Lovely review Andrew. Thanks a million for the reference to my review 🙏. I’m happy to answer questions about the van. Some comments on the points you made. If you don’t have the airco, the gloomyness is not an issue. The touch button lights are indeed annoying 😅. The tap... yep absolutely right, we sometimes use the basin in the washroom for washing vegetables or filling up a large pot with water. The flushing of the toilet is indeed underpowered. The radio is simply a matter of not ordering one from fiat and going aftermarket. And I found sitting in the passenger seat (for you the drivers seat) swiveled and slided forward my feet could rest on the bench. 😌 Love your videos, keep it up!
Van Lossie do you have a video of the after market CarPlay stereo? Are you able to view the car information still, like trip meter and MPG? I really miss having CarPlay but don’t want to lose the vehicle information. Thanks in advance.
I think to say the poor flush is a 'niggle' is simply not being fair. It is really a 'fail' and should be remedied. There should be a number of ways - not too difficult to fix the problem.
Van Lossie, thanx for your videos sharing your experiences with us! Do you know whether the toilet flushing issue was solved with the 2020 models you have seen at Düsseldorf?
Really good an honest review as always Andrew! I really like your real tests. This kind of information is so valuable since this type of information is not the things that gets trough in a short test. Keep up the good work! Regarding the poor toilet flush, this is not a fault. The pump is to weak and Adria does not fit the little shrinking tube to the flush outlet from the factory. It's a little orange tube that needs to be placed in the hose just before the outlet. Once the tube is mounted, the water reaches all around the toilet bole. The orange tube is included with the instruction manual from Thetford when the car/caravan is delivered from the factory. Strange that Adria does not check this in the quality control in the factory.
Excellent point, thank you Per! Like you say, it is strange that Adria does not fit this if it is essential to the correct working of the flush. But by reading comments (and my Twitter comments) it looks like most people overlook this. All the best.
Superb review! Can’t believe how much is fitted in there... great bathroom and shower! That toilet.... grrrrrr that would frustrate me as would the kitchen tap. Most enjoyable..... thanks for sharing your honest opinion 👍👍👍
Superb live in review and like you say that van got a lot of use in a relatively short period of time and withstood it very well. Thank you for mentioning our review for the 2020 model and enjoy your onward travels. 😊😊👍 J and K.
The sink would drive me crazy in the long run. That skylight is awesome. Yeah cup holders, I use them too. I find fairy lights (strings of led lights) brighten a space. You can hang them using command hooks so they don't damage the surfaces of a loaner.
What\ a great honest, no BS review Andrew, love that van, and thought it might be my next upgrade from the Cali, but still too many adventure to be had yet in the VW, the Hebrides being one of them, and thanks to your other vids I now know exactly where to go and what t o do. By the way if you want a doggie that always smiles, you should meet our Lab Retriever, Olly. Mind you Dougal is smiling on the inside with the wonderful life he leads with you, such a lucky little dog. Can't wait for the next episode of 'Ditton on the run in a stolen Adria !'
Andrew. I have experienced similar problems to you on my Twin Supreme 640 SLB. I damaged the mounting bolt for the step. Luckily the step still works. Also two cupboard latches failed. I have also had the clips for the front window blind falling off. Other failure have had is shelf in rear locket collapsed when I went over a speed hump slightly too fast. Agree with you comment about the toilet flush. Love the sky roof and I relax when by myself by sitting in one of the captain chairs with my feet on the other. Overall a great van.
Cheers Rob! Interesting you had similar with the cupboard latches. Let's hope they have sorted that issue. As you say, despite the niggles it's still a great van. All the best!
oooh, comments enabled, super. The Adria Twin Supreme seems to be a top quality van. Same fridge as in my 'Free' and I can confirm it's very good. Such a shame I wasn't able to view one before my purchase. Being Scottish we have never been to the islands with our van so we will rectify that in September. Your videos will be a great source for planning the trips. Noted about the step. I'm gonna keep away from boulders. I find that in the front dinette I tend to relax in one of the captains' chairs facing the table rather than on the bench seat. (The layouts are virtually identical to the Adria). One weird fact: In the 'Free' what appears to be exactly the same toilet flushes better than the Adria. Maybe a different water pump? Looks like some of the light fitting are not perfect so Adria need to modify their design in the future. btw I'm finding the Comfortmatic gearbox to be really easy to drive though Adria will be using the new 9 speed automatic next year.
Great review, thank you for sharing. The finish couple that traveling and living permanently in an Adria for 3 years have a RU-vid site called Vantastic and has done a review of their older unit. The low step and the shower/toilet door are one of the things that do not like about it. IMO is a good review to complementing your excellent channel.
Hi Andrew just catching up. A very honest and open review. This van looks very impressive. I agree fancy switches are not my thing either. I love the design and the cabinets though, very sleek and modern. Many Thanks P&J🙂👍
Nicely done! You seem to have touched all the points, good and bad, and gave a good idea how is it like to live in the van. 🚐#vanlife One of the problems with many vans is the quality of the building materials, in this case they seem solid. 💪 I would buy it!
Thanks Andrew for another great blog, me and wendy just love them, our desire to own a motor home gets stronger every day as does going to the hebrides thanks to you
Thanks Andrew, interesting review. In our van (other brand, similar floorplan) we do have these little touch lights (you had them in the driver's cab only) all over the van and we find it sometimes difficult to "switch" them on/off, too, but are OK with them. I totally agree with the "lounging problem". I most of the time find myself sitting transverse on the bench with a cushion stuffed between my back and the wall, whereas my husband still prefers his anytime-position (the co-driver's seat). It's only 6 meters of a van, but we love every centimeter of it. I only wish we had chosen the orange color ourselves, as it looked gorgeous on the Adria Twin Supreme 640 SLB. Thanks again for the review and the whole Outer Hebrides series. Maybe until Düsseldorf 👋🏻
@@carlyndolphin Not uncomfortable really, as we have found "our way" of using it. But as shown in the video, it doesn't have a lounging functionality in the first place. There are other floorplans in other vans which may offer more space (and then maybe more comfort) for lounging, but then they'll lack space in other parts of the van (e.g. no fixed bed). I think there are multiple ways of using 6m space. And one needs to find the solution that fits best. I'm sure there is a best solution for everyone. :-)
Andrew, totally agree with everything you covered in your review. We only spent 2 weeks in the one we hired but we certainly gave it a good run in the Outer Hebrides covering 2,000 miles. Luckily we didn't have the air con unit and could really see the difference from your video. Was concerned we would lose a lot of storage from the sunroof but the van had loads and the sunsets were incredible viewing. Our reason for hiring was the Ol Caravan vs Campervan dilemma......useful to know that it towed your heavy rig well....which gives me a thought!! P.S You are not alone with the necessity of cup holders either! Great Review. Many thanks. Doggies on tour.
These reviews of yours are really priceless, especially when your in the market for a motorhome/caravan. Will you do a review on the 2020 Weinsberg Cara Compact Pepper eddition?
Another lovely romp through the motorhoming world, love your easygoing style Andrew, I’m sure you could even make a watching paint dry video seem interesting!
Thank you Peter. Other less kind people have said I have the most boring voice on RU-vid, but hey, I can only please Quality Folk and not the dregs, eh? ;@)
Great review Andrew Long awaited Comforting to know after previous user abuse plus 3 months living with yourself the build quality and functionality is up to your standards 👍 Very reassuring 😅 Can’t wait for our 2020 SGX to arrive - not sure I’ll be brave enough to put my motorcycle in the back though 😬 Look forward to the next series 👍
thanks for the detailed review. The problems with the tap in the kitchen and the toilet flush were unbelievable! Surprise that they mad such design mistakes, so easy to spot during prototype tests, poor quality issues
Great review. Not seen any if your vids before but really enjoyed this one. Informative and entertaining, and esp useful ad we’re thinking of getting one of these vans.
Great review Andrew! It’s a stunning van. Nice to see you in our area as well, Adria are just down the road from us in Ipswich, you could have popped by for a cuppa 🙂👍🏻
Yikes all the rattling noises while the van in empty!!!- is that typical? To me that would drive me crazy...and the lights, toilet and kitchen sink issues also very disappointing. Surely issues like these should not be happening with such an experienced van builder?...I would not mind the darkened rear quarters at all- the darker it is, the easier to sleep! Wouldn't be hanging out there in the daytime anyway but tbh I do prefer the drop down bed type set-up in a 6 meter van max. and an area below which is more comfy for lounging during the day. Wonderful video very well presented Sir!
Nice review. Personally I like a dark bedroom so would be ideal for me 😁. Looks to be a nice van. Hopefully Adria will take note of the issues you found. The tap would be so easy to sort.
Great honest review as always Andrew. I agree with you on switch gear. I like to hear and feel a reassuring clunk when switching something on or off. I think the centre dash console could be designed better with a larger screen display and the updates you discussed. All in all though, a very nice campervan to consider if you're into serious touring.
Hi Andrew. I'm recently retired and waiting patiently for my wife to do the same. Our plan, is to buy a CV and go see the sights. I have to say, I've thoroughly enjoyed all your vids and I love little Dougal ❤️ All your reviews come across as very informative and honest. I'm sorry you're leaving us, even if only for a while. Enjoy your time away with Dougal and who knows, we may cross paths somewhere along the way ? Take care and thanks again.
Good review Andrew - we bought one back in May. The Skyroof is fantastic and not only does it let light in, but you dont smash your head when climbing into he cab as you do on most other vans. To us, the rear isn't gloomy - suspect this is if you have the aircon
Thanks Andrew for another great, honest review - with the star in place first, of course !! This motor caravan looks well designed and screwed together and the shower arrangement is very clever, but from a different perspective we find caravans more practical than motor caravans, plus at the end of a long tow it's so nice when arriving on site to fully relax in a fresh environment - your caravan. We'll stick with ours.
Great review! Good point about the window position, I sort of accidentally found the same benefits on my Globescout but didn't make the connection to the lack of them in different layouts, I find them useful on motorways as an extra check. The new Peugeot 160hp engine seems to have similar gearing and gets around 34mpg, the power I'm noticing is nice also because cruise in 6th just goes up any hill. I like the big window at the front on the Adria - I did like the ambience of the dinette with that. At 17:08 'Lounging' I find that with both front seats facing each other I can sit in the passenger seat and put my feet up on the drivers seat, and swing the table extension around if needed - lounging heaven!
Really useful real-life review, thank you. I would be interested to know what you think about storage in the camper, particularly under the rear bed and general cupboard space in the bedroom, kitchen and living area. Many thanks.
Great review. How about 2 lithium batteries, 2 LPG bottles with automatic change over as you've pointed out in other videos. Can Adria supply these without too much Hastie? What about fitting a battery to battery charger? These would be deal breakers for me. I hate those touch lights. I bought a mirror with led lights and it just doesn't work. All very good points though. These small things would definitely take the polish off a great new van. Thanks again Andrew and as for D, if you had the choose of him or a statue of him in solid gold, we all know which one you'd choose.
As I mentioned, this concentrates on what you cannot see in the showroom or in the brochure. Yes, there is room for 2 LPG cylinders (check out Van Lossie's review) and 2 batteries under the passenger seat. Cheers!
Hello Andrew this is Philippe from France we already had contact. Thanks again for your videos I watch all of them 👍 I need this time your advice on something . As I told you before I am planing to buy an Airstream motorhome vintage. I have never travel with a large motorhome , just vans. you have been traveling almost everywhere in Europe so your advise will be precious for me. Do you think traveling full time in a 34.5 “ Airstream would be difficult to maneuver on europeens roads and to park for boon-docking . Would it be smarter to get a 29”or 30” maximum . Of course I prefer to have more room inside but if I have to struggle all the time to move and park that wont be a good idea. Merci beaucoup pour ton aide Andrew . When are you doing more videos about Airstream (new models and vintage) 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 Philippe
The simple answer is, the bigger it is, the less easy it will be to manoeuvre and boon dock! Sadly no plans to do any more Airstream videos at the moment. Bon courage!
Nice report Andrew. Shame Adria wanted it back! One question, were you running the fridge while you were off grid? If so, that was a remarkable performance from one small solar panel.
Nice review, Andrew always strikes a good honest balance in his videos, hopefully Adria take on your comments regarding the taps, lights and flush. Also nice to see a review where the bathroom has had proper sustained use, rather than a quick untested opinion.
Interesting. I average around 32-35mpg with my (bigger and heavier) 180hp automatic Crafter, including 75mph motorway driving and driving through the French Massif Central. Bigger turning circle, though...
35 or more should be possible with numerous vans; the Transit, for instance. I just don't think the Italian engines are necessarily that great. The Iveco Daily (which I otherwise love the idea of converting into a self-build) is also a little bit worse on mileage than the Transit, Sprinter (and I suppose Crafter), as far as I know.
Hi Andrew, I really love your reviews, especially enjoying you saying hello to us😁. Now, why did you go for the 640 SLB? From your previous reviews I got the impression you favor the 640 SGX. Are there any particular reasons?
Thanks Andrew. Perhaps you or one of your viewers might be able to enlighten me on why mpg in Europe is so much better than vehicles in the US. Even same make vehicles get much lower gas mileage here. 28 to 32 mpg is awesome. Our SUV 2019 with careful driving gets only 27 to 28mpg. It's much smaller and lighter than a van. I don't understand it.Thanks again.😊👍💖
Do you think they will ever bring these to the USA... I'm loving the reviews I've seen on the supreme 640 version. My other option I guess would be to buy a left hand drive and ship to the States
Excellent review Andrew. You mentioned having the air con reduces the light at the rear but I’m curious to know did you make use of it? I’m considering Air con in my caravan but not sure I’d use it often enough to justify the cost.
Hi Andrew, thank you for such a comprehensive and informative video. Just one question; How effective did you find the Truma heating in this van? Thanks again Andrew, Kind regards, Margaret.
Hi Margaret, even though it was Scotland, I used this van in the summer. But it's far cheaper cousin, the Sun Living, I used in the depths of a Scottish winter and had no issue at all with the heating. I just personally find that van conversions don't hold the heat as well as coachbuilts. But that wouldn't stop me getting one. All the best.
Hi Andrew, super nice video as ever an lovely to see the Hebs in all their glory. Couple questions please, I was surprised about you not being able to get relaxed comfortable in the lounge area...do the cab seats extend when swiveled, these look comfy in the pictures? Have you seen the new Sports version, the roof is a gamechanger for us an makes the van a real option - have you any thoughts on the Sports? Thx Joe & Matthew (biggest fan)
Hi again Andrew, just seen you did a review of the SGX version back in 2018 when you visited Dusseldorf which is very funny if you are a fan of Where Eagles Dare, they never mentioned the motorhome show when they discussed Dusseldorf during the film! So I think you like the SGX van a little bit 😁 but any thoughts on the pop-up top, looks great to me but can you foresee any issues which such a large pop-up top?
Hi Joe, I covered the Sport in my Düsseldorf 2020 vlog. Adria have gone to a lot of trouble to make it superior to many others on the market. My only concern with anything canvas is a stormy night - of which we have a few in the Hebrides. If there are four of you, two might be looking for a B&B!
@@andrewjditton thanks, we where thinking the same thing, but we are only 3 and for the next few years we would be able to squeeze into the rear bed on the "occasional" stormy night. I've not had any response from adria to my enquiry at start of last week, its obv not normal times but are they norm slow re customer service etc
Hi Andrew... Looking forward to getting my hands on our Twin Supreme SLB, so the shopping list is growing. A Quick Question, can you remember which Cycle Rack you had on the Adria?
If you can afford one of these, you can probably afford a leveling system; TESA makes an electromechanical system (as opposed to high pressure hydraulic), the Autolift, that's fairly affordable and looks like the bees knees. That would at least alleviate the issues with runaway water at the sink. Though more importantly, of course, a 100% level camper is much more pleasant in every way, for sleeping and daily living. This does look like a great option in many ways - I just really don't like Ducatos...
@@jonathanward8861 Well there's really nothing that much wrong with Ducatos, but they're hopeless off road, with front wheel drive and the weight over the drive wheels. And when it comes to camper vans you don't get to choose the van, just the variant and Ducatos are popular for that expressly because of the front wheel drive, there is nothing under them to the rear except the axle, no drive shaft. Van-wise, for self- conversion, I like the Iveco Daily and Ford Transit about equally (just one guy's opinion obviously). Sprinters are great too but expensive, and some models between 2008 and 2018 tended to wind up with costly exhaust repairs at least in the US.
Your videos are very good, I am thinking of buying a twin Adria, my question is in the video you hear a lot of noise, do you hear the engine a lot? and the furniture? And what about the suspension? soft or hard? Thank you
@@andrewjditton Off topic, but allow me to relate my tale of a 400 mile trip from last week. I know the road well, but I used my Garmin to log my progress. In the last town before the long 7 hour drive finished, the Garmin told me to stay straight at the light, do not turn at the light, continue on this road for 2 more miles and etc. After three such intersections, I screamed “Shut up, Woman!”. And somewhere, Andrew felt a sudden chill. After a long drive, I laughed out loud. Give Dougal a pat for me!
Lovely unit, albeit the North American itineration of the Ducato is the Promaster and it seems that our 3500 model (not sure how that equates to the unit you had here) has a 3.6 Pentastar motor that develops 280 hp. I have driven one when we rented a Pleasure Way Lexor TS and it was a Dream for acceleration and handling! Also I am not that enamoured to the Dining Configuration but much prefer the Pleasure Way Lexor FL pleasureway.com/models/lexor-fl/ A much better layout for 2 people and the Quality is Bar None!
No idea. Could be to do with spec you don't see (caravans for example have far more complex electrics in the UK than in Germany), NCC approval requirements, taxes, import regs... and the bad news is it's only due to get worse. Yay. :-/
Hi Andrew, narrowing my search down between a Adria 640SLB and a Malibu. I prefer autos, any thoughts manual or auto? Thanks and keep up the good work, I know its hard. LOL Regards Russ.
Hi Andrew - love this van and considering getting one , but wife concerned with storage for clothes especially long dresses ! what's the wardrobe space like ?
I have found a big problem opening the back doors, if you full open them, they bump to the corner of the Van, I broke the window becasue of wind blowing!!! 250 euro to buy a new one, this is incredible and awful how they didn't calculate the space of such big window! please try it, open the back doors untill the end (window closed) you will see , the window touch the corner, the wind just brake it easily
Hello again Andrew. Excellent review. I am on my way to Düsseldorf to analyze further the Adria twin. Because I plan to retire soon and relocate from the US to Estonia I am extremely interested in how this van handles cold weather issues such as condensation and insulation since I plan to use the van more than casually. I am aware that Adria has made perhaps exclusive considerations to address this issue. Perhaps this subject may be something you might consider doing. Whichever purchase decision I make, I would like to thank you for your awesome work. So much subject matter I would like to talk to you about. Best regards
