Good Sam Road Service

While traveling to Elkhart to have some work done to the trailer, I had a brake problem on my truck just north of Indianapolis IN. My right rear wheel brakes began to smoke after a really hard braking experience. I called Good Sam Road Service for help and had a choice of having the truck/trailer towed into a shop on a Saturday afternoon or having a mobile service come out to make the repairs on the road. I didn't want to spend a weekend in someone's shop with no facilities, so I chose the mobile tech service.

About an hour and a half later, Tony with Superior Service drives up. He looked at the problem and determined that one of the brake calipers had failed. He then explained that I would be required to pay $90 an hour for his services from the time he left home after receiving the call from Good Sam, then the same for any time that he needed to go pick up parts. He said that GS only pays him to take a call from them ($120.00) and that the customer is responsible for all other parts and service time. He also said that the caliper would cost $169.00. Of course, being broke down on the side of the road, what choice do I have? I told him that I would pay, then he says he only accepts cash, no credit cards and no checks. Wow! Who carries several hundred dollars in cash around?

So he goes to a parts store about 20 miles away. It takes him an hour and fifteen minutes to make the round trip. Hmmm. He gets back and he can't get the caliper apart and needs a special socket and of course, has to go back to the parts store to get it. I question why I must pay for him to go get tools which he should have had to begin with, but his reply is that he wouldn't have needed the tool if I hadn't broken down. Again, I'm on the side of the road, broke down and now with the wheel off and the brake system taken apart, so what choice do I have? I agreed to pay him and he goes and gets the tools he needs and returns about 5:15. It takes him about 20-25 minutes to finish the job, and he tells us that he's "only" going to charge us until 5:30. Thanks a lot pal.

The total time he spent actually working on my truck was 30-45 minutes. Even with the hour he spent running for parts and the cost of the parts, which incidentally, actually can be bought for $39.00 when he charged me $169 for, I should have had to pay less than $200 but we had to come up with $570. Thank goodness there was an ATM at the convenience store across the street He would probably have charged us an hour's service to take my wife to the machine to get him his money.

I intend to call Good Sam tomorrow to tell them about their "service". I will likely be looking into another road service also.

Wow,,,, something don't sound right to me Jay,,,, But you did not have much choice.. I would sure file a complaint and ask for reimbursement. And go all the way to Mr Good Sam himself.

I worked and ran service department for a long time... did he say how the caliper failed?? A brake caliper is almost fool proof, that's why they are on all vehicles now. No springs or adjusters to break or fall off.

Just glad you and Stella are OK and it did not cause an accident or fire.

Jim M

The brake cylinder failed, spraying brake fluid on the rotor and pads, which overheated and caused the smoking. I have sent in a message to the Trailer Life Action Line, thinking that they may be more helpful since they are both owned by the same company. I will call Good Sam tomorrow and post any results back here.

Please do post their position on all of this. If that's how they do business and the thieves they use, I'll cancel my policy in a nanosecond.

Thanks John, depending on what they tell me, I'm going to be looking for a new one.

I also will cancel in a nanoscecond. It sounds like the tech (thief) only took cash so there was no paper trail. Did you get a receipt? Also, please inform us of the company name so others don't get taken by them. I know that it is hard to have all the special tools requried to work on veicals, but I would think any good mechanic should have the tools to remove the caliper.

hey there jay,
lets us know we have the same thing.
let tell you a story, as you know we have 2010 dodge 4200 miles only and thank-to some watching over us we did not break down from spring to new mexico.
lori and i went to big lunch on sat. came out and the beast would not start.called a few friends but at 7.30 it was towed to santa fe. dodge.
now i know that i am going to hear it, ford and chevy guys, but it can fixed. we were at buck horn rv park and the beast saw me talking to frightliner guys,pay back.
we glad you safe again let us know
pat-lori

Jay,

Please keep us all informed. We just became Good Sam Road Service members and GMAC insurance members four day ago. We will drop them if need be. Our old insurance Progressive said they will no longer handle any tow vehicle larger than a 350 or equivalent.

Sorry to hear of your problem.I had to use my Good Sam's ERS a few days ago when I had ruined tire. They had a repair truck to change the tire for me in about an hour.
The side wall was cut so the guy could not repair the flat.This was my first time to use ERS. The service guy said that they had had no problem with ERS re: payment. I got a detailed work order that they were going to submit to Good Sam's. SO far I'm very satisfied. Good luck to ya.

Then again, he might have been a double-dipper. Charge the victim cash and then submit a claim for payment to Good Sam ERS. Were you required to sign anything for this guy?

For what it's worth, I have used Good Sam Road Service twice. Once in Illinois and once in Mississippi. Both times I was impressed with the service providers. And no paper work. They came, changed the tire and adios.
I don't think you have a problem with Good Sam, but I do think there was a problem with the service provider.
Definately let them know about your ordeal.

Peace
Dave

We agree with Cookie's comments. So sorry to hear about your ordeal. J.D. and I were getting concerned when you hadn't shown up earlier Sat. at Elkhart Campground. Glad you and Stella (and Cassie) made it in spite of the difficulties. We are Good Sam members also since 2006. Have used their service 4 times. First time was in 2007 in SE Arkansas where there was no close servicer. However, GS found a local tire shop that would come fix our trailer's flat but we would have to pay for it and GS would reimburse. Before I got off the phone with GS, the guy was knocking on our door!! What service. Cost was less than $30 and GS was quick on the reimbursement. Second use was north of OK City in 2008 when driver side springs broke on our former BH 3400.

We were about an hour north of OKC and a guy came out of OKC to help us. Took about 8 hours on the side of the road to get the springs replaced. That job did incur out of pocket money but we used the extended warranty we had at the time (don't remember the name and think they are now out of business anyway). After getting pre-authorization, the guy who came to help us went ahead with the repairs. When he finished he called back to the insurance company and what do you know, they renigged on some of what they had previously authorized!!! We were out of pocket $150 and that still didn't completely cover the actual cost of what was pre-authorized. We didn't think to keep the springs to let Lippert know either or we might have gotten Lippert to reimburse that $150 and a new tire. Live and learn on that score. We complained to the insurance company and the company the tech worked for did also. Don't know what the outcome was on the servicer's end. Hope they won the fight.

Last two times we needed GS were recently on our trip from Kerrville, TX to Benton, AR. We had a trailer tire on passenger side start losing air fast (thank you Pressure Pro) and J.D. immediately pulled into an exit and into a gas station parking lot. Took about a hour to get a tech to us. Tire had blown a valve stem. We thought we had all metal valve stems but as it turned out they were partially rubber. GS was specific on what they would pay and what our responsibility would be depending on what the tech had to do. Wound up just changing out the tire with the spare and sent us on our way. No charge. When we arrived at Texarkana, TX staying at Shady Pines RV Park, which is an excellent concrete pad park at a very reasonable rate; the front desk folks told us about Daniels Tire Service just up the road on West 7th Street who could take care of us to get the spare fixed. Called Daniels after we got set up and they worked us in first thing the next morning. We got all the trailer tires' valve stems changed out to totally metal. Great service, fast and efficient. Last time we used GS was in Benton sitting at our campsite. Truck decided to be cranky and not start! Had to have a jump start. Took about 45 min. to get a tech to us and again no charge. Apparently something had been left on to run down the battery. We are not sure what did it unless it was leaving the Pressure Pro plugged in. When not using the truck or towing, we unplug it to be on the safe side.

So, we feel GS has paid for itself. Just a shame that some folks want to take advantage of a person in need. Go get 'em Jay. Keep us posted on the outcome. C.J.

I wonder how much this repair would have cost in the shop. The mobile service guy does need to get some premium over shop rates, but this sure sounds like gouging.

Glad to hear the positive comments on GS considering I just renemwed my ERS with them.

Sorry to hear about the "not positive" but maybe as someone suggested, he is double dipping.

OK, for my update today. I contacted Trailer Life Action Line and they will investigate after I furnish them with copies of all documentation I also called Good Sam ERS and they will open an investigation and get back in touch with me within 11-14 days. We'll see what happens.

Well we dropped ERS and went with Coach Net, just recently. I did this when ERS wanted to argue over the cost of a tow for my dead Ford F350. They wanted to have it towed to a JAGUAR dealership to have it fixed, when a FORD dealership was just one mile farther away. They told me I would have to pay for the extra mile. I told them I would do so and then immediately dropped them after all was settled. What a penny anti operation.

Another update, Good Sam ERS called and said they will refund $135 for the hour and a half response time. They said he was paid by them to respond to my location and that they will investigate further, including possibly dropping his company. We sent in copies of everything we had.

Jay, sorry to read of the "nightmare", but glad to see you are getting some positive action from Good Sam. We have had the Good Sam ERS for over three years. Used them three times; once for having slipped off edge of pavement and sunk the wheels, and twice for chinese bomb blowouts in Florida and near El Paso. All three times ERS operator kept us up to date on projected arrival time of the service truck. I was pleased with the service and appreciated the follow-up calls. Of course, all three of my events were pretty straightforward and not complicated. You may have gotten an oddball who will soon be out of a job.

Thanks Jerry, I'm just thankful that GS ERS is stepping up and doing the right thing.