Recent Puerto Rico Shipping News

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What kinds of specialty vehicles can you ship to Puerto Rico
Advice for shipping a specialty vehicle
Conclusion
 

What kinds of specialty vehicles can you ship to Puerto Rico

Believe it or not, you can ship pretty much any specialty vehicle to Puerto Rico. This includes trucks, SUVs, vans, motorcycles, trailers, RVs, heavy equipment and more. Regardless of what type of vehicle you are shipping, doing so will not be too difficult at all. There will be differences in the preparation for some of these vehicles such as heavy equipment, for example, but your car shipping company will handle the vast majority of the stress throughout the shipping process.

The main differences between specialty vehicle shipping to Puerto Rico and regular car shipping to Puerto Rico will be booking and transit time. In terms of booking, you should make sure you book your shipment even further in advance than normal for a specialty vehicle. Normally, we would say book at least a month before your desired pickup date. For specialty vehicles, you should book at least six weeks ahead of your desired pickup date. This is because if a special type of carrier is required for your specialty vehicle, it will take more time to find one that is available.

When it comes to transit time, shipping non-typical vehicles will take longer because carriers have less availability and tend to be larger. Thus, they travel a bit slower. When it comes to shipping a specialty vehicle to Puerto Rico, you should expect it to take at a few extra days than typical car shipping would.
 

Advice for shipping a specialty vehicle

As we mentioned above, booking early will be critical to your specialty vehicle shipment’s success and timely delivery. However, there are a few other things that you can do in order to make sure your shipment goes as smoothly as possible.

If you have a larger vehicle like an RV or tractor that you are shipping, you should plan on spending some extra time cleaning it before your vehicle is picked up for shipping. Having the vehicle clean is a requirement for shipping so that your auto transport driver can check the vehicle for preexisting damage. As these vehicles are larger, it will obviously take more time to get it clean.

You should also consider the fact that specialty vehicle shipping will cost a little more than regular vehicle shipping. If you are unsure if you will be able to afford the shipment, be sure you start getting quotes at least two months before you need the specialty vehicle shipped.
 

Conclusion

Shipping a specialty vehicle to Puerto Rico has a few fundamental differences from regular car shipping. These differences include the need to book a little earlier, slightly high expense, and moderately longer transit times. Other than that, your car shipping company will take care of whatever specialty vehicle you need shipped to Puerto Rico with ease. Call Puerto Rico Car Transport today for a free quote at (904) 322-7644.

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How long you can expect your shipment to take
Ways you can get around while you wait
Wrapping up
 

How long you can expect your shipment to take

The amount of time that it will take to ship your car to the port in San Juan, Puerto Rico will depend primarily on where you are shipping the vehicle from. If you are shipping from Los Angeles it will take approximately two weeks. If you are shipping from Miami it will take about a week and if you are shipping from New York it will take approximately two or three weeks.

However, these are approximations, your particular transit time could take more or less time depending on several additional factors. These include weather, demand, traffic and more. Unfortunately, these are much more unpredictable. So, take your estimated transit time with a grain of salt. If it is about two weeks, expect you could be without your vehicle for three weeks.
 

Ways you can get around while you wait

The good thing is that you will have a bunch of options in terms of getting around while you wait for your car to arrive at the port. The simplest of which will be walking if you plan on staying within the city limits of an area like San Juan. However, that is also the least convenient option. There are regular taxis in Puerto Rico that you will be able to flag down or call.

On top of that, there is also the option of getting a rental car. Unfortunately, ride shares are far and few in Puerto Rico with Uber not operating there. If you are in the San Juan area, you could take Tren Urbano which is a limited subway line. You can also always try carpooling with some friends or family.
 

Wrapping up

It will take some time for your car to ship to Puerto Rico. In fact, in almost all cases it will take over two weeks. While your car is shipping there, you will need some way of getting around. You can walk, take a taxi, take the subway (if you are in the San Juan area), rent a car or carpool. When you need your car shipped to Puerto Rico, do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions that you have or for a free quote by calling (904) 322-7644!

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The risk of an accident in Puerto Rico
How wearing a seatbelt will keep you safe
Wrapping up
 

The risk of an accident in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has some pretty dangerous driving conditions at times. This is more often the case in the highly populated areas such as San Juan. The primary issue is that on top of a lot of traffic, there are a lot of drivers who do not follow or only loosely follow them. You really cannot blame them though; the traffic laws are poorly enforced thus people tend not to follow them.

You will often see people turning suddenly without signaling and across several lanes. You will also see people make sudden stops, frequently speed and drive very aggressively. It is because of these things that the risk of getting into an accident is more prevalent in Puerto Rico than it is in many places. So, you need to do everything in your power to protect yourself in case you get into an accident and that starts with wearing your seatbelt.
 

How wearing a seatbelt will keep you safe

With other motorists making such sudden and frequent stops in Puerto Rico, you need to make sure that you use your seatbelt each and every time you drive. Even if you do not get into an accident, seat belts can prevent major injury that could occur from stopping short in an effort to avoid an accident. You also must make sure that any of your passengers always wear their seatbelts.

The fact of the matter is that seatbelts save lives. Statistics show that almost fifty percent of people killed in the US in 2017 in car crashes were not using seatbelts. You must also look at the fact that from 1975 through 2020, seatbelts have saved nearly 400,000 lives.
 

Wrapping up

It is incredibly important to always wear a seatbelt no matter where you are. The risk you are taking by not wearing a seatbelt in a place like Puerto Rico is even higher than normal. Even if you do not get into an accident, not wearing your seatbelt can be a very dangerous and costly decision to make especially in a highly populated area like San Juan. If you have anything wrong with your seatbelt like it will not buckle, you must get that fixed immediately. Finally, always be sure that your passengers are wearing seatbelts as well.

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How a car’s grille will help in warm climates
Caring for your car grille
Final Word
 

How a car’s grille will help in warm climates

Most cars have grilles. Yes, they do serve a bit of an aesthetic purpose, but they also have a much more practical purpose. They allow a much better airflow in the engine which helps the components such as the radiator perform better and last longer.

Consider that your car’s radiator overheating can be a big issue. The grille allows much better airflow over the radiator to both cool it and better ventilate heat that it is emitting while you are driving the car. This is obviously much more important in hot climates such as Puerto Rico’s.

Some cars have grilles in other locations or do not have them at all. This is because some cars, based on their design and specifications, require the additional cooling else where such as near the brakes. Whether these cars have the grille else where or not at all, they are designed with extra protection and cooling in the engine for the radiator as a result. Regardless, these cars are still pretty rare these days.
 

Caring for your car grille

There is not much that you need to do in order to care for your car grille. You just need to make sure that the grille is clean and clear of any debris or dirt. If the grille is blocked, then the airflow obviously will be as well which defeats the purpose of the grille. You also need to be sure that any damage or bends in the grille gets repaired as quickly as possible for the same reason that you need to keep it clean.
 

Final Word

Your car grille is more important than the vast majority of people are aware of. It increases air flow in the engine which really helps keep the radiator cool and working. This is particularly important in Puerto Rico where the weather is almost always hot, and your radiator is at a considerably higher risk of overheating. Always be sure to keep the grille clean and that if there is any damage to it that you get it repaired as soon as possible. If you need to ship a vehicle to or from Puerto Rico , call us at (904) 322-7644 for a free instant quote today!

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Car emissions in Puerto Rico
Getting your car inspected in Puerto Rico and emissions standards
Cars with low emissions to consider driving
Final word
 

Car emissions in Puerto Rico

Car emissions have been an issue affecting the air quality in Puerto Rico for many years. Now, Puerto Rico will need to submit a plan to the Environmental Protection Agency that details how the country will lower overall harmful emissions by this October. Puerto Rico will need to complete fulfilling the plan by April 2023.

This comes after some startling results were discovered after Hurricane Maria a couple of years ago. Harmful levels of Sulfur Dioxide were discovered in areas near San Juan and Salinas.

The strings have now been tightened in order to get all emissions in Puerto Rico, including automobiles, to comply with the standards set by the EPA.

So, you might be wondering, “How can I make sure that my car passes the emissions test during an inspection?”
 

Getting your car inspected in Puerto Rico and emissions standards

Just as you would anywhere else, you will need to get your car inspected and your car will need to pass the emission standards in Puerto Rico.

There are a few common reasons that cars fail the emissions test in Puerto Rico:

• Spark plugs – If the spark plugs in your engine are old and worn out, they could cause you to fail the emissions test because they will lead to increased levels of emissions the older they get.
• The EVAP system – The evaporative emission control system prevents harmful vapors from coming off a car’s engine and going into the atmosphere. If this system is not functioning properly, your emissions could rise too far, and your car can fail the test.
• Air filter – Unsurprisingly, your car’s air filter is an important part of the emissions test. If it is too dirty, it will not filter the air that runs through the engine properly and this can increase the emissions given off by your car while it is running.
• Catalytic converter – This is likely the most important one on the list. The catalytic converter’s job is to take harmful emissions and convert them into something breathable that is not harmful. If this is not working properly, you will almost certainly fail the emissions test.

If at all possible, check all of these things before you bring your car in for an inspection. This way if something needs to be replaced or fixed, you can do so before-hand and avoid failing the emissions test the first time around.
 

Cars with low emissions to consider driving

If you want to avoid any hassles regarding your car’s emissions, most modern cars will do the trick as far as passing emissions testing. However, if you are particularly interested in lowering your emissions to a minimum in order to help the environment, you should keep the following cars in mind:

• Toyota Prius – The Prius has long been at the top of the emissions game. It is the best choice on the list for the environmentally conscious because it is a hybrid, which means that the carbon emissions from this car are at an absolute minimum.
• BMW i3 – The BMW i3 is high on the list because of its all-electric propulsion system. It also has a very small engine which helps to reduce emissions as well.
• Cadillac ELR – The Cadillac ELR is the best low-emission luxury car on the market. It’s emissions are low and its EV driving range is good at 39 miles.
• Chevrolet Volt – The Chevy Volt has a nice EV drive range at 50 miles, has 41 miles-per-gallon and has some of the lowest overall emissions per-mile on the list.

Final word

The car emissions rules in Puerto Rico are the same as they are in the United States as these standards are set by the environmental protection agency. In most cases, your car will easily pass an emissions test. However, if there are issues with your engine then you could possibly fail that inspection. Be sure you keep up with the engine maintenance of your vehicle because something as simple as an air filter can cause too much emissions from your vehicle’s engine.

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The types of wildlife crossing the road in Puerto Rico
Why you need to be cautious
Wrapping up
 

The types of wildlife crossing the road in Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, driving is already difficult because of aggressive and careless driving by many motorists. It can be further complicated by the fact that there are fairly frequent animal crossings in the countryside. This can cause a delay for traffic or, even worse, it could cause an accident.

You will see a variety of animals crossing the road in Puerto Rico. This includes cows, chickens, horses, dogs, pigs, sheep goats and more. Many of these animals will cross the road slowly in packs. However, some will run across the road, even at night. Hence, you will need to keep alert at all times and exercise caution when you are driving in the Puerto Rican countryside.

If you find yourself in a situation where an animal is just standing in the middle of the road, you can try beeping at it or slowly inching towards it so that it moves out of the way. We do not recommend trying to drive around it. The safest option is to wait or call the police so that they can take care of it.
 

Why you need to be cautious

You might think that hitting one of these animals will be inconsequential for your vehicle, yourself and other drivers. You would be wrong. If you run into one of the smaller types of these animals, you could still lose control of your vehicle and go off the road or into another car.

If you hit one of the larger animals such as a horse, your car could incur incredible amounts of damage, possibly to the point where it is totaled. These accidents can easily run you several thousand dollars in damages to your own car or someone else’s.
 

Wrapping up

Animals crossing the road in Puerto Rico pose a serious risk to anyone who drives there. It should not be a problem so long as you stay alert and drive carefully. Expect some occasional traffic delays due to these crossings. If you do happen to hit one of these animals, pull over and call the authorities. If you have to have your car moved to or from Puerto Rico, you can always call the auto transport experts at Puerto Rico Car Transport for a free quote by calling (904) 322-7644.

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The importance of regular oil changes
Tips for getting your oil changed
Conclusion
 

The importance of regular oil changes

Everyone knows that regular oil changes are a necessity. However, not many people really know why. They just chalk it up to something they need to get done once or twice every year. In reality, there are several very realistic reasons that your vehicle’s oil must be changed every few thousand miles that you drive.

Overall, getting your oil changed as often as you need to will increase the life of your engine and your car. However, we can break that down into smaller parts. Getting your oil changed will keep your engine parts lubricated which will decrease friction and corrosion. If this were not the case, these engine parts would break down much more quickly. Getting your oil changed also keeps the engine notably cooler and cleaner. This goes a long way to keeping the engine running at top efficiency for longer as well.

In Puerto Rico, the need for you changing your oil is higher because of two things: stop and go driving and periods of more extreme heat. Driving in Puerto Rico, especially in highly populated areas like the city of San Juan, will involve a lot of sudden stops. Puerto Rico also has quite warm weather during several points throughout the year. Both of these can stress your engine more than normal; thus, it will increase the need for you to get your oil changed.
 

Tips for getting your oil changed

Getting your vehicle’s oil changed will be one of the easiest things you can do to care for it beyond washing it or putting gas in it. The only actual work you will need to put in is brining it to a mechanic or place such as Jiffy Lube and waiting for them to take care of it for you. However, there are a few things that you should consider before you get your oil changed.

First of all, you should check your engine’s oil frequently and know when it is time to get an oil change. Normally, that is about every three thousand miles or so. However, in Puerto Rico it could be less than three thousand miles depending on the amount of stop and go driving you do and how consistently hot it is. Talk to your mechanic for specific guidance on this.

You also need to know what type of oil you need and/or want to get put into your vehicle. If you are having a professional change your oil, they will take care of this. Although, you will still have the option of whether or not to choose synthetic oil. Synthetic oil is higher grade oil that will protect your engine better than a standard oil. Generally, most people do not need it but with the hot weather in Puerto Rico, you should definitely consider it.
 

Conclusion

Getting your oil changed in Puerto Rico is not something that you will need to stress over. But, in Puerto Rico, you might have to do it slightly more often because of the potential for near-constant stop and go driving as well as the hot weather. Be sure you speak to your mechanic or auto care professional and find out how often you should get your specific vehicle’s oil changed.

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What you can do with a roof rack
Advice for driving safely with a roof rack
Final word
 

What you can do with a roof rack

Roof racks are quite useful when you run out of space in your truck or need to move something that will not quite fit in there. This is particularly true when you are on vacation and/or on your way to the beach. So, you can see why roof racks can make a big difference in Puerto Rico.

Most frequently, you will see people transporting things like surf boards and kayaks with roof racks in Puerto Rico. Although, you can also use a roof rack to move additional luggage so long as you know what you are doing and have a cargo box to put your luggage in.

You will need to make sure that you get the right kind of roof rack depending on what you are going to be hauling. There are different types of roof racks for hauling cargo boxes and larger items like bikes or surf boards. You also need to make sure that the rack will fit your roof. You can do so by clicking here. After that you can order a roof rack online.
 

Advice for driving safely with a roof rack

Driving safely with your roof rack in Puerto Rico will be as simple as being sure that you are not driving too fast and recklessly as well as being sure that your roof rack is secured properly. The latter part starts with making absolute certain that you install the rack properly.

Then, you must ensure that you pack the load properly so that it is not too far forward, back or to one side. It must be balanced with the lowest center of gravity possible. Otherwise, swaying can occur which can affect the driving performance of the vehicle. It also could allow the load to fall off. You obviously must also make sure that the load is tightly secured to your roof. Finally, make absolute sure that you do not exceed the roof rack’s weight limit.
 

Final word

A roof rack in Puerto Rico can make your vacation or trip to the beach much easier and more convent. You will just need to make sure that you get the right roof rack for your vehicle as well as for the type of stuff that you intend on hauling. You also must make sure that you balance the load correctly and tie it down securely. Finally, always drive with caution and at lower speeds when hauling something with your roof rack in Puerto Rico.

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What is the weather like in Puerto Rico?
What are driving conditions like in Puerto Rico?
How you can stay safe when you are driving in the rain in Puerto Rico
Conclusion
 

What is the weather like in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico has a tropical climate and the weather follows suit. So, this means often times the weather is very warm and beautiful. However, this also means that there is a considerable amount of rainfall too. Remember, Puerto Rico includes the only rainforest in North America, El Yunque. Hence, there is enough rain for an ecosystem like that to thrive.

On average, Puerto Rico receives over 60 inches of rain per year in most places. In many places it rains at least once per day at least half the days of the year. So, as nice as the weather can be, you also see some pretty frequent rain across the island.
 

What are driving conditions like in Puerto Rico?

Driving conditions in Puerto Rico are simply never too great. This is because traffic laws are only loosely enforced most of the time and many motorists tend to take advantage of that. You will see other drivers routinely driving through red lights and stop signs as well as stopping randomly in the middle of the street for seemingly no reason. You will also come across animals crossing the roads as well as aggressive pedestrians doing the same.
 

How you can stay safe when you are driving in the rain in Puerto Rico

So, between the frequent rain and pretty poor driving conditions, driving in Puerto Rico can become dangerous quickly. Use the following advice to stay safe when you are driving in the rain in Puerto Rico:

• Keep a safe distance – Always keep some extra space between you and the person in front of you. If you do this, it will allow you more time to brake and you will likely need to suddenly at some point during your drive.
• Try not to have to slam on the brakes – The effectiveness of slamming on your brakes is much lower in rainy conditions. That is because your tires will tend to slide a little bit. Keep a safe distance from other drivers and always pay attention to avoid having to brake too suddenly.
• Keep it slow and defensive rather than fast and aggressive – Do not drive over the speed limit in the rain. In fact, you may even want to drive slightly under the speed limit when it is raining. Do not do anything aggressive like cut someone off. In fact, if you see anyone else driving aggressively in the rain, stay as far away from them as possible.
• Be careful of big puddles – It is nearly impossible to gauge how much water is in a puddle as you drive. Often times, puddles are much larger than they initially seem. When your car drives through a puddle with a bunch of standing water in it, you risk hydroplaning which can lead to a very serious accident. If you can, avoid driving through larger puddles. If you must drive through a large puddle decrease the amount of speed before you arrive at the puddle.
• You can always wait it out – If it is really raining hard, or you are just uncomfortable driving in bad weather in general. You can always choose to wait out the storm. Puerto Rico has its fair share of beautiful weather too for you to drive.

Conclusion

When you are driving in Puerto Rico, conditions on the road are not great. This is primarily because of the general aggressiveness of other drivers. However, driving could be even further complicated by rain. If that is the case, then you should take your time driving and drive with a high level of caution and safety.

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Basic info about your car’s differential
How to get the most out of your differential
Final word
 

Basic info about your car’s differential

The differential in your car does several important jobs. It directs the power from the engine to the wheels, it allows different wheels to rotate at different speeds and it slows the rotational speed of the transmission before it gets to the wheels as a safety measure.

A differential is necessary to the safe performance of your vehicle because of the simple fact it lets your wheels operate at different speeds. This is extremely important from a physics perspective when it comes to optimum driving performance.

Consider that when you are turning, the wheel that is on the outside of the turn is traveling a slightly longer distance. This means the car will perform better and at a higher level of safety when the outside and inside wheels of a turn can move at different speeds. If you did not have a differential on your car, turning would be more difficult and less accurate as a result.
 

How to get the most out of your differential

Like any other component of your car, you need to care for your differential in order to get the very most out of it. First and foremost, this means not overstressing it. Avoiding this is as simple as not taking turns too suddenly and not at high speeds which is something you should already be doing for safety’s sake.

You should also be vigilant about getting your differential oil changed the same way you would with your engine oil. The oil lubricates the parts of the differential and without it, too much friction will cause this component to fail. This is a more complex task than changing out your engine oil. So, we do not recommend doing it yourself. It will be quite easy for your mechanic to accomplish this.

Fortunately, you will not need to do this until it has been twenty-five thousand miles since your last differential oil change. For the vast majority of people, this will be at least five years. Just so you do not forget, make sure your mechanic keeps track of it and/or checks this annually.
 

Final word

Many people do not know about the existence of their differential either because they have never heard of it or because they choose to ignore it. That is typically fine because the differential acts as an unsung hero in this way, making turns smooth, easy and safe. You just need to be sure and aware that you need to take turns gradually and slowly. You also must get your differential oil changed every five to ten years depending on the mileage that you put on your vehicle.