# How good are they then?



## Nauplia

I am thinking of buying an Adria Coral. It's a 2008 model but so far unregistered. How good are they?

I have a Swift Sundance at the moment and certain things in the Adria seem better quality - the general build and finish etc. Is this correct or are they not as good as they seem? In particular I am interested in the heating system as we use a van for skiing. Also do the other systems freeze when the going gets tough?

Is there anyone out there who can advise? If they are a pig in a poke then please tell me now before I sign on the dotted line.


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## Steamdrivenandy

We got our Coral Compact last September and so far we're very pleased with it. We've done just over 3,000 miles and had 12 nights away.

Niggles:-

Rattle from inside cooker hood - turned out to be unsecured electric cable. Stuck it to inside surface of hood - bingo no rattle.

A press stud on the shower screen securing strap broke - replaced FOC by Discover, Darlington who we didn't buy the van from.

The flap over the fresh water tank inlet kept flapping in the breeze as it wouldn't clip down like it's EHU covering brother. Again cured by Discover.

The sliding blade on the Thetford C250 came adrift. Again cured by Discover FOC.

So just little niggles really.

Bed is good and comfortable and the heating kept us toasty during some quite cold trips in the depths of winter. We never froze up even during a few days away around New Year when it didn't get above freezing. The heated waste tank worked fine. The heater/boiler is right next to the water dropping sensor so if you have the heating on there's no way it'll dump the water cos it's the warmest place in the van.

Materials quality seems on a par with vans of similar price levels but a Hymer it ain't.

HTH'


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## Suenliam

Just back from having our 2005 Coral MOTed. We have owned it from new and have done 30,000 miles of comfortable travelling both here and on the continent. We don't do the continent in winter, but we sometimes go to Aviemore then. Steamdrivenandy is right - the heating is toasty warm. A couple of nights ago I was too hot (usually a contradiction in terms :? ) and had to get up and turn the blown air stuff off even though it was on the lowest setting. 

Our only problem was with the oil pressure light. It kept coming on as there was a nick in the electric cable which shorted out against the bodywork - sometimes! Difficult to trace the cause as it was intermittent, but easily fixed then though. 

We are very pleased with the value for money of the Adria. In fact it was just that that decided us to buy in the first place. We have looked at other makes, but as ours has been adapted to suit us - BBQ point, extra 13amp plug in the kitchen etc. we have seen nothing to tempt us to trade in yet. 

The only spending we have done on it so far is for things I don't need to know about such as oil filter things during the annual service. 

I am beginning to suspect satisfaction with motorhoming is more to do with the quality of the dealer than the actual MH make.

We love it, but each to their own  

Sue


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## houseboatdream

Hi

We had an Adria Stargo. Its exactly the same layout and build quality as the Coral but on a mercedes base vehicle. Adria made very few of them. We full-timed in it for about 10 months in 2007/08. We lived in through a winter and it got quite a hammering!

Problems we had:
1. shower tray cracked - had to replaced under warranty
2. blown air heating noisy (much nosier than current van) and broke down twice, once the thermostat went, second time the gas regulator which dealer blamed on gaslow (not proven I hasten to add)
3. EHU socket shorted/ caught fire
4. Dropped book on the table and the (thin) surface developed a hole
5. We had dinnette layout with over bed garage. we found the seating cushions uncomfortable and the foam wore out v quickly, we were considering re-upholstery but traded it in.

No complaints about the mercedes base but as earlier poster says its no Hymer! In hindsight for full timing we would have been better off with a second hand Hymer. Still, you live and learn. We now have a Pilot Cityvan which does not have a good reputation for build quality but we find it OK. We're off for five months at the end of April so it will interesting to see how it does.

HBD.


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## UncleNorm

Hello Nauplia! How can I NOT reply to your post?! :roll: :wink: 

In October 07, Auntie Sandra and I went to the NEC to find a new motorhome. We were leaning towards a Rapido with fixed corner bed, conference suite for 6 people, low profile, low level oven, forward-facing belted seats for 2 more passengers... etc...

We went into just about every make of MH at the NEC show. The only one to tick all the boxes was Our Coral, by ADRIA! So many of the competition had dangerous high-level ovens, or parallel seating in the lounge, so no extra belts.

We've had Our Coral since 23 November 07, exactly 16 months. She is on the X2/50 lowline chassis and has done 7,500 miles in that time, much of it in largish stints...

We did a month in France last June, a month in Scotland in Sept/October. Last Saturday saw us returning from another month in the Lochalsh area of Scotland. In that time, we had the weather of all four seasons and Our Coral coped extremely well with it all. There were times during snow and frost when we had to turn the heating DOWN! We also attended 10 rallies or meets throughout last year, much of that off hook-up.

You'll see from the stats below that we are averaging over 26 mpg. I have a couple of fills to enter, the latter being something over 30 mpg!

Build quality is better than many of the opposition, with gentle curves linking surfaces. 

Our Coral is made by ADRIA, from Slovenia, at the top-end of the Adriatic Sea. The fabric, which seems very hard wearing, extends the theme of the sea, using blues, greens, golds... So the colour scheme might not be to everyone's taste. 

If you want to PM me, feel free. You can tell I'm happy to chat about Our Coral! Did I mention that she's booked in for 6 weeks in Europe from the end of May? More semi-full-timing! :roll: :lol: How could we do that if she wasn't up to it? :wink: 

I wish you well with your research.


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## ob1

Watch the available payload. Some of the Coral versions are quite low and the brochure fails to say how the payload figure (what is/not included) is arrived at - always a bad sign.


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## UncleNorm

Hello again!

Fair point by Ob1. The first thing I did on hand-over was visit the weighbridge. The cert showed a payload of 540kg. That's probably all right for a couple but a family, or pet lovers, might be struggling. 

Some of the 'sensible, ordinary' things a caravaner might want to do can chip away quite aggressively at that payload. We added a second battery (32kg more) changed a 6kg propane to 13 (+20kg) added a 120w solar panel (+15kg) 

Before we go to France, I'll empty Our Coral and refill her as needed. Once in 'travel trim', back to the weighbridge.


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## ob1

Yes, and your Coral SP is one of the more realistic ones in terms of payload UncleNorm.


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## Steamdrivenandy

That reminds me, I must get the Compact weighed so I know where I am.

SDA


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## 1946

We have owned 4 Adria's and think they are fantastic.
Reason for switching is that the bunkbeds are on the side, which I did not like.
We have been in -10c and have not had a problem.
I think they are a fantastic motorhome with a very good quality finish.
Always bought from the same dealer in Germany.

If I can be of any help, please feel free to pm me.

Kind regards

Maddie


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## Nauplia

Thanks to everyone who replied. Just the kind of confidence boost we needed before heading off to the dealer this weekend. Thanks also for the little tip about unladen mass and MGM.

All now depends on whether the dealer is going to offer a reasonable price for our present van or not.

Once again, thanks to you all.


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## Korky555

Hi Nauplia the Adria is probably a better built van than your swift if you get it i hope you enjoy it


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