Have you ever wondered why the cars at motor shows look so spick and span? And why, once your car has left the showroom, does it never look quite so smart ever again no matter how much washing and polishing you do?
Well, I'll tell you why - professional valeting. And there is one company in particular which excels in the art of making cars shine.
Autokleen started life in Belfast 25 years ago. Founder Brian Thomas and four employees set about cleaning new and used cars for dealerships throughout Northern Ireland. Now the business he started from nothing has grown into a £4 million sterling company with an office in England and a workforce spread across Europe.
Brian retired in December last year and handed over the mops, sponges and polish to his four sons - Paul, David, Michael and Colin. The Belfast operation is managed by Clifford Skerrit who has a staff of 50 to service all the province's dealerships and is considering expanding to Dublin.
Over in Birmingham, managing director Michael looks after the shows and exhibitions side of the business. From here all the brothers handle the rapidly developing and expanding part of the business - motor shows and car launches.
"We first started doing shows by accident," explained Michael. "One of the companies my father was working for was asked by Renault if they could recommend anyone to look after the cars at the Ulster Motor Show." Autokleen stepped into the breach and did such a good job that they were spotted by Vauxhall/Opel, which was to be the beginning of a long and continuing relationship.
"Now we look after most of the major car manufacturers, including Ford, GM and Daimler Chrysler at motor shows from Birmingham to Tokyo. My first foreign show was Geneva, and it was just me and four other guys, but now for the Frankfurt Show in September we will have a crew of 80."
Autokleen selects its staff from Britain and Ireland as well as France, Spain and Portugal, and has a workforce of 250 to call on for launches and exhibitions. All undergo an intensive four-day course on car preparation and extra driving instruction to ensure the precious metal is placed safely in the allocated position on a manufacturer's show stand.
There are also Autokleen teams working in the Jaguar plant and on the prestigious Mercedes Maybach factory in Sindelfingen near Stuttgart. "Shows have a snowball effect for us - one manufacturer sees your work on another's stand, likes it, and decides to use you."
But getting all the staff to the show on time has the potential to be a logistical nightmare. However, it's one that project managers, David and Colin, are adept at handling. "We plan shows at least two months in advance, and car launches two to three months ahead. For big shows we book hotel rooms a year ahead. We book the crews, arrange their transport from their front door to the show and provide corporate clothing, equipment and materials."
A 40-foot truck will be setting off for Frankfurt, packed with 40 Hoovers, hundreds of litres of polish and special micro fibre cloths from the Far East. "Our equipment list is three pages long, and ranges from screwdrivers to cotton buds - for those important little details - and glue to special car covers," adds Michael.
Once at the show they ensure that the car is in the correct position, aerials are super-glued to prevent them being nicked, petrol caps are sealed and even the underside is looking good by spraying it with black paint.
And throughout the show the car must always look its best, which means hours of polishing and buffing under the glare of the hot spotlights. Car launches, for both dealers and press, place other demands on the crews. They can last anything from six weeks to three months, and involve up to 250 cars at a time.
As the vehicles are driven during the day, work starts for the Autokleen guys and gals at around six in the evening and can last into the wee small hours - and they still have to be up bright and early to see the drivers off the following morning.
The Ford C-Max launch in Austria was typical of a press launch. It lasted over two months, involved a crew of 22 who depended on generators, lighting systems, car washers, marquees and even catering equipment: all transported to the hotel base in a seven-and-a-half-ton truck.
Talking to Michael it's obvious he has a passion for his job, but he wasn't always a member of the family firm. He started out as a graphic designer in the print industry - a skill he still puts to good use by having an input into the company's logo design and brochures.
Paul is the only brother still living in Belfast, but he commutes regularly to Birmingham. Until six years ago he was a full-time disc jockey hosting the Breakfast Show for Cool FM which he still works for occasionally.
So how can we get our cars to sparkle like show stoppers? "You've got to use the right products - don't use washing up liquid as that strips the lacquer off the car," advises Michael.
And he stresses the importance of making sure the vehicle is absolutely clean before polishing. "You're better off washing the car by hand, but don't wash it in direct sunlight as it'll dry too quickly before you've got the dirt off. And don't polish in sunlight either as the heat will melt the wax.
"Use a good shampoo and conditioner and a good polish. Use only properly recognised brands. If you've spent £30,000 on a car it's best to know what you're putting on it."