Road service

[rgrugg]

My Good Sam road service is getting expensive. Can anybody suggest another service that works well for less than 150.00?

[mary and bob]

That's typical of Good Sam, they get you signed on by offering a good rate, but with limited services, then at renewal the price goes up. AAA in my area of NY offers a RV option, but at my last renewal the cost went way up so I cancelled it. I suspect that AAA figured out that providing services to big trailers or motorhomes could get expensive, especially if a big wrecker was required. At this time we have no RV road service company, but at this time we are not doing any long trips. We do have the normal AAA for autos. I figure if I do need road service for a trailer, AAA can at least help me find a repair service and I will have to pay them myself.

[stevebaz]

Does Good Sam cover the RV and the rest of your other cars too, or just the RV

My AAA premier RV covers all my 4 cars and any car I ride in and the Scamp trailer and my boat trailer for $154.00 a year.

We have used it once about every 5 years or so. Really helped my wife last year when they came out and replaced a battery in her Jeep, so I didn't have to come home from work and do it. They did a really fair charge for the battery and tested the alternator charge system to make sure it was good to go. Its just so nice to have 1 number to call and help is on the way. In so cal its usually 45 or so minutes to get help unless its raining.
Out in the middle of nowhere can be 2 hours or more. One time I waited for 4 hours out in Blanding Utah they had to come down from Moab. towed us all the way back to Moab. What an experience that was.

[rgrugg]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

Does Good Sam cover the RV and the rest of your other cars too, or just the RV



My AAA premier RV covers all my 4 cars and any car I ride in and the Scamp trailer and my boat trailer for $154.00 a year.



We have used it once about every 5 years or so. Really helped my wife last year when they came out and replaced a battery in her Jeep, so I didn't have to come home from work and do it. They did a really fair charge for the battery and tested the alternator charge system to make sure it was good to go. Its just so nice to have 1 number to call and help is on the way. In so cal its usually 45 or so minutes to get help unless its raining.

Out in the middle of nowhere can be 2 hours or more. One time I waited for 4 hours out in Blanding Utah they had to come down from Moab. towed us all the way back to Moab. What an experience that was.

I have heard that AAA won’t tow RVs in all states. Is there any truth to that? I travel so may possibly need a tow just about any place in the country.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by rgrugg

I have heard that AAA won’t tow RVs in all states. Is there any truth to that? I travel so may possibly need a tow just about any place in the country.

Because I'd read the same, I contacted BCAA ( which is affiliated with AAA ) and confirmed that both vehicle and trailer will be towed under my BCAA RV Plus contract. That covers all of North America.

[floyd]

16 years with no road service @ $150 = $2400
I figure I'm paid up in the unlikely event of a need.
The best "insurance" is to service the camper before a trip.
[Not a guarantee of course.]


BTW: check with your Car insurance company, maybe a "rider" would be cheaper, or maybe it already covers some things like tire changes or towing.

[mary and bob]

Steve; Your AAA is a better deal than mine here in Upstate NY. We have the Premier, wife is the primary and I am on as secondary, no RV coverage, and the yearly cost is $194. As I recall to add the RV coverage was over $100. Floyd may have the right idea.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by rgrugg

My Good Sam road service is getting expensive. Can anybody suggest another service that works well for less than 150.00?

Originally Posted by floyd

16 years with no road service @ $150 = $2400

Floyd's answer basically means being self-insured which should be a credible option for most.

We maintain AAA membership for the distaff member of the household. I guess that one advantage is knowing what number to call; it's printed on the back of the membership card.

Otherwise, you might be faced with the additional challenge of finding a tow company with the required capabilities, possibly on a dark and stormy night.

[Kardon]

I had AAA in California and loved it. Prompt and helpful. I moved to Maine and kept it for the first year or so. What a mistake. They'd say they were sending someone out who never showed up and when I called back, they'd tell me they couldn't find anyone. One time it was 2 in the morning on a lonely highway, after an hour or two we got helped by a state trooper who located a retired mechanic who happened to have a tire that would fit and would probably get us home. it was a huge hassle with no tow available but we did get home. No help from AAA. We use Good Sam now.

[floyd]

During my warranty period on my new Ford, I get free road service and towing for both my truck and any trailer which I tow... They will even bring fuel (5gal) when needed.
I don't know if the SOBs do the same, but it might be worth checking if you have a newer TV.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Kardon

No help from AAA. We use Good Sam now.

They both call the same pool of tow truck drivers and pay them miserably. If you're waiting, it's because they are busy on a profitable job.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

I guess that one advantage is knowing what number to call; it's printed on the back of the membership card.

Otherwise, you might be faced with the additional challenge of finding a tow company with the required capabilities, possibly on a dark and stormy night.

Mike, That's the big plus of having AAA or Good Sam or some other road service. Who do I call otherwise, especially far from home in an unfamiliar area. As a former mechanic for a world wide truck leasing company, that is one major selling point of the lease. If you break down, call the number, and now it's our problem, not the customers. Some road calls go good, some do not. It's all the matter of where it is and who can you get to go out on it.

[ZachO]

I've gotten a ride home in tow trucks twice in my life, and both were this year. The first time I didn't have AAA. $600. AAA is $95 a year. So I bought it. Three months later my friend hits a tree coming back from the shuttle for a rafting trip, and we limp it as far as a highway rest station and call AAA.

Would have been another $600. So I'm paid up for the next 6 years. I rode home in the tow truck while my friend and his son and son's friend waited for someone to come pick them up, and asked the driver how much they pay him. I don't remember the exact amount but it was at least 90 cents on the dollar. He said it was well worth it for the extra business it brings in.

Of course this has nothing to do with trailers as neither truck I rode in was long enough for a truck and trailer.

[Friz]

Allstate sent me a quote on road service, it was going to be around $130 for the plan I liked. Most Allstate agents aren't familiar with it, they have to look it up.

[stevebaz]

If you are self insured and you truck/car breaks down you are looking at 2 tows one for the car and one for the trailer. That could get expensive fast.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by ZachO

I've gotten a ride home in tow trucks twice in my life, and both were this year. The first time I didn't have AAA. $600. AAA is $95 a year. So I bought it. Three months later my friend hits a tree coming back from the shuttle for a rafting trip, and we limp it as far as a highway rest station and call AAA.

Would have been another $600. So I'm paid up for the next 6 years. I rode home in the tow truck while my friend and his son and son's friend waited for someone to come pick them up, and asked the driver how much they pay him. I don't remember the exact amount but it was at least 90 cents on the dollar. He said it was well worth it for the extra business it brings in.

Of course this has nothing to do with trailers as neither truck I rode in was long enough for a truck and trailer.

Roll backs often have a formula in the back with which they can tow a second vehicle or a trailer behind. they usually carry an adapter for a trailer ball.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

They both call the same pool of tow truck drivers and pay them miserably. If you're waiting, it's because they are busy on a profitable job.

This is the problem. None of them have their own dedicated providers. Instead, they contract with locals to do it. Depending where you break down, that local provider may be mediocre or may be tied up with more profitable work.

So you might get great service in one location and lousy in another.

In the end, it’s insurance against getting hit with a big tow bill. Depending on your finances, self insurance is an option, like Floyd mentioned.

[Doctor Harold]

Not exactly trailer related, but the smartest road coverage I ever bought was AAA Road Service for my ex-wife. She would then call them instead of me.



Harold

[relics-ink]

we use aarp and the hartford ins co, for our class b and the others we had.
Our dead Love Bug is resting in the garage. Their towing is included and takes you to an rv service ctr and pays for labor of the repair and no deductible , also some stipulation of $25 dollars a day for transportation or both. . I was very impressed the first time I heard it and had to have them repeat a couple times during the conversation. I used it once the first year and received no bill. I just can't remember the problem.