SINGAPORE : Some Singaporeans have given new meaning to spring
cleaning this Lunar New Year.
Instead of just making sure their homes are spick and span, their
cars too are given a thorough makeover.
Car washing, polishing and servicing - you name it, they will do
it.
Proud car-owners, like Darem Lim, will stop at nothing to ensure
their cars are squeaky clean to usher in the Lunar New Year.
Darem said, "I get it done earlier because I know that there will
be like a queue of people wanting them to do this and polish up
their car. I'm free and I ask them to do it."
Tay Yeow Kee, who has a hectic work schedule, also prefers to leave
the job to the professionals.
He said, "I heard their polishing is quite good, (they) take care
of the fine scratches and everything and also they do a good vacuum
job....Because I'm quite lazy to clean inside so it's a good chance
for me to make use of their services and do a very nice overhaul
for the car."
Both car owners, who live in Pasir Ris, have signed up for car
grooming services from a group of boys who set up shop at HDB
carparks in the area recently.
With certified HDB approved permits and licences, Autowerkz took
over car grooming services previously run illegally by foreign
workers.
Muhd Saufi Bin Nasban, Director, AutoWerkz @ Car Services, said,
"At first, we start(ed) this business with only 3 to 4 cars but now
we nearly have 30 cars. We came out with this idea by giving out
pamphlets.
"A lot of customers call us for car polishing. So there's a lot of
increase in demand. So they ask us to do polishing, interior, so I
guess they really want their cars to be perfect for Chinese New
Year."
And to deliver perfect-looking cars in time for the Lunar New Year,
the boys beefed up their team by using part-timers.
So they polish during the day, and wash at night - covering up to
four carparks each day for their regular clients.
The boys can wash up to 30 cars in one night.
Splitting themselves in groups of three, they can finish washing a
car in just 10 minutes.
But that is just a start.
A thorough overhaul of a car can take hours, so they sometimes end
up working till past 3am.
These enterprising boys, who are still in school, said they traded
their books for buckets and brushes on week nights and during
weekends to earn some extra pocket money.
Muhd Saufi said, "Saturdays and Sundays....really need a lot of
rest...School is very important, work is just part-time....Managing
the time, it was quite difficult in the beginning, but slowly and
slowly, we can cope with it."
The boys will be doubling their efforts to scrub some 20 more cars
just for the Lunar New Year. - CNA