Good Sam?

P&DZ · 02-07-2022, 10:23 AM

Your opinion regarding Good Sams Road Side Assistance?

We are a recent subscriber to Good Sams Road side assistance, less than a year.

Surprisingly we have had two occasions since last October to use the service. Both experiences were pretty terrible. The first event last October involved a flat tire on our truck on a rural mountain road outside of Monticello UT. After several hours and multiple follow up phone calls we were finally told Good Sams was not able to provide service and good luck to you!

The second event has just this week. Once again a flat tire on our car in Nokomis FL. My wife made an appointment via phone for assistance on Sunday evening for 8:30am on Monday. We received a confirmation. On Monday no one showed up and there was no text or phone correspondence. After being on hold for nearly an hour we finally reached a representative. A service tech was eventually dispatched from several towns away and finally showed up at 11:30am.

In my opinion this is terrible service but would like to hear from others regarding Good Sams experience and any recommendations for an alternative Road Side Assistance service.

**sourdough** · 02-07-2022, 10:51 AM

I've got at least 3 roadside assistance plans (Good Sam is one) and they are all terrible at times. You have to remember that the "plan" is totally dependent on where you are, the proximity to a company that can provide what you need and IF they are part of the plan you have. In rural areas I've found that most plans try to use the same people and most places in small towns put a "road trip" for roadside repair down on their priorities since it will pull someone from the shop that is probably already tied up with something else. I have no high expectation of any roadside plan.

What to do? Carry a cordless impact wrench, hydraulic jacks, spare(s) and the other associated equipment to do roadside repairs if you don't want to wait 1/2 a day at least for someone to come to your aid. My only requests for roadside assistance have been when I was on rural roads. I've never, to this day, had a roadside plan send someone to help that got to me while I still needed them. I've changed the tires myself and in one case, at 5pm, the owner of a small tire shop in Llano TX agreed to come out and take care of us within an hour (he was closing, not on the plan list and we were dressed for a funeral) and he did. The person the "plan" was going to send got lost somewhere in the Hill Country. Cost? A crisp $100 bill on the side of the road and I felt like I got a good deal. Why do I still carry all those plans? Who knows, one day something may happen that I can't take care of and they will come in handy OR if I cancel them I'm SURE something will happen that will make me regret cancelling so I just carry them as a cya, they don't cost that much anyway.

wiredgeorge · 02-07-2022, 11:06 AM

I have the Good Sam Roadside Assistance plan. On my way out US90 in the middle of nowhere my truck died. Called and they towed my truck on a flatbed to Uvalde and it took about 2 hours from the call to get to me. Service with this or any roadside assistance plan depends on where assistance can be dispatched from. Note Danny has 3 plans so his chances of one of them providing coverage are better than I have with just the one. My insurance carrier doesn't offer roadside assistance for campers. I found Good Sam pretty handy and glad I had spent the bucks because a tow would have been HUNDREDS of dollars.

If you are in the middle of no where, there is a good chance no roadside assistance help could be dispatch such as a rural area outside of Monticello Utah. Good Sam likely has the most inclusive cover area and that is why when I selected this type plan I went with Good Sam. I don't have an expectation I will have assistance anywhere we travel.

gearhead · 02-07-2022, 11:19 AM

If you need help in suburban Fort Worth, Dallas, or Houston, you will likely get prompt service. Bu if you're stuck in Nowhere New Mexico, plan on being there awhile.
Ask me how I know.
X2 on Danny's cordless impact. Might also consider a recip saw to cut the steel belts when they wrap around the axle.

Rick-Happy Camper · 04-14-2022, 04:47 AM

I have had need twice: 10 miles East of Amarillo. After numerous phone calls and promises of response over five hours called my vehicle insurance company. 45 minutes later,service showed up and put space on. Just a month ago, we were in Nashville and needed assistance. After dealing with Good Sam, my wife started calling tow companies with a response in a reasonable time. Never got reimbursement from Not Good Sam!

dutchmensport · 04-14-2022, 05:01 AM

It's been reported on other forums (Especially RV.net, which hosts the official Good Sam forum, that after the 3rd incident, they cancel you. Many very angry (former) Good Sam Road Side Assistance customers (out there), who have reported the exact same thing as you ... when it comes down to where they actually need the service, there is no service available.

lonerider98 · 04-20-2022, 04:40 PM

Was stranded on a busy interstate in a construction zone with a flat tire. Pulled over as far as I could to the edge without dropping off the shoulder. Called them they asked how far off the road I was and when I told them about 3 feet. They freaked out and said they could not fix it that close to the highway. That I would have to find another way. I will never buy that junk *** Insurance again. I just went out and did it myself.

**sourdough** · 04-20-2022, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonerider98

Was stranded on a busy interstate in a construction zone with a flat tire. Pulled over as far as I could to the edge without dropping off the shoulder. Called them they asked how far off the road I was and when I told them about 3 feet. They freaked out and said they could not fix it that close to the highway. That I would have to find another way. I will never buy that junk *** Insurance again. I just went out and did it myself.

I'm not sure what a Good Sam rep was doing telling you the "wills and won'ts" that would be left to the service provider. I wouldn't have accepted that and told them the person they were going to contact would need to see the situation. I've never been asked anything like that in the times I've called.

madweazl · 04-20-2022, 05:00 PM

Not sure how other insurance companies are but the two I've used the past 25+ have offered road side assistance. We had USAA for about 17 years and they helped us out on a couple occasions without issue. We have GEICO now and they have been awesome to work with the past 7 years and it costs next to nothing to add to your policy.

gearhead · 04-20-2022, 05:43 PM

I've called them twice. Once to install a spare tire. I swear the Good Sam rep was stoned. Waited for hours.
Called them again for a stuck slide out (Schwintek) this Easter Sunday. No answer.
Googled a local mobile mechanic.

jasin1 · 04-20-2022, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gearhead

I've called them twice. Once to install a spare tire. I swear the Good Sam rep was stoned. Waited for hours.
Called them again for a stuck slide out (Schwintek) this Easter Sunday. No answer.
Googled a local mobile mechanic.

I posted a video under upgrades and modifications..swinteck replacement option..check it out..it’s a really nice upgrade for the money

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