Good Sam Club

[vangoes]

GSC Emergency Road Service

I was a member of GS years ago and did not continue membership due to all the spam and junk mail. I currently have towing and roadside assistance on my automobiles and 5ver through State Farm for 8$ per year per policy. However, I am considering GS ERS. With my current insurance coverage there is no dispatch service with the ERS and if I break down in the middle of nowhere who am I going to call. Does the GS service live up to the hype or is there better services such as AAA or others? Any advise is greatly appreciated.

 

[ct0218]

I had to use it once, and they couldn't find a tow truck available to tow both my TV and trailer, so the truck made 2 trips. It is important to find out if the towing service will be for both. I know GS ERS does. I throw everything I get other than invoices in the trash.

 

[jbeletti]

vangoes,

I used GS ERS 3 times this year. I have never seen a service truck arrive in less than 1 hour. Mine have been in the 90 minute range - one was 2 hours.

Some locations have more shops in their system then others. As an example, near Marengo, IL, NW of Chicago, they sent a service truck from near O'Hare airport. Had to be many services in the small towns around my location but they just didn't have any on their system.

Still, I have been pleased with the work their contractors do and have been thankful that I was able to get serviced all 3 times. As Clark mentions above, GS ERS does cover both the trailer and tow vehicle and other vehicles registered at the same household address. In my case, my wife's car and my step-daughters car. Lisa (step-daughter) has used the service once.

I think we step up to full-rate of $100 next year but I'm sure we'll renew. Three times while RV'ing in one year tells me I'll want to keep it.

Jim

 

[jpmorgan37]

Now they have ERS Plus. I just got the brochure on that (and threw it away). I'll stick with the regular ERS that I've had for a long time and never used.

John

 

[Tom of Ypsi]

As previously posted by me do take a look at Progressive Insurance. When I broke down they sent out a wrecker instead of a flat bed truck to carry my coach. When the driver of the wrecker looked at the situation he order a lowboy flatbed tractor trailer to take care of me, one half hour later the truck pulled up, helped me disconnect from my truck and asked where I wanted the coach taken to. One hour later the coach was at the dealers, I signed the paper work that it arrived safe and sound. I never heard from Progressive again. Besides being completely satisfied I am not diluged with mail, post cards etc to upgrade, change or do this or that.

 

[Trap]

WE use coachnet only needed them once when DW locked keys in car. Took 1/2 hour to get there. The only time we hear from them is when it time to renew. They do all vehicles and trialer. No Junk mail

Trap

 

[sailorand]

Jim
about the cost to renew you ERS. contact your Good Sam state director and they should give you a small form that you fill out and send in and save $10, or go to a rally and they offer the same discount.
Say come on out to Quartsite Az. for the RV rally in the 3rd week of January or to the Rally in Redmond Or. in July.
Long way to come but lots of fun
Rand

 

[jbeletti]

Update on my Good Sam ERS - We were put on the DO NOT RENEW list

Hi all,

Guess we just had an unlucky year on road side service needs last season. Seems that we used our Good Sam ERS a total of 5 times in a single membership year.

Five times hit the threshold for being put on the "DO NOT RENEW" list.

We used it 3 times for flats on the RV and my step-daughter used it once for a flat and once for a lock-out.

Lisa has since moved into her own place and we no longer cover her car insurance. I called Good Sam ERS to appeal to them and remove Lisa's car from our ERS plan. Doing this and asking politely - they took me off the DO NOT RENEW list

In fairness, 5 uses for $100 is dirt cheap. especially when I paid what, $80 for year 1! I'm glad they reconsidered me as I didn't really want to use another provider. While they never got to us in under an hour, their contractors always eventually arrived and all performed very well.

Now we need to be good through June 5 of this year and have no uses, then we roll into the next membership year.

A couple lessons learned here that may be useful for others:

1. Good Sam ERS is real and not overly expensive
2. For me, their contractors have performed well
3. Overuse will get you into a non-renewable status
4. They are human and can be reasoned with
5. If you can change a tire and do so safely (in a campground for example) and you are nearing 5 calls in the current membership year or are early in that year, consider changing it yourself

Is it Spring yet!

Jim

 

[Midastouch]

Jim ... as I sit here laughing after reading your post, I thought I would just say that the one time I have used the ERS was when we went to pick up the Landmark last September. My 05 6.0 Superduty died going up an incline in what they call "the gorge" and I had to use it! I thank the Good Lord for my cell phone working good enough to make the call to Good Sam ERS! The got a "good ole boy" from Cleveland, TN in a flatbed F650 to respond and he hauled us back down "the gorge" and took us into Knoxville where we met Butch and Karen at RV's for Less. Needless to say, I left the 05 Ford in Knoxville and drove home a new truck and trailer! What a trip! I got my money's worth and the convenience of having someone to call was great during our TIME OF CRISIS!!!!

I'll renew for as long as they will let me!!!!!!!!

 

[phranc]

A friend and I were traveling together and he popped a tranny on top of Hog Back Mtn in Vt..He has AAA and they took in excess of 4 hours to arrive .AAA arrived with 2 trucks, 1 PU with a 5th wheel to take camper and 1 tow truck for the pickup..Once arrived they did whatever was necessary to make my friend happy .. Camper went to CG and was parked by AAA, and truck went to Ford dealer in a different town for repair. Considering the remoteness of the location my friend was satisfied..

 

[jpmorgan37]

Jim;
What they paid out on you, they have made up for on me. I've had ERS since 1999 and never used it once. But, I'll never be without it. And another one that I won't be without is the EA+. I hope we never need it but is sure is cheap insurance.
John

 

[fireflipper]

Fireflipper

I have had AAA for about twenty years now. During the times that my son was at home hd to have his truck towed on 6 occations, three for accidents. AAA never even gave us a hint that we would be dropped and always renewed us. We upgraded the service when we got the RV, have not had to call them for service yet, Knock on Wood, but I know the day will come.

 

[DougLynne]

Just used them for the first time today and can't say enough good about them. I had truck problems and didn't want the dealer I had to initially have it towed to to work on the truck (warranty issue). I called Good Sam and explained That I wanted my truck towed to another dealer out of town and they initally said they only would go 10 miles then I paid. They got back to me and covered the whole thing. Can't beat that service..../Doug

 

[iefpro01]

I have the AAA premium with RV coverage. I have myself and my wife on this plan. I have not had to use it for RV calls - but I have had my TV pulled twice to the dealer, one tire changed on my TV and my DW used it for locked keys in car issues (LOL -Don't say it)... All this in one year - no issues renewing.

No I owned a Class A big bus a few years back. I had the GS ERS plan. I fueled up on a trip and about a 2 miles from where I fuled I broke down. Called ERS - they said we will have to get back with you. after about 45 minutes they called back and said the cloest was 80 miles away and it was going to take several hours to get to me. I finally figured it out on my own and fixed the issue - but I was not happy with ERS.. They may be better now - but they did not have a large enough contract network at that time.

I was not way out in the boondocks... But one thing is for sure never leave home without one of these plans! BTW I am a good sam charter life member...

 

[cdbMidland]

Good Sam Club - Emergency Assistance Plus

Jim;
...And another one that I won't be without is the EA+. I hope we never need it but is sure is cheap insurance...
John

I received a mailing on the GSC's EA+ this week - $79 for me or $99 for the family (which would just be the two of us) per year.

Has anyone had any experience with this plan? It says that it will:
1. Take care of medical evacuation;
2. Provide medical assistance (I assume to make sure that you have a valid claim);
3. Assistance for companions (send the kids and grandkids home); and
4. Provide travel assistance of all sorts regardless of where and how you got there (not just RVing) - even getting your remains home should you die on a trip.

As John said, he hopes he never needs it. Has anyone had experiences with EA+ and how would you rate it?

Chuck

 

[Larryheadhunter]

I joined GS for 2 bucks at camping world and was sent a map of GS campgrounds, and a $25 camping gift certificate. In the event we get stuck on the road its nice to get the GS 10% discount for their CG's. We got RV towing and emergency added to our AAA for $46 extra a year. Didn't see the need to get GS's ERS. Tell me if I made the wrong decision.

 

[jpmorgan37]

Larry;

You made a good decision. I've been a member for a long time and just renewed for 3 more years. I do have the Good Sam ERS, EA+, and insurance through Good Sam which is underwritten by GMAC.

John

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

We just re-signed with EA+. We let it lapse a while ago but decided it may be worthwhile someday. Ya never know. We are also Good Sam Life members but have Emergency Road coverage thru Progressive.

 

[theharveys]

We have been Good Sam members for several years. We have the ERS and we also have both our truck and trailer insurance through Good Sam (saved us a bunch of money). We have been on three Good Sam tours, Viva Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, and the Alburquerque Balloon Fiesta. We thoroughly enjoyed each tour and found our tourmates to all be very friendly. They do send a lot "junk" mail...but then again, that is why I finally decided to get an insurance quote from Good Sam and I am glad I did!

 

[jpmorgan37]

Jeff and Cindy;

You can get the junk mail stopped. They don't even send me renewal notices. Call up their customer service desk and talk to them. The only thing that I get is the Highways Magazine.

John