# Auto Roller 700



## Wes (Feb 2, 2009)

Hi People

Other than my initial new member introducing post some months ago, I have been just an observer on this excellent site - but I wonder if anyone out there could give me any feedback about the Auto Roller 700 (2007 model)

We are new to the world of motorhomes, but will soon be embarking on a full time adventure for at least 12 months, and we're zoning in on our chosen van.

The layout, features and relative newness of the van is appealing to us. 

Can anyone share their knowledge regarding anything we shuold look out for, or alternative options before we take the rather expensive plunge??

Also wondered if there are any online reviews of this van I could pointed in the direction of??

Many many thanks!

Wes and Sarah


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## cipro (Feb 2, 2009)

Are doing what some are and renting you property out
If not yet purchased have you noticed MH prices gone up
Not seen 700 model but I would say if you are living in it for 12 months 
then living area needs to be comfy and storage should be adequate.

We have a fixed bed as it suits, we not full timers more the pity ( bottle and all that )


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## cipro (Feb 2, 2009)

Had a look at the 700 looks the job are there 2 people only if so you should have plenty of room although you will be surprised with the crap you will take will you need it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you decide


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## andytheplumber (Feb 2, 2009)

*rollerteam 700*

I feel I know about this....we went to nec for ours,it was a toss up between the 700 and our sunlight a69.the thing that did it for us was the free cab upgrade on the 69  and the step on the 700 is integral whereas the sunlight has a fiamma retractable.Look at the sideview of both vans..and when you go over a kerb or rock -whish van will be damaged first another point is the"garage" door lifts up on the 700 where the 69 is hinged sideways.
I am not being bias but thats what we found and we love our sunlight(y dethleffs)


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## TWS (Feb 2, 2009)

Hi Wes, are you looking at the Roller Team 700, or am I getting mixed up ? its just I have  R/T 700 58 plate, we bought it from the NEC in Oct last year.

Tom


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## andytheplumber (Feb 2, 2009)

tom,(TWS)have you got a towbar on yours?


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## bevo (Feb 2, 2009)

*rollerteam*

hi wes
         we have a rollerteam 600g, bought it because of the garage, for scooter and push bikes.
  but the 700 looks great had a look at the dealers, comes down to personell choice. i like the integrated step as it's one less thing to go wrong.
 we've had ours for nearly 12 months, we are still made up with it as it's got a fixed bed,i got fed up of making the bed on our previous van.
  the fridge freezer is great loads of space.
the cushions on the dinnette can be a little hard, but we have a cover on ours so it's ok.
  build quality is very good, and (touch wood) we have had no problems at all.
the transit cab i find exellent to drive and in my humble oppinion is far superior to the fiat equivellent.
 the cruise control is exellent, but as belgian says be carefull on the motorways in belgium (cruise control illegall ).
 you could do a lot worse wes and there are some unregistered 2008 models at very attractive prices.
if the 2007 is at the right price buy it you won't regret it.
  above anything else enjoy it.

live long and prosper


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## TWS (Feb 2, 2009)

Not yet I am waiting till the summer till I get one fitted, I have priced a few up, I will be towing my boat up to Fort William in the summer for my trip up to Inverness, cant wait, love Scotland.

Tom


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## andytheplumber (Feb 2, 2009)

TOM,post your findings on here for the prices,looks like theres interest for bespoke ones,


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## TWS (Feb 2, 2009)

Bevon said:


> hi Wes
> we have a rollerteam 600g, bought it because of the garage, for scooter and push bikes.
> but the 700 looks great had a look at the dealers, comes down to personell choice. i like the integrated step as it's one less thing to go wrong.
> we've had ours for nearly 12 months, we are still made up with it as it's got a fixed bed,i got fed up of making the bed on our previous van.
> ...



I agree with you 100 % we have only had the R/T 700 since the end of last year, so far so good, the Ford Transit is nice to drive, we are more than happy with the M/H, Ive met a few other R/T owners who are more than content with the M/H. 

Tom


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## TWS (Feb 2, 2009)

andytheplumber said:


> TOM,post your findings on here for the prices,looks like theres interest for bespoke ones,



Hi Andy I went to a local firm down here in Durham I was quoted £500.00 fitted to my R/T,. I often like to use local firms as its easy to pop back if you have any probs.

Tom


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## jeffscarborough (Feb 2, 2009)

New Auto Roller 600 at £30,000 on ebay.


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## TWS (Feb 2, 2009)

jeffscarborough said:


> New Auto Roller 600 at £30,000 on ebay.



Yeah some good deals to be had at the moment.

http://www.roller-team.co.uk/?gclid=CIjXn4XUvpgCFQulQwodfWB7aw

Tom


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## andytheplumber (Feb 2, 2009)

tom,was that alloy or steel-if steel are you concerned on your payload?


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## TWS (Feb 2, 2009)

Andy, I think its steel, I did think about the extra weight issue, would you suggest looking at a light weight metal, what would be the weight of a steel towbar fitting ? any idea ?

Cheers Tom


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## andytheplumber (Feb 2, 2009)

I suppose we are off topic a wee bit but it will be usefull for the others,I got towtal to do a steel one at 400 last year but my consious said take it off and I copied it and made an  alloy one=matl and welding was 100quid The steel one went to scrap and i got 90 quid for it...


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## TWS (Feb 2, 2009)

Convinced gonna have a alloy one then.

Tom

Need to do some shopping around. Thanks.


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## Geoff.W (Feb 3, 2009)

andytheplumber said:


> I suppose we are off topic a wee bit but it will be usefull for the others,I got towtal to do a steel one at 400 last year but my consious said take it off and I copied it and made an  alloy one=matl and welding was 100quid The steel one went to scrap and i got 90 quid for it...



*WARNING*

Alloy and steel have much different properties in how they react to bending forces, their hardness, resistance to cracking and strength. You can't make a direct copy of a steel towbar in alloy and expect it to be able to do the job.

An alloy towbar would need "deeper" sections and thicker material to give equivalent strength and ridgidity to that of a steel one. This would normally result in major ground clearance problems when fitted.


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## bevo (Feb 3, 2009)

*tow bars*

hi 
  if it's tow bars your after, ther's a place up north of preston who fabricates tow bars and charges £350 inclusive
try his website
http://www.motorhometowbarslancashire.co.uk/

good luck

live long and prosper


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## Wes (Feb 3, 2009)

Thanks for the information and inspriation people, that's great!!!!

Getting a little excited now!

See you out there soon.

Wes & Sarah


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2009)

Geoff.W said:


> *WARNING*
> 
> Alloy and steel have much different properties in how they react to bending forces, their hardness, resistance to cracking and strength. You can't make a direct copy of a steel towbar in alloy and expect it to be able to do the job.
> 
> An alloy towbar would need "deeper" sections and thicker material to give equivalent strength and ridgidity to that of a steel one. This would normally result in major ground clearance problems when fitted.



Good point Geoff you are sure right


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## andytheplumber (Feb 3, 2009)

mine is ok,the man who welded it as plated it at 150kilos


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2009)

Sorry, but just think about the forces involved in any possible jack knife situation 
And not to forget that any tow bar now needs to be Type approved.
If it is type approved then maybe it is safe enough, but I would seriously question it


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## andytheplumber (Feb 3, 2009)

towtal do the same,when we went down for the steel one..I will never use it as a towbar its just protection from getting it up the rear and when the ladder is down it used to hit the rear light -not now though..


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## andytheplumber (Feb 3, 2009)

fellow members have scared me,I agree that a steel one would be stronger but my alloy one has been flated at 150kilo-For example the man from preston-will he plate his?What if the worst was to happen,do I have a claim?


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## Geoff.W (Feb 3, 2009)

Hi Andy. Sorry if I've scared you that wasn't my intention. I would like to say I was talking in general terms and not having seen yours its impossible to make a judgement, and it may well be constructed in a way that makes it suitable. I would think that if you are not using it for any heavy duty work you would have nothing to worry about.

I am confused as to how the "plating" figure of 150Kg was arrived at. I would have thought that if it was a "one off", then no testing would have been done. I would also like to add that the load rating on towbars (usually 75Kg) is the static load, the dynamic load (the load applied in use, ie. trailer bouncing and pushing) is often many times greater than this. A towbar with a load rating of 150Kg should be able, I would have thought, to stand a actual loading of 600-700Kg or greater.

Finally, it is many years since I studied this, so while the the general principles are correct the figures are probably wildly inaccurate, they are used as, I think, the simplest way of illustrating the point.


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2009)

andytheplumber said:


> I will never use it as a towbar its just protection from getting it up the rear and when the ladder is down it used to hit the rear light -not now though..


If you are not going to tow with it and rather use it for a M/C carrier, I would not worry at all.
I have often thought of fitting a alloy real bumper for protection and this could easily double up as a M/C carrier.
On my previous Hymer, there was one fitted and it was steel


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## TWS (Feb 4, 2009)

I was thinking of a lightweight towbar, but from what has been said I'm gonna take the extra weight and go for steel, I'm not too techy and was only thinking about the extra weight and just presumed that the lightweight would do the job as the the steel. Good information, thanks.

Regards Tom


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## andytheplumber (Feb 4, 2009)

THATS A RELEIF,,I dont know how my welder manny came to the 150kg figure,he makes alloy floats for artic lorrys so I dinna ken....maybe it was a plate for something else but as I said its just for protection-towtals effort was just bolted onto the extentions but the alloy goes right back to the tranny chassis...andy
P.S- the cover  is coming off next week in preperation for the glentress meet.


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## andytheplumber (Feb 4, 2009)

*****,I wasnt impressed with towtal either..if you ever see the m/h the extentions are made of kitkat foil..thats maybe why I took action and upgraded..the van is sunlight by dethleffs. When I got it from lazydays I knew I woudnt be back-Have you been to their workshop!As for towtal I asked for a towbar grade bumper and for the future bolting of a ball and thats what I got for 250.the wiring was already done by me..


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## bevo (Feb 5, 2009)

*towbars*

hi 
   i bought a towbar from towtal for my previous motorhome, it was to carry a motorscooter, they asked me how heavy the scooter was (100 kilos) and plated the towbar acordingley.
 must say the towbar went back to the rear suspension and chassis.
  towtal's customer service isn't very good.
guy came in while i was there he phoned up, they said his hehicle was ready turned out it wasn't, no appolagy just come back tommorrow.
   i waited all day for mine to be fitted (08.30 till 19.30)
motorhome dealers came and went and seemed to have priority.

live long and prosper


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