Adriatic Coral A655 SP

[BGD]

Right then Chaps and Chapesses, I need to pick your brains........

 

 

 

What do you know about Adria motorhomes, and more importantly about a specific model; the Adriatic Coral A655 SP?

 

It's a 2005 model on Spanish plates from new. It's an overcab, 6 berth, on the Fiat 2.8 chassis. 51,000kms.

Fixed bed at rear, large fridge with separate freezer. Large storage under longitudinal rear fixed bed.

I think, though I'm not sure, that the "SP" bit might mean special edition....ie a higher bed with big boot under it.

 

Pictures here:

http://www.caravanas-cruz.com/249_en_Adriatik_Coral_A_655_SP.htm

 

 

 

All info gratefully received......................gracias muchisimos a vosotros, mis amigos!

[Brian Kirby]

Don't know the model, but I did look at Adrias around 2005, and was not that impressed with quality. Maybe I saw a duffer or two, but things like the washroom wall material, and the way it was jointed/sealed did not convince me, and the application of sealant at corner wall joints was untidy. It gave me the impression the joints would fairly quickly lose bond, with potentially disastrous consequences for the board, and the timber framing behind, were the shower to be used to any great extent. Other such details also seemed a bit slap dash. However, more recent vans look far better finished, and the overall quality much improved, so maybe those I saw were not truly representative.

 

So, all I can say is, give it a very hard looking at in all such areas, and also have a good look at the external bodywork joints as well. If you can, try to get a good look at the roof, because the way some manufacturers seal the joints between roof and over-cab mouldings, and also with side are rear walls, make me think they believe in faeries! :-)

[Robinhood]

.....one thing to note is that it appears to have the 146hp "power" engine (AFAIK never made available in RHD form) rather than the standard 128hp. (largely a different turbo, I think)

[Wooie]

Hi,

 

I can comment on Adria, the last van we had was a Adria Coral 680SL 2005 model.

 

It was by far the best van we have had and i still wish to this day that we had not

traded it in.

 

The only reason was to get more storage which it is was lacking in a little.

 

We had it from new and put 15,000 miles on it in 18 months, it never missed a beat,

not a rattle or a squeak anywhere and was as good the day we traded it in as the day

we bought it.

 

If i had to be picky the TV cupboard is a little high to watch comfortably.

 

It had a inboard fresh water tank and the waste tank had a 12V heater so no

problems with that freezing either.

 

I would have another Adria tomorrow, without a shadow of a doubt.

 

Regards

 

Graham.

[BGD]

Robinhood - 2012-08-21 6:06 PM

 

.....one thing to note is that it appears to have the 146hp "power" engine (AFAIK never made available in RHD form) rather than the standard 128hp. (largely a different turbo, I think)

 

 

 

 

Just to avoid any confusion - it's LHD, Spanish plates, at a Dealer here in Spain.

Here again is a link to the actual vehicle at that dealer:

 

http://www.caravanas-cruz.com/249_es_Adriatik_Coral_A_655_SP.htm

[Robinhood]

BGD - 2012-08-21 5:42 PM

 

Robinhood - 2012-08-21 6:06 PM

 

.....one thing to note is that it appears to have the 146hp "power" engine (AFAIK never made available in RHD form) rather than the standard 128hp. (largely a different turbo, I think)

 

 

 

 

Just to avoid any confusion - it's LHD, Spanish plates, at a Dealer here in Spain.

Here again is a link to the actual vehicle at that dealer:

 

http://www.caravanas-cruz.com/249_es_Adriatik_Coral_A_655_SP.htm

 

I appreciate that. (I may be approaching my dotage, but I can still tell when a language isn't English, and the steering wheel is on the "wrong" side.). ;-)

 

The 128 hp engine was the standard (on the 2.8JTD, even LHD). This is quoted as being on the 146hp engine, which is above the "standard" rating fitted, an (as I said) AFAIK was not available on RHD versions.

 

I thought you might be interested that it was the uprated engine (And, though some respondents on here might have had a LHD "power" version, I suspect there will not be many who can give a review of its performance).

 

Hey Ho.....

 

(might also be worth checking if it is fitted with the lower 5th gear, which is seen by some, including me, as being an advantage on a 'van this size).

[Matrix Meanderer]

Hi BGD

 

Well whatever the past history of Adria motorhomes may be in some people's memories - one thing is clear, the make has great support in the UK today with plenty of dealers and a great owners club.

 

Appreciate that you are likely to remain in Spain but be assured that the build quality of Adria has always been great. They have been building recreational vehicles for over 40 years and are still a one marque company unlike others. The dealer network in France, Spain and Scandinavia is larger than the UK so you will not be far from a dealer.

 

Having visited the Slovenian factory this year I'm sure that you will get good support from any dealer for service and spares. The current build quality is excellent - far superior to most UK makes.

 

FYI I think that the SP bit refers to the bed style, we have a Matrix 680 SP which has a transverse double bed over garage.

 

Hope this gives you confidence in the make.

 

[Brian Kirby]

Robinhood - 2012-08-21 5:57 PM

 

BGD - 2012-08-21 5:42 PM

 

Robinhood - 2012-08-21 6:06 PM

 

.....one thing to note is that it appears to have the 146hp "power" engine (AFAIK never made available in RHD form) rather than the standard 128hp. (largely a different turbo, I think)

 

Just to avoid any confusion - it's LHD, Spanish plates, at a Dealer here in Spain.

Here again is a link to the actual vehicle at that dealer:

 

http://www.caravanas-cruz.com/249_es_Adriatik_Coral_A_655_SP.htm

 

I appreciate that. (I may be approaching my dotage, but I can still tell when a language isn't English, and the steering wheel is on the "wrong" side.). ;-)

 

The 128 hp engine was the standard (on the 2.8JTD, even LHD). This is quoted as being on the 146hp engine, which is above the "standard" rating fitted, an (as I said) AFAIK was not available on RHD versions.

 

I thought you might be interested that it was the uprated engine (And, though some respondents on here might have had a LHD "power" version, I suspect there will not be many who can give a review of its performance).

 

Hey Ho.....

 

(might also be worth checking if it is fitted with the lower 5th gear, which is seen by some, including me, as being an advantage on a 'van this size).

 

Out first van was on a 146HP LHD Ducato of same vintage, bought new in France. It was a 6 metre low profile Burstner, so less of a barn door. However, I was never that impressed with its performance and reckon our 2.2 litre 130PS Transit based Hobby (same length, same weight, same height, but 300mm narrower) would eat it!

 

'Enry's 'orses seem to have eaten more oats than Fiat's, is all I can say. Nothing actually wrong with it, just not what you would somehow expect from comparing 146 HP of 2.8 litre lump with 130HP (roughly) of 2.2 litre lump.

 

About 25MPG up hill and down dale, though the Luton will probably drag that down somewhat.

[flicka]

Hi BGD

We have recently bought the Adria Sport S572SL (low profile) The SL refers to the twin rear beds, so I think Matrix Meanderer is correct in his thoughts.

 

We did look at an Adria (transverse rear double bed over garage) at the 2009 NEC Show, but at that time felt the furniture build quality was flimsy (& very pale colour didn't appeal to us)

Our current Adria, although their "budget" range is (in my now biased opinion) a big improvement since their 2009 models. The furniture, although still lightweight, is more sustantially built (but benefits available payload) & layout suits us. The "Coral" badge is now their "mid-range" offering, since their introduction of the Matrix top range.

 

IIRC you current van has the 2.8 engine so you will be familiar with that.

External construction appears good, but too soon for us to tell, although I did a lot of research on all Adria coachbuilts of any age & found nothing reporting water ingress, so that was a confidence builder.

Try googling "Adria Coachbuilt (or Caravans) water ingress" on your spanish sites to see if anything comes up.

Adria differ from UK manufacturers (& many European) by using polyester for body shell construction.

 

 

[colin]

Not sure what the SP is suposed to indicate but I'm fairly sure it doesn't aply to bed or the storage space under as there are longditudinal, transverse and island beds all SP's and of various hights of bed.Now you've irritated me as I'll not be happy until some one can give an answer. :-S >:-(

[flicka]

Had a search to find a review on this, but very little info forthcoming.

Did find so additional info re spec if it helps.

http://www.campingcar-infos.com/cc/fichecc.php?id=204&marque=ADRIATIK&type=CAPUCINE

 

& maybe these for a price comparison

http://www.nettikaravaani.com/adria/coral-655-sp/1360584

http://www.annonces-caravaning.com/56853,annonce-campingcar-adria-coral-655-sp.html

 

[Robinhood]

...from the specifications I can see, the SP seems to consistently denote a transverse rear double bed (though not necessarily over a "garage", as it appears to be also used for this layout in the PVCs)

 

Whereas the "french bed" version - as appears to be pictured in Bruce's example - appears to be consistently denoted as an "SF". :-S

[colin]

Robinhood - 2012-08-21 10:37 PM

 

...from the specifications I can see, the SP seems to consistently denote a transverse rear double bed (though not necessarily over a "garage", as it appears to be also used for this layout in the PVCs)

 

Whereas the "french bed" version - as appears to be pictured in Bruce's example - appears to be consistently denoted as an "SF". :-S

 

Whilst this is true of the latest online info, I have brouchures from 2007,2008, and 2010 in front of me and the SP models have french, traverse and island beds, one of these having a printing mistake would be possible, but all three?

[andy mccord]

Well mines an 690SC and it has an island bed over garage, oddly the 690SP is tha same layout apart from the sink area...

 

Andy

[BGD]

Well I had thought that "SP" in the Adria Model number "A655 SP" might have indicated " Special", as in some sort of customer-specified, non-standard layout or specification level.

 

But it would seem that maybe not, so the mystery deepens...........

[Guest pelmetman]

Looks in good nick from the pic's Bruce ;-)............. I assume the retrocamera is a reversing camera :D......

[Derek Uzzell]

Looking at (French) Adria motorhome listings, it seems that a 2-figure suffix beginning with "D" was being used in 2000 (the year Adria entered the French market) for coachbuilt models - hence "Coral 590 DS" or "Coral 590 DU".

 

For the 2003 model-year the "SP" suffix was used for 3 models, seemingly to differentiate them from similarly-named models being marketed with a "D*" suffix - hence "Adriatik 660 SP" and "Adriatik 660 DP". This suggests that the "S" may indicate a superior specification to the basic "D".

 

By the 2006 model-year the "S" suffix dominates, with just two overcab models still retaining the "D". These were the cheapest of Adria's 2006 overcab models, which lends weight to the idea that the "S" originally indicated an enhanced specification.

 

In the French market at least, a mixture of Adria suffixes beginning "D" or "S" continued up to model-year 2010 after whiich the "D" suffix disappeared.

 

I don't know what the rest of the suffix indicates, but the 2nd letter apparently has been "C", "F", "G", "K", "L", S", "P", "T" or "U". There have also been 3-figure suffixes (eg. "SPG"). I'm pretty sure it's a layout-related thing, but there seems no obvious pattern to it. As Adria Mobil is a Slovenian company it may well be that the suffix letters do not directly relate to English words.

[Guest pelmetman]

SP could just mean sold in Spain ;-)