What road side assistance service to choose?

IrishReb

Member
I am looking into choosing a roadside assistance service. We have had AAA for many years but I understand that for RVing we need a service like Good Sam offers. Just wondering what your choice and experience has been and who you suggest?
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
We used AAA for years but only paid for the basic roadside assistance service but we changed to Good Sam's Roadside Assistance service a couple of years ago. We haven't had a need to use it so not sure how good the service is but was not happy with AAA service. Got a lot of problems every time we tried to use it.
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
We pay an extra few dollars a month in our insurance payment, with Progressive. Have used their service to change a tire on the trailer, and was pleased.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

TXBobcat

Fulltime
You need to look into a road side service that will help with both your tow vehicle and your trailer. Good Sams will do this and so will Coach Net.
We use Coach Net because it supports the Escapees and gives a great discount.

FWIW
BC
 

NWILSON

Kentucky Chapter Leaders - retired
We went with Good Sam because it covers every vehicle we own for one price. Between the TV, Cyclone, 4 cars and 3 motorcycles it's a steal!
My daughter had a flat tire on the way home from school shortly after we signed up. When she called they told her the name of the person coming to help and his eta. They told her 45 minutes....he showed in less than 30!!
 

sjs731

Well-known member
We have Good Sam and had to use it last year when we had a problem with a slide out. They gave us suggestions for repair places we didn't know about in an unfamiliar area. Worth it since it covers all our vehicles.


Steve and Carrie
HOC #2252
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

JJnVA

Well-known member
We have had very positive results with Good Sam's roadside assistance. When we had a wheel bearing failure on our BH on I-40 in Texas 30 miles from the closest town, Good Sam coordinated a mobile repair service response within 90 minutes. Good Sam checked on us until the repair was complete and we were on the road again. Happy Campers knowing Good Sam is there if we need them!
 

hriker

Well-known member
I had AAA for my vehicles for years before we purchased our 5th wheel trailer. We changed to Good Sam Roadside Assistance because it covered the trailer, truck and any other vehicles we own and the entire family. We have used the service once because our car battery died. Response time was within 30 minutes. I believe we were told it would be 45 minutes and we were surprised when the service truck came sooner. So far experience has been great but hope not to need it again.
 

JanAndBill

Well-known member
We've used Good Sam in the past. It was ok. We dropped it though because we have roadside assistance and towing included on our vehicle insurance. Might want to check your auto policy before you buy.
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
Good Sam's. I have had to use it twice for tire issues within a little over a year and both responses were excellent. . . now the platinum version offers more services than AAA does
 

NWILSON

Kentucky Chapter Leaders - retired
We've used Good Sam in the past. It was ok. We dropped it though because we have roadside assistance and towing included on our vehicle insurance. Might want to check your auto policy before you buy.
That's a good point. Not all policies include roadside assistance...we were paying additional for it and the cost just for the cars nearly covered the Good Sam rate which covered all vehicles.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
We've used Good Sam in the past. It was ok. We dropped it though because we have roadside assistance and towing included on our vehicle insurance. Might want to check your auto policy before you buy.
A major difference to consider: if your truck breaks down and needs a tow, what happens to your trailer? Good Sam will tow both. Will your truck insurance tow the trailer? I wouldn't want to leave our Landmark sitting on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.
 

Garypowell

Well-known member
We have had mixed luck with Good Sam's over our 15 years. But they have been excellent at reimbursing us if their solution was going to take too long. For example, I was stuck with a flat on an on ramp and they said help was only 3 hours away. My GPS gave me multiple solutions within minutes. It still took us 1 hour to get local help but better than their three. This happened another time in 2012 with the same result.

But each time they reimbursed us for the expense. I am sure it is true with other carriers but at least with Good Sam's we have always felt in control of the "fix" and opted for what was best for the circumstance.
 

tmcran

Well-known member
Good Sam... Switched after AAA left my wife on side of road 1 1/2 hrs with flat tire. She was on a freeway in a large city. Not like in the woods. We have used GS twice. Great fast service.
 

mountainlovers76

Mississippi Chapter Leaders
Good Sam's here also for the reasons already mentioned. And just recently had to use them to pull my TV and coach out of the mud. Help arrived in about 45 minutes and 20 minutes later my TV and coach were back on the asphalt and they were gone. More than worth the cost of last year's membership fee in that one instance. Just renewed for two more years.
 

oldmannj

Well-known member
Another vote for Good Sam. AAA won't cover the RV and is about the same cost as GS. Had to use them when TV broke down. Response was quick, and there was no extra fee to tow to my home. The one time I used AAA for the same situation they charged per mile after 3 miles.
 

JanAndBill

Well-known member
A major difference to consider: if your truck breaks down and needs a tow, what happens to your trailer? Good Sam will tow both. Will your truck insurance tow the trailer? I wouldn't want to leave our Landmark sitting on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

In our case it is, because everything is covered with the same company House, cars, TV, 5th wheel, property, buildings, health, life. Did I leave anything out??? LOL Group coverage through Alabama Farm Bureau. It is a reimbursement coverage on towing and road side assistance and there are limits on the amount per occurance. So, there are some cases where we could be out of pocket if we were out in the middle of nowhere. But at the same time, you need to remember that Good Sams will only tow you to the nearest repair facility, which might not be the facility that I want to go to. There are risks with everything in life, for us we've been ahead of the game for several years now, so even in the event of a costly tow for repair, we would still be even.

Also the last time I used the Good Sam program. I sat on the side of the road for 4 hours waiting on a repair service that they brought from 150 miles away. It was even worse because I could see a tire store sign just down the road from me that had the tire I needed (because I walked down and checked), but Good Sam did not have an agreement with them. In hindsight it would have been cheaper had I paid for the tire and road service, and let my insurance company reimburse me for the service portion.
 

Sandpirate69

Well-known member
I had AAA for about 23 years. I cancelled them because they couldn't come out for assistance on one of the backroads to where I hunt (paved county road). As luck would have it, 2 weeks later my father's rv blows out a tire and he called good sam and they responded within 50 minutes. Of course I was about an hour from his location. So, after that incident I changed to Good Sam. Never had problems with AAA until that moment, used them for a long time. So good sam it is.
 

Invizatu

Senior Road Warriors
We have had Good Sams Platinum for 3 years now, but never needed them. I also kept my roadside with USAA insurance (only $1 per month per vehicle & also $1 per month for the trailer).
Might be overkill, but between the two I better be covered!
 
Top