Pulled the trigger...What can I expect?
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 ...
Forum Discussion
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.
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.
