PlaymoFriends

General => Report & Review => Topic started by: playmofire on May 03, 2009, 20:25:56

Title: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 03, 2009, 20:25:56
I'm limiting my Playmobil purchases currently, indeed I'm trying to slim down my collection.  But I recently noticed that the Vedes ADAC theme sets were coming up on eBay at good Buy it Now prices and took the plunge on a 4079 recovery truck which came in at £35, including insured postage to the UK.

As I wasn't able to set up my usual background for the photography the approach is slightly different with some of the photos in a story line setting.  But first, the box, front and rear and then three detail pictures (one of these is in the next post).
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 03, 2009, 20:28:20
The last of the box detail shots, and then onto the truck driver with him against the truck for scale and then front and rear detail shots.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 03, 2009, 20:32:18
Now the truck itself with front, side and rear views.  One shortcoming of the set is the large metal box which doesn't fit neatly any where.  It is too deep front to back to fit in any of the spaces across the truck as well as being too in the way when a car is on board.  Moreover, as there is adequate storage space for the accessories, there is no real need for the box at all.

Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 03, 2009, 20:38:33
Some detail from the truck now.  The winch is a new design with two System-X studs on the base to hold it in place.  It has a small handle on then side which when turned reels in the winch cable and, when it is pushed in locks the winch.  The handle can be locked at any point.

The cab interior follows the standard layout for this type of truck with a detailed dashboard,  a fire extinguisher and a slot for a mobile 'phone.  A red mobile 'phone comes with the set.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 03, 2009, 20:45:48
With the set comes a grey Smart car, although without a driver (which is a bit of a let down on the detail side, but spare klickies are no problem).

The Smart looks better in real life than in photos or on the box and is a neat little piece of design and production.  It looks especially good in the grey finish in this set compared with the light green version and the red fire brigade version.

I'm ending here for today but will post more photos of the accessories with the set and the truck in action later.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on May 03, 2009, 20:48:08
Thanks for the excellent review of this set Gordon! We aren't able to buy this set from sources in this country, sad but true! If it was available here, I'd definitely have one of these!
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 03, 2009, 20:56:06
Thanks for the excellent review of this set Gordon! We aren't able to buy this set from sources in this country, sad but true! If it was available here, I'd definitely have one of these!

Thanks, Bill.  I'll try and finish it tomorrow, although as we're out walking from 11 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon it may be Tuesday before I can.

There are eBay sellers in Germany who will ship worldwide, but it may be costly, certainly by air.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: leefert on May 04, 2009, 00:56:15
Wow that truck looks awesome.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: Gepetto on May 04, 2009, 01:24:24
Thank you for the review and pictures Gordon, it would seem a must have for any fleet!

I do have a couple of questions though, what does ADAC stand for and does the truck (we used to call them retrievers) body just tilt or does it tilt and extend down?



Gepetto
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 04, 2009, 06:37:51
Thank you for the review and pictures Gordon, it would seem a must have for any fleet!

I do have a couple of questions though, what does ADAC stand for and does the truck (we used to call them retrievers) body just tilt or does it tilt and extend down?



Gepetto

The ADAC is the German equivalent of the AA (Automobile Association) or RAC in the UK and the AAA in the USA - a road rescue organisation. 

The letters stand for Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club (Allgemein = common; Deutscher = German; Automobil = automobile/automotive; Club = club).

The answer to your other question will be shown later today.   :)
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: Gepetto on May 04, 2009, 16:31:43
Thank you Gordon, I was just wondering if this was a commercial or government organization affiliated with Search and Rescue.



Gepetto
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 04, 2009, 19:23:10
Well, I'm not long back from a very pleasant 5 hours or so out walking on an English Heritage walk so now I'll get on with the rest of the review. It's partly in the form of a photostory to make it a bit more interesting.

Matthias loved his little Smart, but didn't always look after it properly and one day when out on a drive, it broke down.

He 'phoned the ADAC on his mobile and Ralf soon had his recovery truck there, reporting his arrival by mobile and then setting up a warning sign for other traffic.

Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 04, 2009, 19:31:31
Ralf then set out traffic cones for protection and had a look at the problem with his tool kit.  It wasn't good.  This was a take away job rather than a repair by the roadside one, and so Ralf began to lower the rear of his truck prior to winching the broken down car aboard.

Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 04, 2009, 19:50:00
Ralf then hooks the car to the winch and begins to winch it onto the truck.  It's quickly in place and Ralf is ready to go
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 04, 2009, 20:46:31
Some more detail on the truck and other accessories now.

On the left side of the chassis, looking from the rear, there is a moulded fuel tank and a storage area behind it.  With the truck come a couple of containers of the sort used for oil, one with a sticker indicating it is for use with motorcycles, the other with a sticker showing part of a car engine.  There is also a battery and jump leads and all these neatly fit into the storage space.

On the right side of the chassis is a longer storage space.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 04, 2009, 20:53:58
To go in the right hand storage, there is a tool box, a set of seven mechanics' tools and two axle stands.  These fit quite snugly in the storage space, with the wheel brace for wheel changing behind the axle stands as it is too big to go in the tool box.  As the axle stands would be used when changing a wheel, it's quite sensible for these and the wheel brace to be stored together.

On the flat bed of the truck there is storage space, too, which can take the four traffic cones and the warning sign.  How these are stored depends on the size of the car being transported.  With the Smart, the four cones can be stacked at one side and the warning sign at the other.  With a large car, a pair of cones needs to be stored at each side with the warning sign in the middle.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 04, 2009, 21:01:10
As I've said, both small cars such as the Smart and larger cars, in the photo the family car from set 3139 (http://www.collectobil.com/catalogue/catalogue.html).
There is a pronounced ridge into which the front wheels of a car fit to keep it securely in place.

As you can see, it's a bit of a squeeze getting a large car on. 

Lastly, a shot of the mechanism for tilting and extending the flat bed for loading and unloading cars.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 04, 2009, 21:19:23
One final photo showing the winch, warning markings and spotlights on the flat bed bulkhead.

So how do I rate the set as whole?

The criticisms first.  The large silver box which comes with the set and which can be seen behind the car at the end of the little recovery story is really redundant.  There is nowhere to store it properly as it won't fit in any of the storage areas behind the flat bed bulkhead, and the only items spare to store in it are the four traffic cones and the warning sign, plus it will only take three cones and that's all.  Maybe if this item had been omitted a driver could have been provided for the Smart, the lack of which is a minor criticism.

A good point is the printing on the vehicle sides and warning roof light (which, of course, works) rather than using stickers. (Stickers are used for the number plates of the two vehicles, the lenses of the spotlights, the truck rear lights and the ADAC sign above the radiator grille nad the battery and the oil container details.)  The printing is neat and crisp, as are the reflective stripes printed on the sides of the storage areas on the chassis.  The new design winch is a neat and effective piece of work and the mechanism for tilting and extending the flat bed, although a bit stiff, works smoothly and well.  The ADAC uniform of the truck driver is nicely printed and well-detailed with reflective striping on the arms which cannot ne seen in the photos.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the set, especially at the price I paid for it which I estimate in effect gave me free postage to the UK (comparing what I paid with the price of the recycling truck which seems to be a comparable vehicle).  It will be a great help in dealing with breakdowns and the aftermath of road traffic collisions in the Copt Hewick area.

Thanks for your time and patience in reading this far.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: Gepetto on May 04, 2009, 22:12:44
Thank you Gordon for the excellent review and explanatory pictures! This set does appear to be a pretty good value. Is this the color of the real life ADAC vehicles?
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: leefert on May 04, 2009, 22:13:40
That looks like a neat truck! 
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 05, 2009, 01:46:28
Thank you Gordon for the excellent review and explanatory pictures! This set does appear to be a pretty good value. Is this the color of the real life ADAC vehicles?

Thank you, Gepetto, and Yes, the colour is the correct one.  Here's a link:

http://www.strassendienst-de.de/bilder/lkw_plettenberg.jpg
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: LHAAP on May 06, 2009, 14:08:39
Thanks for the detailed pictures and descriptions, Gordon. I think this truck is one of Playmobil's best recovery vehicles.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 06, 2009, 15:26:16
Thanks for the detailed pictures and descriptions, Gordon. I think this truck is one of Playmobil's best recovery vehicles.

Glad you liked the review, Lars, and I can't agree more with you - it's a great vehicle.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: FireChief on May 14, 2009, 17:18:46
Hey Gordon,

Great Review. You know, this was one of those sets I just had to get. It has to be one of the coolest and realistic sets recently produced. The only thing I have noticed, and as you said, it is very much a squeeze to get the larger vehicles on the roll back part, the suv's almost don't fit.

Thank's for taking the time to do a review on this set.

 - Ben
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on May 14, 2009, 17:47:19
Glad you liked it, Ben.  As you say, it is a must have, like the 4082 Mega THW set.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: policeandplaymobiladdict on September 05, 2013, 04:09:23
Hi, sorry for bringing this old thread back, but I really want one of those vehicles and I have looked on ebaynand they are 80$ plus, do you know anywhere online I could get one?
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: playmofire on September 05, 2013, 05:43:27
It was produced for a store called Vedes and so was a limited run.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: PlayMoto on September 05, 2013, 15:22:37
you want it new or used?

USED:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Playmobil-ADAC-Abschleppfahrzeug-/190893913937?pt=DE_Allesf%C3%BCrKind_Spielzeug_Playmobil&hash=item2c7229f751 (http://www.ebay.de/itm/Playmobil-ADAC-Abschleppfahrzeug-/190893913937?pt=DE_Allesf%C3%BCrKind_Spielzeug_Playmobil&hash=item2c7229f751)
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Playmobil-ADAC-Abschleppwagen-mit-Zubehor-/121167425797?pt=DE_Allesf%C3%BCrKind_Spielzeug_Playmobil&hash=item1c36243105 (http://www.ebay.de/itm/Playmobil-ADAC-Abschleppwagen-mit-Zubehor-/121167425797?pt=DE_Allesf%C3%BCrKind_Spielzeug_Playmobil&hash=item1c36243105)

just 2 examples on Ebay.de   ;)
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: policeandplaymobiladdict on September 05, 2013, 19:58:24
thanks, fine with used, but i cant read that language, does it ship to the us?
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: PlayMoto on September 07, 2013, 09:50:48
lol  nope.

One has ended, other one isn't complete.
4079 Ebay (http://www.ebay.de/itm/Playmobil-ADAC-Truck-mit-Blinklicht-und-Pannenfahrzeug-TOP-/251331631401?pt=DE_Allesf%C3%BCrKind_Spielzeug_Playmobil&hash=item3a84885929)

this one looks complete, maybe Mike or someone else can get it for you and ship it to the US. Or you could ask the seller, sometimes they don't add the options, but do ship overseas.
I am also willing to help out, but that would cost extra in shipping, getting it to NL first.
Title: Re: 4079 ADAC recovery truck
Post by: Robbie on September 15, 2013, 02:30:49
What an awesome set and review, Gordon! You're right, the black finish of the smart car is much superior to prior colors produced over the years. Playmobil should add it to their Direct Service collection.  8-)