You don't ordinarily hear of a woman being totally immersed in the world of automobiles, but Maria Psaraki is no ordinary woman.

Maria, along with her husband, Yiorgos Papathokostakis, is the proprietor of the newly-opened Car World, a Hersonissos company committed to the specialized care of the automobile.

"The idea for this business originated two years ago by my husband and me, as we always liked to deal with cars," Maria said.  "We knew a business such as this was needed in our area, so we started making plans."

At first she wanted to give the business, which is located in the spacious grounds near the biological plant, an Italian name, since Italian cars are so highly regarded in the auto industry.

"But my cousin suggested the name Car World, and that sounded perfect," she said. "It's certainly more consistent with the services that we provide."

And what exactly are the services provided by Car World?

"Apart from the washing of cars and bikes, we detail the car inside and out, polish and wax for special protection, especially during the summer months, and do oil changes," she explained. "We also have a tyre centre where we repair tyres or replace them with new ones when needed. And, and, of course, we provide a wide range of car accessories."

When asked about how it feels for a woman to be involved in a profession usually reserved for men, Maria said: "I never thought about it.  I do not put labels on professions, and, anyway, work has no gender, as long as it's honest and gives you satisfaction. I believe that the car, like your house, should always be clean, especially if you have small children."

Although Maria's profession is servicing cars, don't expect to see her in greasy overalls. The lovely lady, who comes from the village of Kastamonitsa but now resides in Hersonissos, spends most of the work day in the office, placing orders, arranging payments and generally running the daily operation of the business; she leaves the "dirty" work for Yiorgos and other staff, but, when needed, she gets involved in the detailing chores.

"One positive aspect of this business is the close contact we have with our customers," she explained. "We especially like to see their reaction when we turn a neglected car into a shining beauty."

Maria admits that running a new business is very time consuming, allowing little time for a personal life.

"It's difficult with three small children at home and I try to spend as much quality time with my kids as possible," she said.  "Sometimes we feel guilty for not giving more time to our kids."

What's her secret for running (pardon the pun) a well-oiled business?

"We are friendly and correct to our customers, learn from our mistakes and respect our employees who always give us their best," she said. "The business is still in its infancy but we believe everything will go smoothly and we will advance to the next phase, but it's too early to reveal our future plans."

Could it possibly be there's a Car Universe in Maria's future?