The Winchester resident bringing cars back to showroom condition
Michael Laskowski of Könings Detailing
While working for Mclaren and Rolls Royce, Michael Laskowski was responsible for keeping the most prestigious cars in perfect condition. Now he offers Winchester car fanatics the same premium service and adds value to their prized vehicles in the process.
This article appeared originally in the February / March issue of Winchester Resident Magazine. Resident Magazine is a bi-monthly publication showcasing the outstanding individuals, businesses, events and stories in the City of Winchester. The magazine is delivered by Royal Mail to the three most affluent post code sectors of Winchester.
Cars have always been of interest to Michael Laskowski, who began working in the automotive industry more than 15 years ago.
Now based at Kings Worthy, he returns vehicles to showroom condition through car detailing, leather restoration and paint correction services, achieving some truly amazing results.
This before/after picture shows the incredible work carried out by Könings Detailing
Michael started his career working as a technician and later as a team leader for Jaguar Land Rover. A senior service manager role followed but free time was spent helping a friend with restoration projects on vehicles imported from the USA which were subsequently sold to private customers across Europe.
“This was my first experience with leather restoration and exploring new ways of working with leather and bodywork,” said Michael.
“When the opportunity came to join McLaren in Woking, I found myself working on a new road car, the MP4-12C. I was trained there and after two years – and countless hours – I became one of their top skilled specialists in the paint department.
“I have worked on 5000 McLaren road cars, preparing them for major launch and release events at the Geneva Motor Show.
“I have worked on 5000 McLaren road cars, preparing them for major launch and release events at the Geneva Motor Show. McLaren was my home for almost seven years and I often worked 12 hour-plus days – but loved it! I couldn’t do it now, but when you are 25 years old it’s a different story.”
Rapid growth led to Michael training others, passing on his skills in the art of fine paint detailing and various polishing methods, before he moved to Rolls-Royce in Chichester, supporting the launch of the Rolls-Royce Dawn and a new model of the Phantom.
“I met a vast number of very talented people, worked on the rarest and most expensive cars and learnt from the best in the industry, but I decided to step away from a manufacturing environment to spend more time with my wife, Karolina, who is a quality surveyor.
“I felt like I had missed a few years of my life at that time, because commuting and long hours were becoming more difficult to balance. That is when I decided to set up my own business.
“I am developing my customer base in and around Winchester and want to build relationships with local car owners, event organisers and collectors.”
With skills which undoubtedly place him firmly in the driving seat for growing a business, his superb craftsmanship is becoming well-known and much sought after.