Community Forums

bandmbrown · 02-01-2009, 06:10 AM

Iwas wondering what everyone did about this service.
Good Sam has a deal out now. FMCA also has this service..don't know the price.
Is it necessary to use one of these services is there automatic coverage via insurance or MH manufacturers.
What is the recommendation?
Thanks
Bob

rjf7g · 02-01-2009, 06:38 AM

I did Coachnet for a year and only had to call them once. What the technician on duty told me to do on Sunday worked, but when I shared it with my dealer on Monday he didn't approve.

I have Good Sams now but haven't had to use it.

GaryKD · 02-01-2009, 12:14 PM

Hi bandmbrown,
The different services all call the same trucks. If you belong to any of the various RV organizations (Good Sam, FMCA, Chassis Manufacturer, Coach Owners Club, etc.) they usually have affiliated themselves with one of the major services. For me, I buy the one that is the cheapest, at renewal time. Fortunately, I've never had to use the service.

Right now I have Coach Net via my coach manufacturer's owners club.

On edit:
I forgot to mention that road service via your liability insurance carrier can be a shot in the dark. I would not trust or pay for this service.

AFChap · 02-01-2009, 01:19 PM

For the price, either Good Sam or CoachNet is definitely worth it. Both are far better price & service than I used to get from AAA. I use CoachNet (called Winnebago Premium Roadside Assistance in my case). I have used their 24 hr technician support many times at no additional cost. I am no longer a Good Sam member, but understand they have added 24 hr tech support now too.

Pusherman · 02-01-2009, 03:28 PM

Coach Net. I've used them 3-4X over 2 coaches.

You do get towing service from your chassis manufacturer, but for a limited time. Call then to verify timeframe.

Baby Bear · 02-02-2009, 05:02 PM

Coach Net

Have used them 3 times with good results. See no need to try someone else.

parmm · 02-09-2009, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GaryKD:
Hi bandmbrown,
The different services all call the same trucks.

Not quite true. If you have Good Sam and call the Good Sam # you will reach the same call center as folks who have RoadCare reach and talk to the same dispatchers. If you have Coachnet you will get Coachnets own call center.

Good Sam and Camping World RoadCare, along with the other Affinity Group, Inc services, use the same call centers operated by Road America http://www.road-america.com/about_roadamerica.html , and therefore call the same providers. Road America is owned by the Spanish Insurance Co., MAPFRE. Affinity has a contract with Road America. Road America contracts with the tow services. Road America provides services to insurance companies, auto clubs and other groups such as the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Owner's Group. Good Sam, RoadCare, and some others are all owned by Affinity Group, Inc.

Coachnet has it own call center and does its own contracting with tow service providers. Even thought they are a independant service, they are not exactly small. They contract to many of the RV manufacturers "Owner's Clubs" and have a large consumer customer base. Coachnet service is often provided for one year with the purchase of a new motorhome.

I've had both RoadCare (might as well be Good Sam), and now have Coachnet. RoadCare stuck me in Columbus, Oh over a weekend, because they could not find someone to replace a broken alternator belt. Ended up finding a mechanic on my own through a truckstop on Sunday afternoon. Columbus, Ohio is not exactly a small place. If one uses the right resources, one can find a mechanic to work on the weekend. Truckstops usually have a list of local independant Road Service mechanics, and usually at least one of them will work on a RV. We usually have cash or a credit card and do not have to deal with purchase orders.

GaryKD · 02-09-2009, 10:39 AM

Hi parmm,
The call centers? Call centers were never part of my OP. While few things are true 100% of the time, in most instances and places, the same provider of the towing service will be called. The ability correctly tow a large coach (30K + lbs.) greatly reduces the number of providers of this service. These are the same providers who tow over the road trucks. I've personally talked to quite a few drivers of these large tow trucks. They are called by quite a few different road service companies.

catkins · 02-10-2009, 02:05 AM

I have used Coach Net three times in three rigs. Each time received the appropriate service when promised. They find you a service center if needed, get an appointment for you and tow you there with no mileage limit. I believe some plans only tow you to the next town or for so many free miles. CoachNet call center for technical information/assistance is available 24x7. Have not used others as I have been very satisfied with CoachNet.

mike brez · 02-10-2009, 02:27 AM

have Good Sam used it once for a inside rear dual blow out. Called had a service center call me back with in 5min told him what exit I was at and his shop happened to be at the next exit .Meanwhile a woman state trooper pulls behind us and gives us a flashing light escort to his shop.

parmm · 02-10-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GaryKD:
The ability correctly tow a large coach (30K + lbs.) greatly reduces the number of providers of this service. These are the same providers who tow over the road trucks. I've personally talked to quite a few drivers of these large tow trucks. They are called by quite a few different road service companies.

Then explain why a guy showed up for me who was driving a old, beat up, junker, pickup with his name hand painted on the door, a tool box in the back and his girl friend in the front. He had never worked on a motorhome before, let alone a big rig. In fact, the state patrol showed up in the rest area to make sure he and his girlfriend were not doing something else there! Oh, he told me as I paided him for his labor, that he had just gotten out of jail. Go figure.
This is what Camping World, thru Road America sent to me. And he could not fix it. Had no reverse the rest of the trip home - over 700 miles. At least he knew how to lock me into drive. No biggy, I once brought a rig and 50,000# payload back from Florida without a clutch. And I've talked to lots of those drivers of large tow trucks - many of them don't know how to properly tow a motorhome or a big rig. I know because I retired out of the petroleum transportation industry.

One has to becareful before signing up for Emergency Road Service, because the services they provide are not equal. One may leave your cargo trailer beside the road while the other will not. And there are basically only three large companies who provide emergency road service to corporate clients such as Affinity Group, insurance companies, finance companies, Motorhome manufacturers and others. They are Road America, Coach-net and one more who name excapes me, but has specializes in Horse transportation. These companies operate their own Response Centers. There are other providers who specialize in the heavy transportation industry. And yes, they may call the same towing service.

chasfm11 · 02-10-2009, 06:13 PM

IMHO, you are rolling the dice with any road service because the quality of their service is pretty much dependent on what is available to the location that you need help. For my money, Coachnet had the better "reach" into locations that could handle our RV so we went with them I have AAA at home and that has worked out OK. I have the RV Plus but don't get a warm feeling that I'd get the right type of help if I tried to use it.

GaryKD · 02-11-2009, 06:47 AM

Hi parmm,
I'm not quite sure why you quoted my post,,,,,again. For the second straight time, I'm having some difficulty relating my post to the information in your post. I do appreciate you showing great interest in my posts. It is quite flattering. If you have the time, maybe you could be so kind as to explain what connection my post has with the information in your post.

codgerbill · 02-11-2009, 07:04 AM

I had my coach in a storage lot and could not get it started. I replaced the battery and still it would not start. I have Progressive insurance and they offer road service. I also have the Good Sam road service thru Camping world. I called the emergency phone # for the camping world good sam towing. The tow truck that came out was a big monster. The driver was well aquainted with towing motor homes. I was very impressed. I called progressive and I had the impression that they probably would have called the same tow people. I was at AAA and they offer the AAA+ plan (roadside assistance) that offers towing up 100 miles and the cost of the plan was $79 which was about the cost of the Good Sam plan thru Camping world. AAA, as I stated said they would tow up to 100 miles with no additional charge. Good Sam said 15 miles, but there was no extra charge for the tow even thought it was a 20 mile tow. ...Go figure..eh?