisting damage. This will get your car on the road and enroute to its destination a bit quicker.
 

What you need to know about car detailing

As we mentioned, car detailing will cost a bit more and take more time than a regular car wash. Typically, car detailing will run you between one and two hundred dollars, possibly more, depending on where you take it for the service. As far as how long it will take, car detailing usually last between three to five hours. So, plan on going home while you wait or at least have a good long book to read.

You will likely also need to schedule an appointment for detailing. This is because most car detailing services can only detail one or two cars at a time because of the staff and space the service requires. Finally, much like you would with a car wash, try not to get your car detailed right before lots of bad weather because your car can then get dirty again quite quickly.
 

Final word

There is a world of difference between getting your car detailed and just getting it washed. When you get your car detailed, it is a much more thorough cleaning that will restore a good amount of your vehicle’s brand-new look (obviously not including any preexisting damage). It will cost more and take more time than a car wash, but the overall value is worth it in the end. You might want to consider getting your car detailed if you are selling or even shipping it.

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The proper ways to-de-ice your windshield
What you should not do in order to de-ice your windshield
Final word
 

The proper ways to-de-ice your windshield

On a cold winter morning, there is a good chance that precipitation from the previous night has left a film of ice over your windshield. This is a big inconvenience as you will not be able to start driving until you are able to completely de-ice your windshield. Fortunately, there are several effective and safe ways to do so.

The most typical way to de-ice your windshield is to clear any snow off of your windshield, run your car and defrosters for five to ten minutes and then use an ice scrapper. However, that method can be time consuming, up to a half hour in fact. Another method would be to use rubbing alcohol where you mix two thirds rubbing alcohol and one third water in a spray bottle. You spray it on your windshield, wait a minute or two and turn your wipers on. The ice should then be completely clear. Yet another method for clearing ice off your windshield will be to simultaneously use your car’s defrosters and a plastic bag with very hot water. You take that bag and drag it along the ice on your windshield. This way, you are heating the ice from both sides.
 

What you should not do in order to de-ice your windshield

Just as there are several ways to properly de-ice your windshield, there are ways that either will not work and/or will damage your windshield in the process. Always avoid trying these methods no matter how much of a rush you are in.

Never pour hot or boiling water on your windshield in an effort to de-ice it. This will be effective in the short term but in the slightly longer term it will cause your windshield to crack due to the extreme and rapid change in temperatures. You should also avoid striking the ice on your windshield with anything other than an ice-scrapper designed for cars. If you do use something like an ice pick or screwdriver, you can easily chip or crack your windshield. Finally, do not just try to use your windshield wipers, this will be largely ineffective and can easily damage your wipers in the process.
 

Final word

De-icing your windshield is a huge inconvenience and will take some time that you might not have in the morning. Be sure you are smart about the way you de-ice your windshield so that you do not damage your windshield, your wipers or end up costing yourself more time than you would have if you just did it the right way in the first place. A smart idea is always to give yourself extra time on mornings where there might be a possibility of having to de-ice your windshield.

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Basic tire pressure info
What to know about tire pressure and cold weather
Final word
 

Basic tire pressure info

Tire pressure is much more important than it might sound. It can be the difference between driving safely to your destination, getting a flat on your way or worse, having a dangerous blow out. That is why your tires should always have the proper pressure. That does not just mean making sure the pressure is not too low. It means checking that the pressure is optimal or very close to it. Optimal tire pressure will mean not too little as well as not too much pressure. Believe it or not, too much pressure can be worse for your tires because it can make a blow out much more possible whereas low tire pressure will likely just lead to a regular flat tire.

In terms of optimal tire pressure, the exact PSI range that your tires should be at will depend on several things. This includes the type of tires that you are using, what the temperature is outside and what kind of surface you are driving on. In general, you should ensure that your tire pressure is always between thirty and forty PSI (pounds per square inch). However, in the winter you should consider having an additional three to five PSI of pressure in your tires. If you happen to be off-roading, you should consider driving with tires that have considerably reduced tire pressure. You can always find specifics regarding exact tire pressure in your car’s owner manual and/or by consulting your mechanic.
 

What to know about tire pressure and cold weather

On top of typically keeping optimal pressure in your tires over the winter when it is cold out, you should also know that your tires tend to lose a bit of pressure during the winter at a more rapid pace than they do during more temperate or warmer months. In fact, your tire’s pressure can drop one PSI for every ten degrees it drops.

However, you should not constantly refill your tires with air when it gets really cold out. This is because when the temperatures rise again the tire pressure will likely go back up a bit. If that happens and you added more air on top of it, the pressure in your tire could end up too high which, like we stated above, can make a blow out much more of a possibility which is extremely dangerous. Only add more air to your tires in the winter if they are significantly under thirty PSI of pressure.
 

Final word

Your tire’s pressure will definitely be something that you will need to keep your eye on on a regular basis. It is recommended that you check each of your tire’s pressure at least once each week. If your tires are below thirty PSI of pressure, you should add a bit of air. Low winter temperatures will drop your tire pressure’s PSI a bit. Be sure you never over-fill your tires with air because you will then be risking a potentially dangerous blowout.

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What can you do to prolong the life of your car in Alaska?
Advice for keeping your car running strong in Alaska
Final word
 

What can you do to prolong the life of your car in Alaska?

In order for you to prolong the life of your car in Alaska, you will need to take the time and effort to take car of it. This means going further than just driving carefully and occasionally getting the car inspected. You will need to go the extra mile in order to make sure that the car continues to run correctly. This means taking car of the individual parts of the car, not just the car as a whole.

This includes taking care of things like the battery, wiper blades, windows, oil, tires, and more. It is most important to pay attention to these things during the winter, which is when they are more prone to develop issues. You should keep some sort of log and record when you are checking these things and what state they are in. If you notice any damage on any of these individual parts, you should get the fixed, replaced or serviced as soon as possible.
 

Advice for keeping your car running strong in Alaska

Use the following tips to keep your car running strong in Alaska:

• Take care of the battery – Regularly check your battery’s fluid levels. If they are low you can add some distilled water. If the battery is several years old and is getting corroded, replace the battery as soon as you can. Having a working and fully charged battery will prevent your car from being unable to start in extremely cold weather which is something that you will definitely want to avoid. If this seems like it might be out of your range of expertise, you can always get the battery checked/tested at a service station. We recommend doing this at least every two months.
• Change the oil – You will also want to get your oil changed over the winter to ensure the highest performance level. Get your oil changed to an oil that is designed for winter use so that it does not freeze up. Make sure that you also get your oil filter changed as well.
• Replace your wiper blades more often than you have been – Wiper blades usually will not make it past a year. However, if you are driving around in a lot of inclement weather as you probably are in Alaska, you should replace them every six months. In fact, it is not a bad idea to keep an extra pair of wiper blades in your car so that you are prepared in case the ones you are currently using break because of the cold weather.
• Do the windows – Taking care of your car’s windows, especially the windshield is critically important. Keeping them clear of snow and ice is vital during the winter. However, make sure that you clear any snow and ice that accumulated while you were away from your car with an ice scrapper rather than with your wiper blades. This is one of the easiest ways to damage your wiper blades instantly. If you end up with chips or cracks in your windows, make sure that you get them treated and fixed right away.
• Make sure that the heat is functioning correctly – In order for you to prolong the life of your car in Alaska, you will need to make sure that the radiator and the heater hoses are in good shape. We recommend that you not try and do this yourself. You can get this done annually by the mechanic that you use.

Final word

Keeping your car running properly for the maximum amount of time in Alaska is no easy task. The weather during the winter can potentially cause an array of issues for the upkeep of your engine as well as your car as a whole. It is important that you stay vigilant and constantly check the condition of the individual parts of your vehicle such as the wiper blades and internal engine parts.

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Shipping your car to Alaska
The requirements for shipping your car to Alaska
Conclusion
 

Shipping your car to Alaska

If you need to ship your car to Alaska, you do not need to worry as shipping your car there is as easy and uncomplicated as it has ever been. You just need to do a few simple things, most of which are just checking on certain things, prior to your vehicle being picked up for shipping.

The two biggest things people usually want to know are how much shipping a car to Alaska costs and how long it will take to ship a car to Alaska. These things depend on a few different factors.

When it comes to the cost of shipping a car to Alaska, the distance you are shipping your car, what type of car it is, and what time during the year that you are shipping it are the primary factors. There are other factors such as the current cost of fuel as well as carrier availability, but you cannot personally do anything to change those.

As far as how long your shipment will take, distance of your shipment and the time of year that you are shipping are the biggest factors. Things like carrier availability and weather also affect your transit time.

To give you a better idea of what your shipment might cost as well as how long it might take for your car to be dropped off, lets take a look at a specific example.

If you had a 2014 Ford Focus that you were shipping from New York City to the Anchorage port in Alaska, and you were shipping it at the beginning of September 2019 (about a month after this post was written) it would cost about $3,500. The shipment would take about two weeks total to arrive at the port where you would pick it up.

Now, keep in mind that both of those things could change based on the difficult-to-predict factors we mentioned earlier. Car shipping quotes are as accurate as possible but, in the end, they are still just data-based estimates. So, if the price is higher or lower by a hundred bucks and the shipment arrives a day or two later or earlier, realize that is the margin of error you normally deal with when getting a car shipping estimate.
 

The requirements for shipping your car to Alaska

As we mentioned above, there are a few things that you need to get done before your car gets picked up for its shipment to Alaska. The following are the requirements for shipping your car to Alaska:

• Your car must be completely ready to drive – This means that your car has to be operational with no issues such as fluid leaks, underinflated tires, broken windows etc.
• The car must be clean – When your car is picked up to be shipped, the auto carrier driver will need to perform an inspection in order to check for any pre-existing damage. To be able to do this, the exterior of your car needs to be completely cleaned.
• Your car must be under a certain size – Your car cannot exceed twenty-one and a half feet in length, seven feet in width and seven feet in height. It also cannot weigh more than 4,000 pounds. If you have questions about this, you can call (907) 331-3100.
• Your gas tank must not be more than a quarter full – In order to be able to ship your car to Alaska, you need to have enough gas in your tank for the auto carrier driver to drive the car on and off the truck as well as the ship. However, fire regulations stipulate that every cars gas tanks on the ship must not have more than a quarter tank of gas.
• Personal items – You might be able to ship some personal items in your car during your shipment. However, this needs to be discussed with your auto transport company beforehand. You also will be charged extra for this. Keep in mind that these items will not be covered by your auto transport insurance if the items are lost or damaged. Items that you cannot ship include firearms of any kind, fire extinguishers, or drugs of any kind. You can ask your car shipping representative about specific items.
• Alarms – You must give your auto transport driver the remote for the alarm or the alarm must be disconnected before transport.
• Valid ID – You will need valid picture identification when your car gets picked up or when you drop it off. Examples of valid ID include your unexpired license or unexpired passport.
• Car registration – You will need to have the current vehicle registration with you when you have your car picked up/dropped off.
• Keys – You obviously need to hand over your keys, so the driver is able to drive your car on and off of the carrier. However, you also need to supply keys to any other locking compartment in the car such as the glove box or trunk if those take separate keys.

Conclusion

That list might seem like a lot but, realistically, you can get all of that stuff done and prepared for your shipment in just a few hours’ time. Either way, it is very important that you do go through that list and make sure that your car is ready for shipment, otherwise it might not be able to ship and then you would need to start the entire booking and preparation process over again.

Remember, if you have questions or concerns that are specific to your shipment or a shipment that you are planning on, you can always call Alaska Car Transport at (907) 331-3100.

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How to avoid heavy traffic
How else can you save time driving
Final word
 

How to avoid heavy traffic

The last thing that anyone ever wants to do is spend more time than they have to in their car driving somewhere. On occasion, that can be unavoidable. However, most times, spending extra time in traffic can easily be avoiding with the proper planning. There are two main components to avoid being stuck in heavy traffic: avoiding rush hour and avoiding roads where traffic jams have occurred due to something such as an accident.

In terms of avoiding rush hour, you really just need to plan ahead as we mentioned above and travel during the hours before and/or after those periods. The average person wastes over forty hours per year stuck in traffic which is over a day and a half of your life that you could have used doing literally anything else. Rush hour in Alaska typically occurs in the morning from 7:30 AM until 9 AM and in the afternoon/evening from 4 PM until 6 PM. Do your best to avoid driving during these times. Always check on the traffic reports prior to leaving for any sort of an extended drive as well.
 

How else can you save time driving

On top of keeping your eye on traffic reports, you should also always keep your eye on weather reports as inclement weather can really increase your drive time significantly. People tend to reduce their average speed on roads when it rains by one third. On roads with snow, drivers tend to cut their average speed in half. This means rain can increase drive times by over thirty percent and snow can increase drive times by fifty percent. If you see bad weather in the forecast, do what you can to avoid driving during or immediately after it.

You should also consider using a traffic app on your phone. These apps update your route based on real time conditions in order to get you to your destination the fastest. These apps factor in overall traffic congestion, weather, car accidents and more. The most popular and widely used of these apps is Waze which uses crowdsourced info from users to update routes.
 

Final word

Spending extra time in traffic can be a real annoyance as well as a bore. The vast majority of drivers will obviously want to avoid delays driving somewhere. In order to do so you should keep your eye on traffic and weather reports as well as use a real-time traffic app like Waze. If you would like to avoid an outrageously long drive during a move or relocation, you can always choose to ship your car and take a plane instead. Call (907) 331-3100 for more information if you are interested in shipping your car with Alaska Car Transport.

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Your tires
What else you can do to get your car ready for snow
Final word
 

Your tires

We are in the midst of heavy snow season in Alaska, and it will last for a couple of more months. This is why you should really consider getting tires that are built for driving in the snow. You will have a couple of options. This will include studded tires, non-studded winter tires and all-weather tires. Studded tires are for the most serious winter conditions. These tires use metal studs on the tire to push into snow as well as ice for the greatest traction potential.

Non-studded winter tires are a good choice if you are in an area with an average to above average amounts of winter weather road conditions. They are specifically made so that they stay soft in cold temperatures, and they have a heavy-duty tread design that really helps with traction. All-weather tires are usually for areas where there is snow but maybe only one major snowstorm per year. These tires are not recommended for use in areas with more harsh and perpetual winter conditions.
 

What else you can do to get your car ready for snow

There are several other things that you will need to do in order to have your car completely winterized and ready for snowy weather in Alaska. First you should get winter windshield wipers installed. You should also be sure that your wiper fluid is always full in the winter and that you have extra wiper fluid in your car at all times. Next, you should make sure that your car has been taken into your mechanic and has been serviced for specifically for winter conditions. All of this should always be done before the start of winter but doing so late is better than never doing it.
 

Final word

With the heavy snowfall season upon us in Alaska, you should really consider winterizing both your tires and your vehicle. That will include getting studded or winter tires, getting winter wiper blades and getting your car serviced to make sure it is ready for the winter weather. Whether or not your car has been winterized and/or has winter tires, you can always ship it to or from Alaska with Alaska Car Transport. Get a free quote anytime by calling us at (907) 331-3100!

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What kinds of animals you might find crossing the road in Alaska
What to do when you see an animal crossing the road
Final word
 

What kinds of animals you might find crossing the road in Alaska

Alaska is full of wonderful wildlife from wolves to moose. Unfortunately, these animals often make their way onto roadways which is dangerous for both themselves and anyone driving in that area. That is why you always need to keep your focus on the road and be prepared to stop for animals crossing the road when you are driving in Alaska.

The types of animals that you could see out in the road in Alaska can include deer, moose, foxes, bears and more. If you hit one of these animals in a best-case scenario, you will feel terrible and there will be some damage to your vehicle. In a much worse case scenario, there could be severe damage to your vehicle as well as injuries occurring to you and/or your passengers. The point is that you will want to avoid hitting one of these animals at all costs.
 

What to do when you see an animal crossing the road

If you are driving along in Alaska and you see an animal crossing the road or standing in the road, slow down and stop as soon as you see them. Put your high beams on so you can see if any other animals are near by as many animals tend to travel in groups. Finally, if you are driving and you are about to hit an animal without time to stop completely, brake, prepare for impact and avoiding swerving. Swerving will likely lead to a much worse accident with more damage to your vehicle as well as injuries to you and your passengers.
 

Final word

Alaska’s roads are some of the most dangerous places to drive in the world due to low visibility, desolate conditions, and inclement weather. However, they can also be extremely dangerous because of frequent and sudden animal crossings. Animals such as wolves, deer, foxes bears, and moose can run out into the road at any moment. This is why you must pay close attention when you are driving in Alaska. If you do see an animal in the road, be sure to slow down, stop and turn your high beams on. If you cannot avoid hitting an animal in the road, try your best not to swerve. Swerving can possibly make the situation much worse. If you are shipping any type of vehicle to or from Alaska, call us at (907) 331-3100 today for a free and instant quote!

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Driving in Alaska
Renting a car in Alaska
Buying a car in Alaska
Shipping a car to Alaska
Conclusion
 

Driving in Alaska

Driving in Alaska can be a real joy sometimes, while other times it can be extremely difficult. This is primarily based on weather conditions which are seasonal. Winter storms can easily make some roads impassable while, during the summer months, driving is quite easy and a pleasant experience because of the potential for sight-seeing.

Traffic is almost never an issue in Alaska. In the most populated areas like Anchorage, there is potential for moderate delays but usually isn’t any major traffic unless there is a serious accident. There generally aren’t enough people driving in Alaska for traffic to get out of hand.

Road conditions can be difficult at times due to weather as previously mentioned. However, the condition of the roads in Alaska can remain bad long after inclement weather because melting snow, ice and water gets into cracks in the pavement, freezes and cause larger cracks and potholes. So, be careful while driving and try to avoid potholes whenever possible.
 

Renting a car in Alaska

Renting a car in Alaska is a viable solution when you are only there for a few days. Beyond that, the expense of renting can really start to add up quickly. On top of that, you will also need to worry about getting any sort of damage on the car because you will be liable for it unless you have the rental insurance which doesn’t cover much regardless.

Renting a car for over a month can easily cost well over $1,000 and this depends on several things. First and foremost, the price of your rental car will depend heavily on which car you end up choosing to rent. Larger vehicles such as minivans will cost considerably more than a compact car or even a mid-size car.
 

Buying a car in Alaska

Buying a car gives you complete control over whatever you want to do with your car, but it is also the most expensive option on the list by far. If you are not permanently staying in Alaska, this option doesn’t make a ton of sense for you as you will eventually need to drive or even ship your car back home.

Buying a dependable used car will likely cost at least $10,000. Buying a new car will cost much more than that. It doesn’t make sense to buy a car unless you absolutely have to.
 

Shipping a car to Alaska

Finally, you can always ship your car to Alaska. Shipping your car to Alaska makes sense for those of you who are staying for any sort of extended period. Renting a car during a trip like this can add up quickly. Buying a car doesn’t make much sense because you will likely just end up shipping your car home anyway.

Consider that shipping your car cross-country from New York to Anchorage, Alaska will cost about $3,500 each way if you are shipping a regular sized sedan. That is much less than it will cost to buy a new or even used car. It is obviously cheaper to ship your car to or from Alaska the closer you are.
 

Conclusion

You will have choices to make regarding your transportation when you get to Alaska. You should decide long before you head there so you can plan and coordinate everything properly without having to worry about being without a car for a while.

If you do choose to ship your car to Alaska, you can trust the car shipping professionals at Alaska Car Transport to get your vehicle to Alaska safe and sound. Give us a call today for a free quote at (907) 331-3100!

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How to care for your car’s heat
What to do if your heat stops working
Conclusion
 

How to care for your car’s heat

Your car’s heat serves more of a purpose than just keeping you warm during the cold winter months as you drive. The same system that releases heat into your passenger cabin on cold days is the system that takes excess heat off of your engine and releases it safely away from the engine which prevents your vehicle from overheating as well as keeps the engine operating at an optimal and efficient level. So, if your heating system stops working you will be quite cold during the winter. But, this can also lead to more serious issues during the summer such as a break down.

For these reasons, you need to make sure that you take care of your car’s heating system. Doing so will not be difficult at all. It will basically just consist of not abusing the system as well as getting regular maintenance performed by a trusted mechanic. Be sure that this maintenance includes making sure antifreeze is clean and filled up as well as checking on the belts and hoses that are a part of the heating system.
 

What to do if your heat stops working

If your car’s heat suddenly stops working on a cold winter night, you will want to get it back in working order as soon as possible rather than wait a day to see a mechanic and then wait hours or even days while they repair it. Thankfully, getting your car’s heat working again is something that you might be able to do yourself depending on the cause of the issue. Either way, if your car’s heat stops working and you are actually able to get it working again or not, you should bring your car in for maintenance as soon as you can.

If your car’s heat has stopped working, you should first check the coolant. If the level is low, you should add more. Doing so might get the heat going because the heater’s core requires coolant to function properly. Next, you should make sure that the blowers and vents are working properly. The blowers and vents dispense the air in your passenger cabin. To do this you can take a look with a flashlight and see that the vents move when you change their alignment. You should also be able to see if anything is blocking the vents. If you still find yourself without heat at this point than you should get your car to the mechanic as soon as you can.
 

Conclusion

Your vehicle’s heat will obviously be quite important to keeping you warm as you drive during the winter. But few people know that your vehicle’s heating system is also responsible for the prevention of your engine overheating during warmer months of the year. In order to keep your car’s heating system running well, you should make sure that you take your car in for regular maintenance.