Deep Dive Review of Embassy Dolphin S After 1 Year of Heavy Use
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2024
- What a great adventure this past year has been! After 20,000 miles, 29 states and dozens of state and national parks in every season, we’re ready to give you our deep-dive review of our Embassy Dolphin S Class B RV. We give you our score for: layout, sofa beds, plumbing, electric, heating, cooling, kitchen, bathroom & storage. Then we’ll tell you if we’d do it all again.
This is not a walk through tour. You can find our tour video from last year here: • Embassy Dolphin S Clas...
If we don’t cover something you’re curious about, please feel free to post your question in the comments and we’ll do our best to answer.
Happy Travels!
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We’ll be Live Chatting during the Premier at 10:30 EDT this morning, so open your live chat window😊
Thanks for the great review from experienced travelers. Good to hear real world opinions rather than salesperson hype.
You’re most welcome. Thanks for watching!
I especially appreciate the detailed review of the electrical system.
@@GaiaCarney Thanks for watching!
Very comprehensive, real-world review. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Great review. The smoke detector should be on the ceiling so that it is at the highest point to detect smoke earlier. Under the hood would require half the height of van to be filled with smoke and delay in alerting.
Thanks for watching!
Loved the video. I learn more and more with each.
Thanks for watching!
YAY!!!! Happy van-iversary!!!!! I may be your biggest fan! I have watched every video you have produced since your first one! They are excellent and helped my hubby and I during our long wait to get our Embassy van! Thanks so much Guy and Roseanne!
Thanks, Gina! And thanks for watching them all!!!! 😱
Excellent job on the review!!!!!
My wife and I have submitted our deposit and can't wait to get our unit.
But we really want to thank you two for the videos - Information.
We have learned a lot from you two.
Safe travels to you two and keep up the great work o n your videos.
Be good - be safe and keep the faith!
KR,
G & L
Awesome! Thank you! Enjoy the excitement of waiting and planning for your van, and thanks so much for watching!
Thanks for the great review!!
Our pleasure. Thanks for watching!
Great Video Guy and Roseann. I enjoyed meeting both of you at the van meetup. Safe travels. 😊
Same here 😀 Thanks for watching!
Our B van has no problems to cool even in 120 degree heat in the sun in Vegas. It’s a Coleman Mach, and quite noisy
Which van do you have?
What a great video. I especially love that for every negative you mentioned you suggested a positive solution. I thoroughly enjoyed watching and have moved Embassy to one of the finalists in my Class B RV search. Thank you so much for your honest and very thoughtful review.
Thanks so much for your kind words. Good luck with your search and your future adventures! Thanks for watching!
❤loved your honest review of your van. Happy travels. 😊
Thank you! 🙂 And thanks for watching!
@@amorevan you are either a professional videographer or a natural at filming. Your videos are smooth, not choppy or bouncy. You move your filming device slowly which allows me to see everything that you want to show. Your wife is a wonderful in the filming, too. She has such a calming and relaxed flow to her movements, guess you could call her the “Vanna White” of your Embassy RV videos.
Happy Valentine’s Day to the two of you. 😊
@@maureenkwarcinski4117 Thank you for the kind words. We are amateurs, but trying to learn. Rose Anne is our secret weapon for sure!😀
Excellent review and information. New subscriber. Thank you for the video. Blessings to you.
Welcome aboard! Thanks for watching!
I am glad to see a detailed first-hand account of life in an Class B RV over an extended trip. I think the only important question I have is how you managed your clothing, from the number of changes you packed, where you packed them and where you tended to do laundry.
Hi! Packing cloths for a long trip can be a challenge for sure, especially if you are going to encounter a range of temperatures. I basically try to pack enough clothing to last at least a week between washings…with maybe a couple extra days underwear and socks, since they don’t take much room. We use packing cubes to organize and compress a bit. We have also experimented with various locations in the van for where to put the clothes…..always seeking to improve the efficiency of getting at them. We sometimes do laundry at campgrounds that are so equipped, but also at commercial laundries when we pass through towns that have one. Always carry plenty of quarters! Hope that helps. Thanks for watching!
@@amorevan thanks much. You pack more than i thought. It amazes me.
Thanks for sharing. As a newbie I have no idea how expensive they are but it sounds perfect for my needs.
Thanks for watching. You should plan on something north of 150k for rigs of this kind.
Wonderful review.
Thanks, Carl!
Very good reviews, Now Understand better, showed by you and your wife step by step and input for you use, it helps me and learned more about the Embassy camper, Thank you. I have been looking for B camper or B + for little over the year and take that first step is so many decisions to make and to make right decisions. This will be life changing decisions
I’m not a person to moving very fast , I was wondering one senior with Two little chihuahua for full time living on is adequate? You and your wife advise will be greatly appreciate it. Again thanks to both of you in-depth review.
Hi! Thanks for watching. We know many people who own Embassy vans and travel with their dogs. Some of them are big dogs. You might want to consider joining the Embassy Owners and Wannabees Facebook group. It’s a great bunch of people and the dog owners would love to answer your questions. Also, you may not know that Embassy is releasing a B+ this year-the Cape Cod. Details are not out yet but the big reveal should be by June. Here’s a link to the Facebook group. facebook.com/share/vRgBrGje4PuYd87c/?mibextid=K35XfP
I've added 4 Command brand Toothbrush holders to the sides of the mirror. They are great for holding Q-tips, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and such
Good idea!
Appreciate the well structured and comprehensive review. What is your opinion (after a year / 22k miles) of the unique Embassy ventilation design? In what general weather conditions is it sufficient without running the A/C? Do you find it preferable in place of venting windows (aside from the insulation factor)?
Did Roseanne mean to say that she sleeps on the driver’s side sofa bed (that’s what I thought I heard)? Would have assumed that the taller person would be on the driver’s side with its longer bed extension.
Thanks!
Hi, Chris. When we got our Embassy, openings in the picture windows were not an available option. Now they are. I’d recommend getting that option if you were to buy one now. The ventilation fans work quite well, but the ability to open the windows would help, and would be quieter. We are able to ventilate the van pretty well as is, but I think the new window option would be well worth it. You’re right, Rose Anne misspoke. She sleeps on the passenger side (I think we ran a caption under that portion of the video to point out the error). Thanks for watching!
I'll be purchasing a B van in the future and I've narrowed it down to either an Embassy, Coachmen Beyond or a totally custom build, which would be far more expensive but tailored to me. I really like the Embassy, overall. Although it's not perfect, no non-custom RV is, it's one of only 2 currently available 'mainstream' class B vans I would buy. The dry flush toilet is convenient and easy to use, but the expensive cartridges are a concern. I'd like to have double the fresh water capacity and move the gray tank under chassis. Also, I'm not a fan of a fully windowed van. I'd much prefer a mostly solid walled better insulated van, with only a few small windows where it makes sense to have them. This would make for a much more comfortable, stealthy and private experience. Unfortunately, Embassy only orders vans in one configuration, so you're stuck with all the windows.
Thanks for your thoughts and thanks for watching! Although the cartridges for the Dry Flush toilet can be expensive, there are ways to manage your use of the toilet to economize on those. We have used a variety of techniques to get to the point where we can get by on only one cartridge for a full month on the road. The window issue is a personal choice you will have to wrestle with. We love the open feeling they give us, but, as they say, to each his own. Good luck with your research and your eventual choice!
Hi Guys on our way to Embassy right now
Say hi to the crew for us!
I just watched another video in this van and you covered many is the things I had questions about. The bathroom mirror vanity definitely needs to be different. The low lying mirror would not be an option for me.
Thanks for watching! We recently did a mod to the bathroom mirror: ua-cam.com/video/fUWTFYsPd8U/v-deo.htmlsi=ofURB-XK2_Vxvt63
Thanks for the great video. Air conditioning question; can the supply vents over the passenger bed be directed over your head, or toward the drivers side. We have a rooftop AC in our Casita that blows directly at my wife’s head that annoys her.
The vents can be swiveled side to side and up and down. The up/down swivel has a more limited range of motion, so one of the things that’s been on our to-do list for some time (just haven’t gotten around to it) is to reverse one of them so that one can swivel more up and the other more down. Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching!
Excellent video thank you! Hopefully our Ford Transit DOLPHIN S will be ready in April 2024.
Do you have any issues with the Ford Transit?
For the Laveo do you have any problems finding large enough garbage containers that will fit a big bag? Most garbage cans these days are all small!
Thanks again!
Hi! April will be here before you know it. Enjoy the excitement of your preparations! The Ford has been mostly great with a couple of what we suspect are pandemic era glitches. The engine is very powerful and handles the mountains very well. The ride is comfortable. Because of the height, you will definitely feel any high winds, or when trucks pass you on the interstate. The dual rear wheels help with that, and we also had Sumos and heavy duty shocks installed, which also help. We has a glitch with the air bag indicator, which required a replacement module (was a quick repair once they diagnosed it). We (like many other, I think) have had an issue with an intermittent blue screen affecting our 360 cameras (which are awesome). I’m toldFord is planning a software fix for this. Regarding the Laveo, campgrounds will usually have large dumpsters for trash, so it’s not a problem. Plus, the bar really is not that big. It will fit in just about any reasonably sized trash receptacle. Thanks for watching!
@@amorevan thank you from the Whitehouse - Chris and Karen White!
Hope to meet you next summer at the next rally!
Great informative video! Thank you. If you are using the shower, roughly how long can you have a hot shower for? Is every shower a "military" shower? Also, is there a place to hang/clip the shower head so you don't have to hold it the entire time (maybe a diy project?)? Thanks again.
Hi. I would say that if you are running the shower from your water tank and pump, a military shower is pretty much the way to go because otherwise you’re going to go through a lot of your fresh water supply pretty quickly. If, on the other hand, you are “hooked up” to city water and have the drain hose open, you can shower as long as you like. A hanging spot for the shower head would be an easy DYI project, but since we go the military shower route we want the shower head in our hand so we can operate the shutoff switch. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this review! My question...where do u put your bedding during when in couch mode?
Every owner handles bedding differently. We leave the sheets on our beds all the time, and just cover with a bed spread/sofa cover which we keep on and sit on in when in “couch mode.” During the day, we store our pillows in the cab in the space in the Ford headliner above the driver and passenger seats. Thanks for watching!
I have always wondered about steam/smoke when cooking inside the Embassy as I don't see any exhaust?. Also, noticed the smoke alarm location over the cooking area...seems like it would have to be removed or it would go off every time you cook? Enjoyed your review...thanks for posting...answered a lot of questions.
If we cook inside, we will turn the side exhaust fans on. Yes, we do temporarily disconnect the smoke detector when we cook inside. 🤷🏼♂️
Thanks for watching!
Great touch points and review
Just curious if you know what and whom makes the 2nd alternator? And any issues with them?
Hi, John. Embassy has used more than one 2nd alternator over the last few years. They had been using an alternator from Balmar, but it proved to be problematic in some builds. Embassy has since switched to a Nations alternator or the Ford OEM 2nd alternator in the Transit (I am just not sure which at the present time). Ours is a Nations. I am not aware of any issues with the Nations/Ford alternators per se. There was a recent software update to the RV’s CZone control panel that caused it not to play nice with the 2nd alternator’s regulator. That issue was resolved by reverting to the prior version of the software until the bug is fixed. Thanks for watching!
I wish Embassy would build this kind of quality into a 130" WB, medium height roof Ford Transit. The vans wouldn't be much cheaper because of the high quality of the materials and techniques Embassy uses would be the same. Some amenities would have to go (the bathroom, for instance), but I need to navigate the city as well as to camp in a van. Where I live, bridges can be low and parking spaces are small. Also, smaller vans attract less attention. Embassy does an amazing job of making their big vans less conspicuous, but smaller vans would be even more stealthy. I watched your first video with interest. Thanks very much for this thorough, careful review.
Hi. Thanks for watching. I know Embassy has and does build on some shorter Transits, and also the 19’ Sprinter, but I don’t know about the 130’WB chassis. That may well be too short. Embassy RV’s are RVIA certified, and I’m guessing the RVIA would not certify a rig without a bathroom. But, it is worth calling Terry at Embassy and asking him exactly what they can and cannot do. Keep in mind that Embassy will procure the chassis for builds on the full sized Transit or Promaster. For builds on other chassis, it is bring-your-own-chassis. Good luck. I hope you find something that meets your needs.
@@amorevan
Thank you very much. Coincidentally, I found out _this_afternoon_ that Ford is discontinuing the 130" WB MR Transits, so I can't even get one! I am back to square 1... I'm still trying to get my head around the change. Before I read your note I had planned to call Terry Monday to discuss the possibility of getting a 148" Transit. I think it's really too big for me, but I also think it's literally the best in its class. My head's spinning, so it's good that I have the weekend to ponder all of this. Thank you again for answering, and ... happy trails!
@@ZebaKnightIn case you haven’t seen it, this video we did has 2 van tours. The second is of an Embassy built on the 19’ Sprinter. It will give you an idea of what’s possible on a smaller chassis. When I was last at Embassy, there was a 18.5’ Transit (high roof) on the production line (It was a bring-your-own-chassis build).
ua-cam.com/video/zCv-1e6jEbY/v-deo.html
@@amorevan Thanks! I hope I can work something out with Embassy. The times just haven't favored my quest so far.
Could the Lagun table be situated near the countertop to provide some additional space during food prep?
Yes. If the Lagun mount closest to the kitchen is used, the table can be positioned adjacent to the counter and at the same height to use as counter space. Thanks for watching!
How do you feel about having to make up and unmake the beds each day? (Or don't you bother?) Related to that, do you move the beds together each night, or leave them separate? Thanks for the extra feedback. Love your videos!
Bob, we leave the beds made all the time and just cover them with bed spread/comforter. So, the only thing we store during the day is our pillows. Most times, we sleep as twin beds for easier access to the bathroom at night. Thanks for watching.
You can add a carrier on the hitch to transport the firewood.
Hi, thanks for watching! We have avoided any kind of rear carriers because we don’t want to increase the length of our van. We enjoy how well it fits into parking spaces and even the smallest camp sites.
JOOC... Where do you store the mattress toppers when they are not in use, as these things tend to be bulky?
See our answer to your other comment. 👍
Hey thank you for your review. Do they have model with genarator? Unfortunately ii like to use propane but you don’t. Could you explain why you don’t like propane. Yeah I agree with you no wood in camper van . Do they have dealers in Alberta Canada? Thank you
Hi! No, Embassy does not put generators in any of their builds. With 920ah and the dedicated second alternator, we’ve never missed having a generator and wouldn’t want one. You could, of course, carry a portable propane grill, if that’s what you enjoy cooking on. I know some Embassy owners carry one. While Embassy doesn’t use dealers in the USA, I believe they do have a dealer in Canada. I’ll try to get that info for you, so check back. Also, a short time ago there was a very nice used Embassy for sale by a Canadian owner. If that’s something you’d be interested in, maybe leave me a way to contact you and I’ll try to reach out to that seller. Thanks for watching!
I assume (not being an RVer) that your toilet is a cassette type. How do you get cartridges and what is the cost? I enjoyed this review. You were succinct and articulate with your assessments. Well done.
Hi. Thanks for watching! It’s not a cassette toilet. We have a Laveo Dry Flush toilet. Each refill is about $22.50.
One thing I never see in RV reviews is an assessment (or better yet, a measurement!) of road noise. We've rented a class A motorhome and a Roadtrek Class B, and they were both a lot noisier than we expected. Not rattles and clanks from the silverware, but tire and engine and wind noise. We had to shout to hear each other in the cab of both vehicles. Are there any quiet RVs?
Our Embassy, built on Ford Transit, is reasonably quiet when driving. We certainly are able to talk without shouting. It is not, of course, as quiet as a sedan. The vehicle is over 9 feet tall, so some wind noice is inevitable. Many Ford Transit owners have observed that in a cross wind, there is increased wind noise in the area of the front cab door seals. I cannot speak to other RVs.
How would you rate the drivability: performance in rough weather conditions, parking, acceleration, driving comfort, FordPass, etc.? I know these are not specific to Embassy, but would like to hear your thoughts on the Transit. Thank you.
We’ve driven through some pretty rough thunderstorms. The Transit did very well. We find it easy to drive and comfortable. The 360 cameras really make parking much easier. The engine is powerful and did very well climbing the Rocky Mountains. The FordPass/Sync 4 stuff is good technology. We had a couple glitches with the Transit at the outset that required attention, but nothing major. Thanks for watching!
Wonderful honest video. I retire in 6 years so I have been dreaming of a nice RV that isn’t too big. Most class B’s have about 15% of that rear storage. The bathroom is quite nice. I like that the kitchen counter has lots of work space because the induction plate is stored separately. Marine grade vinyl is a nice touch for cabinets as I became familiar with the material after finding outdoor furniture that actually last more than a season or two. One question..can water from the shower get into the closet behind the shower easily if they are closed or does a shower curtain or door seal prevent that?
@@maxwellhouse750 Hi! There is a shower curtaIl that you hang from hooks in the ceiling that completely protects the closets. Thanks for watching and good luck with your future travels!
We recently rented a B van to see how we liked it. It was an older Winnebago. The rattling on the road was atrocious! How is that issue in an Embassy?
If we have properly secured our gear, we do not have a rattling issue. The cabinets and doors are high quality and do not rattle. Stay away from the “W” word brand. 😱🤣 Thanks for watching!
What does it mean “at night we use urinals?” Bottles? Walk to a facility? Great reviews thank you.
We have hospital style urinal bottles that we use at night, so we can dump them in the morning rather than wasting flushes in the Laveo. So, this winds up being similar to how people with “composting” toilets with urine diverters handle urine disposal. Thanks for watching!
At the time i am listening = 4/20/2024 -> I'm thinking that electrical power systems & air conditioning systems have advanced quite a bit from what you have. The Ford Transit Trail Sanctuary by Thor is one example., I like Thor esthetically, however, the materials Embassy uses in their build & also the choice of either a rear bathrm or how they do the mid bathrm, (which uses the width of the vehicle, instead of one side). 😊 New to channel & Embassy van info.
Welcome! I think sometimes that there are RV manufacturers who add amp hours to their offering without first (1) asking themselves if they’ve made their build as energy efficient as possible, (2) considering if the space and weight spent on more battery is actually allowing owners to enhance their experience, or is just designed to make a PR splash. Through 32,000 miles in almost 40 states, we’ve never even come remotely close to running out of electricity. Also, the Class Bs I’ve seen built on the Trail are woefully short of storage space, which is probably just as well since Trail has a GVWR that is 1,500lbs less than the regular, DRW Transit. Every model has its tradeoffs. We love ours. Good luck on your journey to find the one that’s right for you!!!! Hope our channel helps you learn more about Embassy. Thanks for watching! 😀
The issue you experienced with A/C not restarting after a power interuption was this when running off the batteries or when plugged into 120A/C ? Has Embassy responded to this issue? We travel with a small dog and this would be a death nell for the pup. This issue would definitely be a deal breaker.
Hi. I honestly cannot say for sure, but I think the answer is battery only. But, for your purposes, what you need to know is there have been changes in Embassy’s AC options for newer builds, and, I’m told, additional changes on the way. So, this is a subject you should discuss with Embassy directly, if and when you are at the point of considering ordering a van. Thanks for watching!
@@amorevan Thank you for the reply. I understand there are also temperature monitoring devices in the van that can be setup on your phone.
As a shorter person Rose Anne, how challenging is it to take hot items out of the microwave?
It’s not hard, but I concentrate on keeping the dish level and always use hot pads/gloves
Thanks. Ours at home is counter height so it's not something we're used to doing
@@amorevan
Do you miss having an awning?
No. They are too unreliable and most of the day they do you no good. Thanks for watching!
About what is the average cost?
Costs have changed a lot in the last couple of years. Your best bet for accurate information is to call Embassy directly. Thanks for watching!
Water and grey water capacity? Cost?
23 fresh, 23 sink drain, 10 shower drain. As for cost, they are now into the 2024 model year, so you’re best bet fr accurate info is to call Embassy. Thanks for watching!
Oh thanks!
I share your concern with heat increases through the windows. Though I have no experience with it, I am considering ceramic window tint which is said to block 99% UV and 90% + IR. This test is pretty impressive: ua-cam.com/video/yQyn26K_uAU/v-deo.htmlsi=sCSFFrLPkU-yKrWR
I assume it would also reflect IR to help reduce heat loss during winter.
Hi, Charlie. I know someone who has had this done and speaks highly of the results. Thanks for watching!
Only problem I had with your video is your voice lowers as the length of your statements are longer. I had a hard time hearing your words and I had my volume turned up all the way. Maybe its my computer but you might want to review you volume controls. Good review of the van.
What about gas mileage
We’ve averaged about 14.6
@@amorevan that's good and that's with the Ford 3.5 twin turbo right
@@user-xs5uk4lb6zYes, that’s right. We get close to 16 on flat interstate, but then back roads and mountains pull down the average.
@@amorevan that's awesome 😁🤗
the thing I don"t like is over head cabinets. They look too industrial.
I know some people like the look of wood, but we’re more interested in the cabinets being built to last without warping.
Has anyone flat towed a vehicle? I’m curious if it would handle a 2 door wrangler.
I honestly don’t know. You’d have to look for the gross combined weight rating. To me, that seems like a lot to tow behind a van, but I don’t know.