Help chooseing a new Emergency road service.

[johns4104s]

I have been using FMCA emergency Sevice and Technical referral for the past 10 years, ( Had buses and used other services for 25+ years) during this time  I have redded the service several times.

1) Needed a tow from I-10east  5 miles out of Baton Rouge L.A. we waited on the side of the interstate for 8 hours.I specifically asked for a tow truck with air connections. When they arrived they had NONE. Thank the Lord he had me during the wait go to wall Mart and buy a electric generator.

2) Last year 20 miles out of Dallas. ( it was a Holiday ), but it took 4 hours to locate a tyre truck, they pulled both wheels, it was actually a break binding. took me 2 minutes to back off then I had them put the wheels/tyres back on, Cost $125.00 my road service would not pay and still will not. They said if its not a tyre problem they pay or they tow you to a garage,

So I am looking to switch.

John

[jjrbus]

 My first year I had Good Sam, after hearing many stories such as yours I looked around and decided on a Emergency Roadside Service ryder on my auto insurance policy. The good news is it is less than $4 a year for the bus. It covers everything the brand name policy's cover plus 1 hour mechanical service, which would have covered your brakes.

The bad news, no trip planning, no free maps, no ton's of junk mail ( I guess that should go under good news) No 800 number to call!!  That means if I need a tow or road service I have to find it myself, I think I can do better than 8 hours on my own!!  Also I have to pay and then submit bill to insurance company for reimbursement.

More good news, in the last 9 years I have not had to use it!!

I find I have become very cynical over the years and find it interesting that you called for a tow which was remedied by a simple repair but the insurance co would have paid for a tow, but not the repair or a service call ?  They would rather pay hundreds of dollars for a tow rather than a simple service call, makes no sense. Unless they are geting a commision from the garage you are towed to.
                                                                                    Jim

[NJT 5573]

I have AAA RV Plus. I have never had the coach towed, but you can still use it for all of your vehicles or any vehicle you are riding in. Mom and the kids get my moneys worth just locking their keys in. AAA has a fair reputation and if I really needed some help, I believe they would help me out at least enough to get my money back with the bus because they already have contracts with most of the big wrecker companys. They will bring you fuel, put your chains on and change a tire for you if you need it all free of charge I believe. Think I will add the towing on my ins policy also if its only a couple bucks, why not.

[johns4104s]

Why would FMCA / run or attache there name to such a bad service? I would think they if anyone would be #1 on such a important service.

John

[ruthi]

We have allstate roadside rv service. It covers all the vehicles, including the bus. We have had it for yrs. Our rv insurance is thru them also. We had a fire at one time, gen caught fire and burned some of it, and allstate pd. for all of it. We also have been towed a few times over the last 10 yrs or so. We have had flats, and they sent someone out to fix it, bring the tire, etc. It cost around 100 per yr, but it is so worth it. If it is a major problem they tow it to the nearest place that works on them. Once, we wanted it towed further than the nearest place, so, they pd for it to be towed that many miles, and we pd the difference. We work out of our bus, and we are on the road most of the time, so this is a necessity for us. Good luck.

[belfert]

Most folks I know have had pretty good luck with Coach-Net which provides road service for FMCA.  The question on your tow was did Coach-Net do everything it could to get a tow truck to you faster?  Yes, not sending a truck with air connections was their fault unless the tow company ignored that requirement.  (I can't any tow truck big enough for a bus wouldn't have air connections.)  Perhaps Coach-Net won't pay enough for service so no tow company wanted the job?

Coach-Net is a bit unique compared to some other emergency roadside assistance companies.  They say they will not pay for service for lack of maintenance issues.  One example they gave was siezed or otherwise broken wheel bearings due to lack of maintenance.

I did have a different ERS company that couldn't find anyone to change a tire late in the day.  (They probably weren't paying enough.)  I was not on the side of the road, so the wait until morning didn't really matter.  I did ask what would have happened if I was on the side of the road and they couldn't find anyone to change/fix the tire?  They said they would have me towed!  (Wouldn't a large enough tow truck also have tools to change the tire?)  They had no problem sending someone out in the morning.  But, the truck they sent was a light duty tow truck and had no tools or equipment to change my tire.  He ended up just airing up the tire so I could drive over to the tire shop to get it fixed.  (This was quite a while ago when I just bought the bus and had no air compressor or way to use bus air.)

[luvrbus]

John, I switched from RV/Plus to Coach-Net after 3/AAA left us on the side of the road on I 5 in Oregon for 2 days with a flat tire, all of the CO's are cutting some of the benefits they have had in the past.I used Coach-Net 1 time since I  changed and was happy with their service I told the person I did not want my bus on a hook but a lowboy and the place I wanted it to go and they sent a lowboy from El Paso 90 miles away and hauled it back to El Paso to Stewart and Stevenson. I don't think you are going to find a perfect service any longer in today's market, but I do like the idea they put you in touch with a tech from the manufactures of products used in your conversion that will help solve a problem Norcold was on the phone with me for over a hour with a problem I had    good luck

[bigjohnkub]

I cut a tire last Fathers day on I-20 to Ft. Worth. called several truck tire places while my wife called Good Sam Insurance number. All truck places would not respond, but Good Sam sent road service and I was back on road in two hours. I had to pay for tire. I'm satisfied.

[TomC]

I have Good Sam emergency road service.  Was on the way from Bakersfield to Las Vegas when I got a fuel leak and shut down at Baker, Ca.  The tow service there loves dealing with Good Sam and in the morning loaded the bus on a Landoll trailer.  Barstow was closer, but paid the extra $115.00 to go to Las Vegas since that was where we were going anyway.  Very satisfied with the service-was prompt and no BS involved.  Good Luck, TomC

[johns4104s]

Yes, I remember having trouble starting my 9 in June in elkhart IN. I was picking the new to me bus up at the time. They sent a truck that could not jump me off. So I purchased two new batteries from Walmart ( that I am now using for house batteries) parrelled them using jumper cables and she started no problem.

Coach-net could not even get a tow truck to jump me off.

John

[PP]

I have towing on my insurance policy which is for fulltimers and came to find out it only covered towing up to 1-ton trucks. Now I have AARP's towing specifically for RV class A coaches which I have been assured includes the bus. I still keep the towing included with the insurance because it covers the toad, which they towed on a flatbed without any qualms. But when I was shopping for a decent towing package, I learnedto read the fine print-an awful lot of tow packages now have vehicle weight limits and buses aren't even close to them. FWIW Goodluck and hopefully no one will ever need towing LOL Will

[Merlin]

Does anybody use USAA's road service rider on the bus insurance policy?  We have had all vehicles insured with USAA from the start of time, but have yet to need the bus roadside or towing service.  Possibly we will soon find out since we are going full-time as soon as the house gets sold.  If they respond to bus break-down problems like they do for an automobile, I will be very happy.  One of the impressive things about USAA's service is their way of sticking with you (via phone) to insure you are safe, and the roadside service truck has arrived on time.

[edroelle]

Year ago, I used USAA roadside service for a tire blow-out.  They  sent a small repair service that was unable to help.  THAT small service then called one that could change a tire.  USAA reimbursed me fully.

I had to change my bus insurance from USAA because they could not/would not insure my bus with agreed upon value.   All bus owners should demand their policy include this feature. 

Fooled once, shame on you, fooled twice, shame on me.

Ed Roelle

[gus]

I insure my 4104 with USAA but have Good Sam for road service.

I think the two are the best in the business at those two different services.

I'm not a fan of USAA road service because I drive a bus. GS knows large RVs and their problems. GS also covers all your other vehicles at no extra cost. Since I have so many vehicles this is a big plus.

Note that all posts so far about GS are positivel I've used them two times in three years, one for service and once for info. Excellent both times.

[jjrbus]

Coach-Net is a bit unique compared to some other emergency roadside assistance companies.  They say they will not pay for service for lack of maintenance issues.  One example they gave was siezed or otherwise broken wheel bearings due to lack of maintenance.

Who is going to decide it was lack of maintence???  Will it be a skiled mechanic on the wrecker, or an illegal alien who does not speak english driveing the wrecker? Will it be an 18 year old girl in an office or a corporate suit?
  I know common sense should prevail but that does not last long in the USA.  I would have to skip Coach net.