Anyone help with roller team 746

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petesax

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Hi everyone, after spending all my childhood years in a motor home for most school holidays and summer weekends, I’ve come full circle ano we’ve just laid down a deposit for a brand new Roller Team 746. Whilst we much preferred the outside look of the low profile 747 we just couldn’t resist the inside space of the 746 with the massive over cab double bed With no need to drop down the bed from the roof. We will live with the massive and outdated over cab hump :) Anyway my question is are there any fellow 746 or 747 owners in the group and if so:

1/ Do any of you have weight issues with keeping bellow the 3500kg limit? (448kg seems very tight)
2/ Is there any must have extras that don’t come as standard with the Roller Team? (We’ve already added rear TV bracket, Canopy awning and extra 230v sockets at the rear)
3/ Any tips and tricks/words of advice that any current owners can offer us?

thank you so much in advance, I can’t wait to get the family in the motorhome world.
 
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Have you asked for the 6th seatbelt to be fitted? If so it will take the vehicle over 3500KG.
Awning will add circa 50KG. Make sure you have asked them for the aerial as well. It should from memory come with a solar panel and a bike rack as standard but the Auto rollers don't have aerials.
Happy if you want to quote me, I run a Roller Team dealership!

Simon
 
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Hi Simon, no only the 5 travel seats, engine is 140bhp upgrade but I understand that’s just a chip upgrade and no effect on weight (is that right?) didn’t go for an aerial as I think we will go with smart tv connectivity (or do you think that’s a mistake?) for the MRO weight what do roller team inc in the 3058kg spec weight?
 
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:welco:
petesax said:
Do any of you have weight issues with keeping bellow the 3500kg limit? (448kg seems very tight)
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Going to be tight, you should be able to upgrade to 3850kg but will still need to watch the rear axle load but that can be upgraded at a cost.
 
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Hello and welcome . How many people will be traveling and are they adults or kids ? The weight is going to be tight at 3500 so careful planning will be required with 5 passengers .

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Swifter said:
Hello and welcome . How many people will be traveling and are they adults or kids ? The weight is going to be tight at 3500 so careful planning will be required with 5 passengers .
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Most of the time only 3 of us (2 adults and 8yo) but will occasionally take friends and in-laws. 😬
 
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petesax said:
Hi Simon, no only the 5 travel seats, engine is 140bhp upgrade but I understand that’s just a chip upgrade and no effect on weight (is that right?) didn’t go for an aerial as I think we will go with smart tv connectivity (or do you think that’s a mistake?) for the MRO weight what do roller team inc in the 3058kg spec weight?
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Simon-Alan Kerr said:
Have you asked for the 6th seatbelt to be fitted? If so it will take the vehicle over 3500KG.
Awning will add circa 50KG. Make sure you have asked them for the aerial as well. It should from memory come with a solar panel and a bike rack as standard but the Auto rollers don't have aerials.
Happy if you want to quote me, I run a Roller Team dealership!

Simon
Click to expand...
Hi Simon, no only the 5 travel seats, engine is 140bhp upgrade but I understand that’s just a chip upgrade and no effect on weight (is that right?) didn’t go for an aerial as I think we will go with smart tv connectivity (or do you think that’s a mistake?) for the MRO weight what do roller team inc in the 3058kg spec weight?
 
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Simon-Alan Kerr said:
Have you asked for the 6th seatbelt to be fitted? If so it will take the vehicle over 3500KG.
Awning will add circa 50KG. Make sure you have asked them for the aerial as well. It should from memory come with a solar panel and a bike rack as standard but the Auto rollers don't have aerials.
Happy if you want to quote me, I run a Roller Team dealership!

Simon
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I thought promoting one's business on this forum was not allowed ?
I was told I would be banned a while ago if I did the same.
 
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petesax said:
Most of the time only 3 of us (2 adults and 8yo) but will occasionally take friends and in-laws. 😬
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8 year olds grow I think for 3 of you that payload is unuseable. No way would you be able to take friends to do that you will need at least a 1000 kg payload.
 
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Lenny HB said:
8 year olds grow I think for 3 of you that payload is unuseable. No way would you be able to take friends to do that you will need at least a 1000 kg payload.
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1,000kg payload 😲 looking around that doesn’t exist even on larger Motorhomes. In my research average is 4-500kg for most on market nowadays. Not planning 5 people on 2 week trips but weekends at most. 3 of us my thoughts are 442kg (avg passenger 65kg) so 312kg for the extras (100kg for attached extras) leaving 200kg payload surely that’s enough for clothes, food, kitchen accessories etc?? Or am I missing something?
 
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The weight is going to be an issue.
I presume that the extra (6th) seat belt being added takes the viability of the weight over 3,500 kgs just for travelling purposes. If you said that 6th person was 70 kgs that means if you went with 5 you need to carry less than 70 kgs of gumpf.

We have the 690 and i bought a pair of weighing scales. I knew I would be uprating when i got it, but boys must have toys, and they help with the loading as I take a motorbike, couple of electric bikes and I can then work out how much wine i can legally carry and illegally import !

In general I would say we are very light travellers in terms of food, clothes and complete lack of gadgets, but at 3,500 kgs with the motorbike in the back and just the 2 of us, I had choices to make about whether to take the wife or fill up with diesel.

I made the mistake of buying brand new and letting them register it at 3500 and did the paperwork through John Ruffles within the week. with hindsight I should have got them to register at 4,100 kgs (Ford)

I would be really tempted by the £1500 pack which includes cab air conditioning and cruise control. If you are doing Europe and travelling on long roads in the heat, they are a godsend.

Enjoy your vehicle

petesax said:
leaving 200kg payload surely that’s enough for clothes, food, kitchen accessories etc?? Or am I missing something?
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You need to take away from your 300 kgs the awning, the extra gas cylinder, water you are carrying, wine, solar panel, bike rack, extra battery? knives forks spoons tins of food, food in the fridge, clothes shoes, hairdryer, laptop, water, bikes that go on the bike rack, books, maps, pots and pans, kettle,
They might not sound much, but if you think of just going shopping and filling up a trolley for 3-4 days worth of food, that could be 30kgs, a suitcase of clothes for one could be 20kgs.
If you are travelling with 2, you might get away with 3500 kgs, I would say 3 people on holiday is nigh on impossible

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petesax said:
1,000kg payload 😲 looking around that doesn’t exist even on larger Motorhomes. In my research average is 4-500kg for most on market nowadays. Not planning 5 people on 2 week trips but weekends at most. 3 of us my thoughts are 442kg (avg passenger 65kg) so 312kg for the extras (100kg for attached extras) leaving 200kg payload surely that’s enough for clothes, food, kitchen accessories etc?? Or am I missing something?
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petesax said:
Surely he was just adding credence to the data, I already mentioned I was buying so I thought Simon was just saying I could quote him at dealership I’m purchasing through??
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The key question you've asked is in post #7 "for the MRO weight what do roller team inc in the 3058kg spec weight?"
You really need to find this and take it from there.
Does it include fuel, water, gas, etc.
Perhaps Simon-Alan Kerr might be able to advise?
Note, it was the wrong Simon you linked to in your last post.;)
 
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petesax said:
1,000kg payload 😲 looking around that doesn’t exist even on larger Motorhomes. In my research average is 4-500kg for most on market nowadays. Not planning 5 people on 2 week trips but weekends at most. 3 of us my thoughts are 442kg (avg passenger 65kg) so 312kg for the extras (100kg for attached extras) leaving 200kg payload surely that’s enough for clothes, food, kitchen accessories etc?? Or am I missing something?
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Our van has a 1350kg payload, only 2 of us and we use over 1000kg of it.
Over 250 kg of it is taken up with options & extras, the payload is quoted on a basic van before any options are fitted.

Most vans come out of the factory on top tolerance so your 448 kg may only be 296 kg, add a second battery, awning, solar panels, a few manufacturer's options you could be down to less than 175 kg..
 
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petesax said:
1,000kg payload 😲 looking around that doesn’t exist even on larger Motorhomes. In my research average is 4-500kg for most on market nowadays. Not planning 5 people on 2 week trips but weekends at most. 3 of us my thoughts are 442kg (avg passenger 65kg) so 312kg for the extras (100kg for attached extras) leaving 200kg payload surely that’s enough for clothes, food, kitchen accessories etc?? Or am I missing something?
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Our 4500kg Hymer with the Alko maxi chassis had 1200kg without any factory fit extras. But the factory fit extras specified by the dealer added 400kg, so down to 800kg when I bought it off their forecourt. We use nearly all of that when 2 up and in touring trim.

You need to understand that maker's payload figures are often works of fiction. The only way to know what you really have is by putting the empty motorhome on a weighbridge, so insist the dealer does that before parting with any more money. And the maker is allowed a 5% allowance in their stated MIRO figure, so, in your case, you could be getting 150kg less payload than you think (assuming a MIRO around 3000kg).

And finally don't forget the weight of the second leisure battery, gas cylinders, bikes, BBQ, awning mat, outside chairs and table, toys etc etc. Jim did an article on payload, based upon a survey of the members of MHF. Have a search in the back editions of the magazine for it.
 
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Realistically for your use a 3500kg van is not practical, even for 2 people trying to run a 7.5m van is not really on, also the size of that van with the big overcab with a 140 bhp engine I think it will be underpowered.

I know it's not what you want to hear but better to find out now rather than end up with a van that is unusable.
If you do not have a C1 licence it would be well worth the outlay, then you could choose a van suitable for your needs. If you really want to stay below 3500kg you need to be looking at vans under 6.75m.
 
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So in most opinions should i cancel my order and forfeit the deposit?
 
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petesax said:
So in most opinions should i cancel my order and forfeit the deposit?
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I wouldnt.
I would uprate immediately and if you havent got your licence, get it. You will have it for life.
Or look at something that fits better your circs, with the same dealer.
I would not forfeit my deposit. (unless it was extremely minimal)
 
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petesax said:
So in most opinions should i cancel my order and forfeit the deposit?
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Not necessarily, you could look at how the MAM could be increased and at what cost. But for that you would need a C1 category licence to drive it. You should already have it on your licence if you passed your car test before 1997. If not you can get training and tested for it at a cost. That will open up a much larger range of motorhomes for you to consider.

You also should have a look at Jim's article on payload and see what applies to you. Only you can decide if you can work within a tight payload. It will require some discipline. And you will probably be in the same boat with other makes of motorhome, because keeping to the 3500kg limit with a motorhome with 5 berths and seatbelts is difficult for all the converters.

If you do cancel you could argue that the dealer is in breach of contract because the motorhome is not fit for the purpose you stated. But that would assume that you told them you were going to use it 5 up before you signed on the dotted line.
 
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suavecarve said:
I wouldnt.
I would uprate immediately and if you havent got your licence, get it. You will have it for life.
Or look at something that fits better your circs, with the same dealer.
I would not forfeit my deposit. (unless it was extremely minimal)
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If I updated I presume I can do this in the future eg be ultra careful at 3500kg and when I have time to do the C1 theory and test then pay to get it updated?
 
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peterc10 said:
Not necessarily, you could look at how the MAM could be increased and at what cost. But for that you would need a C1 category licence to drive it. You should already have it on your licence if you passed your car test before 1997. If not you can get training and tested for it at a cost. That will open up a much larger range of motorhomes for you to consider.

You also should have a look at Jim's article on payload and see what applies to you. Only you can decide if you can work within a tight payload. It will require some discipline. And you will probably be in the same boat with other makes of motorhome, because keeping to the 3500kg limit with a motorhome with 5 berths and seatbelts is difficult for all the converters.

If you do cancel you could argue that the dealer is in breach of contract because the motorhome is not fit for the purpose you stated. But that would assume that you told them you were going to use it 5 up before you signed on the dotted line.
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Unfortunately I have no C1 licence otherwise we would be going for something in the higher weight class. I certainly did say we wanted it for 5 people and actually now I’m thinking of it I believe that it’s possible in the UK to cancel any contract in the UK without forfeiting any money within 14 days right?

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petesax said:
So in most opinions should i cancel my order and forfeit the deposit?
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You shouldn’t lose the deposit as they weren’t really very forthcoming with the weight information.
Getting the C1 and uprating the weight would be the best way forward and if this is your ideal van then don’t be put off .I am going to have to look on it online now and see what it’s like .
You could always get someone to follow you in a car which would help to keep the weight down until you get the C1 and weight upgrades done .
 
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petesax said:
If I updated I presume I can do this in the future eg be ultra careful at 3500kg and when I have time to do the C1 theory and test then pay to get it updated?
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That sounds like a plan to me.

The thought of losing a deposit hurts my insides. Its just some workarounds that are needed that appear insurmountable but they arent.
 
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