Forum Discussion

rfporzio's avatar
rfporzio
Explorer
Mar 11, 2018

Good Sam Road Side

I am researching road side assistance plans and was highly considering Good Sam.
UNTIL...I saw the catch phrase.. Unlimited to the NEAREST SERVICE CENTER...
SO the nearest center to my home is 8 miles but my mechanic is 13 miles away. I have to pay the milage charge for the additional 5 miles.
SO why would anyone use this plan when AARP and many others allow 100 miles at no cost regardless of where you bring it.
I'm also not finding any great reviews on Good Sam Road side assistance.
Since I'm new to this I would like some reccomendations from others.

Thanks in advance.
  • All roadside assistance companies have more than one level of assistance. Buy the highest level assistance. GS Platinum has never ‘limited’ me to the nearest service location.

    The lowest/ cheapest of every company I’ve researched including all the companies mentioned above have similar limits.
  • RAS43 wrote:
    I don't know much about the AARP plan but my question would be if they will tow the RV, or I in my case the boat behind the RV, to an acceptable place. I know GS will.

    to the OP: if they do handle RVs be sure to ask AARP if you have to find your own service/tow, pay them and then seek reimbursement.
  • Coach-net towed our motorhome an extra 120 miles further than the "nearest" repair facility just to accommodate OUR vacation schedule, at no charge to me.
    I really doubt that Good Sam would have done that!
  • RAS43's avatar
    RAS43
    Explorer III
    I don't know much about the AARP plan but my question would be if they will tow the RV, or I in my case the boat behind the RV, to an acceptable place. I know GS will.
  • Good Sam has been very good to me. I'm usually not around home when I need them, and I wouldn't know any facility or mechanic to have a preference. Once they towed me 80 miles to the nearest facility. That's close enough to 100 to make me glad I have unlimited miles. Turned out (after the tow, which was on a Sunday) that nearest facility no longer worked on motorhomes. They had to do a second tow...and that time they agreed to tow it to a facility that I chose (based on my internet research/reviews).

    Another time, Good Sam sent a mobile mechanic (a long way) to me as I was stuck in a campground in Glacier Nat'l Park, right in the middle of the campground road.

    I think Good Sam and CoachNet are more focused on RVs than the other plans. Anyway, I also have AAA Roadside Assistance because of the 100 mile to anyplace. Reason was many years ago I had another service (not GS) that had same rule as GS. It was a Sunday and they would not tow me to my house where I use a mobile mechanic, even though it was less than 20 miles.
  • I will check out coach net. I was just using my home as an example.
    Of course my last two break downs happened in my driveway....what are the chances of that.
    At least I was able to relax in my home while I waited for the tow truck.
    I thought I would also look at AARP.
    Anyone here use AARP?
  • rfporzio wrote:
    I am researching road side assistance plans and was highly considering Good Sam.
    UNTIL...I saw the catch phrase.. Unlimited to the NEAREST SERVICE CENTER...
    SO the nearest center to my home is 8 miles but my mechanic is 13 miles away. I have to pay the milage charge for the additional 5 miles.
    SO why would anyone use this plan when AARP and many others allow 100 miles at no cost regardless of where you bring it.
    I'm also not finding any great reviews on Good Sam Road side assistance.
    Since I'm new to this I would like some reccomendations from others.

    Thanks in advance.

    wouldn't belong to AARP if you paid me so that's out. we've been GS members for 32-years now and have used their roadside service maybe half-a-dozen times over the years none of which were anywhere near home. response times have been acceptable and provided services good. we're happy.
  • From everything I've read on these forums over the years, Good Sam will take the RV to the NEAREST facility, not the one you want. And there are LOTS of upset customers because GS would not even offer taking the RV to the repair facility of choice. LOTS of upset folks on these forums because of this.
  • I have had to use Good Sam several times. Pleased with the response time and the repair facility.

    How often are you going to need roadside assistance that close to your home? Most likely you will be hundreds miles down the road.

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