Roadside Assistance programs
I have recently read a bunch of posts about a few different roadside assistance programs. Now I am thinking I want one and here's why:
My last MH was great for the first 5 years. WE bought it used. I fixed a few things and we were off on our first of many great trips. As stated this lasted for about 5 years. Then on a trip to The Big E we heard an odd noise as we pulled through a toll booth. Very quickly it became apparent that the odd noise was my alternator belt filing for divorce from its relationship with my motor.
So there I was in a parking lot with no alternator, no roadside assistance and no clue what to do. It was the middle of the night so getting parts and fixing it was out of the question. Also add to that the fact that I am a fat guy and don't fit into the tiny area that is required to be in, in order to fix the problem. So what is a guy to do? I figured it was unlikely that I would loose a hundred pounds by the morning so I sought other options.
I ended up hooking up a battery charger (I always have on in the coach) to the chassis battery, running the wires up through the engine access cover and plugging the charger into a 110 outlet inside the RV. Then I started up the Gen and was on my way. I made it to my destination with no problems at all. In the morning I sued the same set up to get me to a Firestone dealership and they installed a new SET of belts for me. I was back in business.
The very next year, while on my way to The Big E again, my battery box filed for separation from the chassis. Once again I was stranded on the side of the road. After some roadside manufacturing, a few jolts of 12VDC into me and a few swears later we were back on the road again.
In both cases I was lucky enough to have enough "stuff" with me in order to get where I was going BUT here's the thing. When your motorhome breaks down on you multiple times its like a girlfriend that cheats on you. You never quite trust it again. So for the past 2 years my MH sat and was not used at all. I said I would not use it until I had it gone through completely. So I just used it as a guest house when company stayed with us. The problem is that the longer it sits and the more guests that use it, the more that needs to be tended to.
So I was in a point of no return (on my investment). The repair costs would now cost more than the RV was worth. That would be OK but I did not want the repair costs to far exceed the RVs value. I was discouraged and did not know what to do. Spend more money on the cheating girl or let her go. Ultimately we decided that she was no longer right for us (its me not you) and we sold her. I told the new owner EVERYTHING that was wrong with it and sold it for a LOW price. Both parties were happy with the transaction and now that cheating RV is out of my life.
Now its time for a new chapter in our lives and we are in the midst of starting up a new relationship with a different RV. Although I she seems real nice I still fear she may cheat on me. It’s a hard thing to get over. So I am thinking of getting some “Cheaters Insurance” in the form or Roadside Assistance.
I only know of 2 companies for this. GS and Coach Net. What are the pros and cons of each? Is there a 3rd for 4th that is a better option? What are your thoughts?
My last MH was great for the first 5 years. WE bought it used. I fixed a few things and we were off on our first of many great trips. As stated this lasted for about 5 years. Then on a trip to The Big E we heard an odd noise as we pulled through a toll booth. Very quickly it became apparent that the odd noise was my alternator belt filing for divorce from its relationship with my motor.
So there I was in a parking lot with no alternator, no roadside assistance and no clue what to do. It was the middle of the night so getting parts and fixing it was out of the question. Also add to that the fact that I am a fat guy and don't fit into the tiny area that is required to be in, in order to fix the problem. So what is a guy to do? I figured it was unlikely that I would loose a hundred pounds by the morning so I sought other options.
I ended up hooking up a battery charger (I always have on in the coach) to the chassis battery, running the wires up through the engine access cover and plugging the charger into a 110 outlet inside the RV. Then I started up the Gen and was on my way. I made it to my destination with no problems at all. In the morning I sued the same set up to get me to a Firestone dealership and they installed a new SET of belts for me. I was back in business.
The very next year, while on my way to The Big E again, my battery box filed for separation from the chassis. Once again I was stranded on the side of the road. After some roadside manufacturing, a few jolts of 12VDC into me and a few swears later we were back on the road again.
In both cases I was lucky enough to have enough "stuff" with me in order to get where I was going BUT here's the thing. When your motorhome breaks down on you multiple times its like a girlfriend that cheats on you. You never quite trust it again. So for the past 2 years my MH sat and was not used at all. I said I would not use it until I had it gone through completely. So I just used it as a guest house when company stayed with us. The problem is that the longer it sits and the more guests that use it, the more that needs to be tended to.
So I was in a point of no return (on my investment). The repair costs would now cost more than the RV was worth. That would be OK but I did not want the repair costs to far exceed the RVs value. I was discouraged and did not know what to do. Spend more money on the cheating girl or let her go. Ultimately we decided that she was no longer right for us (its me not you) and we sold her. I told the new owner EVERYTHING that was wrong with it and sold it for a LOW price. Both parties were happy with the transaction and now that cheating RV is out of my life.
Now its time for a new chapter in our lives and we are in the midst of starting up a new relationship with a different RV. Although I she seems real nice I still fear she may cheat on me. It’s a hard thing to get over. So I am thinking of getting some “Cheaters Insurance” in the form or Roadside Assistance.
I only know of 2 companies for this. GS and Coach Net. What are the pros and cons of each? Is there a 3rd for 4th that is a better option? What are your thoughts?
