auto mechanic Floyd Jennings' VIP Airport Valet Parking.

The new business, which started on April 17, emphasises quality service and pampering the customer.

Mr. Jennings operates from a large warehouse in Southside, St. David's and offers not only storage of the cars, but also full servicing, cleaning and polishing while you're away.

"We will meet the customer at the airport as they are leaving,'' he said.

"We will get their keys and drive their car over to our warehouse here at Southside, then, when they return, we will meet them at the arrivals area and hand their keys over to them personally.'' Mr. Jennings revealed that he came up with the idea for the new business after a tropical storm in 1995 caused havoc at the airport long term parking lot.

"As a garage mechanic I had to come down to the airport to secure some of the cars belonging to our customers who were overseas,'' he said. "At that time the idea hit me and I have been working on it for the past three years.'' Vehicles stored with VIP Valet will be sheltered from the weather in a large 4,300 square foot warehouse. Mr. Jennings estimated the facility will be able to accommodate as many as 30 cars comfortably. But car storage is not the only service he has on offer for those going overseas. A fully qualified mechanic with close to forty years experience, Mr. Jennings has worked his expertise into the new business.

"We can fully service your vehicle or simply clean and polish it,'' he said.

"Full VIP service will include everything; tuning, checks and parts.

"We can rotate your wheels, check the lights, the brakes, grease the doors, flush the radiator, tune the engine and the points, everything you need done -- the works.

He added, "We have a special teflon polish which we use and we polish down everything including the wheels, the rims and the dashboard.'' Twenty dollars a day is the cost to have a car stored, and for every six days, a one day discount is given. Full servicing will average an additional $270 while the clean and polish will cost $200.