Why should I buy an Autohome? Autohome is not “number 1” by chance. Because Autohome knows how to bring together imagination and the quality of “Made in Italy”. Because Autohome does everything possible to give you a restful sleep.
Every Autohome tent is the result of the experience and advice of famous travellers. A marriage of our skills with theirs to create a complete range of tents. Quality, reliability, comfort and a large number of accessories. Because Autohome does everything not to disappoint.
What is the maximum load on the roof? In general, in the Countries belonging to the European Community, the rating given by the manufacturers is not a binding Law but an advice for safety during travel: while breaking, on an akward or curvy road. The load weight of 75 kg. is respected according to the tent chosen. The lightest Autohome products are the carbon fibre shell tents, which in comparison to the traditional glass fibre (GRP) are on average 10 kg lighter. Please respect the maximum allowed load on the roof, usually indicated on the vehicle instructions.
My wife and I, together weigh more than 200 kg. Do we exceed the maximum permitted load? Normally the car roof structure can take its own weight as it is crash tested. If the fitting is done correctly, neither the vehicle nor its occupants risk any damages.
On my car roof there are no rain gutters for water drainage. Can I still fit the tent? We can supply roof racks suitable for any type of vehicle (with the exception of cabriolet models)
The car manufacturer provides roof racks. Can I use them to fit the tent? Generally speaking any type of rook rack is suitable to fit a Roof Tent wide enough to carry a bycicle. The roof bars (across the vehicle from side to side) should: 1 Be as long as the width of the roof tent 2 Be smooth and flat, with no bending or protruding brackets 3 Have a minimum cross section of 20 x 30mm and maximum 30 x 40mm.
What can I carry on the roof racks? According to the road code, the load should be no more than 2.5 m wide, up to the front bumper and up to 1 meter protruding from the back bumper. No more than 4 m high from the road level. The total load weight should not be higher than the car weight.
On my car roof there are railings. Are there any roof racks suitable for the tent fitting?If you can fit a hand between the roof and the rack, there is enough space to fix the tent to the roof racks. However, the roof racks should: 1 Be as long as the width of the roof tent 2 Be smooth and flat, with no bending or protruding brackets 3 Have a minimum cross section of 20 x 30mm and maximum 30 x 40mm.
Can I set up the tent on my own? Normally two people are needed. With the space saving kit to hang the tent from the ceiling it is possible for one person to mount the tent, using a pulley that raises and lowers the tent on the roof of the vehicle.
At home I have got a slatted bedspring. Is this available among your products? No. Slats under the mattress adjust to your profile where the most pressure is exerted giving a greater degree of comfort and at the same time allow air to circulate under the bed. Slats inside the tents would be lying on the tent floor preventing any adjustment or as there is not much space under the mattress, any air circulation. This makes them of no use and would only increase the weight and price for no benefit.
Is a spring mattress available? Yes. At your request, an orthopedic spring mattress can be supplied. Easy to fit (under the mattress) the springs support the whole body.
With the tent, can I stop to sleep anywhere? In Europe, there are no restrictions on shell tents that do not jut out from the vehicle, so you can sleep anywhere you can park. For fabric tents that jut from the vehicle, you need to go to a campsite.
How could I avoid water condensation build-up between the mattress and the tent base? It is not possible to completely eliminate condensation, like gravity it exists and very little can be done to counteract it, particularly as a sleeping person will release up to 0.5l of moisture a night. It can however be very significantly reduced, one method is to use the ACS - 3D “Air Circulation System”, which allows air circulation under the mattress. However all Autohome fabrics are characterized by a high breathability and water vapour transmission ratio: the only way to counteract condensation and humidity.
I would like to fit the Roof Tent on my 4X4 vehicle. Are there any additional things I need to know? Yes. We would recommend a minimum of 3 (Three) roof racks for light off road use. For the heavy off road use we suggest reinforcement brackets to connect the racks feet and avoid the swinging movement forward and backward.
What speed can I travel at with a tent on the roof? Provided that the roof top tent is fitted according to instructions and closed, we suggest to travel at a speed of about 90-100 km/h with the side closing tents with travel cover, and at a speed of about 130 km/h with the shell tents without any extra load on their roof.We know that many customers travel at higher speed. However, higher speed strain the roof racks on the attaching points to the vehicle
Can you lock a tent? It is possible to put locks on a GRP or Carbon Fibre shell roof tent if required, but opening a Maggiolina roof tent without the handle is exceptionally difficult given the time most opportunist thieves may have. In all the thousands of roof tents we’ve sold over the years, no one has ever mentioned a roof tent being opened or disassembled by thieves!
Are all the Autohome roof top tents the same quality? Quality is standard with all Autohome roof tents. Tents used by professional rally raid teams and explorers are exactly the same as the products bought and used by the general public.
I am travelling to Scotland and it will certainly pour down with rain. Is the tent suitable for use in these weather conditions? All roof tents meet a minimum waterproofing standard (measured by “water column”) of 250 mm for the ‘vertical fabric’ and 600 mm for the ‘horizontal fabric’. The water column is the weight/pressure of water, in millimetres, in a vertical column on the fabric over a certain given area. Such values are certified through UNI EN 20811 tests.
Is it possible to avoid water condensation build-up by adding an ‘inner tent’ inside the tent? A second or inner skin does not eliminate condensation problems. It would simply lead to a reduction of the internal available space, and a reduction in ventilation. To help reduce condensation, it is better to select a fabric with a high breathability or high water steam transmission rate to the outside. Every square centimetre of the fabric must “breath” and have the above described characteristics. Inner tents are normally used to hide condensation , usually created by the lack of breathability of the textiles such as nylon, Pvc and plastic fabrics in general.
Do fans remove the condensation from inside the tent? Fans do not work properly and are ugly to look at. Generally, they are gadgets fitted by companies to attract inexperienced clients.
How can I be sure the fabric is breathable? Everyone claims their fabrics are breathable but you can check to see if it true quite easily. Hold part of the fabric against your mouth, with your hand behind it, and blow hard against it. If you can feel the air passing through to your hand the fabric is breathable. But just as important is the transmission of water vapour, which – according to Autohome quality standards – should be no lower than 350 g/m²/day. Only breathability or rapid transmission speeds can prevent the tent building up condensation and so provide a healthy fresh environment. Be careful!
How much load can I put on the shell? The range includes well-designed ad hoc models with a cavity for extra loads. Generally, if the vehicle can take the load (see the handbook), the shell can be loaded with 25 kg; less (max. 15 kg) if there are no roof rails.
Can I have Maggiolina with shells painted the colour of my Van? Autohome® does not make one-off supplies with customised colours, as it exclusively uses Gelcoat, a paint which requires special processing and minimum production quantities. Gelcoat is a dense paint, widely used in the marine industry and applied in substantial thicknesses in the mould during the product’s layering process. A highly resistant paint which is not afraid of UV rays, heat, salt or aggressive solvents, suitable to withstand the greatest stress. Traditional painting by third parties makes the shells more vulnerable to scratching, knocks and journey stress. On request and for a minimum quantity, Autohome® can customize the shell in Gelcoat. Choose from the RAL international colour scheme if you meet the minimum number of orders
