Community Forums

Racedog · 07-14-2007, 10:34 AM

We joined GS and purchased their emergency road service when we purchased our first MH a few months ago. We thought we should have it rather than AAA because we now have a 32' class A and we didn't think that AAA would know how to handle road situations and that the Good Sam ERS would.

As it turns out our first call to them was today but not on our RV but on my wife's car. We had the oil changed on Thursday and today is the first time she drove it since then. After she left I went out and noticed a pool of oil where the car had been in the driveway and a line of oil following out the driveway and down the road. Just then, she called, the red light and come on and the car had died immediatly afterward. At this point she was about 15 miles from home.

I called the ERS and they called back and told me they had contacted a local towing service in our town and they would be out to get the car. A few minutes later, the towing service called and informed me that they would not come out. I called ERS back and told them the situation and told them to call another local towing service that I knew and they informed me that if they were not in their list I would have to pay and then submit a bill. Fine, I just wanted the car towed and my wife out of the 90+ degree heat by the side of a rural road. When the towing service arrived, they informed me that they only come out because they knew me, they refused to do business with "Crossroads" whom I assume is the company that services the ERS services. He told me that they had gone unpaid or had to fight for payment too many times and they told Crossroads to never call them again for service.

Had we been far from home this could have been a really serious problem. It also leaves me wondering greatly if I have not made a mistake in buying the Good Sam ERS service if this is what we are going to run into when we try to use it.

I guess my question is, what are other's experiences like with GS ERS? What other ERS services are available for class A RV owners?
This was really not a good experience or one that I would want to repeat, especially if we happened to be a far distance from home.

R

Racedog · 07-14-2007, 10:34 AM

We joined GS and purchased their emergency road service when we purchased our first MH a few months ago. We thought we should have it rather than AAA because we now have a 32' class A and we didn't think that AAA would know how to handle road situations and that the Good Sam ERS would.

As it turns out our first call to them was today but not on our RV but on my wife's car. We had the oil changed on Thursday and today is the first time she drove it since then. After she left I went out and noticed a pool of oil where the car had been in the driveway and a line of oil following out the driveway and down the road. Just then, she called, the red light and come on and the car had died immediatly afterward. At this point she was about 15 miles from home.

I called the ERS and they called back and told me they had contacted a local towing service in our town and they would be out to get the car. A few minutes later, the towing service called and informed me that they would not come out. I called ERS back and told them the situation and told them to call another local towing service that I knew and they informed me that if they were not in their list I would have to pay and then submit a bill. Fine, I just wanted the car towed and my wife out of the 90+ degree heat by the side of a rural road. When the towing service arrived, they informed me that they only come out because they knew me, they refused to do business with "Crossroads" whom I assume is the company that services the ERS services. He told me that they had gone unpaid or had to fight for payment too many times and they told Crossroads to never call them again for service.

Had we been far from home this could have been a really serious problem. It also leaves me wondering greatly if I have not made a mistake in buying the Good Sam ERS service if this is what we are going to run into when we try to use it.

I guess my question is, what are other's experiences like with GS ERS? What other ERS services are available for class A RV owners?
This was really not a good experience or one that I would want to repeat, especially if we happened to be a far distance from home.

R

Gary RVRoamer · 07-14-2007, 02:29 PM

Generally the GS ERS (and its twin, the Camping World ERS) has a decent reputation. The actual road service is yet another company owned by Affinity Group, the parent of Good Sam, Camping World, Trailer Life & Motorhome Magazines, Woodalls and many other RV related businesses.

That said, the premier RV road service is Coach Net and I can recommend them highly. FMCA and many RV manufacturers owners clubs use Coach-Net to provide their road service benefits. Coach-Net

All the road services have to deal with local towing and tire services to actually provide service and their only leverage is that they can potentially bring a lot of business their way. Sometimes that works and sometimes there is friction. The "slow to pay" complaint is a common one from small businesses dealing with a distant insurer and it is hard to say whether the problem is at one end or the other. Small businesses don't always have the invoicing and documentation that the insurer wants in order to process payment and that can lead to delays, which is a serious cash flow problem for a small time operator.

Paul Heuvelhorst · 07-14-2007, 03:45 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Racedog: ...they refused to do business with "Crossroads" whom I assume is the company that services the ERS services. He told me that they had gone unpaid or had to fight for payment too many times ... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
We had occasion to use our GS ERS at the end of June. We had a trailer tire blow out on US 65 in Springfield, MO, after we left Branson. It took the service company 30 minutes to arrive after we called GS.

This is the 3rd time in the last 4 years we've had to use ERS. The first 2 times were for the wife's car on the rural mountain roads near our home. #1, we slid off the road in an ice storm and had to be towed back up to the road. Had to wait about 1.5 hrs, due to weather and 9 other accidents on that road that night. We drove the car home. #2, I came around a corner and hit a rock, tearing out the oil pan. I waited about 1 hour for the truck to be dispatched from a town 30 miles away. He towed be back to town, to the local Ford dealer where I made arrangements for the repairs.

Until our experience in Springfield, I had never heard the name "Crossroads" mentioned. The tire company just referred to "Crossroads" as the company they would bill for serving me. No negative comments about them.

We are very pleased we dropped CSAA 9 years ago and bought GS ERS.

boot1120 · 07-15-2007, 10:16 AM

We too had our first experiance useing GSERS just today and I have to admit it was not all I had expected,The first yo yo I talked to did not know much so I called AAA and that turned out to be a real joke,I then called GSERS back and talked to a real helpful lady in Boston who was new on the job but very helpful and we got the unit towed in a short peroid of time and she called back 2-3 times to give us updates as to the time frame. I think I will get Coach-Net also.

RustyJC · 07-26-2007, 05:32 AM

After having been a Good Sam ERS customer for many years, we had the first "opportunity" to use their services on Friday, July 13th

on the way to the iRV2 National Rally in Branson.

About 9:00 AM on Interstate 45 between Houston and Dallas (hardly an untraveled road), we experienced a tread separation and blowout on a Goodyear G614 RST tire on the 5th wheel. Since the failed tire was on the driver's (road) side, we decided to go ahead and call Good Sam ERS and have the tire changed. To make a long story short, after waiting 1.5 hours only to be told that Good Sam ERS couldn't find anyone to come out and change the tire, I wound up changing it myself with the help of some fellow Texas Boomers who had stopped to give us a hand.

For those familiar with Interstate 45, the location of our failure was around mile marker 185 between Buffalo and Fairfield.

So, at this point, I can only say that the response we received from Good Sam ERS was substantially below my expectations.

Rusty

Fuzz · 07-26-2007, 11:07 AM

We had pretty much the same experience with Good Sam.Just on the edge of Denver,I 25 Sunday afternoon...Waited about an hour,they said they couldn't get anyone to come,but they would send a Higway Patrol car..They did and he sit behind the trailer with his lights on until I changed the tire.3 different wreckers stopped and would of changed the tire,for a fee.Not Good Sam.
I was only about five miles from home,when I got home I called and asked for an explanation.
They advised they would get back to me,after several more inquiries and more than a month
there was no explanation coming.I cancelled.
Am now with Allstate.Haven't used them so don't know if it will be any better

mamaloya · 07-28-2007, 07:49 AM

I have to say that I have used AAA more times than I care to admit and have always been totally satisfied. If you have AAA RV, they will cover your RV as well, including paying for removing locks that you have lost the key to. LOL I have never had a problem. Between dh and I, we have used them for gas, keys locked in, dead batteries, flat tires, etc. Always come when they say they will and call back to check on me frequently until I say I have been helped.

I recently purchased an ERS from, I think, freedom care or freedom roads. I did this when we bought our camper. I have not used it yet, but will renew my AAA to have a backup and for the discounts and triptiks.

Paul Heuvelhorst · 07-28-2007, 01:18 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mamaloya:
... will renew my AAA to have a backup and for the discounts and triptiks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Will AAA tow your tow vehicle AND your trailer to the repair site of your choice? Or will they require you to disconnect the trailer and leave it on the side of the road?

That is what happens with CSAA (AAA in Calif.), even when you buy AAAPlus. Just be sure you understand what you are buying and that it fits your needs.

I agree that the mapping services are wonderful, and if you want to continue to pay for that service, do so.

10% discounts on hotels, camping, etc. are available from a variety of sources, not just AAA. AARP (if you are over 50), Good Sam, Military Veteran are just a few that offer 10%.

TCayer · 07-29-2007, 02:26 AM

I second the endorsement for AAA. When I bought my used MH I already had AAA Plus. I had a breakdown and found out you needed the RV addition. That tow cost me $140. I wemt to the office to add it on, and she said they usally only add it at renewal time, but made and exception for me. Later that year we drove to Florida and it broke down 3 times! Each time they sent a truck and we had no problems. One time, however, they told me they could not send a truck until I told them where I wanted it taken! Being from out of state I had no idea, but grabbed a phone book and made a few calls. When I buy my brand new coach later this year, I will be going back to AAA.

It's a shame places like GS can have their reputation tarnished by fly-by-night subcontractors. It's Good Sam's face on the mailings I throw in the trash...

RustyJC · 07-29-2007, 04:10 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">
Originally posted by TCayer:
It's a shame places like GS can have their reputation tarnished by fly-by-night subcontractors. It's Good Sam's face on the mailings I throw in the trash... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

My understanding is that the problem may be related to a "slow-pay/no-pay" policy on the part of Good Sam's ERS program management. If they're not going to get paid or have to fight for payment, a local contractor is going to avoid taking Good Sam ERS calls. I'm not sure this problem is the fault of the local contractors.

JM2CW

Rusty

Racedog · 07-30-2007, 10:20 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by TCayer:

It's a shame places like GS can have their reputation tarnished by fly-by-night subcontractors. It's Good Sam's face on the mailings I throw in the trash... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Let me restate a few things. This problem happened in our home town, not while we were out of town. The two towing companies that refused the Good Same ERS were NOT fly by night companies. Both of them were old firms that have been operating in this town for quite a few years.

Since posting this I have cancelled our GS and ERS membership and have returned to AAA with the added RV package. It may not be perfect, but as a member of AAA for 18 years previous, I have never once had anyone turn it down or had a refusal to come out.

R

Paul Heuvelhorst · 08-02-2007, 09:07 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">...It's a shame places like GS can have their reputation tarnished by fly-by-night subcontractors... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
As a follow-up to my post above, we received a "satisfaction survey" in the mail regarding the response to our break-down (blown tire).

The form provided this information that identifies who is administering this program for Good Sam. Quote: "Services are provided by and/or through Cross Country Motor Club, In., Medford, MA 02155, except in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Wyoming where services are provided by and/or through Cross Country Motor Club of California, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91360."

So, no matter where you are when you need GSERS, it is Cross Country Motor Club that will administer the call, and the only difference is your location at the time of break-down as to whether the administration responsibility is in MA or CA.

Good Sam, please note the negative comments and make sure you are being represented the way you want to be.

Izzyblueye · 08-02-2007, 03:09 PM

Some of these postings blow me away. I have used GSERS for over 10 years now and have not had a single problem with them. However, things change and I will have my head up. Just a month ago, they sent a roll back to my house to pick up my Ranger truck for a bad starter. They were here in 20 minutes of my call. I didn't even have to show the operator my identification card. Sure hope GS reads this thread.