Used Cars for Sale in Anchorage, AK

In the summer the roads are ideal, they are maintained well by the state and there really isn't much that a driver would need to worry about. The biggest tip comes once winter hits. Winter up here is brutal, and it hangs around from roughly the end of October to the beginning of May. There is always ice and snow on the roads, and drivers should definitely be prepared to drive on it because the road crews cannot possibly keep up with all the maintenance on every street! The number one tip I would give to drivers in the city is to slow down! It doesn't matter how good of a driver you are in ideal weather, or whether you have studded tires or even a four wheel drive, ice is something that you just don't mess with. Put plenty of space between you and the vehicles around you, and start slowing down well before you reach an intersection, because if you try to stop and hit a slick spot you may slide right out in the middle of it. I have seen way too many cars in horrible accidents up here because they tried to go to fast or stop too soon. Give yourself time so that you can get where you need to be in a safe manner.

Car dealerships are not centrally located in one strip like they are in most cities. There are a few when first entering the city on the Glenn highway, and a couple along the New Seward when you get further into the city. Beware of the local lots around here-since this is a military town there are a lot of used car dealers that are looking to turn a buck by selling cars to soldiers at inflated prices. I would also beware of used cars in general, especially if they are not dealership certified, because in order for them to arrive in Alaska they have to have been brought up here. If the previous owner drove it up here on the Alcan, it could have some serious issues. The roads through Canada and the Yukon as well as the northern part of Alaska can be really rough on a car, so it may need an alignment or strut work, it could have CV joint problems...a lot could be wrong with it. Stick with dealerships, which during October and November can have some great deals because residents up here get what is called PFD, a pretty decent check, just for living here. Dealerships love to make deals during that time of year because people have the income.

My favorite memory of driving in Anchorage was probably the first time I set out to "explore" the city on my own. It was the summer we moved here and I left the house to figure out where everything was in relation to my house. The downtown area is really nice, there are many tall buildings with murals, and everything is close together. The traffic lines are all synced in a way that as long as you are travelling the speed limit you can cut across from C street to Minnesota Avenue without ever hitting a red light. The lanes are wide, so even though there is always a lot of traffic you never feel crowded, and there are so many interesting things to look at in the city that even when you are stopped at a red light it doesn't feel like an inconvenience. It was also nice to be able to people watch during this time, because the city is always full of pedestrian traffic, especially in the downtown area. I enjoyed getting to know our new city while I was out, and I felt like it was a place I would really enjoy living in while my husband was stationed up here for work.

New Seward Highway. New Seward connects the entire city. You can drive anywhere from this road, and anything a person could need is located off it. It is a multiple lane road with wide lanes and not as many stoplights as downtown or some of the other more travelled roads in the city. The speed limit is also higher than most of the roads in town, with some sections getting up to 65mph. This is particularly nice when you need to get to the Southside of the city, since it can be quite a commute depending on where you are going. You can also get some spectacular views of the mountains from this road, and if you follow it all the way down it turns into a scenic route that will lead you along the Cook Inlet where you can see all kinds of neat stuff. The bore tide comes in there and during certain times of the year you can catch some great views of wildlife including beluga whales and harbor seals. This road makes getting around the city easy, and is convenient to use when you need to get from point A to point B without having to go through the hassle of using side streets. I especially like using it when taking my children to the doctor and to their after school activities.

Pay attention and drive slow! The roads can get very icy in the winter and there are dozens and dozens of intersections. People think that once you get out of the city they can speed up, but that's where the mostly deadly accidents occur (on the stretch from Anchorage to Girdwood). Besides, there is just so much culture to observe. You may as well just take your time and enjoy the drive.

Definitely get something with all-wheel drive. A lot of the roads are salted in the winter, but when they aren't, that AWD comes in handy. You don't need an SUV or a truck, but it definitely helps when you want to get out of town and enjoy all the outdoor activities that Alaska has to offer. Most Alaskans have a lot of gear and equipment and need something to squeeze it all into! Also, while it may cost more, get a vehicle with Bluetooth. You will want to keep both hands on the wheel when the roads get really icy!

My favorite memory was on "ride your bike to work" day. I still drove because I had a lot of errands to run, but it was so neat to see how the word had spread about this day. Bike repair stations were set up around the city to help people out if they broke down. My favorite site was a man on a unicycle just pedaling away on his way home from work. It just made me realize how unique of a place Anchorage is and how freeing it would be to just take a break from driving one day.

Steese Hwy. I like it because it has the highest speed limit. It's my go-to road when I need to get across town in a hurry. It's also great because once you get out of the city, the Steese turns into the only road and you can either head north to the Alaskan interior (where the road turns into the Parks Hwy) and view the amazing mountain ranges or head south and cruise the coast along the Turnagin Arm. The scenery is absolutely surreal. It's amazing how, on the same road, one can be transported from civilization to America's most raw and beautiful landscape.