SUPERCAR owners could have kept their flash motor in tip top condition by giving it the “ultimate shine” with the “world’s most luxurious” car wash.
It may have kept their pride and joy in excellent shape but it came with a seriously hefty price tag – £100,000.
Lesley MartinPaul Wilkins’ company offered the ultimate car cleaning service[/caption]
For that money you could buy a new Audi A8 or Mercedes-Benz S Class and still get some change.
The top of the range valet service, thought to have been the most expensive in the world, was offered by The Ultimate Shine, a Kirkcaldy-based company that did more than just clean your car with a pressure hose, a soapy sponge and a bit of polish.
Instead, the company, which was owned by Paul Wilkins, used a secret ingredient which was gathered from trees in a secret location in Brazil.
By charging the six-figure sum, the clients were the rich and famous who owned rare and valuable cars.
While the identity of his customers remained a secret he did reveal he was asked to give a rare Porsche 993 GT2 worth around £750,000 the luxury treatment.
I’m usually dealing with serious car collectors who have temperature-controlled showrooms
Paul Wilkins
Paul told The Scotsman: “Well, for that price I will fly out to any location in the world.
“I’m usually dealing with serious car collectors who have temperature-controlled showrooms.
“We’re not talking about cars which are parked up on the side of the road so I travel to wherever they are kept.”
The whole process, which can take several months, started by Paul de-contaminating the body of the car and the wheels.
Next, every bit of the bodywork is give a machine polish to remove any defects, a process that can take up to a month.
Paul said “I might need to go over it hundreds of times to make sure it is 100 per cent clear of any marks.”
Once that was done, the bodywork was given a going over with a special alcoholic cleaning agent to remove any oily marks which may have been left.
Then came the waxing.
SPECIAL WAX
Paul said a “top-secret blend of oils” in a special wax, called Carnauba, which cost £65,000, was used.
Carnauba wax, which is also known as Brazil or palm wax, comes from the leaves of a palm tree which is only found in the north-eastern states of Brazil.
Paul said: “We can make up different blends according to what the client wants.
“We offer a wax for every season which will protect the car in any element.
“We can even produce scented waxes.
“Each job is so different but what I say is that, for the £100,000 price, I will work on the car for as long as it takes.
“I’m a perfectionist so sometimes it’s taken me a few months before I’m happy to hand the keys back.”
THREE ORDERS A YEAR
Paul estimated that he got about three orders a year at the £100,000 price level although did say he also offered a cleaning service for the much cheaper price of £300.
It appears, however, that The Ultimate Shine is no longer trading.
Once you’ve had your luxury motor cleaned inside and out you could always store it in a posh garage in London.
Luxury car storage specialists Windrush run a garage next to London’s Hyde Park which has been dubbed the “Batcave”.
If you thought a £100k car wash was pricey, Barbie’s number plate is coming up for auction – but it comes with a £1million price tag.
Meanwhile, star chef Gordon Ramsay has been spotted out and about in a ‘first of its kind’ supercar worth over £1million.