Pulled the trigger...What can I expect?

toedtoes wrote:
I have had and used both GS and AAA. I also have had Coachnet but never used them. The general breakdown that I have found is as follows:

GS/Coachnet - when you call for service, the first thing they will want to do is send a mobile mechanic to your location to fix the problem. If the mobile mechanic cannot fix the problem, or you can convince them that sending one is a waste of time, they will then attempt to locate a shop that will accept your rig. Once they have a shop confirmed to accept your rig, only will they then start calling to find a tow truck to move your rig.

That means they won't schedule the actual tow until the shop is confirmed.

On weekdays, this is usually not a problem as the shops are open. But late nights, weekends, and holidays, they are unlikely to be able to reach a shop to get confirmation, so you will be sitting for a long time while they confirm a shop, and then even more time for them to then engage a tow truck.

However, if you are in an area unknown to you, they do all the work for you in locating a shop that will take your rig. You do not have to make the calls yourself.

AAA - they do not care where you have it towed. You call, you tell them where to tow it, they send a tow truck.

If you are fairly local and have a known shop or want it towed to your home, this works well. Simply because AAA isn't concerned with locating a destination, but just obtaining the tow. If you are in an unknown area, then you have to find a destination before they will tow you.

The AAA Premiere will tow you up to 200 miles. HOWEVER, that mileage is based on a standard tow truck rate. The tow truck required to move a motorhome has a higher rate - so you may get less than 200 miles. Each company has its own rates, and they can vary greatly. In addition, some will charge the mileage from their home base, to you, to the destination, and back to their home base - significantly reducing the actual tow mileage.


Personally, I suggest getting both. AAA Premiere runs about $120-200 (for 1 or 2 members) per year and you can use it for any of your vehicles or any vehicle you are driving. It gives you one 200 mile tow and three 100 mile tows per year. GS/Coachnet is more expensive but offers unlimited towing.


Between the two different types of roadside service, you are most always able to get towed by one of them. Between GS and Coachnet, Coachnet gets better marks. GS tends to fail at the call center point. If you can get past the call center and actually get the truck dispatched, then you are unlikely to have additional problems.

The other thing to remember with all roadside assistance is that the longer the tow distance, the less likely they can engage a tow truck. That's simply because towing your rig 200+ miles (4+ hours) and then driving back to their home base on the contracted rate doesn't pay enough. They will get more money by making multiple local tows during that 4+ hours. So, the further you want your RV towed, the fewer tow companies will be willing to accept the job.

I hope that helps.

There are areas,cities and states that don't provide AAA towing service. Check with AAA before you make your decision.!!

“(I asked the CS agent about this very thing and she affirmed that only a picture was necessary).”

Roadside assistance is an insurance policy. If it isn’t in writing it is not covered…affirmed or not affirmed. Keep the tire!

A few notes:
- Most towing plans want to get you to the nearest suitable repair place. If there is a place 5 miles away, don't expect them to cover a 50mile tow to your preferred shop. What constitutes a "suitable" repair place can be a bone of contention.
- Be very specific to the point of being obnoxious about what you are driving (yeah, it should be in the system). Ran into this where they sent a guy in a minivan out with a small lithium charge pack to jump our diesel F250 with a dead battery at the airport parking. It wasn't even close and he wasn't ready to connect to the minivan battery. Next they sent a tow truck but cables weren't long enough (nose in to a parking spot). They weren't going to cover hooking up and pulling it out far enough so they could reach. Finally wound up getting an uber to go buy a couple new batteries.

If they throw it in with your insurance, OK but with cell phones, finding a local tow company/repair shop is doable anywhere you can make the call to your service.

BadgerMcAdams wrote:
Well, after several years and getting our financial affairs in order, we have finally bought an RV. It was her mom and dad's who have reached an age where they didn't want to travel any longer. It is a 2007/8 Tiffin Allegro Bay 35TSB. It is in outstanding condition (her father is retired Army Aviation and was very meticulous on the maintenance of the RV), and looks almost new.

Okay, he recommended that we get the Roadside Assistance from GS. He said that the two times he ever had to use it, they came through with no problems. Now, I've been in the forums for several years and have read both the Good and Bad concerning GSRA. As the RV is a class A, I purchased the Platinum Complete Package. The cost wasn't that much more and it covers almost everything (yes, I know it doesn't cover stuff like the fridge, water heater, A/C's, etc)

So, what should I expect from the coverage? The customer service person I spoke with while mostly knowledgeable about the subject, kept referencing the Platinum + version was the top tier of the packages offered. Although, reading about it in the email I received, The Complete package is the top tier of service.

Yes, I have read the horror stories of being stuck on the side of the road for 3 weeks waiting for the agent to try and get someone to come out, or that after the tire was replaced and the customer didn't keep the tire and only took pictures of it, GSRA would not reimburse them for the repair/service (I asked the CS agent about this very thing and she affirmed that only a picture was necessary).

I know that there are other Roadside Assistance programs offered by other companies, but my concern is "what should I expect" when and if I need the service.

Sorry for the long post...Thank you all for any info.

"YOU HAVE EVERY THING TO GAIN AND NOTHING TO LOOSE" IF YOU ARE BROKE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT 9 AT NIGHT, WHAT IS YOUR ALTERNATIVE:):)

ERS is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.

Do as your FIL suggests, cross your fingers that you never need to use it, but be prepared for anything, if/when you do. Yes, after dark and weekends/holidays may be iffy, but prepare yourselves mentally for that "iffy-ness".

Out of the dozen or more times I've used GS ERS over the last 20 years, they have mostly come through for me with the basics, towing, battery boost, and tire changes on non-RVs and my Roadtrek. I've never needed fuel delivery, but that stuff should be pretty simple to do for any tow service.
Nor have I needed any help with either our short lived Class A adventure, or with our current class C, so I'm in the same boat as you on that one. The larger size/weight does add some complexity, but hopefully, if you define what you have on the Good Sam website accurately, they can see that, and respond accordingly.

Good luck, and welcome to the strange world of RVing.

I have had and used both GS and AAA. I also have had Coachnet but never used them. The general breakdown that I have found is as follows:

GS/Coachnet - when you call for service, the first thing they will want to do is send a mobile mechanic to your location to fix the problem. If the mobile mechanic cannot fix the problem, or you can convince them that sending one is a waste of time, they will then attempt to locate a shop that will accept your rig. Once they have a shop confirmed to accept your rig, only will they then start calling to find a tow truck to move your rig.

That means they won't schedule the actual tow until the shop is confirmed.

On weekdays, this is usually not a problem as the shops are open. But late nights, weekends, and holidays, they are unlikely to be able to reach a shop to get confirmation, so you will be sitting for a long time while they confirm a shop, and then even more time for them to then engage a tow truck.

However, if you are in an area unknown to you, they do all the work for you in locating a shop that will take your rig. You do not have to make the calls yourself.

AAA - they do not care where you have it towed. You call, you tell them where to tow it, they send a tow truck.

If you are fairly local and have a known shop or want it towed to your home, this works well. Simply because AAA isn't concerned with locating a destination, but just obtaining the tow. If you are in an unknown area, then you have to find a destination before they will tow you.

The AAA Premiere will tow you up to 200 miles. HOWEVER, that mileage is based on a standard tow truck rate. The tow truck required to move a motorhome has a higher rate - so you may get less than 200 miles. Each company has its own rates, and they can vary greatly. In addition, some will charge the mileage from their home base, to you, to the destination, and back to their home base - significantly reducing the actual tow mileage.


Personally, I suggest getting both. AAA Premiere runs about $120-200 (for 1 or 2 members) per year and you can use it for any of your vehicles or any vehicle you are driving. It gives you one 200 mile tow and three 100 mile tows per year. GS/Coachnet is more expensive but offers unlimited towing.


Between the two different types of roadside service, you are most always able to get towed by one of them. Between GS and Coachnet, Coachnet gets better marks. GS tends to fail at the call center point. If you can get past the call center and actually get the truck dispatched, then you are unlikely to have additional problems.

The other thing to remember with all roadside assistance is that the longer the tow distance, the less likely they can engage a tow truck. That's simply because towing your rig 200+ miles (4+ hours) and then driving back to their home base on the contracted rate doesn't pay enough. They will get more money by making multiple local tows during that 4+ hours. So, the further you want your RV towed, the fewer tow companies will be willing to accept the job.

I hope that helps.