T.O.P - Get your car detailed to perfection

I get asked every once in awhile, "How do you manage to keep your car looking so clean and fresh all the damn time? Do you even drive it?" I wish I could say that its spotless interior and silky smooth paintwork is the culmination of my own blood, sweat and tears but as particular about its cleanliness as I am, I rarely have the time to give it a proper scrub.

Instead, I've found the right guy to handle that for me and since I've had my previous car, he's been the only one I trust to do a thorough job.

At just 27-years of age, detailing specialist Benny Teng of T.O.P has mastered the art of shine, and should be the go-to person for your car's next weekly wash or yearly detailing.

Surprisingly, the pursuit of perfection and attention to detail, however, wasn't always something Benny intended as career.

The detail bug

After finishing his National Service in 2010, the then 20-year old didn't even have an interest in the car detailing business but was encouraged by his uncle who owns a local auto accessories, supplies and detailing company, to lend a hand in the family business.

It was then that young Benny first tried his hand at car detailing, picked up the necessary skills very quickly and fell in love with the fruits of his labour.

He worked out of a carpark detailing shop at The Chevrons, which was also the contracted detailing firm for local Ferrari retailer Ital Auto. In 2013, he was posted to work in-house at Ital Auto's space in Leng Kee, where he really refined his art.

While it seems like the dream gig of any car detailer to work on some of the world's finest supercars, the pressure was on for Benny to prove his worth, while at the same time, not screwing up any jobs assigned to him.

Some of the cars he worked on include the Ferrari F430, the Ferrari 458 Speciale and even a Ferrari LaFerrari.

But as fun as it was shining million-dollar Ferraris to perfection, the novelty soon worth off and Benny wanted to do more.
In 2016, alongside his father's friend, he began a partnership at Autobacs Ubi. It was there that many car owners really began taking notice of his dedicated work. Unfortunately, after a one-year stint, the company wasn't heading in the direction he originally envisioned it to and that signalled Benny's calling.

Eventually, after a sabbatical and at 27 years of age, Benny decided to take the bull by the horns and amassed his savings, pumping it into his very own car detailing parlour.

T.O.P-notch or nothing at all

It was a massive leap of faith, having this time to focus on both his craft as well as the intricate process of growing a business.

Firmly believing that things get done best when they're done personally, Benny's new operation, T.O.P, otherwise known as To Our Perfection, is a one-man affair. Unlike larger-scale, more commercialised car grooming businesses that have grooming packages set in stone, Benny is flexible with his services.

To him, every car is different and requires different levels of restoration. As such, the result of what you get from sending your car to T.O.P is one that's very personalised and of a very high level of attention to detail. Things like the barrel of the car's rims to the door sills, which are often overlooked by many, are given extra care. Watching Benny doing his thing is akin to watching a Michelin star sushi chef delicately slicing a puffer fish.

Benny is upfront that his prices aren't the cheapest in the market, but he confidently reassures that every dollar spent guarantees sublime results. To date, Benny's base of recurring customers as well as new ones is growing rapidly; a testament to the quality of work he produces and the excellent aftersales support he provides.

At the same time, Benny is also a strong supporter of local products and he only uses stuff that's up to his highest standards. He thinks of T.O.P as a tailor-made detailing service by a Singaporean car aficionado, for Singaporeans.

If you, like me, like giving your car the tender loving car it deserves or just want to give it a more detailed monthly wax and shine, head on over to the T.O.P Facebook Page to find out more. The company is located at 10 Kaki Bukit Rd 2 #01-30 and Benny is contactable via mobile at 9325 1127.

However, as he doesn't like rushing any jobs, preferring instead to do them very thoroughly, it's best to make an appointment before heading down.