I've already searched the forum and done some additional research and I'm looking for more opinions.
Currently, I've got roadside assitance with Progressive for $44/year. This includes, providing I'm within 100' of a road or highway, towing to the nearest repair facility.
Coach-net's website, which is oddly lacking in more details of their services, states "unlimited" towing to, what I assume means, the nearest repair facilty. They also offer a bevy of other useful "unlimited" services that would come in handy also, all this for $110/year....
AAA Premier, will tow the coach for 200 miles, once in a membership year, and 100 miles for each subsequent tow after that with no mention of a repair facility which I assume means that if I wanted it towed home, they would do so. They also include some extra features like those mentioned above with Coach-net, all for $148/year...
I've not done any additional research on Good Sam Club due to some responses with respect to SPAM generation for membership with them. This alone leaves a bad taste in my mouth (no pun intended).
I presently do all the maintenance work on my coach so I have no experience with using a "repair facilty", but this leads me to ask "Exactly what is a repair facilty for a older GM coach?". Would it be the nearest large truck repair facility? If I plan to continue to do my own repair work in the future, is there any benefit of Coach-net over AAA?
I suspect if you read the fine print for both services that they only tow to the nearest qualified repair facility. Coach-Net provides a booklet with the exact terms and conditions when you sign up. They would probably send you an electronic copy if you asked.
Probably the only way you'll get a tow home is if you are fairly close to home. They certainly won't tow you 100s or 1000s of miles home at no charge. I have heard stories of generous tow operators towing a vehicle to another repair facility or to someone's home, but that is up to the operator.
One time Coach-Net supposedly towed a motorhome all the way from Alaska to the lower 48 at no charge for someone. I've heard the story multiple times, but have never heard why it was done. I don't know if Coach-Net did it for the positive publicity or what. There was likely a qualified repair facility somewhere along the way.
Guess I forgot to mention that I don't presently plan to travel more that 250 miles from home. Obviously doesn't make a difference if there's a repair facility closer. Thanks for the input...
Coach net is my suggestion for you.
Both Coachnet and AAA will tow you home if you choose I had both and it was never a problem in fact I have a 4905 here now the guy had it towed home and went right by my place on the way to Parker then he had AAA bring it here back from Parker FWIW I have Coachnet I switched when AAA decided a few years ago a lock out was a tow I see that didn't last long
I've got an email into Coach-net to find out some more details about their towing service. If they'll tow it home if something goes wrong (considering I'm within a reasonable distance) then they'll probably earn my business. Funny thing is that I'm currently a customer of AAA's as a Plus member, but I'll definitely be canceling that if Coach-net is in my future.....with their coverage of all vehicles it seems like a no brainer.
Quote from: luvrbus on May 18, 2011, 08:43:12 AM
Both Coachnet and AAA will tow you home if you choose I had both and it was never a problem in fact I have a 4905 here now the guy had it towed home and went right by my place on the way to Parker then he had AAA bring it here back from Parker FWIW I have Coachnet I switched when AAA decided a few years ago a lock out was a tow I see that didn't last long
What does the AAA package cost that will tow a coach home?
I currently have allstate but it only covers $100 worht of a tow on any vehicle I am in.
It sounds like I will be making a switch.
Eric a 100 dollar tow the drivers of the big rigs would not get out of the truck for a 100 bucks the average tow on a bus is 800 bucks and that is around the block you better call Coachnet lol
good luck
AAA Premier, according to their website, costs $148/year less $10 @ renewal. Take a look here for details (http://www.aaa.com/aaa/sem/sem.htm?redirectto=http://www.aaa.com/?area=JoinSEM&skin=JoinSEM&)....keep in mind too that fees will most likely vary with your location in the US...
One thing mentioned on other RV forums is that AAA is not national. Each region has a seperate AAA club and there is a national association they all belong to.
Not all of the AAA regional clubs offer RV coverage from what I have read. If you are in another region and break down that club might have problems getting you help for your RV. Automotive coverage is not an issue as all clubs cover autos.
Quote from: luvrbus on May 18, 2011, 11:50:50 AM
Eric a 100 dollar tow the drivers of the big rigs would not get out of the truck for a 100 bucks the average tow on a bus is 800 bucks and that is around the block you better call Coachnet lol
good luck
I got that plan before I owned the bus. It was mainly for my wife incase she broke down. I know its nothing for a bus but I would like to get a plan that covers the bus better.
I only carried Emergency Road Service ryder on my State Farm policy about $8 a year.
Not for everyone, no 800 number, no trip tics, no free maps. Never used it.
HTH JIm
Clifford is right, they won't even get out of the wrecker for $100.00. I was towed in 2007, it was $350 straight up to just hook it up, $3.50 a mile to the repair facility (75 miles) and incidentals for drive-line removal and what-knot. Altogether, when it was all said and done, close to $800.00 and it aint even been worked on yet ($1200 more).
Doesn't take long to eat up a yearly premium at those rates.
BCO
Try this for the details on Coach-Net:
https://nmca.com/Libraries/CN_Benefit-Guides/Gold.sflb.ashx
Steve
Thanks for the PDF Steve. Answers a lot of questions.
Does anyone else have experience with having a Coach-net tow company provide towing to one's home?
No experience with it but I did talk to them about it. They said they will tow you cross country if you want....at your expense. They will however tow you to the nearest compatible repair shop, is what he told me.
Yes I do they will tow it to your house if asked you do not have to take it to the nearest repair center you need to remember they are talking about S&S jobs they are very understanding about a buses needs.I just tell the guy or girl where I want to go it has never been a problem for me or Coachnet they have always asked if I had a place were I wanted to go
good luck
i have called coachnet 3 times and they never show up or call back. they make you wait for a return call. 1st time i need 10 gallons of 40 wt oil they never called back.
2nd time i needed a jump, they never called back. the last time i was in Brooklyn NY and my gear shifter broke off at the base. they said they would not tow it 4 up and that they had to remove the drive-shaft to tow it. but they would call me back. i waited almost an hour, it was getting dark and i heard gunshots. i decided to go back to the tranny and put a vice grip on the linkage to get her to shift. they finally called me as i was in the middle of the gw bridge, i told the to g.f.y.....
The couple of times I have had to call Coach-Net they did as promised. Only once did they actually have to dispatch someone and they came. I'm not sure why one person has had so much bad luck with them.
Is it still policy to belong to FMCA to sign up for CNet? It was when we first got our coach, we have had good luck with Progressive since that time. Just sayin'
Van, you dont have to belong to fmca or any other group.
Matt
Quote from: luvrbus on May 18, 2011, 08:22:47 PM
Yes I do they will tow it to your house if asked you do not have to take it to the nearest repair center you need to remember they are talking about S&S jobs they are very understanding about a buses needs.I just tell the guy or girl where I want to go it has never been a problem for me or Coachnet they have always asked if I had a place were I wanted to go
good luck
But if your house is 100 miles further than the repair center, he told me that I would have to pay the difference in the distance. Maybe he was wrong in saying.
I know for sure Coach/net,AAA and Progressive will tow to your house Van has had Progressive tow his bus to my house 2 times Coachnet towed another friends bus here from Kingman Az.both were on low bed trailers not hooks
I know the guy in Lake Havasu that formed Coachnet in 2000 I missed the boat on that one lol.
FMCA provided the funding for him in the beginning that is where the FMCA tie came in he paid that back and open the service to all RV's and has since sold Coach/Net but he still sets on the board and they have moved the operations from Havasu to the Dallas area still the premier tow service for RV's.
Towing a bus is a different deal how many bus shops do you guys know of they are not on every corner like RV dealers so they will take it where ever you choose with in the limits of your policy doesn't cost them any more they pay a flat rate for towing where 3 miles or 100 miles that is the reason they make the call to the Tow CO not you and never any up front monies
good luck
Thanks Clifford, we have been well pleased with our current provider but now maybe we should take a look at CN to compare prices as well as services (always looking for that better deal ;) ) If CN sends a matching rig (like Progressive did ;D) we might be swayed to switch ;)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi457.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fqq292%2Fcwvanhagen%2FDSC01658.jpg&hash=c6d5db2fe49fd51553a80160346e648767df2699)
I have always told CoachNet to send a lowbed when I request to go to Stewart and Stevenson in El Paso they rerouted the tow co to clear a bridge he was to high to clear about 15 mile out of the way and there was a place that said they could do the repairs 18 miles from where I broke down and I said no so they sent a service out 70 miles from El Paso and took it to Stewart and Stevenson for me never even a question on their part
good luck
Hearing that Progressive will tow home makes me second guess the Coach-net thing.....but if Coach-net's services are comparable to AAA, then I could save some money by making the swap and cancelling my service with AAA.
Anybody ever used Coach-net for automobile issues? Are they just as good? I've never used the AAA service before so I have no experience...
I have Good Sam, and have wondered who decides where the nearest appropriate repair facility is - the tow truck driver, Good Sam, or me? I now never drive my bus more than one or two hundred miles from here.
Good Sam's wording is "Unlimited Distance Towing to the Nearest Independent Professional Service Center.Good Sam ERS will pay 100% of your towing fees to the nearest independent professional service center, even for specialized RV towing, and even if the distance is HUNDREDS of miles!" I have used ABC Bus here for two routine servicings, and they are one of the few places I trust working on it. I certainly don't want it worked on at most typical RV dealers or truck repairers!
If I insist on it being taken to ABC, but there's an RV dealer nearby, who prevails? Has anyone here ever been in this situation with Good Sam?
John
Generally, the call center decides which repair facility to go with. This is usually the closest facility the call center believes can repair your vehicle. I've heard of people who have requested another facility and the company has agreed as long as the distance isn't too far.
I suspect if you ask the company line will be they tow to the closest qualified repair center. I don't know how the insurance companies that don't have call centers and pay after the fact handle the towing distance issue. If you bypassed ten service centers to go an extra 100 miles would they cover the tow?
My insurance company has free roadside assistance, but it doesn't cover RVs so I have Coach-Net. I would rather have someone else to find a tow anyhow.
I have used CN twice to have my jeep towed to a shop. Been very happy with them.
Hey Van,
Nice pic.
I changed from progressive to CN this year.Strictly an economical issue. I got a better INS. rate that saved me the entire CN annual fee. Last year I had need to have my 4106 towed from the fuel dock to the backlot of a Loves outside las Vegas and progressive was prompt, efficient and no up front costs.
Just say'n
Who said "you betch'm Red Rider"?
John
Canadians can check out the Explorer RV club.
http://www.explorer-rvclub.com/road_service/emergency_road_service.html (http://www.explorer-rvclub.com/road_service/emergency_road_service.html)
Used it on the personal vehicle a bunch of years ago due to all but the last one of the wheel studs snapping off... damn mechanics and their air tools...
There is a lot of overlap between these services.
The same tow companies are qualified with multiple of these subscriptions.
As the previous posts have shown, a busnut should regard one of these services as the cost of doing business. You will pay dearly without a subscription or other connection.
We are playing a personal hobby in a business world, where costs get passed on to customers.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Quote from: bwze on May 19, 2011, 03:29:13 PM(snip) Anybody ever used Coach-net for automobile issues? Are they just as good? I'e never used the AAA service before so I have no experience...
I came out of the grocery store a few months ago - couldn't find my car key; no spare. Looked 3 hours. CN got a wrecker there immediately, towed me to a VW place. No charge. About 2 years before, Laura had the clutch frag on her TDI wagon; we were 79 miles from home; dealer is 4 miles from home. She's been a AAA member for 24 years; they said "you're out of the service district - we'll only cover $100 of the tow". Her pay was $289.
Everything about my CN experience was positive. Sharp people on the phone, immediately understood my need, got it set up quickly, called me back at every stage to let me know that it was working OK.