Newbie traveling from AZ to Michigan

[Rdogsdad]

  Hey guys...first timer to this.  Am flying to Arizona next week to purchase a new to me Bounder, will be driving it back to Michigan.  My wife and myself have done some RVing , in a rental , to some NASCAR races as far as Southern Tennesee, but not much farther.  Will be signing up with Good Sams before I leave, but not sure what to expect.  Wife says I'm a worry wart, but man, thats a long trip home!  Anything else I should lose sleep over?  The Coach looks to be in fine condition, and I will be having an independent checker outer go over it before I pick it up.

 

[Jim Dick]

Hi Rdogsdad,

Welcome to the forum.

How old is the Bounder? If it's several years old be sure the tires are fairly new. RV tires tend to last only about 5 to 7 years no matter what mileage they may have. Check the date code on them to be sure. It's good that you are having an independent expert go over the rig before taking delivery. He should make sure everything works.

Some folks like Good Sam but you will be joining an outfit run by Affinity which will generate lots of junk mail. There is an 800 number to call to be removed from the list of mailings. It doesn't always work but it finally did for us. They even forgot to mail us a renewal!

Since you have rented RVs before you obviously can drive it without difficulty. Just take it easy and enjoy. Get a Flying J card for fuel discounts. You might also want to pick up a Trailer Life Camping Guide which will list many campgrounds along your route. You can make reservations ahead of time but we don't anymore. If we think we'll be coming in after 5PM then we call ahead. Otherwise we just pull in and there is almost always a spot available.

 

[Tom]

Rdogsdad, as Jim mentioned, Good Sam will result in you receiving more junk mail than you know what to do with. A better option would be Coach Net, which a number of forum members carry.

 

[Ron]

Jim and Tom are 100% correct on Good Sam / Affinity Group being the biggest Junk mail generator I am aware of.  We bought a lifetime membership for GS  several years ago before Affinity Group took over.  All I can say is if we weren't lifetime members we wouldn't be GS members at all.  Not that many benefits in GS anymore.  Had to go through the exercise of getting junk mail turned off from GS/Affinity group again this summer.

Aside from all that Coachnet is a much better service.

 

[John From Detroit]

  Hey guys...first timer to this.  Am flying to Arizona next week to purchase a new to me Bounder, will be driving it back to Michigan.

This is one of those cases where you should read the thread in another seciton on camping not in a campground (Do a search on Wal Mart)

There are alternatives to Good Sams... You might wish to consider them.

Personally I plan on spending enough time in my MH that a membership campground is an option... I do not know if this is the case with you or not.  (I hold two memberships) 

For the record, Memberships cost upwards of 2,000.00 (I've seen them as high as 4-5,000) and come with a annual maintance fee of about 300 to 500 per year (Note: these are all off the wall figures) one of my memberships is 5-8 dollars per night to camp the other is 0 to 0 per night, yes, zero.  It's all included. 

The biggest word in Membership camping seems to be "Bankruptcy" however one my my memberships the company uses a lot of BLACK ink in their ledgers.. Total indebeteness is equal to this month's bills for gas, electric, taxes, and work done this month, All will be paid on time and the carry over to next month will be the same as the nightly camping fee, ZERO.  Bankruptcy is not likely to happen in that kind of company

 

[Jeff]

Every time I get upset with G/S I mentally add up the campground discounts we receive from c/g's that do not recognize other discounts.

Still quite a list.

 

[Ron]

Every time I get upset with G/S I mentally add up the campground discounts we receive from c/g's that do not recognize other discounts.

Still quite a list.

In many cases I have found that other campgrounds in the vicinity of a GS campground is already 10 to 15 perscent cheaper and nicer parks.  Those 10% GS discounts just don't add up that much for us.  I would recommend Passport America over GS.

 

[Tom]

I would recommend Passport America over GS.

Thanks for the reminder Ron. I knew there was another thing I wanted Chris to pick up at Camping World today.

 

[Ron]

Thanks for the reminder Ron. I knew there was another thing I wanted Chris to pick up at Camping World today.

No No Not Camping World. Call Passport America at 1-800-283-7183 ask for Tiffany and sign up that way.  Tell her I refered you  or try www.campsave50percent.com  or call 1800-681-6810 still tell them I refered you.

 

[Tom]

Will Tiffany give me a special price if I tell her you referred me, or will she charge me more?  ;D  Will do Ron, didn't realize I could sign up directly. CW was the only place I'd seen/noticed their ads.

 

[Ron]

I don't know that you will get any price break but she won't charge you more I don't think.  But I should get some recognition in the form of a credit.

 

[Jim Johnson]

The last I heard Passport America is still out of commission due to the hurricane.  No one has been able to get in touch with them.

 

[Ron]

I believe the first 800 number I listed is their California office.

 

[Jim Dick]

I agree Passport America is the best deal we have found. Sign up fee is $49 for the year and you get half price for any of their participating campgrounds. As with all plans, some are good and some are just OK but for $9/night camping I'll put up with the just OK. We have paid as much as $16/night for an RV Resort in Arizona.

It doesn't take long to make up the $49 and there are no maintenance fees. I have also heard that, with some of the membership plans, the particular "home park" can have very strict rules about leaving the program which might include children paying for the plan until it can be sold to someone else. I have no personal knowledge of that happening but it sure makes me think twice!

 

[Jeff]

I agree Passport America is the best deal we have found. Sign up fee is $49 for the year and you get half price for any of their participating campgrounds. As with all plans, some are good and some are just OK but for $9/night camping I'll put up with the just OK. We have paid as much as $16/night for an RV Resort in Arizona.

It doesn't take long to make up the $49 and there are no maintenance fees. I have also heard that, with some of the membership plans, the particular "home park" can have very strict rules about leaving the program which might include children paying for the plan until it can be sold to someone else. I have no personal knowledge of that happening but it sure makes me think twice!

Through FMCA Passport America is 39.00 a year.

 

[Jim Dick]

Jeff,

That's a great deal! In fact, I think we might have gotten that at the last show we attended. I had forgotten but, of course, not all our members can belong to FMCA.