Tow services

[Reinigm]

I have had the occasion to call AAA twice lately. First time was a flat tire. AAA told me they would send someone out, which they did. But the pickup that came out wasn't equipped to do anything with an RV. Turns out they had not picked up on the fact that I was in a Motorhome (make sure if you call AAA you verify a couple of times that you are in an RV). 6 hours later a truck shows up to change the tire.

Yesterday, my RV died on a busy city street here in Orange County, CA. Fuel issues. Called AAA and was informed that a truck would be out in 3 hours. 3 hours in, no truck. Called the tow company, was advised it would be at least 3 more hours before anyone would be out. Cops not happy about how long I am parked on the side of the street blocking a lane of traffic. Called in again to verify and was told it would be about 2 more hours before Tow would be there (bringing it up to 8 hours). Got online and found a tow company close by who could come out within 1 hour. They actually showed in in 1/2 hour. Charged me $250 to haul it into my RV service provider. The only good thing about this is when I called AAA to cancel their call I was advised if I sent them the invoice they would pay it.

These situations were totally unacceptable in my eyes. Anyone have any better ways of handling this? I hate to think what would happen if I was a couple hours away from any cities.

 

[DonTom]

Anyone have any better ways of handling this?

Most here prefer Coach-Net.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Tom]

I have had the occasion to call AAA twice lately. First time was a flat tire. AAA told me they would send someone out, which they did. But the pickup that came out wasn't equipped to do anything with an RV. Turns out they had not picked up on the fact that I was in a Motorhome (make sure if you call AAA you verify a couple of times that you are in an RV). 6 hours later a truck shows up to change the tire.

Yesterday, my RV died on a busy city street here in Orange County, CA. Fuel issues. Called AAA and was informed that a truck would be out in 3 hours. 3 hours in, no truck. Called the tow company, was advised it would be at least 3 more hours before anyone would be out. Cops not happy about how long I am parked on the side of the street blocking a lane of traffic. Called in again to verify and was told it would be about 2 more hours before Tow would be there (bringing it up to 8 hours). Got online and found a tow company close by who could come out within 1 hour. They actually showed in in 1/2 hour. Charged me $250 to haul it into my RV service provider. The only good thing about this is when I called AAA to cancel their call I was advised if I sent them the invoice they would pay it.

These situations were totally unacceptable in my eyes. Anyone have any better ways of handling this? I hate to think what would happen if I was a couple hours away from any cities.

Another vote for Coach-Net. Used them a number of times. They make the appointment with a 3rd party and let you know when they'll arrive. This is after they check you're in a safe place. Haven't experienced long wait times.

 

[LarsMac]

I stood by AAA for nearly 40 years. Back in college days I worked as a tow driver for a AAA contractor.
They have treated me right for all those years. I never had a complaint.
Until this last couple of weeks.
We got all loaded up for a trip back to the Smokies for a family reunion. and the day before our planned launch, My rig stopped running, or more correctly, stopped starting.
What little I could determine on my own with a OBDII reader was that the ignition system cannot confirm the system is ready to go, so it won't fire.
Trying to get it to a garage.
Called AAA to arrange a tow. When you call Colorado AAA you never get to speak with a real Human, now. It is all automated, and they will only tell you that a tow truck has been dispatched. And ETA is "some time in the next several hours."
After waiting for a day to hear from the driver, I tried to calling for status update. Hah! good luck.
I finally did call the Tow company in the next town, and found out that he is a AAA contractor.
He had never gotten the dispatch. it seemed to be assigned to an outfit back in the Metro area. We are 2-3 hours out in the boonies. Non of the metro outfits are going to want to send their truck and driver out on what will prove to be an all day trip for a simple 10 mile tow.
[sigh]
So I cancelled the call, and per the local driver's advice, I secured a garage to do the work, called the driver, and he can arrange the call through AAA dispatch. He picks it up Friday, after the garage has room in their big bay.

All of this activity is now on hold for a couple days due to high winds in Eastern Colorado.

Once it's all done, though, I'm calling Coachnet.

 

[John From Detroit]

These situations were totally unacceptable in my eyes. Anyone have any better ways of handling this? I hate to think what would happen if I was a couple hours away from any cities.

IN days of old when I was bold I got my .... posterior... chewed because I contacted AAA about that. You see I was a police dispatcher and thus was aware of their response times. And a MEMBER relying on them for service.

The result was I got the phone number for the Supervisor... and when I called and IDed myself as a police dispatcher got better service.

The suggestion here is when the police express displeasure with how long it has been.. Consider ask him or her to have their dispatcher check with AAA.

They may have had a dispatcher do as I did. NOTE in the greater Detroit Area. far as I know, the State Police dispatcher center. Still uses that Supervisor's phone number.. It is so unlisted that it is not even in AAA's internal phone book.

Of course there are other stories. Like once my Daughter needed AAA to change a flat. The driver could not find her.. IN AAA Michigan HQ's Parking lot she was. He could not find the lot.

 

[Laura & Charles]

Another vote for CoachNet. After making sure you’re safe, they’ll call around to find a shop that can work on your coach a can get you in, and will tow you there, no copay, deductible, and no mileage limit.
Our coach was made during the few years Navistar owned Monaco/Holiday Rambler and it can be hard to find somebody willing and able to work on it. Even if not broken down (and not needing towed), their service folks will help me find someone to do what I need.
Have had them send somebody to help twice, and third time to tow us. Have called to find a shop three times. They’ve never disappointed. (The tow by itself more than paid for what I’ve paid them over six years… Rosie’s a big girl and not some cheap pick up)

 

[Larry N.]

Coach Net has been excellent the few times I've had to call, and they have never left me hanging or wondering what's going on. PLUS, they know ALL about RVs, and will get the right service out there for you. AND, they're national, not a collection of regional sub-operations.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

All of them are just dispatching services - they can't provide any better/prompter/more-effective roadside help than the local businesses supply. And timeliness also depends heavily on how busy the provider is, location, and time-of-day. In my opinion, none of the RV roadside services are consistently good. I've had both crappy and outstanding service from Coach-Net (which is now just a brand name from the NMC (National Motor Club) company). Same with Allstate Motor Club and Good Sam.

 

[johnhicks]

Coachnet.

 

[Reinigm]

Thanks for all the help. My RV is in the shop having a new fuel pump installed. Found out it also has a fuel leak. I am hoping when he gets into it, it was just the leak that caused her to drop dead, and not the fuel pump. Although I am not averse to updating the pump.

 

[Ray-IN]

Most emergency road service administrators require the phone operators to find the lowest quoted price from their list of approved providers/towing companies prior to dispatching one; then they work up the ladder until they find one willing to accept the job.
Most use the same list of local towing providers, thus the long wait times.
AAA does not provide the same services nationwide, each area may set their own rules according to their website.
When a contract holder calls for ERS, the operator only knows to read what is on the computer screen and recite the appropriate reply. When in doubt, request to speak with a supervistor, they normally know their job well.

While the fuel pump is being replaced, I would request a tank cleaning for a vehicle that old.

 

[Reinigm]

Ray-In, during the process of waiting for the AAA's tow truck to arrive, I called their provider and was informed their tow charge was $500.00 to tow the RV 2 miles. When I called the alternative tow company on my own, they charged me $250.00 and they were a AAA provider only 1 mile from my location. So I'm not so sure they work the same in So Cal.

Re: the fuel pump. The tank is being dropped in the process of changing the fuel pump. He is cleaning the tank and running all new delivery lines along with it. I've had a lot of experience with my classic cars in this respect and learned to drop tanks and clean or replace them while they are out. Except for my VW Bus. I flushed that one with Kerosene twice, then drained it without taking the tank out. Cleaned all the garbage out really well.

 

[Ray-IN]

Ray-In, during the process of waiting for the AAA's tow truck to arrive, I called their provider and was informed their tow charge was $500.00 to tow the RV 2 miles. When I called the alternative tow company on my own, they charged me $250.00 and they were a AAA provider only 1 mile from my location. So I'm not so sure they work the same in So Cal.

Re: the fuel pump. The tank is being dropped in the process of changing the fuel pump. He is cleaning the tank and running all new delivery lines along with it. I've had a lot of experience with my classic cars in this respect and learned to drop tanks and clean or replace them while they are out. Except for my VW Bus. I flushed that one with Kerosene twice, then drained it without taking the tank out. Cleaned all the garbage out really well.

Yup, I've got to do that to my 1932 Chevrolet Confederate BA gas tank, it's been up on jack-stands for the past 12 years.

 

[LarsMac]

I stood by AAA for nearly 40 years. Back in college days I worked as a tow driver for a AAA contractor.
They have treated me right for all those years. I never had a complaint.
Until this last couple of weeks.
We got all loaded up for a trip back to the Smokies for a family reunion. and the day before our planned launch, My rig stopped running, or more correctly, stopped starting.
What little I could determine on my own with a OBDII reader was that the ignition system cannot confirm the system is ready to go, so it won't fire.
Trying to get it to a garage.
Called AAA to arrange a tow. When you call Colorado AAA you never get to speak with a real Human, now. It is all automated, and they will only tell you that a tow truck has been dispatched. And ETA is "some time in the next several hours."
After waiting for a day to hear from the driver, I tried to calling for status update. Hah! good luck.
I finally did call the Tow company in the next town, and found out that he is a AAA contractor.
He had never gotten the dispatch. it seemed to be assigned to an outfit back in the Metro area. We are 2-3 hours out in the boonies. Non of the metro outfits are going to want to send their truck and driver out on what will prove to be an all day trip for a simple 10 mile tow.
[sigh]
So I cancelled the call, and per the local driver's advice, I secured a garage to do the work, called the driver, and he can arrange the call through AAA dispatch. He picks it up Friday, after the garage has room in their big bay.

All of this activity is now on hold for a couple days due to high winds in Eastern Colorado.

Once it's all done, though, I'm calling Coachnet.

An update to this:
After the arrangements were all made, the shop manager went off on vacation, and we were left hanging.
I called around and found a new shop in the next town to the West. Arranged with the tow service to come get my rig, and when he arrived, he made the arrangements with AAA.
We got the rig to the shop, and a day later, they called to tell me that the problem was a fuel pump. But, they couldn't do the work. His shop was to small for the rig to be elevated enough to pull the tank.
Well, I called back to the original shop to ask if they had the ability to do the work. They did.
Now to AAA. I called the first driver, he tried to arrange another tow, and AAA refused to authorize it.
[sigh]
Well, I called AAA back, and ignored all of the recorded messages and waited to speak to a human bean.
Finally got one. We got through all the red tape, and explaining why I needed a second tow.
When they dispatched the call, it went to a service that was way west of us, about 80 miles away.
Since the rig was at a shop, and not in any danger, I was satisfied to just let them run with it.
And finally, after a couple months, voila! a new fuel pump, the rig is running fine, a new tank of gas, and we got on the road to Grand Junction just in time to meet the new grandbaby.

 

[RVfixer]

About 15 years ago I had a flat on a new truck at a campground. I went to take the spare down and there was a large cable and lock securing the spare wheel. The dealer had given me the wrong key to the cable lock. I called AAA and asked them to have the responding service to bring a cable cutter. About 4 hours later I got a call from AAA that they were going to tow my tuck to a shop. Long story shorter...I told them to forget it and to cancel my membership (there was more to the story and a sarcastic AAA dispatcher). I borrowed a large pair on lineman pliers and struggled and cut the cable and changed the tire. At home AAA called me to apologized and said they reviewed the call recording. They offered me a free year. I declined but they sent a refund of my membership... and the free year anyway.

I took out a Good Sam Road Service...are they better? Probably not, but I have used them a few times over the years with no problems...and they are not AAA!!! Every year for the last 15 years I have receive two "Welcome Back" kits from AAA and you can't stop them.

 

[JudyJB]

CoachNet is expensive, but the cost for the second and following years is less than the first year. When a problem ruins your vacation, it is "priceless" to have good service.

What makes them good is communication. I have used them several times, including one tow incident, when I had had a blowout and my battery went dead from my flashers being on for an hour. They called me several times with status updates, and kept their word about times. Also, when they tow you, they do not dump you off at the nearest gas station. They had one company change my tire, then called around until they found a repair place that could replace my dead battery and do it immediately, not several days later. (I had one tow from highway to Lowes because nothing was open on Father's Day, and had gotten permission for me to spend the night there. Next morning they towed me to repair shop by noon, and I had new battery, wires from blowout repaired, and new tire installed, and was on my way by 5 pm.)

Over that afternoon, evening, and morning, they must have called me 10 times, which is impressive.

 

[DonTom]

What makes them good is communication.

And what makes them bad is they only cover the one RV they have on file with your VIN number. "AAA" will cover any vehicle you're in. So will Spot SOV (Save Our Vehicle).

With Coach-Net, you have to pay again for each RV VIN number. And I have two RVs covered by them. But it normally includes your toad.

I have Coach-Net TWICE, along with AAA and Spot Messenger SOV. The nice thing about Spot is it works where there is no cell service of any type.

Each service has advantages and disadvantages, but they can be combined for more distance and such. I am good for around a 300 mile tow as well as other advantages I hope to never use.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Larry N.]

And what makes them bad is they only cover the one RV they have on file with your VIN number. "AAA" will cover any vehicle you're in.

But what makes them better is that with my one RV covered, I also have coverage for ANY OTHER (non- RV) vehicle I own. So my toad, my pickup and my wife's car are all covered. From their website:

Coverage includes Member, spouse and dependent children ages 24 and under, and all other personal vehicles owned, rented, borrowed or leased.

That's pretty special. And since few of us have more than one RV...

 

[LarsMac]

All of them are just dispatching services - they can't provide any better/prompter/more-effective roadside help than the local businesses supply. And timeliness also depends heavily on how busy the provider is, location, and time-of-day. In my opinion, none of the RV roadside services are consistently good. I've had both crappy and outstanding service from Coach-Net (which is now just a brand name from the NMC (National Motor Club) company). Same with Allstate Motor Club and Good Sam.

That is very true. But there seems to be a difference in how the "Dispatching services" handle the backlogs, and communication issues.