Winter weather is just around the corner, and with it come salty, sandy roads, foggy driving conditions and limited visibility for your vehicle.

Dan Bailey, president of CARSTAR Collision Centers, recommends a few simple tips to give your vehicle the equivalent of winter parka and ski goggles to protect it all winter long.

For the car's exterior, the key is to get all of the exterior finishes cleaned and prepared for a protective winter coat, then keep damaging salt and sand off of the car's finish throughout the winter.  The top 10 tips include:

1.            Give it a good bath with car wash soap to remove summer dirt and grime without removing wax protection

2.            Remove the tar and debris from summer road work with adhesive remover. Just rub it on with a microfiber cloth, let sit for a few minutes to loosen dirt, old wax and tar, then wipe off

3.            Restore plastic headlight lens to like-new clarity in time for winter snow and fog with a quick trip to your local CARSTAR Collision Center to remove the yellowing and hazing that reduces headlight performance and visibility

4.            Clean the wheels and tires to remove brake dust and highway grime then restore tires to brand new finish with a tire restorer.

5.            Remove surface scratches with a cleaner wax.  This easy to apply wax eliminates surface scratches and restores the shine to the paint finish in one easy step. 

6.            Deeper scratches and dents should be repaired at your local CARSTAR Collision Center before rust sets in.

7.            Give the car a good protective coat of synthetic wax, which chemically bonds with clear coat finishes and keeps the car's finish looking good all winter.

8.            Get the glass clean inside and out for improved visibility.

9.            Protect the upholstery with a leather and vinyl restorer, which revives the natural sheen and soft feel of the factory finish. Get the glass clean inside and out for improved visibility.

10.            Clean the car's carpet with a high-quality carpet cleaner and protect from winter salt and dirt with a protective spray.

"Once you've cleaned and protected your car, all you need to do is wash it at least once a month to remove damaging salt and sand," says Bailey.  "When spring comes, you'll be ready to ride with a great-looking car.

CARSTAR is the largest group of branded collision repair centers in North America with over 400 locally owned and operated locations in 27 states and 10 Canadian provinces. CARSTAR is committed to providing consistent quality services to our customers and insurance partners and has repaired more than 2.5 million cars since it was founded in 1989. Our technicians and front office staff receive ongoing training to ensure they are qualified to work on any vehicle. Customer satisfaction is our number one priority as we consistently lead the industry in customer satisfaction ratings.

 CARSTAR not only has the highest customer satisfaction rating in the industry, but it is also involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America ("Make-A-Wish"). Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. CARSTAR is involved with many charitable events at the local level to help raise money for Make-A-Wish as well as having recreated a 1967 Super Snake Ford Mustang, the CARSTAR SuperStang. The SuperStang is touring the United States on the SuperStang Muscle Tour to help support the Make-A-Wish cause.