Adria Twin v Hymer Car 322

[Gwendolyn]

This is short notice I know.

 

Following up the advice given when I asked for advice on “upsizing, but not by much”; also reading threads on PVCs recently, since we got home from our Spanish trip just over a week ago, we have been avidly researching.

 

Tomorrow we set off to view an Adria Twin [the model with double bed, not 2 singles] and a Hymer Car 322.

 

Any advice? Any preference? Any experiences? Any suggestions? It’s going to be a long trek from deepest West Wales to Swindon, so all help will be gratefully received, if anyone picks this up in time. [i’ll have mobile internet with me on trip!]

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Gwen

 

[fjmike]

Any luck with your trip to WCM Gwen. :-D

[Gwendolyn]

Not been yet!! Tomorrow - 4th.

[fjmike]

See ya tommorrow then

[Addie]

Neither.

 

Globecar 599DB (Globecar Globescout in Europe)

[Gwendolyn]

Addie - 2012-04-03 8:22 PM

 

Neither.

 

Globecar 599DB (Globecar Globescout in Europe)

 

Well there isn't one available right now. Just those two from the shortlist I had prepared from advice given on the Forum to me a few weeks ago. Your suggestion is there too, but atm we cannot locate one.

 

May I ask the reason for your preference please? Drawbacks of the Adria and Hymer? Advantges of Globecar?

 

Thanks.

[pepe63xnotuse]

Sorry Gwen',of not help at all..but I'm just a bit suprised that Eddie(judge') hasn't posted yet?!...

 

........is he ill? :-S

(..he's a bit keen on the "twin" isn't he...)

 

 

Can someone check on Eddie please..? (lol)

 

(...usually for Eddie,the the words "Adria" and "Twin",act like a "Bat Signal" ... (lol) )

[Gwendolyn]

pepe63 - 2012-04-03 9:15 PM

 

Sorry Gwen',of not help at all..but I'm just a bit suprised that Eddie(judge') hasn't posted yet?!...

 

........is he ill? :-S

(..he's a bit keen on the "twin" isn't he...)

 

 

Can someone check on Eddie please..? (lol)

 

(...usually for Eddie,the the words "Adria" and "Twin",act like a "Bat Signal" ... (lol) )

 

I had noticed that he's a bit of a fan!! Still, there is time.... I'll be checking the Forum en route....

[Homenaway]

Hi,

As a Twin owner we would be biased as well!

We looked at the new Globecar and Globescout vans on the SMC(Newark) stand at the Newark Spring Fair last week but whilst they had a few interesting features we didn't take to the dark wood and dark grey colour schemes.

Has anyone got a Globecar with the shower tray across the aisle? 

Good luck with your search

Steve

[peterjl]

Hi

 

we have just changed to a Globecar albeit a different model - we sourced ours from SMC Newark and they had several models in stock.

 

Reason for change:

1) smaller. lower roof and narrower than my previous coachbuilt so i can get to places more easily (we used to have a Duetto some years back and always kind of regreted moving away from a more compact vehicle)

2) internal water tank and piping sooo more winterised and travel in alps in winter is again viable (we used to take our Hobby to the Alps in winter)

3)its only 2 berth but has two good sized single beds + 4 seat belts (the extra seat belts an optional extra) so can take grandchildren (our last 2 berth limited to 2 people only)

4)seemed well screwed together but only time will tell.

 

All motorhomes are a compromise but this one gets nearest to my ideal.

 

Goodluck

 

Peter

 

[colin]

dark wood dark grey cloth on a globecar. realy? one of the reasons we got ours was for the light airy feel. yes we have got shower tray in corridor. for us a brillient piece of design.

if you are looking for twin syle be aware it can be claustrophobic in some at rear. we had t25 no probs but gf couldnt stand a hired wildax hence we have campscout

[flicka]

No experience of the PVC's

But these links may be helpful

 

Globecar dealers are SMC Newark

 

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-97346-the-perfect-adria-twin-alternative-globecar-599db.html

 

[Gwendolyn]

Homenaway - 2012-04-03 9:42 PMHi,

As a Twin owner we would be biased as well!

We looked at the new Globecar and Globescout vans on the SMC(Newark) stand at the Newark Spring Fair last week but whilst they had a few interesting features we didn't take to the dark wood and dark grey colour schemes.

Has anyone got a Globecar with the shower tray across the aisle? 

Good luck with your search

Steve

Thanks. I've read your website. We have an Autosleepers Symbol at present, so if we choose the Twin we'll be following your trend!

[Gwendolyn]

Lots of votes for the Globecar then! But we are off to view Adria Twin and Hymer... because.. well... that's what we have found on our searches as being available to us atm.

 

Thanks Flicka. OH has seen that item on another Forum. I'll have a read myself now.

 

Of course, we may end up buying neither! And perhaps take more time and look at more models.

Now.. anyone for the Hymer Car????

[colin]

Gwendolyn - 2012-04-03 10:16 PM

 

Lots of votes for the Globecar then! But we are off to view Adria Twin and Hymer... because.. well... that's what we have found on our searches as being available to us atm.

 

Thanks Flicka. OH has seen that item on another Forum. I'll have a read myself now.

 

Of course, we may end up buying neither! And perhaps take more time and look at more models.

Now.. anyone for the Hymer Car????

When we where looking for a twin type layout, twin itself seemed best imo, something on hymer just didn't seem as good, but you'll make your own mind up I'm sure. If we where looking for transverse bed now, we'd be looking to compare the twin with globecar style that has same shower as our campscout, both I think seem more open layout than any other

[Gwendolyn]

colin - 2012-04-04 8:55 PM

 

Gwendolyn - 2012-04-03 10:16 PM

 

Lots of votes for the Globecar then! But we are off to view Adria Twin and Hymer... because.. well... that's what we have found on our searches as being available to us atm.

 

Thanks Flicka. OH has seen that item on another Forum. I'll have a read myself now.

 

Of course, we may end up buying neither! And perhaps take more time and look at more models.

Now.. anyone for the Hymer Car????

When we where looking for a twin type layout, twin itself seemed best imo, something on hymer just didn't seem as good, but you'll make your own mind up I'm sure. If we where looking for transverse bed now, we'd be looking to compare the twin with globecar style that has same shower as our campscout, both I think seem more open layout than any other

 

Yes! We made our minds up. Didn't like the Hymer. And the Twin at Swindon was quite simply ghastly. Mr DIY [very amateur] had drilled and plugged, and put up bits of wood, and hooks, and left holes and adhesive smears on most surfaces.... But we liked the layout very much.

From there we drove down to Bournemouth where OH had found another Twin. Same story really. Bits of "naffery" everywhere.

Long day – from West Wales and back …..but useful.

So, the hunt goes on and we will seek out a Globecar to look at.

 

[JamesFrance]

Hi Gwendolyn,

 

Only just saw your topic, so a bit late replying.

 

For us it was the specification of the Adria Twin SP that made the difference. You may like to check these details when comparing with other makes as they all seemed to fall short in one of these areas.

 

Gas locker holds 2 x 13kg cylinders.

Fridge capacity 100 litres.

Fresh water 110 litres.

Waste water 90 litres.

Truma Combi 4000.

 

The other big advantage of this van is the huge storage area compared with some other PVC layouts, especially those which need to have the bedding stored during the day.

[Gwendolyn]

Thank you James - that is the kind of infomation we need. The Twin is top of the shopping list atm.

 

Cheers,

Gwen

[colin]

as you are looking at earlier model twins, be aware they tend to overload front axle with full tanks, not sure when/if this was fully rectified.

[JamesFrance]

The current Twins have the water tank to one side under the double bed, balanced by the gas locker on the other, so that problem has been addressed now as the weight is behind the rear axle.

[Shaun]

The move to the back for the water tank comes as a surprise. Mine is bang in the middle under the seat for the extra passengers, and the van has never felt unstable with the tank full or empty. Given that my van incorrectly failed its MOT last year because the standing weight of the van with its usual load, had the spring assisters which are sited just above the back axle, nearly touching it, I'm picturing more incorrect MOT failures due to the extra weight of a water tank bearing down on the axle.

 

Some testers treat this as insufficient clearance between axle and 'bump stops' (typically due to tired rear leaf springs), when it fact what the MOT tester should be seeing is a different type of suspension design, where the spring assisters work in conjunction with the axle, so the desired clearance between the two isn't relevant. Even my Fiat main dealer got that wrong, but their excuse was they hadn't come across such a weight bearing down on the back axle on the commercial Ducatos which they tested. Motorhomes, it would seem, were unchartered territory, hence the incorrect failure.

 

VOSA do point out this newer type of suspension design from time to time within their periodicals for testers to digest (and to tell testers they're not a failure item), but there are still too many MOT failures to suggest the relevant instructions have been generally taken on board.

 

Meanwhile, the newest Twins won't be up for their first MOT for a while, so it's wait and see as to whether a full water tank over the axle will compound the errors at MOT time - assuming Adria haven't beefed up the rear suspension to accommodate the extra weight. But if they have, wouldn't that make for a bouncier rear axle if the water tank were empty?

 

Shaun

[pepe63xnotuse]

We came across one of the Adria Twin GTs( ? ) parked up in Uttoxeter a couple of weeks back..

 

A very impressive looking piece of kit,in the "burnt orange" ,with the black alloy wheels..it was the 3L,had colour coded Fiamma awning both sides,a matt black "bull bar" thing on the front,towbar,rear cycle rack....

 

Heaven knows what extras lay inside..? 8-)

[colin]

Shaun - 2012-04-06 12:55 PM

 

The move to the back for the water tank comes as a surprise. Mine is bang in the middle under the seat for the extra passengers, and the van has never felt unstable with the tank full or empty.

Meanwhile, the newest Twins won't be up for their first MOT for a while, so it's wait and see as to whether a full water tank over the axle will compound the errors at MOT time - assuming Adria haven't beefed up the rear suspension to accommodate the extra weight. But if they have, wouldn't that make for a bouncier rear axle if the water tank were empty?

 

Shaun

Shaun have you ever weighed frt/rear fully ladden? A member on here did and found he couldn't get anywhere near max weight without overloading front axle, adria have no need of beefing up rear it's well up to job, front on earlier 2.2 & 2.3 vans isn't. It was an absolute joke when mmm gave twin van of year award in it's first year without a propper test. The german mags have weighed and reported on these problems which may be why adria revised layout.

[Shaun]

Colin, I did indeed weigh my Twin's axles, front and rear and still have the ticket from Croydon council. Neither axle was near its limit and there was overall just under 500 kilos of spare capacity before reaching the 3300k limit.

 

I'm looking at things from both the driving perspective and the MOT perspective. I can't see how a water tank in the mid section of the van can in itself overload the front, but if it does then I've not noticed anything untoward in four years of driving my Twin. The ride and handling are terrific, and I'm pleased this doesn't alter according to how much water is in the tank, nor whether or not there are passengers in the mid section, who effectively sit on top of the water tank.

 

As for the rear suspension, I've no doubt that it's man enough for the job, but that isn't the point I'm making. Because motorhomes are nearly fully laden most of the time, the gap between spring assisters and the top of the axle has caused some testers to fail the vehicle for the MOT. They're wrong but the problem has persisted ever since this new style suspension was introduced, and it's also happened with the transit chassis.

 

With that in mind, I'm just wondering whether the increased load of a full water tank sitting over the back of the van has led to any suspension changes. Fiat have different rated springs for the Ducato and van buyers can specify higher than standard rating, yet the Adria Twin I have was fitted with the standard springs from new, despite the constant almost full load. For the newer arrangement, Adria might have opted for uprated springs since switching the water tank to the back.

 

Shaun

[colin]

don't think uprating the springs will help if tanks are full. My globecar is l4 on maxi chassis, rear axle has 500kg extra cap to yours, at moment have 3/4 water 1 1/2 bottles gas about 25kg under bed and gf on bed, down on the assisters.