World’s most expensive car wash: £7,200
7:30AM BST twenty Jul 2010
Gurcharn Sahota, 30, takes up to two hundred fifty hours to clean each vehicle with an array of one hundred cleaning fluids and paraffin wax that costs £8,200 per bathtub.
His premier wash includes grinding and buffing every inch of the car inwards and out five times.
He even uses a computerised microscope – normally used by forensic scientists – to examine the bodywork for the minutest scrape not even visible to the naked eye.
Mr Sahota, who drives a clapped-out VW Golf himself, embarked the business five years ago by washing his neighbour’s cars with a bucket and sponge.
But he has since cleaned hundreds of supercars and now boasts a string of celebrity clients.
He said: ”When I was junior I washed neighbours’ cars and my dad’s car whenever I could.
”They never paid me, I loved it so much I did it for free.
”Things have built up from there and now I’m cleaning some of the fastest, most powerful sports cars in the world.
”People come to me and they want the best treatment going for their car.
”If you’ve got a £500,000 car then a few grand for cleaning is worth it.
”Sometimes I’ll work through the night to get a car looking absolutely pristine.
”They’re world class motors that deserve a world class wash.”
Mr Sahota, who lives with his parents in Derbyshire, has converted their dual garage into a hi-tech workshop.
He built a Formula 1-style pit for scrubbing the underneath of cars and layered the entire workshop floor and walls with specialist tiles imported from Italy which help reflect flecks of filth on the cars.
He starts every clean in the same way – washing it with a lambwool gauntlet and soapy water.
He said: ”I treat every car like an individual project, I want them to leave my workshop looking better than they have ever done.
”I have my processes which I go through and I am meticulous about each one.
”If you’re paying £150,000 for a car then you’re going to want it to be flawless.
”The very first time I cleaned a Ferrari Enzo it took a week and when I attempted to sleep all I could see was Ferrari crimson.
”The car has to be free from all contaminants like dust and filth before you embark otherwise it’s going to get scraped.
”I just want perfection. Ending is the best part because you know what it was like when you commenced. That gives me excellent satisfaction.”
After spending hundreds of hours cleaning by palm he uses a £5,000 computerised microscope which examines the car for blotches and scrapes.
A buffer is linked to a very sensitive paint gauge which scans the car to prevent patching on the bodywork.
Eventually, he uses a specialist clay which he massages over the bodywork to liquidate any imperfections.
Mr Sahota, who works alone, began cleaning cars while he studied for a degree in accountancy at Birmingham University.
After graduating he begged a local Aston Martin dealer to let him clean a DB9 for free.
The dealer, who reluctantly agreed, was so struck with the results he passed on his details to clients and began using him on a regular basis.
He then established his own stiff – Elite Detailing – and has opened a 2nd workshop in Worcester.
He said: ”The work just embarked flying in. My reputation was excellent and word just spread.”
His parents Gurbinder, 55, and Amarjit, 53, were so amazed with their son’s work they converted their dual garage into a hi-tech workshop for his business.
Since then he has washed hundreds of supercars including Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Porsches.
His proudest moment cleaning the world’s most expensive car – the McLaren F1 GTR worth up to £3 million.
He said: ”The McLaren F1 GTR is without doubt my favourite car. It is so special you hardly see any of them on the roads.
”They are a very attractive car and every inch of them is ideal – they are a work of art.”
He does not disclose the identities of his celebrity clients identities but one of his customers is the lawyer Nick Freeman – known as Mr Loophole – who regularly sends his Aston Martin DBS Volante to him for a clean.
His other customers include Premiership footballers, rock starlets, actors and stockbrokers.
Mr Sahota’s car washing tips:
1. Use warm soapy water.
Two. Add warm water mixed with a PH neutral shampoo in one and plain water in the other.
Three. Use a lamb’s wool wash mitt which only costs £8 and is better than a sponge.
Four. Always wash from the top down.
Five. Use different cloths on the bodywork and wheels.
6. Avoid acidic and high-alkaline wheel cleaners and any silicone-based products because they stain.
7. Use a towel instead of a chamois leather to dry the car.
8. Always check the cleaning materials regularly to make sure there’s no mess in them.
9. Always dry the bodywork in petite circles to prevent streaking.
Ten. Take your time and love washing the car.
World s most expensive car wash: £7, two hundred
World’s most expensive car wash: £7,200
7:30AM BST twenty Jul 2010
Gurcharn Sahota, 30, takes up to two hundred fifty hours to clean each vehicle with an array of one hundred cleaning fluids and paraffin wax that costs £8,200 per bath.
His premier wash includes grinding and buffing every inch of the car inwards and out five times.
He even uses a computerised microscope – normally used by forensic scientists – to examine the bodywork for the minutest scrape not even visible to the naked eye.
Mr Sahota, who drives a clapped-out VW Golf himself, began the business five years ago by washing his neighbour’s cars with a bucket and sponge.
But he has since cleaned hundreds of supercars and now boasts a string of celebrity clients.
He said: ”When I was junior I washed neighbours’ cars and my dad’s car whenever I could.
”They never paid me, I loved it so much I did it for free.
”Things have built up from there and now I’m cleaning some of the fastest, most powerful sports cars in the world.
”People come to me and they want the best treatment going for their car.
”If you’ve got a £500,000 car then a few grand for cleaning is worth it.
”Sometimes I’ll work through the night to get a car looking absolutely pristine.
”They’re world class motors that deserve a world class wash.”
Mr Sahota, who lives with his parents in Derbyshire, has converted their dual garage into a hi-tech workshop.
He built a Formula 1-style pit for scrubbing the underneath of cars and layered the entire workshop floor and walls with specialist tiles imported from Italy which help reflect flecks of mud on the cars.
He embarks every clean in the same way – washing it with a lambwool gauntlet and soapy water.
He said: ”I treat every car like an individual project, I want them to leave my workshop looking better than they have ever done.
”I have my processes which I go through and I am meticulous about each one.
”If you’re paying £150,000 for a car then you’re going to want it to be ideal.
”The very first time I cleaned a Ferrari Enzo it took a week and when I attempted to sleep all I could see was Ferrari crimson.
”The car has to be free from all contaminants like dust and mud before you commence otherwise it’s going to get scraped.
”I just want perfection. Ending is the best part because you know what it was like when you began. That gives me superb satisfaction.”
After spending hundreds of hours cleaning by palm he uses a £5,000 computerised microscope which examines the car for blotches and scrapes.
A buffer is linked to a very sensitive paint gauge which scans the car to prevent patching on the bodywork.
Eventually, he uses a specialist clay which he caresses over the bodywork to eliminate any imperfections.
Mr Sahota, who works alone, embarked cleaning cars while he studied for a degree in accountancy at Birmingham University.
After graduating he begged a local Aston Martin dealer to let him clean a DB9 for free.
The dealer, who reluctantly agreed, was so struck with the results he passed on his details to clients and began using him on a regular basis.
He then established his own rock hard – Elite Detailing – and has opened a 2nd workshop in Worcester.
He said: ”The work just embarked flying in. My reputation was good and word just spread.”
His parents Gurbinder, 55, and Amarjit, 53, were so affected with their son’s work they converted their dual garage into a hi-tech workshop for his business.
Since then he has washed hundreds of supercars including Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Porsches.
His proudest moment cleaning the world’s most expensive car – the McLaren F1 GTR worth up to £3 million.
He said: ”The McLaren F1 GTR is without doubt my favourite car. It is so sensational you hardly see any of them on the roads.
”They are a very attractive car and every inch of them is ideal – they are a work of art.”
He does not disclose the identities of his celebrity clients identities but one of his customers is the lawyer Nick Freeman – known as Mr Loophole – who regularly sends his Aston Martin DBS Volante to him for a clean.
His other customers include Premiership footballers, rock starlets, actors and stockbrokers.
Mr Sahota’s car washing tips:
1. Use warm soapy water.
Two. Add warm water mixed with a PH neutral shampoo in one and plain water in the other.
Three. Use a lamb’s wool wash mitt which only costs £8 and is better than a sponge.
Four. Always wash from the top down.
Five. Use different cloths on the bodywork and wheels.
6. Avoid acidic and high-alkaline wheel cleaners and any silicone-based products because they stain.
7. Use a towel instead of a chamois leather to dry the car.
8. Always check the cleaning materials regularly to make sure there’s no mess in them.
9. Always dry the bodywork in puny circles to prevent streaking.
Ten. Take your time and love washing the car.