Good Sams roadside
- Thread starter ADCD52
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
MN Blue Skies
Site Team
We've only had to use it once. We're glad that we had it because the nearest shop was 60 miles away. We were happy with the service. Others might have had different experiences.
LarsMac
Well-known member
A lot depends on where you are, and who is contracted in that area.
I called Good Sam once, and they sent out a guy who was very quick, attentive and helpful, and got us going again very quickly. He was also the contractor for AAA service for the area.
I called Good Sam once, and they sent out a guy who was very quick, attentive and helpful, and got us going again very quickly. He was also the contractor for AAA service for the area.
darsben
Well-known member
If you do not mind waiting while Good Sam tries to get the lowest price for itself for the road service you need then you will be fine. If you expect immediate dispatching from the nearest facility then you may not be happy. I am happy with Good Sam roadside but I know it might be a wait for them so I take the time to research where I want to be towed so I can guide the person who responds as to what I want. Sometimes I have to pay a little out of pocket to go where I want but Good Sam contract states something like you are entitled to a tow to the NEAREST facility ready, willing and able to perform the service needed. Sometimes that is not the best place for the work to be done
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
Good Sam's roadside service is managed under a contract with the Allstate Motor Club. Good Sam is just an agent.
Ray-IN
Well-known member
I have a GS ERS, they've treated me fairly. A purchaser of such a contract must understand how they operate(all of them). The operators who answer the calls must read you the question on the computer screen, then depending on your repiies initiate the appropriate actions.
If ERS is required, they are required to call all nearby contracted services to locate the lowest bidder/price before dispatching a road service.
This means it's vital you have the correct information on file or inform the operator when you call for ERS. If you are not happy with the operator immediately request to speak with a supervisor.
One time I had engine problems/no start, and GS could not locate a local towing service with the equipment to tow my MH safely.
I looked up HDT towing on my computer and called them directly, got the right answers and called GS ERS back and requested to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor explained the above process and said she also must comply with the procedure to locate the lowest price.
After about 30 minutes she called me and said the service I located was the only one qualified and had dispatched them to my location.
When the wrecker co. showed up they had 2 wreckers, a small wrecker to tow my MH out of the RV park and a very large wrecker to tow it to Cummins Great Plains 60 miles away. I was not out any money for all this, the bill was $1,7xx.
Repairs made I began my trip again, 30 miles later the same engine problem happened. Again GS ERS paid the bill without question; but Cummins Great plains did reimburse GS because it was their fault.
To finish this, anyone purchasing ERS must read the fine print in the terms and conditions of the contract before signing and understand all clauses.
If ERS is required, they are required to call all nearby contracted services to locate the lowest bidder/price before dispatching a road service.
This means it's vital you have the correct information on file or inform the operator when you call for ERS. If you are not happy with the operator immediately request to speak with a supervisor.
One time I had engine problems/no start, and GS could not locate a local towing service with the equipment to tow my MH safely.
I looked up HDT towing on my computer and called them directly, got the right answers and called GS ERS back and requested to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor explained the above process and said she also must comply with the procedure to locate the lowest price.
After about 30 minutes she called me and said the service I located was the only one qualified and had dispatched them to my location.
When the wrecker co. showed up they had 2 wreckers, a small wrecker to tow my MH out of the RV park and a very large wrecker to tow it to Cummins Great Plains 60 miles away. I was not out any money for all this, the bill was $1,7xx.
Repairs made I began my trip again, 30 miles later the same engine problem happened. Again GS ERS paid the bill without question; but Cummins Great plains did reimburse GS because it was their fault.
To finish this, anyone purchasing ERS must read the fine print in the terms and conditions of the contract before signing and understand all clauses.
DonTom
Well-known member
IMO, all the road services vary from very poor to very good. I have had good and bad experiences with every road service I have used a few times.
A lot of it has to do with when you need them. How busy any of them are varies a lot.
You can read about my bad experience with AAA here. But I have also had very good experiences with them. Such as here. It's very random.
-Don- Reno, NV
darsben
Well-known member
As I have said before. AAA is not one club but many clubs. Some of the clubs offer Rv roadside while others do not have RV roadside. IMO the ones that do not have RV Roadside haven't the network for RV roadside that the AAA Clubs that do offer RV roadside. So depending what area of the country you might get poor service or great service
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Good Sam (and also it's competitors such as Allstate Motor Club and CoachNet) is a dispatching service - they send someone to respond to your call for help, a contractor in the area where you are stranded. Further, that contractor will be a low-priced bidder, one who is willing to accept the relatively service call low rate they pay. The roadside service that responds may or may not be prompt, highly capable, or reasonably priced. Yes, they try to weed out the shysters, but in some areas it's a choice between the shop that is there or none at all. A true Hobson's Choice.
Also, understand that the roadside service call, a spare tire change, or a tow to a shop is all you get for your premium. Any actual repairs are arranged between you and the shop, either done by the driver who comes to you are the shop you get towed to.
That said, I recommend that you sign up with some roadside service to get help when needed. One that can handle RVs. If you are broken down on the highway or even a campground, any possible assistance is a blessing. Even if a costly one.
Check with your RV's insurer - they may have a dispatching service as one of their services, either included or at very low cost.
I used Good Sam twice in the past 6 years. No complaints. Once for my MH and once for my pickup, and the policy includes all the cars in the family. It's hard to locate someone that can work on an RV or even change a flat tire. They have lists so they can locate someone you might not be able to find.
Bugford
Well-known member
I've had Good Sam for 2 years and today was the first day I've had to use it. After someone finally answered the phone, I got a person whose English was not their first language and may have been their 4th or 5th language. He literally did not know what I was saying. Finally got it through to him what the issue was and this was simply a tire on a trailer not a tire on a car not a tire on a truck. This conversation took at least 20 minutes. Then after saying someone would be out I get a call after 15 minutes asking me what side of the truck the tire was on. Seriously? Again I explain that it is a travel trailer and it is in a campsite and it won't matter what side it's on. And then they called back again 15 minutes after that to tell me they couldn't get anybody right away that it could be a couple of hours. I told him to forget it and went to a Walmart to get the correct sized lug wrench that I should have had in the first place to change the tire myself. This was just one experience and maybe the next one will be great. But I'm inclined to not renew my membership.
