AAA Plus RV

[Lowell]

Has anyone used AAA plus RV for towing their RV?  I'm trying to decide if this is something that would benefit me.  (A little late after a $135 tow bill for getting my 4x4 towed out of the national forest with two flat tires)     As I understand AAA plus RV, it covers 100 miles of towing for any vehicle you are a in, including RVs

[John From Detroit]

I priced AAA plus and said "NO THANK YOU" to my agent,  Coach Net was less expensive (included with my insurance) and is every bit as good as AAA, or Bad depending on the contractor they send out to tow you (Often the same one)

[Carl L]

It is worth it if you maintain a regular AAA membership for other benefits.   What area would you join from?

[Lowell]

Carl, I'm from Arizona.  If I had AAA plus last week,my entire tow cost would have been covered.  My auto insurance only covered up to $50.  AAA basic only covers towing 5 miles I believe but AAA plus covers up to 100 miles.

[Carl L]

I am in the Southern CA club.  Premier membership carries a 200 mile tow for one incident and 100 for others.  The rules of the local club govern.

[DonTom]

"I believe but AAA plus covers up to 100 miles."

Yes, I have used it twice in several years, once for about 75 miles and the other time for 97 miles!!!  However, this was in a 3/4 ton Class B Van (tranny crapped out) and later in a Jeep SUV (believe it or not the power steering pulley is made out of PLASTIC!!! And it broke near the half  way point  between  my two houses).

I have tried to use AAA plus many years ago to get my Class C  RV towed out of sand, but I was charged for it. It seems they sometimes will accept towing RV's (Class A & B)  and sometimes not. Class B is no problem. 

I have not tried using AAA Plus to tow a RV for MANY years.

Can somebody here tell me what's their policy is on this these days? Or are they still inconsistent with RV's ? And do they still refuse to tow motorcycles?

                                                        -Don-
.

[oldcurios]

I have Good Sam RV PLATINUM.  It covers all the cars/RV's we own, plus any rentals we may drive.  It covers all drivers within the family.  It covers TOWING any distance (but must be to the closest PROFESSIONAL Service Center).  You can have it towed anywhere else closer, but cannot have it re-towed (under the policy) from that location to a service center.

Motorcycles and Boat Trailers are included.

They will do roadside mechanical repairs.  (Send a technician and you pay parts & labor).

Benefits are good in US and Canada (they pay 100% upfront) and in mexico with $1500 reimbursement (you pay and send in bill for reimbursement).

If you are in an accident and are 100+ miles from home, they reimburse $150 a day in hotel/food/carrental for 10 days.  (Does not apply if vehicle is totalled - this is for use while waiting on repairs)

They have emergency medical referral service (provide directions to medical/dental/legal help) and assist in replacing lost prescriptions.

It cost less than AAA wanted for adding an RV to the policy.

[Gary RV Roamer]

I think either Coach-Net or the Good Sam (or Camping World) roadside assistance policy is superior to the AAA, but it depends on your travel area and your local AAA club.  The AAA RV programs are set by the local club and usually honored by AAA clubs in other regions, though you may have to pay and get reimbursed later by your local club.  You can run into hassles when the club where you have a breakdown has different rules than your home club.  Coach Net and the GS programs are national and very effective. As John says, all these programs are calling on the same local contractors to provide the actual services, so often you get the same tow or tire service regardless.

We have used Coach Net for the last 5l years (quite happily) and had GS before that for two years - also had good results. Both of them cover all your vehicles and all towing. Coach Net also offers technical assistance via phone for ANY RV problem you have while traveling. Can't get your water heater to light? Call Coach-net and they will put a technician on the line to provide advice.

I don't know what AAA is charging for RV coverage now, but it used to be cheaper than the others IF you already had AAA auto coverage anyway.

[Lowell]

With any of these, AAA, Coachnet, or Good Sam, do you have to contact them first, before the tow or can you get your vehicle towed and then turn in the bill? In my recent case, there was only one tow operator within 75 miles and the tow was arrrange for me by the Forest service.  I only waited 1 1/2 hour. As I had no cell phone coverage in the area, I had no way to contact anyone. The tow operator took AAA but I didn't ask him if he took anything else.

[Ron]

We used the GS roadside assistance until the first time we actually needed assistance.  Took several hours and several cell phone calls before they even contacted a tow company.  They were given type of vehicle, length, weight, location but keep calling us back asking for the same information all over again.  We now have Coachnet and would not recommend GS to anybody.  As far as AAA goes that are propably alright in your area but I have reservation about what will happen away from your home area.

[Ned]

With CoachNet, you call, they dispatch a tow truck, you get towed, then sign and he's gone.  No paying, no bill to submit.  Same for tire changing on the roadside, sign and go, no bill to pay.

[Tom]

If you re-read Lowell's message, he wasn't able to get to a phone and had to rely on a ranger making a call for him when he (the ranger) got back to the ranger station. If he was a CoachNet member, could he have given the ranger his CN membership number and their phone number to the ranger, or would they be asking other verification questions on the phone?

We have CN, but have not yet needed to call them for service.

[Ned]

I would expect CN to accept a call on his behalf if the caller had the member number and explained the circumstances, but it's always better if the member calls, regardless of the ERS.  But I was answering his question as to whether you pay and get reimbursed, or does the ERS pay.  I explained how CN works.

[Carl L]

You can run into hassles when the club where you have a breakdown has different rules than your home club.

With the Southern CA AAA that does not seem to be the case.   In Southern CA there is an 800 number for normal vehicles and another 800 for RVs and motorcycles.   Outside of area, there is a national 800 number.   I have used it twice for the trailer, once in Montana, once in AZ, both times for tire changes.  Both incidents were handled without regard to the local AAA to the best of my knowledge.

[Carl L]

Can somebody here tell me what's their policy is on this these days? Or are they still inconsistent with RV's ? And do they still refuse to tow motorcycles?

The Southern CA AAA has RV and motorcycle specific coverage for a extra premium.

[Tom]

Understood Ned. I didn't know the answer to this part of his question, so thought I'd re-ask it.

[Lowell]

Ned, Carl, Tom,

Thanks for the Q & A on this subject.  Since I have a special circumstance in that I really like camping, backroad driving and hunting in the White Mountains near Alpine, AZ and I now know that the only local tow truck operator will take AAA, I will probably go with AAA plus RV.  Now if I can just find a good cheap used rim, I'll carry another spare tire too!  Reminds me of what my first engineering boss told me.  Good, cheap and fast:  Pick any two.

[DonTom]

"It cost less than AAA wanted for adding an RV to the policy."

I didn't know AAA even had that option. Can  motorcycles be added to it as well?

But I do like their 100 mile tow. I normally fix the problem myself, if possible. If not on the road,  if I can get the vehicle to one of my two houses.

It might be a good idea for me to have both plans and use whichever is most convenient at the time.

                                                                -Don- (in South San Francisco, Ca)

[Carl L]

"It cost less than AAA wanted for adding an RV to the policy."

I didn't know AAA even had that option. Can  motorcycles be added to it as well?

                                                                -Don- (in South San Francisco, Ca)

Your AAA club is the CAA.   Check with them, they are usually pretty close in service offerings to the So. CA Auto Club (AAA).