Who to use for roadside assistance?

[belfert]

Any recommendations for a roadside assistance provider?  Coach-Net went from $149 last year to $249 this year.  The price increase might be worth it if Coach-Net could actually find a service provider when one is needed.  I have needed help several times late in the evening or overnight and Coach-Net couldn't find anyone to help.  They never had any problem finding a provider in the morning.  I suspect Coach-Net just doesn't pay enough for night calls.

I'm starting to feel like I am just better off paying for service on my own if I need it.

[Dave5Cs]

Brian You will pay a lot more on your own than 249.00

[belfert]

I realize that a single service call could cost a lot more than $249, but I am also not stuck on the side of the road all night because Coach-Net couldn't find anyone who wanted to come out at night for the little bit Coach-Net pays.

[buswarrior]

If Coach Net is getting sloppy, there will be a competitor jump in to beat 'em.

Towing is competitive, capitalism will sort out the crappy providers momentarily.

A busnut needs to have some form of tow coverage. It is insurance.

You can also choose to hire your own, with or without coverage.

The heavy tow can nail you several thousand dollars if the local cop raises his voice and says "move it NOW".

And that ends the bus adventure right there, in financial ruin for many.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[Iceni John]

After getting pissed off with Good Sam when they tried their BS on me to raise their rates, I'm now with AAA's super-duper premium service for RVs  -  $202 a year (including my and my GF's cars), and no more constant junk mail from Good Sam trying to upsell me on everything.   Maybe AAA is slightly more than Good Sam would have been, but I feel they're a better company to deal with.   We'll see.

John

[luvrbus]

None of the assistance programs don't do much good on weekends,nights and holidays, they are at the mercy of the provider,some do good with assistance for the autos spend the bucks and stay with Coachnet. 
I have Good Sams and Coachnet.Good Sams is a joke when it comes to buses or RV's.I checked into the FMCA for 69 bucks a year it wasn't much either and it really cost you $119.00 a year because of the $50.00 dues to FMCA and very limited services.One heavy tow and Coachnet pays for it's self easy.
Coachnet is just like you they pickup the telephone and start calling it's not about Coachnet looking for a cheaper price that doesn't happen,if the provider makes the call they pay what he bills for
         

[belfert]

One of the good things about Coach-Net is they cover a trailer towed by a motorhome.  It cost me about $400 to have a disabled trailer towed in 2010 because I didn't have the upgraded Coach-Net coverage that covered the trailer.  (Coach-Net now covers trailers as part of the basic coverage.)

AAA doesn't even show how much their RV coverage is.  It is an add-on on top of $155 for the premier coverage.  It is probably almost as expensive as Coach-Net.  I have heard that AAA is not good for RV coverage because AAA is a bunch of regional companies and not nationwide.  I have read that some regions are terrible for RV coverage.  Locally, AAA actually operates their tow trucks and service vehicles.  I would be pissed if AAA dispatched one of their flat beds to tow a bus.  AAA certainly has no heavy duty wreckers of their own.

[belfert]

I had an issue one time where I broke down about 9 pm at night.  It took 18 hours to get someone to show up using Coach-Net.  Coach-Net straight up lied to me about who would be handling the service call and when they would be coming.  After going back and forth with Coach-Net they finally said that a tow company would be leaving their yard at 6 am.  I called the tow company directly at 7 am and they had no call scheduled.  Coach-Net had indeed called them, but Coach-Net didn't give them the tow.  I finally got a call from a tow company around 8 am so they could figure out what my problem was and what equipment to send.

My understanding is that roadside assistance providers pay a flat rate to service providers that is well under the retail rate.  It appears that nobody wanted to get out of bed for the rate Coach-Net pays.  I bet if I had called willing to pay the retail rates of $300 an hour or whatever that I would have had no trouble getting service at night.

I was prepared to just renew Coach-Net the same as every year until I realized the rates had gone up $100 in a single year!  The increase is more than Good Sam or FMCA charge for a year of service.

[luvrbus]

We don't cut Coachnet any specials deals on our Landoll I own part interest in,we also will not go out at night time unless it is a dire emergency to much liability involved trying to load at night,When they ask "are you in a safe place " and the answer is yes you are going to there till the day with all of the road side assistance programs     

[belfert]

I didn't realize it is standard practice not to tow vehicles at night.  I realize that no shop is going to be open at night to do repairs anyhow, but I am usually in rural areas so if a tow truck doesn't even show up until 8 am or 9 am that could mean a whole day lost trying to get a repair done.

This is pushing me to make sure I have a way to change a tire so I don't need to call for help with a tire change.  I don't want to end up waiting 12 hours for a tire guy to come out during the day.

I have seen in the past a chart showing what Coach-Net, Goods Sam, and others pay as a flat rate for a service call.  It was less than $100 for all of them.  Beyond that, I have no idea how any of the money stuff works.

[DoubleEagle]

I have had several different outfits over the years, and service really varies. AAA uses automated systems to handle the calls, and the phone battery can run out waiting on hold. With Coach-net, you actually talk to a person (unless that has changed recently). Good Sam is now part of the Camping World rip-off, and other insurance company based outfits don't really know what to do with a heavy coach, and don't want to spend the money. Having tools and good spare tires, a separate air compressor, alternate charging and jumping arrangements, and a four-wheel drive toad that can pull the bus, go a long way towards not needing a tow. Of course, we have the ability to get our coaches in odd locations and situations that require a tow. I would opt for Coach-net as the best choice if I was doing a lot of traveling far from home.

[belfert]

I called Coach-Net and it turns out the advertised $249 rate is only for new members.  The renewal for current members is only $159 which is just $10 more than last year.  I will do the renewal tonight as I only have until Sunday to renew.

[windtrader]

Well, for whatever reason, between Coach-net and Good Sam, i just signed up for Good Sam premium. Had AAA on cars for years and was satisfied but did not look into their all inclusive RV and car package. Hopefully, won't need to call them while on the road.

[boxcarOkie]

Coach Net.

[ArtGill]

On my recent trip to Alaska I needed CoachNet twice.  On the Tok Cutoff, the worst road I have ever been on, I started to lose my drive wheels.  They sent a Landoll and I heard the tow was $3,000.  It is my guess that the tow was 200 miles plus.  They dropped my coach off at a shop that had the ability to do the work need and a get it done attitude.  Also they allowed us to stay in our coach in their shop. 

We discovered, the hard way, That after I burn to top 30gals out of my tank the engine starts drawing air in the fuel.  This Ok for a while on the Interstate, but when we came off in some town and at the first stoplight our engine died.  I called CoachNet and I answered the first question are you in a safe place as NO.  The operator called the police and then tried to locate a wrecker.  The one she found had a too long response time for the police officer.  The police office found a closer wrecker, the police obtained wrecker arrived, I called Coachnet.  The operator asked me to ask the wrecker operator, do they take credit cards?  The wrecker driver said yes and I gave the Coachnet the name and phone number off the side of the wrecker.  The wrecker didn't even take my name. 

In years past CoachNet has responded to two tire problems.  I wouldn't leave town without CoachNet