Pamper your body & your car - NST

By Naveen Mathew Menon

So there I was at the car wash, wondering if I was at the right place. An autospa, they call it. Pamper your body - and your car's, too.

On one side, a lounge with ice-cold air-conditioning, a mini-theatre with movies and satellite television. Ice-cream and soft drinks. Full-body massage. Foot reflexology.

On the other side, a covered work area with a sparkling red two-seater Ferrari, the kind seen in big-budget Hollywood films. Next to it, several Porsches, Volvos, many BMWs and a Mercedes-Benz or two. And beside them, my trusty little Perodua Kelisa caked in grime and dust.

Carnauba Autospa in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, is to a car-wash as a spa is to a shower: it does auto detailing or in other words enhances the appearance of your car by pampering it the way a spa does to your body.

S.Matavan, the centre's IT and Marketing Manager, said: "The autospa system involves a three-step process of washing, cleaning and feeding the vehicle."

What makes it different from a normal car wash and wax? For a start, only filtered and ionised water is used. A two-bucket washing system and the use of a silicate based sponge and quality chamois prevent scratches on the paint. Trained workers here do not use a circular motion to wash the car and they work from the top to the bottom of the car to ensure that every spot is thoroughly clean.

"We only use high-quality washing products, with first-grade carnauba wax from a rare Brazilian tree and other vegetable based oils. They are organic, environmentally -friendly and free of petrochemical solvents, and safe for all painted surfaces." said Matavan.

"We make sure that every corner and groove is done with specialised tools for hard-to-reach places," he said.

The centre offers three main packages: wash and vacuum (RM15); three-step polishing and waxing; and full detailing.

The three-step polishing first removes swirls and light oxidation, then light scratches and finally acid rain deposits, scratches and heavy oxidation. This package which includes washing, vacuuming and waxing, starts at RM225.

The full detailing service (RM375 upwards) includes wash & vacuum, three-step polishing, waxing, engine cleaning, glass polishing and shining, care of the tyres and rims and cleaning of the interior of the car.

"If there are stubborn surface contaminants like bird droppings and acid rain marks, a clay is used for paint work repairs. Before waxing, a high density cleanser removes dead and oxidised paint and tar," Matavan added.

The interior of the car and the upholstery is also cleaned and protected using special quality products. After full detailing which takes roughly three hours, your car will have a nice sheen and will look like you've just driven it out of the showroom!

It doesn't matter if you drive a Kancil or a Jaguar, every car is given equal attention.

The company uses a service management system that closely monitors each car from the time it comes in.

"With the SMS, we check the car, tell the customers about the problems with the paintwork, what can be done to rectify them and allocate the right amount of time that workers need to spend on each vehicle," he said.

While waiting for their cars to be washed, owners can relax in the lounge over a cup of coffee or tea and read a magazine or newspaper.

Regular customers and those opting for the full detailing packages can unwind at Carnauba's mini-theatre watching Astro channels, films or their own DVDs. There's an audio room for those who prefer music.

Complimentary ice-creams and soft drinks are available - and a professional masseuse who can give full body massages or carry out foot reflexology. (For other customers, the massage is available for RM40.)

Carnauba Autospa is located at 34, Jln Pemberita U1/49, Seksyen U1, Temasya Industrial Park, Glenmarie, Shah Alam.

Call 03-5569 9888 or visit www.autospa.com.my.