Recent Puerto Rico Shipping News

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Getting your vehicle to and from Puerto Rico
Going the extra mile during the pandemic
Final word
 

Getting your vehicle to and from Puerto Rico

If you are trying to get your car from one place to another, you usually will have the option of driving it there yourself. This is obviously not the case with Puerto Rico. You will only be able to ship your car to Puerto Rico. Thankfully, shipping your Puerto Rico is not difficult at all.

Shipping your car to Puerto Rico will simply entail getting quotes from any companies that you are considering, booking your shipment, doing a few simple things like getting your car washed to prepare, and picking your car up at the port in Puerto Rico. The same is true if you are shipping your car from Puerto Rico with the only difference being that you will need to drop your car off at the port rather than pick it up there.
 

Going the extra mile during the pandemic

Unfortunately, right now we are in quite trying times as we are in the middle of a global pandemic where safety and social distancing are paramount. So, the extra precautions we all must take each and every day obviously also extend to shipping your car.

Thankfully, there are few extra things that you can do while you are shipping your car to keep yourself safe from covid-19. You can rest assured that your auto transport driver will be doing everything in their power to maintain safe standards during any interactions with them as well.

When your driver arrives to pick up your car, you can simply make sure that you are wearing a mask and that you sanitize your hands before you leave your house to meet them. You can take it a step further by wearing protective gloves in addition to this.

Finally, you can make sure that your driver is safe during the transport during the transport of your car by disinfecting the surfaces inside. You should do this as soon as your car is delivered as well.
 

Final word

Shipping your car during a global pandemic might seem very intimidating. However, it will be your only option in terms of getting your car to or from Puerto Rico. You can rest assured that shipping your car will be just as easy as it normally is, you will just need to take a few extra precautions to ensure that you stay safe and maintain the proper social distance during the pickup and drop-off off your vehicle.

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Getting your car repaired in Puerto Rico
The benefit of using after-market parts to repair your vehicle
How you can get after-market parts for your car
 

Getting your car repaired in Puerto Rico

Having to get your car repaired is not a fun experience no matter where you are. The same goes for Puerto Rico. The vast majority of car repairs here will cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars just like anywhere else. Thankfully, the currency in Puerto Rico is no different than it is in America – the US dollar. Many places will also accept credit although few, if any will accept, checks for repairs unless you give them the check prior to the work being done.

In terms of where you can get your car repaired in Puerto Rico, you will be able to get it fixed at many garages through out the island. However, you need to be sure that you are near a populated area such as San Juan or Carolina because there will not be anywhere to get your car repaired in remote areas.
 

The benefit of using after-market parts to repair your vehicle

Car repairs are always a pain primarily because of how expensive it can be. Dishonest mechanics can make that issue even worse. That is why you should do whatever you can to keep the cost of your car repair as low as you can.

One of the lesser known ways that you can do this is by using after-market cars parts. These are parts that are either used or off-brand. So, they are not as expensive as a result. If you are able to use only after-market parts for your repair, you will be able to save a considerable amount of money on the repair. Sometimes, after-market parts can be three or four times cheaper than factory parts.
 

How you can get after-market parts for your car

There are two primary ways for you to get after-market parts to use for your automotive repairs. You can ask your mechanic to get them for you if you feel that they are honest or you can look on the web or in stores yourself for the after market parts that you need.

Getting after-market parts through your mechanic in Puerto Rico will come with a bit of a markup in price on the parts. However, getting the parts through your mechanic will save you a lot of time and effort. You will also still be saving a considerable amount of money even with the slight markup in price.

If you choose to go to Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone or look for an after-market part online, you will save additional money on the cost of the markup by the mechanic. However, you could possibly end up getting the wrong part if you do not know what you are doing or looking for. Even if you do know exactly what you are looking for, it will take a considerable amount of time and effort.

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Puerto Rico’s warm climate
Advice for getting the most out of your car’s air conditioner
Final Word
 

Puerto Rico’s warm climate

As you likely already know, Puerto Rico has quite a warm climate. As a result, you will do whatever you can in order to keep cool. That includes running the air conditioner in your car. Puerto Rico’s climate is different than most places for the fact that it will stay hot throughout the vast majority of the year.

In fact, temperatures across the island will only range from sixty to about ninety degrees throughout the year. As a result, it is quite possible that you find yourself using your car’s air conditioner every month of the year. Thus, it is important that your A/C is running and doing so properly and efficiently.
 

Advice for getting the most out of your car’s air conditioner

Most of the time when you are driving in Puerto Rico your air conditioner could be running. So, it’s important to take care of you’re A/C so that you do not get stuck traveling around in a sweltering hot vehicle.

One of the key things you can do in terms of taking proper care of your car’s air conditioning system is not to neglect your air filters. If your air filters are not changed frequently enough it can effect the quality of the air, reduce your car’s fuel efficiency and, most importantly, it will affect the ability of your air conditioner to push a maximum amount of cool air into your car. Normally, you should get your car’s air filters changed about every ten thousand miles or so. For some people that is once a year. For others, it is two or more times a year. It depends entirely on how much driving you are doing.

Next, you should always keep enough engine coolant in the car. If you run out of coolant, your engine can run much hotter than it is supposed to. This will make it considerably more difficult for your air conditioner to cool the air. Thus, it will take longer for the air to get cool and it will likely never get completely cold.

When you get in your car and start driving, you should not just start blasting the A/C. You will put too much stress on it like that and it will not last as long overall as it could if you did a better job of preserving the system. We recommend starting out driving on a hot day by leaving your windows down for a few minutes, then rolling them up and using your air conditioner at a low level. After that you can finally increase the A/C level without worrying about putting any stress on it.

Finally, you should be sure to get your car serviced at least once each year and when you do, make sure that the mechanic checks all the components of your air conditioning. This includes the air filters and compressors as well.
 

Final Word

You do not want to get caught in Puerto Rico with a car where you cannot turn on the air conditioning and cool down. Temperatures in Puerto Rico are consistently seventy, eighty and ninety degrees depending on where you are. So, you will want to be sure that you take great care of your A/C. Be sure to change your air filters, not overuse the A/C constantly, and to get your car and air conditioning system serviced at least once a year.

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Puerto Rico’s roads and safety features
Standard Safety Features
Higher-end Safety Features
Conclusion
 

Puerto Rico’s roads and safety features

Driving on Puerto Rico’s roads can greatly increase the need for top-of-the-line safety features in your car. The roads themselves are not in great shape with a good number of potholes and cracks as well as the fact that other drivers on the road often drive recklessly or with low levels of caution. In terms of the other drivers, motorists in Puerto Rico tend to view traffic laws as suggestions rather than hard rules. So, you will often see people rolling through stop signs and red lights as well as doing things like turning without signaling at all.

That is why safety features such as airbags and anti-lock brakes are so important here. With the increased possibility of being involved in a car accident in Puerto Rico, the better safety features you have in your vehicle, the better off you will be driving. This means having a car with additional safety features such as blind spot warning and forward collision warning could be a big help.
 

Standard Safety Features

Standard safety features come with all cars at the time of their original purchase. However, over the life of a car some of these features can work less efficiently or stop working all together. That is why when you have your car serviced it is important to have every single safety feature checked and, if they are not working right, get them repaired before you drive the car again.

Standard safety features include seatbelts, airbags, antilock brakes, and stability control. These features are the first line of protection against injury from an accident. Without any of these working properly, you are putting yourself and your passengers at serious risk of injury in case of an accident.
 

Higher-end Safety Features

For cars that are newer, primarily cars that were made in the last fifteen years or so, additional safety features are commonly included or available as an upgrade. These types of features tend to be more preventative in nature rather than just reactive. What this means is that safety features like airbags and seatbelts react to a bad situation as it happens in order to keep you safe. Newer safety features like collision detection or a rearview camera act to protect you from accidents before they happen so you can avoid them altogether.

Newer safety features include collision, detection, rearview cameras, brake assist, pedestrian detection, blind spot waring, lane keep assist and more. If you have a car with these features, you will have even more safety and piece of mind when you drive around the hectic streets of Puerto Rico.
 

Conclusion

Your car’s safety features are crucial to your protection as you drive in Puerto Rico. The roads can be chaotic and hard to predict and maneuver. So, safety features keep you prepared for an accident and more advanced safety features help you avoid them altogether. Always keep safety as your first priority when you are on the road in Puerto Rico and abroad.

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How tire traction will keep your drive smooth and safe
The effects of Puerto Rico’s weather on traction
Advice for maintaining proper tire traction in Puerto Rico
Final word
 

How tire traction will keep your drive smooth and safe

Tire traction is as important in Puerto Rico as it is anywhere else. It will allow you to be able maneuver your car safely. Without proper traction, you are at a much higher risk of getting into an accident. When you consider the haphazard driving of many motorists in Puerto Rico, you can see how an added advantage like good traction will be important.

Traction allows your tires to grip the road better. So, you will be able to make turns and manipulate the steering with more precision so long as you have tires with better traction.
 

The effects of Puerto Rico’s weather on traction

Puerto Rico has a considerable amount of rain. It also has some great locations that you can go off roading. However, you are going to need tires that have a good amount of traction that you can trust in order to be able to drive in those conditions safely.

The rain in Puerto Rico depends on where you are. In many areas it is at least 1500 millimeters per year. That is higher than most places in the United States. However, in other areas in Puerto Rico the rain can reach levels of 4000 millimeters per year.

Rain decreases traction by reducing friction between your tires and the street. This is why driving in the rain can lead to your car sliding when you try and stop. If you have tires with better treads, your car will be able to mitigate some of these negative and dangerous effects.
 

Advice for maintaining proper tire traction in Puerto Rico

In order to maximize and increase traction, make use of the following advice:

• The right tires are everything – Some tires traction are intended for driving in the snow while others are better suited to driving in the rain. Be sure that you do your research and get the correct tires for your particular traction needs.
• Deeper treads are better for offroading – The fact of the matter is that the deeper and better treads you have on your tires the more traction you will have. When you are offroading, you will need all the grip on the road that you could possibly get.
• Avoid wear and tear with rotation – Your front and rear tires do not wear evenly. You should get them rotated at least once each year in order to ensure that they do wear evenly.

Final word

Your tire’s traction is likely much more important than you think in Puerto Rico. Good traction will allow you to handle your car with maximum precision in conditions such as rain and when you are off-roading. Most of all, traction is important in terms of remaining safe while you drive.

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Basic Spanish is necessary for street signs in Puerto Rico
The different signs you need to know
Final word
 

Basic Spanish is necessary for street signs in Puerto Rico

Spanish is the primary language in Puerto Rico. Many people do speak English though. However, the street signs are all in Spanish. So, you will need some basic Spanish in order to be able to navigate around Puerto Rico while you are driving.

Thankfully, driving apps like Waze take a lot of the work out of having to read the signs on the highways in Puerto Rico. However, you cannot solely rely on that. Sometimes you might not have an internet or data connection and the app might not be working. On occasion you may not be able to access your phone while driving.

The point is that it is always good to be able to read and understand basic Spanish both on and off the road when you are in Puerto Rico.
 

The different signs you need to know

You can expect the same sorts of signs on the highways and streets of Puerto Rico as you would see in the United States. Signs that say “No Parking”, “Exit 25”, “Lanes merge” etc. The only difference will be that they are in Spanish rather than English.

With that in mind, it is easier to fundamentally understand basic words and phrases rather than each and every specific street sign. So, the following are common Spanish words and their English translations which will help you interpret the street signs of Puerto Rico with ease.

• autopista — highway / expressway
• calle — street
• carratera — road
• carril derecho — right lane
• carril izquierda — left lane

ceda — yield

• cuidado — caution
• estacióne — parking
• este — east
• hacia — toward
• interseción — junction – can also frequently be see abbreviated as INT
• no estacióne — no parking – a large letter “E” with a slash through it also means “no parking”
• norte — north
• oeste — west
• pare — stop
• peaje — toll
• salida — exit
• solo — only
• sur — south
• transito — You will see this word accompanied by an arrow. This tells you whether traffic flow is one-way or both ways on a road.

Final word

Understanding the streets signs in Puerto Rico is an absolute necessity if you are going to be driving while you are there. If you speak only English, you should really learn some basic Spanish so that you can read the signs on the streets and highways with ease. You will not always be able to use your phone on the fly for translation or directions.

If you need your vehicle transported to or from Puerto Rico, you can always entrust us with your shipment. You can talk with one of our dedicated car shipping experts by calling us at (904) 322-7644 today!

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Moving to San Juan
Getting your car to San Juan
Final word
 

Moving to San Juan

Moving to San Juan is a big step for anyone. That is especially true when you are moving there from the United States. You will need to get used to several things such as many people speaking Spanish as well as the street signs being in Spanish. However, because Puerto Rico is a United States territory some things will be the same such as not having to apply for citizenship or the US dollar being the official currency.

Either way, you will still need to figure out how you will get all your stuff there. Trucking it or driving it there will not be an option as Puerto Rico is obviously an island surrounded by water. So, you will need to either move your things there by boat or plane.

You will also need to find a new home or apartment long before you arrive. You can do so by hiring a real estate agent in Puerto Rico to do some of the groundwork for you. They will also be able to help you with the language barrier if you cannot speak Spanish.
 

Getting your car to San Juan

The same goes for your car in terms of not being able to drive to Puerto Rico. So, your only option will be to ship it too. However, shipping your car to Puerto Rico is actually quite easy. You just need to book your shipment, complete a few simple tasks to get ready for your shipment and then your car will be shipped. Specifically, a car carrier will arrive at your house pickup your car, drive it to the port, it will then get shipped to the port in San Juan which is where you will be able to pick the car up.

In terms of getting ready for your vehicle transport, you will first need too remove any personal items from the car before your shipment. These things will not be covered by the auto transport insurance in the case that they are damaged or lost during the shipment. After that, you also need to be sure that the outside of the car is clean during the pickup so that your transport driver can perform their inspection for pre-existing damage.
 

Final word

Moving to San Juan, Puerto Rico is a great life decision, but it will be a transition that requires time and effort just like any other move. Some things will be easy like using the same money. Others will be more difficult like having to having to speak and read Spanish in certain situations.
Regardless, you will have no choice but to ship your car and the rest of your things to San Juan. Thankfully, the car shipping process is quite simple and stress free with Puerto Rico Car Transport.

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How the weather will affect your battery in Puerto Rico
Advice for keeping your battery running well
Conclusion
 

How the weather will affect your battery in Puerto Rico

Your car will not run if your battery is not working. If your battery stops working while you are driving, your car will abruptly stop running which can be extremely dangerous for you and your passengers. This is why you need to take care of your battery. In Puerto Rico, the constant warm or hot weather can negatively affect your car battery health, so you need to make sure that you pay special attention to your car battery if you are in Puerto Rico.

The way that the warm weather will affect your battery is simply that heat significantly increases the amount of corrosion inside the battery. When this happens the lifespan of the battery gets decreased, the battery holds less of a charge and it might even lose the ability to start at some point.

In fact, according to AAA, battery-related calls nearly double annually during summer months. IT is for this reason you pay close attention to your battery and do whatever you can to keep it running well leading up to and during the summer months.
 

Advice for keeping your battery running well

There are a few things that you can do to off-set the effect of Puerto Rico’s heat on your battery. The easiest is to make sure that you use the car fairly often and do not leave it sitting in the sun for extended periods. That also means you should do whatever you can to keep the car out of increased temperatures such as keeping your car in a garage or at least in the shade when you are not using it.

You should also keep the battery clean and wipe it free of dirt, grim and whatever corrosion that you can. You should do that at least every other week. Finally, you should get you car serviced frequently. You should do that at least every few months and when you do be sure that you get your battery tested.
 

Conclusion

Battery health is crucial to the function of your car. You need to be vigilant about keeping your battery working at its highest efficiency. This means doing a few things yourself such as keeping the battery cleand and the car as cool as you can. You need to also be sure that you get your battery tested when you bring your car in for service which you should do at least every few months. If you need your car transported into or out of Puerto Rico you can always get a quote or find out more on Puerto Rico Car Transport’s website.

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The danger of the traffic in Puerto Rico
The roads in Puerto Rico
Tips to stay out of a car accident
Conclusion
 

The danger of the traffic in Puerto Rico

The traffic in Puerto Rico is a bit more difficult to navigate than it is anywhere else. Many drivers do not pay close attention to traffic laws and regulations. That means you will regularly see other motorists go through a red light, turn left from the right lane, or even just stop and park in the middle of the road.

This is obviously problematic in terms of avoiding car accidents. Each year, Puerto Rico has well over 200,000 car crashes. That is with a population of about 3.1 million people. When you compare that with a state like Connecticut that has a comparable population of 3.5 million people, you will find that there are only slightly over 100,000 car crashes per year on average.

So, Puerto Rico has twice as many car accidents on average than a state with a similar, yet higher, population each year. This is what you can expect when few people obey the rules of the road.
 

The roads in Puerto Rico

The roads in Puerto Rico have been in rough condition since Hurricane Maria several years ago. The storm caused chunks of roads to be destroyed all over the island. Other parts of the roads that survived still suffered some serious damage such as cracks and potholes.

Even before the storm hit years back, the roads were in poor condition and full of cracks and potholes. In the years since, Puerto Rico has been working to improve and repair the roads. However, there still many large potholes and cracks throughout the road system in Puerto Rico.

It is not a big possibility but hitting a crack or pothole just the right way could cause you to momentarily lose control of your vehicle and possibly get into an accident. You can also drive over one of these hazards and have your car damaged just from the contact. When this happens, you will likely need to pull over. Having your car on the shoulder on the road in Puerto Rico is a risk for an accident because of the unsafe way that many other drivers drive.

The condition of the roads in Puerto Rico poses another risk of getting into an accident as does the actual traffic itself.
 

Tips to stay out of a car accident

With the risk of a car accident being so high in Puerto Rico, you should do whatever you can to try and avoid that. Use the following tips to stay safe and out of an accident when you are driving in Puerto Rico:

• Be alert – Never let yourself get distracted by your phone or anything else while you are driving. Be sure you never drive when you are too tired or under the influence of alcohol.
• Keep a safe distance -Always make sure that you allow one car length of distance between you and the car in front of you for every ten miles of speed you are traveling.
• Know where you are going – If you are stopping in the middle of traffic to read street signs, you are putting yourself at risk of getting rear-ended by other drivers. So, plan and know your route before you start driving.
• Do your best to avoid heavy traffic – If possible, avoid driving during times when there is a heavy amount of traffic out on the road. For example, do everything you can to avoid rush hour traffic.

Conclusion

Puerto Rico has a history of having some dangerous roads and a high number of car accidents. Traffic often does not obey basic traffic laws and the roads are not in great shape. If you are driving there you need to make sure that you do everything in your power to keep yourself and your car safe and out of any accidents. If you need your car transported to Puerto Rico, you can do so at any time with Puerto Rico Car Transport.

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How you can have a car in Puerto Rico
Your options for getting around Puerto Rico without a car
Final Word
 

How you can have a car in Puerto Rico

There are a few ways you can have your own car in Puerto Rico. You can rent a car when you get there, you can buy a car when you get there, or you can ship your car there. These options are far from equal, especially when it comes to cost.

Renting a car is the quickest option once you arrive in Puerto Rico but that is about the only upside there is. Unfortunately, renting a car will leave you with a bunch of irritating restrictions on where you can drive and how you can drive. It will also quickly become quite expensive. If you rent a car in Puerto Rico it will cost you about ten dollars per day.

That does not sound like a lot but if you are staying in Puerto Rico for any sort of longer duration it will add up. In just six months, the cost of renting a car will add up to over two thousand dollars when you factor in rental insurance costs.

In addition to that, there will be restrictions on how and where you can drive the car. For example, many rental agreements will not allow you to take the car off the island to other islands such as Culebra. You can still do that, but if something goes wrong, you will be completely liable for the cost of repairing or replacing the vehicle.

The cost of buying a car is simply astronomical when compared to the other options. You could possibly get a cheaper used car for five or so thousand dollars. However, the cost is much greater when you factor in things like repairs and depreciation.
Finally, you can ship a car that you have in the United States to Puerto Rico. This way you can avoid paying for the car every day and save several thousand if not tens of thousands of dollars. When you ship a car to Puerto Rico, it will cost anywhere between $1,000 and $2,500 depending on several factors including what time of year you ship, what model car you are shipping, what shipping options you choose, and how far you are shipping.
 

Your options for getting around Puerto Rico without a car

If you do not have a car in Puerto Rico because of the expense or for any other reason you will have several other options for getting around. This includes ride-share apps, public transportation and old-fashioned walking.

If you are staying in San Juan or near a beach and do not plan on venturing far beyond your area, walking can actually be a pretty good option. Puerto Rico’s weather is ideal for walking places and much, if not all, of everything you need will be located quite close because of Puerto Rico’s overall small size. Plus, you can always use this option in conjunction with the other options such as public transportation.

Public transportation is another option if you do not have a car in Puerto Rico. There are busses, yellow cabs and even a train. Unfortunately, the train only runs over about a ten-mile area near San Juan, but it is quite useful and convenient. You can learn more about Tren Urbano here. Busses are a good option too but its not perfect as there is no island-wide bus service in Puerto Rico. However, you can get busses in San Juan, Carolina, Cataño, Guaynabo, Trujillo Alto and Bayamón. You can also hail yellow cabs throughout Puerto Rico although you will typically find them in and around populated areas like San Juan.

Finally, there is limited availability of ride-share apps in Puerto Rico. You can get an Uber in various places in Puerto Rico. Just be aware that it might take some time to find a driver in the more remote areas.
 

Final Word

You have so many great options for getting around Puerto Rico. Renting a car should only be a short-term fix, with the other options you have it does not make any sense to pay for a car every single day that you have it. If you want to have your own car in Puerto Rico, shipping one you already own will be your best option. You can also take advantage of public transportation as well as Uber.