- Fall
into a Great Routine for Car Maintenance
 (ARA) - Fall is already here and in a short time,
winter will be upon us. As you gear up for the colder temperatures,
now is a good time to take preventive measures to care for your
vehicle.
Maintain
Your Car's Value and Appearance
According to
the International Car Wash Association (ICA), regular professional
washing and waxing will help maintain your car's appearance as
well as its value.
"Most
car owners understand the value of changing motor oil regularly
to protect the engine," explains Mark Thorsby, executive
director of ICA. "But if they forget and instead choose
to replace the engine, the car could still be as good as new.
However, a car with oxidized paint and a rusted-out body can
never be economically restored. The best prevention is regular
washing and waxing at a professional car wash."
With more than
22,000 professional car washes around the world offering a wide
range of services to protect a car's finish from detoriating
rusting, there's no excuse not to keep your vehicle in great
shape. Car washes offer basic to extensive operations to suit
all your car care needs.
For starters,
try an exterior tunnel wash to automatically provide protective
waxes and undercarriage treatment. Also, consider detailing or
custom polishing for more extensive protection. By applying and
buffing a premium polish, you can restore the shine of your car.
On the detail side, you can vacuum everything from the rugs in
the trunk to the air conditioner vents.
A Quick Fix: If you are running short on time but
need your car professionally cleaned, try a self-service car
wash that provides a variety of effective, self-cleaning services
to choose from. For
best results, follow the step-by-step instructions posted in
the self-serve bay that call for starting with a pre-soak to
loosen road grime. Next comes the high-pressure soap wash. For
gentle scrubbing, use the foaming brush next, followed by the
fresh water rinse. Also, remember to take advantage of special
tire and wheel cleaners. For maximum protection and shine, the
wax application is a must. Finally, many self-serve washes offer
a spot-free rinse. All the solutions are specially formulated
to clean tough road dirt and protect you car's shine.
Protect Your
Car from Winter's Hazards
To get a jumpstart
on protecting your car from winter's effects, remember that the
most damaging thing you can do to your car during this time is
nothing! Don't worry about your car freezing -- washing salt,
slush and mud off your car in cold weather is vital.
The best thing
you can do this winter is to wash your vehicle frequently at
a professional car wash, even every few days if the temperature
rises and falls from freezing and you've been driving on salted
roads. Washing also should include an undercarriage rinse (available
at most professional car washes) to remove salt from hard-to-reach
areas that are likely to rust, such as the bumpers and in the
wheel wells.
Now is the
time to get your car in gear for the winter season with the preventive
maintenance measure of having your car professionally washed
-- you and your wallet will be glad you did.
_______________________________________
To find the
location of a car wash near you visit www.carwashes.com.
- Courtesy of
ARA Content
- _______________________________________
|
WHAT'S NEW?