(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.