Good Sam Roadside or CAA ?

[fortecuser20]

I am a new RV'er from Ontario, Canada. Wondering if any fellow Canadians or travellers from the U.S. have used the Good Sam Roadside Assistance Service in Canada. Or if CAA is the way to go for me. Any reviews of either used in Canada would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for any replys

[Possum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fortecuser20 I am a new RV'er from Ontario, Canada. Wondering if any fellow Canadians or travellers from the U.S. have used the Good Sam Roadside Assistance Service in Canada. Or if CAA is the way to go for me. Any reviews of either used in Canada would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for any replys

I just had to be flatbedded off of Rogers Pass back into Revelstoke BC this past labour day weekend in September. I called the Good Sam Hotline and chatted with a nice lady for about ten minutes and about an hour later along comes a huge flat deck to load up my 24 footer and sure as Bob's yer Uncle we were safely transported back into the service area. I was impressed with the hour as we were up a mountain about 45 miles from the town.

I once had BCAA and couldn't get them to come change a tire for me as I couldn't do it myself as I was recovering from knee replacement surgery. I just upgraded my Good Sam service to platinum (covers all our vehicles) and for a hell of a lot less than BCAA wants for just the motorhome.

I have nothing but accolades for the Good Sam service.

I live in Port Alberni, BC.

[TW]

Can't tell you anything about Good Sam Club, but a few years ago around Woodland, CA the ALT said: That's it.! I pulled off I5 and phoned the 800 number from BCAA.
First guy that showed up had no a good idea what to do, but at least he know a guy in the tow company that did. He helped me charge up the battery, and he knew a shop close by (5 miles). I drove myself and parked in front of the shop.... Owner showed up and gave us POWER and replaced the next morning the Alternator.... So - in that case, we had good service from BCAA.

TW

[ryan1980]

good sam are great the best they will be there in hour an free gas and parts help get back on the road

[Jimmy F]

I have BCAA and they have sent someone out twice to change a tire when we still had our 5th wheel trailer. Once in the Kootenays and once near Vancouver.

When I bought the big coach I sent an e-mail asking if I would still have coverage for breakdowns and tire service. I was told yes if I had the Premier RV card. They would send a tire service company out if I had a flat and a large wrecker or low bed if I had a breakdown. This happened east of Edmonton Alberta last summer. I blew a brake pot, called the BCAA phone number and got AMA (Alberta Motoring Association) on the phone who sent a low bed trailer that took my 40 footer to a shop in Spruce Grove to be fixed.

I also asked in my e-mail, if I was in an area be it in Canada or the USA where the province motoring association or in America, AAA would not give me service... what should I do? (I have read lots of horror stories here where folks have not had roadside assistance in large motor homes from the automobile association.) I was told in the e-mail, and I saved a copy of it, that I should go ahead and pay to have the tire changed, or be towed, and then submit the bill to BCAA and I WOULD be reimbursed for the amount I would be eligible for as if I were in British Columbia.

Jimmy

[Monacoach]

Good Sam's main business is dealing with RVs. Caa's s main business is autos.

[ryan1980]

see thank you i dont for any thing all my rv billed to a mouth

[Monacoach]

Quote:

see thank you i dont for any thing all my rv billed to a mouth

[FC Ontario]

I would recommend Coach Net as we have had great service from them when we have ahd tire problems in both Canada and the US.
As a note, friends of ours in September, parked two units over from us with a flat tire on their trailer called Good Sam on a Friday night at about 5;30 and Good sam said they could not find any one to change the tire??? Thats not service. After a couple of calls the next day, they did offer to make some sort of accommodation, but we changed the tire for him.

[TW]

Who does the work for CoachNet in Canada?

TW

[Dr4Film]

It depends on who they call to assist you. I had Coach-Net change a flat tire on my cargo trailer just East of Whitehorse, YK this past September. Took a little less than 45 minutes to complete the task. The gentleman that came out to do it was from a shop in Whitehorse and he suggested a great place for me to get two more tires as I didn't want to continue on down the Alaskan Highway without a spare.

I had Southern CA AAA prior to leaving for Alaska and when I found out about Coach-Net and their services, it was a no brainer, a heck of lot cheaper than AAA and better services.

Dr4Film ----- Richard.

[Jimmy F]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TW Who does the work for CoachNet in Canada? TW

Depending on where you are it could be the same person that CAA calls. Smaller communities only have so many tire repair places or companies with a large wrecker or suitable low beds or mechanical shops.

Jimmy

[FC Ontario]

I am sure that there are only so many providers out there, but when Good Sam says they cannot find some on to change a tire at 6 pm on a Friday night, its just that they are unwilling to pay a surcharge to get it done,
Its supposed to be a 24 hour commitment to provide the services I thought.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

I have CAA for RV'ers and have not had any issues. Had to get towed out of RV spots twice where wheels sank in and I got stuck.
I had Good Sam, but they always would send me a bill saying I was due to pay, when in fact I was paid up. I got so frustrated, I canceled it. I am now traveling a lot more, so i may look at Good Sam again since I hear all great things about them. I also have coach net, but never had to use them yet.