Self-service wash park Alzenau
Steffen Rothenbücher relies on the innovative washing technology from Christ in his modern self-service wash park in Alzenau, which offers both vehicle detailing and car washing for private and commercial customers.
"What our business in the industrial estate south of Alzenau has to offer is exciting for all car care fans. Many self-service wash systems are outdated, including the payment options. Our wash system with five self-service wash boxes and six self-service vacuum cleaners, equipped with innovative technology from Christ, offers our customers inexpensive and gentle washing for their vehicle — without long waiting times. This makes us probably the most modern self-service wash park in the Bavarian lower Main region."
- Steffen Rothenbücher, Manager of SR-Fahrzeugpflege GmbH
In addition to five self-service wash bays, customers have access to three double vacuum cleaner stations and a mat cleaner for interior cleaning.
It all began in the garage of Günther Rothenbücher in Alzenau. There, five years ago, his son Steffen began detailing vehicles belonging to his friends and acquaintances. The reputation of his good work spread rapidly by word of mouth and Instagram in the car tuning scene: The car lovers brought their coveted vehicles from farther and farther away to the small town north of Aschaffenburg. At some point it just got too big. The parents' double garage was bursting at the seams; another solution had to be found.
This, father and son found by chance in the form of a plot of land for sale in the industrial estate south of Alzenau. "At 3200 square metres, however, the area was far too large and expensive to build only one hall for vehicle detailing on it," says Rothenbücher Junior. During his holiday in Austria and South Tyrol, his father had seen some self-service wash systems and had spoken to the operators. This led to the idea of building an additional self-service car wash park where the detailer can pre-wash his customers' cars, but which is also accessible to private and commercial customers.
So, Rothenbücher Senior bought the land and rented it to his son, who founded SR-Fahrzeugpflege GmbH, a company of his own for the operation of the vehicle hall and self-service wash system. After a comparing different washing technology manufacturers and further discussions with other operators, Christ was found to be the most suitable choice. "We liked the appearance at Christ the best and the price was also right," say the entrepreneurs, explaining their decision. In addition, the technology works reliably and leaves nothing to be desired by the wash customer. Construction work started in October 2021, the car wash park opened in May 2022 and shortly afterwards the vehicle detailing went into operation.
Customers will find four self-service wash boxes and an open sky wash bay of the Christ Skyline model on an area of almost 210 square metres. The colours of the steel construction are kept in the corporate identity of SR-Fahrzeugpflege and the company logo is affixed to the parapet. Thanks to the glass façade, a lot of light comes into the boxes, which not only ensures a friendly atmosphere, but also a greater sense of security, especially for female customers. For cleaning, customers can choose between eight paint-friendly programmes, including power foam, polish and wax, which they apply with the BUBBLEGUN foam gun. A colour system provides guidance and thus facilitates the handling of the innovative foam gun technology. The separate open sky wash bay with a staircase scaffolding enables the cleaning of vehicles such as vans, trucks and caravans as well as trailers up to a height of 4.20 metres.
For interior cleaning, the Rothenbüchers have opted for three double vacuum cleaners in the Blade version, which together occupy 120 square metres of the property with the six stands. The additional anthracite-coloured front mounting on the vacuum housing has an integrated illuminated front, in whose background an RBG LED is installed. Customers are free to choose the colour in which the LED lights up. With the BLADE variant, you not only get the visually appealing design package, but also an increase in suction power of up to 55 percent compared to the basic model. The suction hoses are fixed by spring rods, which not only make guiding easier, but also ensure that the hose is not resting on the floor. A mat cleaner for carpet and rubber mats, including wet cleaning, complements the range of products for interior cleaning.
Customers can pay directly at the individual wash or vacuum cleaner bays with cash or tokens. "Of course, there is always the risk of a breakdown when you throw in cash. That's why we liked the additional solution of the customer card. In addition, cashless payments are increasingly in demand, especially by young people," explains the young entrepreneur. At the central "Vendor" vending machine, drivers can purchase the customer card for a fee of three euros and top it up with the desired amount, which they pay there in cash, by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. "The customer cards are very well received. We already have a total of 750 of them in circulation," says the entrepreneur and adds: "Our bonus system is an additional incentive system: For example, if you load 200 euros, you will receive a bonus credit of 40 euros." Also purchasable at the pay machine are chips with a value of one euro, which can be used on all devices.
The installation is located in an industrial estate and is open seven days a week from 6 in the morning until midnight. In his view, the roll over wash unit at a nearby petrol station is not a competitor, because his customers attach great importance to cleaning their vehicles themselves. Apart from a flyer, the entrepreneur has not yet had to advertise. "Especially the customers from the car tuning scene like to photograph their cars during and after washing for Instagram. We then use the images on our page. We couldn't wish for better advertising," say the Rothenbüchers, delighted.