Roadside Assistance Insurance - Who has the best, and do I need it on a new MH?

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1PlasticMan1

1PlasticMan1

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Sep 23, 2014
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Location
Pocono Pines, PA
We have ordered a 2016 Fleetwood Bounder, and wonder since it will be brand new, should I bother with roadside assistance coverage.  I have looked at two programs - Good Sam ($79.00/yr) and FMCA ($99.00/yr).  The cost is insignificant to the cost of the MH, but am curious as in looking at the Fleetwood warranty, they offer a limited one year/15,000 mile coach warranty and three year/45,000 mile structural warranty.  Ford for the F53 chassis has an outstanding warranty - 5 yrs or 60,000 mile Roadside Assistance which gives No Charge Flat Tire Changes, Jump Start Dead Battery, Gasoline If I Run Out of Fuel and Towing to the Closest Dealer.  Since I belong to AARP, AAA and have a Senior Pass to National Parks, what does Good Sam or Family Motor Coach Association offer that I do not already have?  Thanks for your response.
 
Roadside Assist isn't a warranty - it gets you help if you have a breakdown on the road, and that can happen to even a brand new coach. A flat tire, for example. However, you may have a free year of roadside service coverage included with the coach or the chassis - check before you buy.

GS has a 10% campground discount at many locations, fuel discount program with Pilot-FlyingJ, discount at Camping World stores (part of GS), and social opportunities through its many local club chapters. FMCA has an excellent magazine, a number of free or discounted member services (see their website), and lots of socializing via their local chapters and national rallies. Whether any of those are worth the annual dues is something only you can decide. We currently belong to both and probably get enough back in discounts to mostly offset the dues, so don't worry about it.
 
Thanks, Gary, that is what I figured as far as a return on investment, however, other than campground discount and insurance discount, everything else seems to be covered by Ford for the first five years.  Interesting that you have both GS & FMCA, assume that there is an overlapping of coverage, but each one makes up for the shortcomings of the other.
 
Before you buy any road service, check with your dealer.  I bought a Fleetwood and got a year of CoachNet free with my purchase. 

And I agree with the others--road service is NOT a warranty.  You will need it for flat tires as you don't want to jack up that huge vehicle yourself and trying to do so might void your warranty.  CoachNet is very good also for over-the-phone technical advice if you get the $150 per year plan, which I highly recommend.  They helped me start my vehicle a couple of times by walking me through the emergency start process and also gave me advice about a coach electrical brownout.  (My fault because I misunderstood some circuit breakers.) 
 
X4 on Coachnet.  Three years ago I lost a rear brake cylinder and most of my brake system's hydraulic fluid at the north end of Death Valley.

I was able to bring the rig to a stop in a pullout and as luck would have it, at a location that had cell coverage (most of Death Valley doesn't).

One call to Coachnet and help was on the way.

Since the problem was in the rear axle, it was questionable if the rig could be towed in the normal manner.  So instead of a normal heavy duty tow truck Coachnet dispatched a flatbed semi-truck wrecker, loaded my motorhome on the back and took it almost 100 miles to a qualified repair shop in Pahrump, NV.

No cost whatsoever on my part other than the annual dues.

Take a close look at that Ford roadside assistance plan.  Sometimes you have to pay for the tow yourself at the time of service, then submit the invoice for repayment.  I don't know about you, but having to put out an unexpected grand or so for a long tow and then wait for reimbursement would put a serious dent in my vacation finances.
 
Congratulations on the Bounder!!! Coach-Net is my preferred, but I'll parrot what others have said. When I bought my new coach I got a free year of Coach-Net.
 
If you follow the forum or search the files you will find good and bad about Coachnet and Good Sam.  I have had Good Sam and have had to use them 3 times, in each case they were prompt, courteous, knowledgeable and stayed with the problem until it was resolved.

My BIL changed to Coachnet this year because Good Sam wouldn't renew him at their new customer price.  He had reason to use Coachnet on his way to Florida this year and was totally disappointed with the service,

From all I have read it is toss-up which is better and comes down to conjecture, bias and rumor as to which is best.

I just happen to be a Chevy vs Ford man for all the obvious and absolutely factual reasons.
 
I feel like I am missing something here. You say you have AAA already. You also said that Ford covers Roadside assistance for the first 5 years. If that is the case you do not need anymore roadside assistance. GS provides many products and there is a big difference when talking the roadside assistance they provide and a GS camping mambership. You can get GS membership for the camp discounts and such that Gary was taking about and not buy the roadside. I made the mistake of getting the roadside. You will find some on here that has had good luck with them I have not. I am in the process of looking to purchase a new plan from another company. I still have 2 years on the GS but it is worthless. This has just been my experience with them and some on here will say they are great. Like I said before if you have roadside from your new rig why pay for another plan.
 
Not sure if it's the same with the F53 chassis, but our experience with the Ford warranty was excellent.  That was in 2005 on a new F250 diesel.  Broke down in Death Valley.  Flat bed tow truck took us to Las Vegas for repairs.  They paid the entire expense.  Three nights at a hotel, a rental car and meals. 
 
We have Coach Net and have always been very pleased with their service.  In addition, if you are not a member of FMCA yet,  make sure you join so you have medical emergency coverage when more than 100 miles from home.  The FMCA Assist benefit makes arrangements for you, your passengers, pets  and motorhome to be returned home during a medical crisis.  This is worth the price of the annual dues to FMCA.


Sheila
 
Shiela, Medical Assist coverage has a 120 day limit.  Not sure how it works but it states you need to contact them when traveling more than 120 consecutive days.  Looks like an additional premium. 

Anyone have any experience with this or similar programs.  I'm curious about other limitations, such as mileage restrictions.  Do they transport only to the nearest medical facility or to one of the insureds choice.  Also on the return of motorhome coverage, are there any mileage limitations? 

 
Thanks all for the response.  Sounds like CoachNet is a pretty good choice.  Still think at this time the new warranties will cover my needs.  Also, don't think I will ever be out more than 60 days at a time.  Did not realize that there was a difference in getting a roadside plan and campground discount.  Glad I have plenty of time to investigate as don't expect delivery until late May or early June.  Anyone out there want to contribute more?  Love this RV Forum, have learned so much!
 
Congrads on the new motorhome...  8)

Personally me I would skip on most of that stuff. To this day I still do. My auto insurance covers all my vehicles for road side assistance. So if I need towing or a jump its covered. But since I bought my 2002 Dodge truck for towing trailers and daily driver its got 242k miles on it now and never been towed once. Never had a dead battery. Never had a blow out (explosive) but had only a handful of slow leaking flats. I base this on the fact I'm down to set schedule of once of month and inspect my vehicles from head to toe. Anything found damaged or broke either I handle it or send it to a shop I trust to handle it. In 29 years of driving I've only called a tow truck twice. Failures are extremely low around me so why would I give my hard earned cash to these companies?

Second off where I live and where I use my RV and truck most of the time I'm without cell phone coverage so I'm basically on my own anyways. So now there again I'm paying for service I won't be able to use because I could call them to get help if I wanted.

Make you think....
 
garyb1st said:
Shiela, Medical Assist coverage has a 120 day limit.  Not sure how it works but it states you need to contact them when traveling more than 120 consecutive days.  Looks like an additional premium. 

Anyone have any experience with this or similar programs.  I'm curious about other limitations, such as mileage restrictions.  Do they transport only to the nearest medical facility or to one of the insureds choice.  Also on the return of motorhome coverage, are there any mileage limitations?
Click to expand...

Gary,
We just attended  an FMCAssist Seminar in Pomona. Get answers to your questions here. FMCA.SEVENCORNERS.COM

I see nothing about 120 days.  If you are an FMCA member this service is  included  in your membership fee.
 
Gary, in addition to what Betty said, FMCA's magazine recently had an ad about the FMCA Assist Program. The ad said benefits included, "Evacuation & repatriation coverage," "You choose your repatriation location," "RV Return (within North America)," "Return of minor children," "Pet return," "Assistance and concierge services."

All in all, not a bad program - especially if you didn't already have those benefits through other means, and even moreso since they didn't raise my membership dues.

Kev
 
Kevin and Betty, thanks for the correction.  I totally missed the reference to FMCA.  I wasn't aware of their coverage, which provides similar protection.  My comment was with respects to the Assist America - Global Emergency Services  that is included with the Coachnet Premier plan.  That was my primary reason for considering the Premier plan over the Basic coverage. 
 
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