Off topic - Good Sam????

[Wandering Sagebrush]

The buzzards are circling now that I am retired. I just got a "Free nights stay" from the Good Sam club.

Actually, since I hope to be traveling a bit, I am curious if there is any benefit to joining something like Good Sam. We are already Triple A members.

Anyone with an opinion?

Steve

 

[C-Hawk]

Steve,

I dropped AAA after having to have my motorhome towed.
They kept telling me that a truck was on the way, but after 3-1/2 hours I called a towing firm myself- 20 minutes later they were there. AAA was still telling me that help was on the way-- I told them I was under tow at the time.

I talked with several other MH owners and most that had AAA dropped them in favor of GS.
We have been members of GS for several years, now we also have GS road service.

PJ had to call AAA one night for a 2 mile tow- again it took them 4+ hours to get a truck to her.

Both locations were within but a few miles of several towing companies.
Most of the towing companies had dropped their AAA affiliation due to poor payment relations from AAA.

We had been with AAA for 38 years.

 

[JamesTXSD]

Hi Steve,

Here's an opinion... we're lifetime Good Sam members. Many campgrounds around the country offer a 10% discount with a Good Sam card... at $2-5 bucks per night savings, it doesn't take long for the membership to pay for itself. Also, they offer a discount on the annual Trailer Life/Good Sam Campground Guide book... a great resource when you're camping. It gives details on campgrounds, directions, and ratings (cleanliness, facilities, and scenic), tells if they offer things like WiFi, etc, etc. It is THICK and thorough. We use it everytime we head out with the RV (and take it along when towing the boat).

Other than that, GS offers insurance, road service, and all those things, all through third parties. You also get a monthly RV magazine called Highways (like a less glossy version of Trailer Life, also a GS holding). If you are into joining clubs, there are many Good Sam chapters all over the country, offering usually monthly camping get-togethers.

Whether it is worth it or not is dependent on how often you will use the discount, IMHO. For us, it pays for itself every year.

Hope that helps.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[thataway]

I have been a Good Sam member for most of the 45 years we have been RVing. (the exceptions were when we were cruising full time. Good Sam has changed thru the years, but still is worth being a member of. It is more of a propiatory organization, than when first started. I don't get much out of the "highways" magazine, and I use USAA insurance/road service for my RV's (AAA for the cars).

I also belong to the KOA discount group, since there are a number of KOA's we stop at regularly on our cross country treks.

Jim has given much of the pluses, there is also a service which links you up with local members in case of an emergency, and will find volunteers to drive your rig home if there is serious illness or death.

We have also belonged to "Escapees"--a RV group which operates out of Livingston, Texas, and gives you Texas residency, plus some very in-expensive RV parks.

There is also the more expensive and up scale Family Motor Coach association. We have beloned to that at one time, but it is more focused toward the Rally's and gatherings. We are more likely to go to remote areas and even just pull off the road when we want to. We also have our own friends when rVing, so don't need the socialization.

Finally there are the campgound type of organizations--such as Passport America--We have never belonged to this, but they have 1440 campgrounds where there is a very significant discount. Also once when we purchased an RV, the dealer threw in a "Coast to Coast" membership--where you have a "home RV park" and can stay for minimal if not free amounts for peroids. Some folks find this to be a real advantage--but our "home park" was near Bull City Arizona--and it was always windy. The other near by parks or ones when we were traveling were not always were we wanted to stay.

We like to keep a loose itiniary, and this works well for us. We rarely have reservations, and rarely have not found a place for the night when we were ready to stop. All of us have different habits, and it is worth looking at all of these options. We will continue Good Sam and probably KOA as long as we RV.

 

[El and Bill]

We have been Good Sams for over 25 years and agree with Jim and Bob's comments -- a good outfit, and worth it if you stay enough in their affiliated campgrounds.

 

[Da Nag]

I joined Good Sam for one year, simply to get the great towing coverage they are known for. I was given a Class A motorhome (worth every penny paid), and had to drive the piece o' crap 2800 miles across the US.

The planning/routing tools weren't too bad, and fortunately we didn't need the towing. Once we're traveling more, I'll definitely sign up again. The only down side I saw...the Hotel California syndrome.

:note "You can check out any time you like...but you can never leave!" :note

Go ahead - try and quit. Once you let them sink their fangs in, they don't let go...I'm still getting tons of emails and letters from them, two years after not renewing. I've called them twice to try and slow down the sales pitches, to no avail.

 

[Doryman]

I recently received an email from Good Sam about insurance. They are promoting a policy that allows you to "Save $400 in just six months with the Good Sam VIP Storage Option". Basically a lower rate for when you aren't using your RV.

Any experience to report with Good Sam's insurance offerings? Since my travel trailer was only worth about $25K when it was new, I kind of doubt this will be a big deal for me, as opposed to someone with an expensive motor home.

Thanks,
Warren

 

[ffheap]

Hi Folks,

Interesting topic because I just returned from the RV Show in Boston and last night while the Ad's were playing between the football plays, I was reading the "stuff" I collected.

My reason to go was that the Inn is on the market, and most of my fellow C-Dory crews from the Erie Canal trips, Bill and El included, tow their boats with RV's. Pat and Fred tow theirs with a Roadtek 170. The best of two worlds.

The Rv life is not a stranger to me. During my tenure as a college professor, about ten years I owned two VW's. One was a conversion of an older bus that some jerk ran into and almost killed my dog. The other was a 1980 Vanagon Camper. Great vehicle, but two small of an engine.

During that time, I belonged to the Good Sam Club. Great organization. I also had a subscription to Trailer Life. If youwant to know what is really going on out there in RV land, just read the "Letters to the Editor." Most RV's do not drive large motor homes, but drive used trailers with oul Caddy's. At least 15 to 20 years ago.

I kept my membership with AAA which I still have, and increased it to PLUS which gave me 100 miles of towing. I used the towing a few times because I went through four engines on warrantee.

My plans in the future are to have what Pat and Fred have, but get the Roadtek 190 which offers side-by-side twin beds. For us old folks who get up in the middle of the night, it makes a better set up.

My wife says that if I buy the Roadtek, I have to get her a new kitchen. I can not understand why. The meals we have cooked in the present kitchen are great.

Fred

 

[thataway]

Fred,
If you buy the Road Trek Popular 19 (which I have in Calif.)--be sure and get it on the one ton chassis. The 3/4 ton is too light for the gear which is in the conversion, plus towing. It will tow the C Dory 22, but not the 25 (or I don't think it is advisable to tow the 25, since you will be way over the combined vehicluar weight rating.) We keep the bunk in the 19 made up as a king (with a memory foam topper) and it is easy to scoot in and out of, since the bunk is so big. We use the small table at the front, with the passanger's seat rotated to face aft, and the 3rd seat If we were to feed more than 2, then we will put the table up in back. Either way, the Road Trek is a great unit!