So I am not happy with the results of a recent repair and the portion that Good Sam ESP is providing. I am a full-timer and have been without a home since Monday. My inverter burned up - nothing was going through it and took it to the local CW for a repair under the GSESP. GS would pay to have the inverter repaired, but, according to the CW service person, it would take approximately 10 days just to get the part in. And, to make it worse, the charge for this was over the $500 deductible - $600+. Because we would be waiting for a part, hotel reimbursement would not be covered, even though we are full-timers. So, we opted to get a new inverter, paying the difference in the price (even though the old one burned, a new one was not an option for ESP. Even spending one night in the RV in the CW parking lot, we still have had to spend 2 nights in a hotel so we can have water and power (it is hot in Florida and unbearable because of the sun/heat).So it is better to put the almost $300 each month into a savings account and pay for repairs that way, or pay the premiums. I will have to think long and hard before I renew the policy. I do not know that I will recommend to anyone buying this policy. RV parts are not kept in stock, so there will always be delays if the repair is more than just tires or batteries, so GSESP keeps making money and putting us out. I thought GS stood for Good Samaritan??? Not so much, it seems.

As a FT'r I have found it is easier/cheaper to do the repairs myself.And when I can't do the repair myself.......still cheaper/easier to get with a mobile repair OR set up repairs with a local RV repair shop.They work with you.........diagnose problem, order parts etc. and then when parts are in hand schedule repairs that make it more convenient.

I would put the money in a seperate account, let it grow untill you need a repair. Remember they are at it to make money, or they wouldn't do it.

HiI do not really understand why it takes so long to get a part unless there is a long paper trail like the tech places the order then the order person looks at it then needs to re-confirm the order with the tech who now is on days off for two days. After that the tech gets it back to the order person who now has the OK about the part from the tech but now needs to get the OK to order from the parts manager who is on days off and and......................................:?:?Anyway the last parts I ordered from all over the USA in the past week have been delivered for my PM on my MH. Three days US mail from Gaffney SC to California. Anyway my 2¢JimR

It is very disappointing to read about all the trouble folks are having with the GSESP. I have a 2012 Heartland 5th Wheel and my manufactures warranty runs out next month; so I went to the Good Sam website and got a quote on their Extended Service Plan. I have not purchased it yet, thought I’d read some reviews first, and what I’m finding here as well on other websites says that I probably will not purchase it. Better as someone suggested just to put the money in a savings account, and learn how to fix a lot of the issues myself. After all, as a full-timer, this rig is my home and when I had a house I did not call a repair person every time something stopped working.Although I must say that it is good to see someone from Good Sam/Camping World responding to these posts and in most cases saying that they can remedy a lot of the problems people are having.

Let me compare this on the parts being ordered. When I had my plumbing business if I needed to order parts from the wholesaler the time frame was always 10 days and up. CW can't possibly have all the parts that they might need for any job in stock. Therefore the have to order the parts. The parts probably have to come from the manufacturer. They don't have people just sitting around just waiting and hoping that someone will order a part. It takes time to pull the part, pack the part, wait for the shipping company to come get the part, ship the part to where it is needed. This all takes time. Living full time in the rv doesn't make any of it happen faster.Ron

Full-timer unhappy with Extended warranty issues

11 Replies

Smittythebear
Explorer
Jun 24, 2013
Sorry this has taken so long to respond back to my original post. For those of you with the suggestions, here is what we did - we did pay to have the replacement part overnighted - it still took from Monday to Thursday for the part to come in and have it installed.
To have the part repaired would have taken 10 days per the service department manager. We don't expect any parts department to have every part in stock and worked with Camping World to get this done. What was our beef was that, as full-timers, there was no provision in the ESP policy for alternate accommodations. Our power supply was fried, so it was impossible to stay in the RV without running the generator non stop, alternating with running the engine since the house batteries were also affected. Scott, thank you for your offer. I will be taking advantage of it.
Community Alumni
Apr 12, 2013
In my earlier post about how long to order parts I should have added that I do have GS ESP and I am very happy with it. They have been very fair with me and when dealing with a shop that does not want to bother with a warranty company they have worked well with me there too sending me a check for my out of pocket beyond the deductible and exclusions.

I have not been in any situations except one where a part took longer than a couple of days. I need to add that I have paid the extra 20 bucks or so to ship overnight but that has been mostly Freightliner parts.

Anyway I am happy with them.

JimR
Scott_Blanc
Explorer
Apr 12, 2013
Smittythebear,

I'm sorry to hear that the repair process would take so long to complete. I hope that you can understand that to keep our rates down, we will repair parts if possible before replacing them. If you had extra travel expense associted with this breakdown, I will be happy to reimburse you for them, just send the recepts to my attention.
M_GO_BLUE1
Explorer
Apr 12, 2013
Such is the life of most extended warranties out there...
Not_a_Clue
Explorer
Apr 12, 2013
I had some parts replaced under extended warranty, Western General, they were Power Gear parts, they told me it would be five to seven days, but they would cover the part. I opted to pay out of pocket to get it overnighted. If I were you that is what I would have done, especially if I was living in it. (Just my 2 cents).
I did this through my mobile mechanic.

Hope it all works out for you.
Good_Sam_Care_T
Explorer
Apr 12, 2013
Hello Smittythebear,

Thank you for your post. I do apologize for the trouble and frustration this has caused you. I have sent this over to the ESP Executive Team for further investigation.

Wes Robinson
Marcus' Rapid Response Team
goodsamcs@goodsamfamily.com
Ron8877
Explorer
Apr 12, 2013
Let me compare this on the parts being ordered. When I had my plumbing business if I needed to order parts from the wholesaler the time frame was always 10 days and up. CW can't possibly have all the parts that they might need for any job in stock. Therefore the have to order the parts. The parts probably have to come from the manufacturer. They don't have people just sitting around just waiting and hoping that someone will order a part. It takes time to pull the part, pack the part, wait for the shipping company to come get the part, ship the part to where it is needed. This all takes time. Living full time in the rv doesn't make any of it happen faster.
Ron
Larryzv7
Explorer
Apr 12, 2013
It is very disappointing to read about all the trouble folks are having with the GSESP. I have a 2012 Heartland 5th Wheel and my manufactures warranty runs out next month; so I went to the Good Sam website and got a quote on their Extended Service Plan.

I have not purchased it yet, thought I’d read some reviews first, and what I’m finding here as well on other websites says that I probably will not purchase it. Better as someone suggested just to put the money in a savings account, and learn how to fix a lot of the issues myself. After all, as a full-timer, this rig is my home and when I had a house I did not call a repair person every time something stopped working.

Although I must say that it is good to see someone from Good Sam/Camping World responding to these posts and in most cases saying that they can remedy a lot of the problems people are having.
Community Alumni
Apr 12, 2013
Hi

I do not really understand why it takes so long to get a part unless there is a long paper trail like the tech places the order then the order person looks at it then needs to re-confirm the order with the tech who now is on days off for two days. After that the tech gets it back to the order person who now has the OK about the part from the tech but now needs to get the OK to order from the parts manager who is on days off and and......................................:?:?

Anyway the last parts I ordered from all over the USA in the past week have been delivered for my PM on my MH. Three days US mail from Gaffney SC to California. Anyway my 2¢

JimR
301TBS
Explorer
Apr 11, 2013
I would put the money in a seperate account, let it grow untill you need a repair. Remember they are at it to make money, or they wouldn't do it.