Good Sam Fail

[wmckinley]

I know this will generate a Firestorm of comments, not meant to just a FYI

DW and I were heading back home after having some work done at BraddandHall in Elkhart (great work). Had inside right rear dually blow out at 125 mile marker ( bad boom ). Pulled over@ 125.9 mile marker and made the call to road side assist. First 58 minutes then 1 hour 28 minutes then when the guy gets there time unknown..... After 4 calls the guy shows up. IN A CAR !!!!!
No jack no tools and IMHO NO KNOWLEDGE. Did not know how to pull wheel cover to get to lug nuts. Tried pulling them with tool supplied but wouldn't come off.

Had me sign off he was there and left.......... Called good Sam and expressed my dissatisfaction and now sending out another vendor. 3 hrs 36 minutes and counting. My roadside assistance is up in August. Gotta think about whether to renew or not.

Thank You for allowing me to vent

[JC2]

Originally Posted by wmckinley

I know this will generate a Firestorm of comments, not meant to just a FYI

DW and I were heading back home after having some work done at BraddandHall in Elkhart (great work). Had inside right rear dually blow out at 125 mile marker ( bad boom ). Pulled over@ 125.9 mile marker and made the call to road side assist. First 58 minutes then 1 hour 28 minutes then when the guy gets there time unknown..... After 4 calls the guy shows up. IN A CAR !!!!!
No jack no tools and IMHO NO KNOWLEDGE. Did not know how to pull wheel cover to get to lug nuts. Tried pulling them with tool supplied but wouldn't come off.

Had me sign off he was there and left.......... Called good Sam and expressed my dissatisfaction and now sending out another vendor. 3 hrs 36 minutes and counting. My roadside assistance is up in August. Gotta think about whether to renew or not.

Thank You for allowing me to vent

Coachnet

[FIRE UP]

Man,
That's kind of bizzarr to say the least. Why in the world would dispatch send a "Car" instead of a truck with equipment/tools and more on it, ready to lend a correct hand? So, this is certainly quite weird in my opinion. I've read a ton of "good" reviews on Good Sam and, some not so good. It's the old cliché, you can't please all the people, all the time. But, I'd sure want to give it one heck of a try. If I was running the Good Sam Emergency Road Assistance program, sure seems I'd be keeping tabs on how well things went, maybe with a call to a few random customers once in a while.

If something went bad and really goofed up, I'd sure like to think I'd get to the bottom of it. We pay for a service, a "Future" service I might say and, we hope it will be one of quality if and when needed. But, sometimes things just don't go right. I'm not sure what I'd do in the OP's case here, renew or not? But, I'd definitely either make a call to the front office or, write some letters.
Scott

[railrider1]

First I would not sign anything saying that he was there. Second I would have been on the phone asking for a supervisor as soon as the idiot showed up with a car instead of a truck with the proper tools. Third I would have made a follow up call and wrote to Good Sam explaining what happened. You have to understand that Good Sam has agreements with several different company's and with out any feed back they don't know what is going on. I have used Good Sam Road service for years and I always contacted them after I use the service to let them know if everything went well or not. Call them and let them know and they will not send that company out again. I have found that they try their best to offer good service but they need to know when the service is as bad as you had.

[ARROWVP38]

When I locked the freakin keys in the coach the spare magnetic hide a key wasn't there. (Jakes corner) was the spot appox 40 miles south of payson Az . Good Sam couldn't get any lock smith to come out at all!!!!!!!. My question was do they pay the vendors or not . Thats what I'm Thinking no payment no show any how I had to drill the drivers side lock to get in . Good Sam thought that a 25$ gift card would be enough for the inconvenience . What a hopeless feeling not being able to get into the coach,could've been out in the woods 50 miles from nowhere. won't be a member to much longer with BS sorry GS

[vsheetz]

Sorry to hear of you experience.

I have used Good Sam for several years and multiple tows and tire incidents - both MH and autos. All were handled professionally by Good Sam. The service vendors they have provide have been mostly excellent, with a couple readily recoverable mis-steps.

[Ray,IN]

Your case sounds like the operator failed to communicate, with you, with the vendor who contracted to GS, and you again. Does GS, ERS have your MH on file, did the operator ask what type vehicle was disabled and what equipment was needed? They are supposed to ask those questions after the first question, which is: "are you in a safe location?"
The ERS operator is supposed to phone you when the vendor is scheduled to arrive, did that happen?

[CampDaven]

A road service is only as good as the contracted service providers that face the customers.

[wmckinley]

Update. GS told us at 2:45 they would send out someone else. Took complaint on original company. New guy got there in 25 minutes. Was back on road @ 3:45. 4 hours 20 minutes at side of road. Set new record for travel time from state line to home. First company was quick response road service lol. Second company was triple s tire ( good service hat off to Jason )

Tire was Goodyear date code 0708. Putting all new michelins on next week. Have 3 other date code goodyear of 0708 last 2 are 0712

Thanks for all comments

[adonh]

Originally Posted by JC2

Coachnet

I almost missed it "Coachnet". By the "" I would guess you are happy with the service. I would be interested in your input and experince with their service on the road under real conditions. I am am looking over the GS program now and would like to consider a better alternative if available.

Thanks

[Kazoo Tom]

We have had Coach-Net for many years and have been very pleased with the service provided. Have used them a couple times, once while traveling across country and had carb problems in an older class C. Tow truck arrived promptly and got us to a local dealer for repairs. One time in Sault. St. Marie Canada had a flat on our personal car. Called local service was told a two hour wait. Called Coach-Net anbd had service there within 1/2 hour to change tire in -20 degree weather. Each time the Coach-net opertor assured that we were in a safe location and checked back to see if service arrived. They also sent a follow up letter in the form of a satisfaction survey.

I'm sure if you search hard enough you will find horror stories for all the service providers. We have had great service through Coach-net and will remain loyal to them.

[TurtleKent]

What I did on Spring Break!

In March at Sun-n-Fun RV park in Sarasota, on departure day our former Itasca Horizon would not turn over, no starter, no instrument cluster, but batteries ok, and Freightliner 24/7 phone tech thought a short somewhere. Good Sam sent out truck road service, mechanic thought we had a bad starter, although he couldn't get the starter to turn with a jump from a fresh battery(still wouldn't explain dead instrument cluster). He rebuilt starter, no help.

Now, with an obvious chassis problem that road service cannot correct, and safely in a campground at 8pm Thurs, I call Good Sam requesting tow to nearest Freightliner(Tampa, 55 miles) on Friday morning. They say call back after 9am Friday, they can't set up a scheduled tow, only a tow the same day. Call back 9am, they will only pay tow to nearest service center(2 miles away, a dealer that only sells campers). Not acceptable I say, it's a chassis problem and needs a chassis service center, nearest one in Tampa. GS finally agrees to tow me 28 miles(why?) and I have to pay the balance(about$200) to get it to Tampa. I request Stepp's Towing in Tampa, biggest in state and recommended by LazyDays. Nope, can't do that, the towing co. must be based where tow originates. I explain that they have the proper equipment, that the towing co. must drive a round trip anyway(it's the same mileage) so why would it matter which end the towing co. is based. No matter says GS. I told Good Sam that it's a 40 foot, 32,000# coach, and towing it will require a heavy duty bus lift, the driveshaft must be disconnected, it's stranded in an RV site in the campground, and the towing co. needs to call me first before they come out so I can make sure they are coming with the correct equipment to do the tow.

Then the real fun begins... The first two towing cos. that call me after GS assigns the job do not have large enough trucks to handle the tow. The third towing co. assigned calls me and wants to put the coach on a flatbed. OK by me, I say, but it is stranded in an RV site and it will still require a tow truck to get the coach out of the site and on to a straight road so it can be loaded onto a flatbed. He hangs up. Soooooo... at 1pm, four hours later, the fourth towing co. is assigned, and guess who??? It's Stepp's Towing, who drives down(from Tampa 55 miles) with the correct equipment for the job(which I had requested when I called Good Sam at 9am) and tows our coach back to Tampa. Stepp's, by the way, was courteous, prompt, efficient and in all ways excellent for the job.

What have I learned about Good Sam ERS?? The local road service was not up to the job of diagnosing our problem, not really Good Sam's fault. The Good Sam CSR had never seen a motorhome before, had no idea what a Class A diesel pusher was, and it apparently was his second day on the job. Beyond that, the problems with Good Sam 1) assigning an inept newbie to the telephone, polite as he was, does not foster goodwill or give me warm fuzzies for Good Sam, 2) their protocol for assigning Towing cos. based on location without consideration for the size of motorhome seems ludicrous, 3)their inability to forward my basic information on the job to the towing co. is incompetence, 4) their requirement to tow to the nearest 'service facility' without consideration of the qualifications of that service facility or of the problem requiring the tow seems equally ludicrous.

I am moving my ERS to Coach-Net. I fully realize that the both ERS companies use the same pool of road service companies, that they too may have some inept people on their phones, and that their protocols for towing may be equally restrictive and ludicrous.

End of rant(and this occurred two months ago)!

[chuckinthebus]

We had GS first year and never needed it. Switched to Coachnet next year and never used it. Looking at switching to Blue Sky Insurance and they have a roadside plan that compares to GS for $52.00. Hope to never need that too, but it is difficult to argue on the price.

[TXiceman]

Most of the service providers are contracted with BOTH Good Sam ERS and CoachNet. So you could get the same idiot from either one. I think the big difference would come from the agent on the phone.

But a lot of the calls go to a common contracted call center that may be answering for both companies and answer according to the call in number.

Ken

[RickO]

Coach Net!!!

[amanda_h]

Although Marcus Lemonis (CEO of Good Sam/Camping World) flatly disputes this, I believe and agree with others who say that for a Class A and especially a diesel pusher, Coach-Net might be the better alternative. I believe the reps that man their call center are better versed on the systems and unique problems of DPs. Obviously, not everybody will agree.

From my understanding Good Sam ERS uses the Allstate ERS call center although they use separate provider lists. There was at one time a problem (and I'm not sure this still is a problem) that the reps at Allstate ERS were not familiar with DPs or what it took to tow them, etc. This may not be as much of a problem anymore with Allstate ERS becoming more focused on RVs. But this is all coming from just talking to others so is not factual in the least.

But I too will stick with Coach-Net for the time being. I also like their 24/7 technical assistance hotline. Although we've never used it to help diagnose a problem, it's nice to know it is there.

-harry

[Izzyblueye]

It is a crap shoot on road side service, which was adequately outlined by o/p. I settled on Coach Net, and have been very satisfied so far. I was happy with G/S I quit due to excessive mailings.

[Ramets]

I have my roadside service through Progressive($22 a yr.) since they also insure our pusher. In 3yrs. I've used them twice and I have nothing but great things to say about them. The one time we needed a tow we were in Destruction Bay, Yukon Territory. I requested that the coach not be towed, but be put on a trailer. They agreed. It was approx. 170mi. to White Horse, YT., which was the closest diesel repair facility. I would hate to think what that cost. They've been there for me, so I'll stay with them.

[Catch14me]

A couple of seasons ago we were camping at the Beth Page Campground near Urbana Va. Family was camping nearby and I thought one of our grandchildren that came to visit must have touched the security switch in the RV by accident and we found ourselves locked out. As it turned out there was a problem with the door latch that I had repaired later but didn't know that at the time. I normally keep spare keys in out Toad or elsewhere but this time they were in a pack inside the RV. I called GS and the operator was very polite and seemed to try hard to find a locksmith but couldn't. A local RV repairman at the campsite couldn't help. I was getting a little desperate and finally was able to open the unlocked small window beside the door that allowed me to reach in and unlock the door. No experience thus far with towing using GS but in the past years in previous RVs had two calls requiring a tow with another road service. I hesitate to mention the name or the company because I but don't recall with certainty. Got the job done but we didn't have a Toad at the time and had to ride in the RV behind the tow truck. It was raining and a narrow road. The RV was swaying behind the tow truck and I don't think I have ever been so relieved to finally get to our destination repair shop and get out....it is time to renew our service so I appreciate the post mentioning other's experience and will consider whether to change. One thing I recall and specifically asked when I purchased the GS service is whether the RV would be towed to the nearest service center or if they would tow to the nearest service center that could service our DP. I don't want to be improperly towed to a nearby garage that services cars and can't handle large RVs or one that does not properly tow the RV. I was assured they will tow to the nearest service center that can handle our DP. In any case I hope I don't have to find out the hard way as there is apparently little recourse after the policy is purchased...

[Dogpatch]

What does CoachNet cost per year? Do they also cover all family members? Does it cover all vehicles you own, not just your coach?

Good Sam covers all this. I've been a GS Platinum member for 3 years. Used it once with excellent service. I had a flat tire and thankfully our 35' Winnebago at the time had a spare. Not sure what I'll encounter on our DP without one if the need arises.