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Topic: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking (Read 912 times) previous topic - next topic

Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

I, like several others I have interacted with on the forum are looking for a trusted, worthy roadside assistance company whose marketing points matches what coach owners actually receives on the road when breakdowns occur.

Michelle, is this outside the scope of the forum or could the sheer number of members be used (as a customer base) to hold an endorsed roadside company accountable? If doable, perhaps roadside signup could be through the foreforum (with a little up-charge to cover forum costs and performance tracking). If successful, perhaps you could share with the Prevost forum (what you are doing) and could setup a similar registration mechanism but combine both memberships as a "insurance member group front" to said endorsed roadside assistance company. 100% forum member participation would not be needed but if the program is effective, I would think it would grow and maybe influence an insurance company better than any one person could. Not necessarily look for best price but for a trusted service and a mechanism to get the company's attention when service doesn't match the advertised benefits (other than switching companies out of disgust).

If not interested in taking this on, maybe a survey of who has what roadside policies and a 1 to 5 star ranking of roadside companies with comments (kinda like amazon does with products). Thoughts?
Walt, Dawn, Matt & the Poodles
99 36' U320 #5515 MC #17977 "Axle"
Not All Who Wander Are Lost (not original but I like it)

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #1 –
Not sure if this is possible or even feasible.
Listening to the experiences of others it seems the level of service provided is dependent on the agent who the gets the call, no matter the company.
We didn't renew FMCA and went with Coachnet, most of the stories I here are complimentary to them vs others.

We'd be completely happy to never need the services of any of them.
Frank & Connie Williams
1999 U320 '36
Build: 5466
MC: 18335

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #2 –
I've used Coachnet for many years and I give them and the network of service companies they use a 10, except for one service company. I think I've used them 6 times. 4 times (3 for my old coach) and twice for my toad.
The one time I was unhappy with the service company they used was in Yuma. I left the lights on in my toad and needed a jump start. The crook that came out tried to tell me the starter was bad and wanted to tow it. I had cables so I fired him and got a good Samaritan to give me a jump start.
1993 U225 Build #: 4285
500 Watts Solar
Honda CRV AWD
Former 1981 Foretravel Travco
Retired, Full Time Off Grid Snowbird

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #3 –
Coachnet is our choice
Dan - Full timing since 2009
2003 U320 40' Tag 2 slide

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #4 –
After researching for a few days, Coachnet was my choice.
Keith
2003 U320 38' #6197

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #5 –
Quote from: WBates –
maybe a survey of who has what roadside policies and a 1 to 5 star ranking of roadside companies with comments (kinda like amazon does with products).
I find myself weighing other personal experiences on all of the unknown purchases. Do do find I like to disregard the top ten percent and the bottom and kinda average the middle together. Funny with Amazon I always proof check there information and surprising come up with modified results generally reducing the posted claims.
Fakespot | Analyze and identify fake reviews and counterfeits
I haven't committed to a roadside service company but am very interested for when I do commit. I do have good towing contract until I become comfortable with a roadside assistance. Quite interesting
Scott

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #6 –
CoachNet for us.  > 10 years now.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #7 –
Wow, seems you can't go wrong with Coachnet. Unfortunately, my Coachnet experience was incredibly miserable. I guess I got the the one bad Coachnet hotline group just outside of Livingston, Tx... Oh well, I thought I would pose the question. I appreciate your feedback.
Walt, Dawn, Matt & the Poodles
99 36' U320 #5515 MC #17977 "Axle"
Not All Who Wander Are Lost (not original but I like it)

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #8 –
Super happy with AAA here.  Have had them for over 25 years with 2 major tows on the RV.  One was almost 200 miles to the service location of my choice.  No issues, fast response, very helpful, very friendly.
Mark & Bev
2001 U295 36' Slide
Cummins ISC 8.3 350HP
Build #5802
Jeep Wrangler Toad

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #9 –
I've used AAA for over 30 years and have been happy with their service. I've had them for a locked car, algae in winter, bad glow plug tow to start and a flat tire on the U300 while I was at a funeral. They put on the spare quickly. I have never paid a dine for any of their services.

But...they seem to be reducing the benefits along with the number of tows allowed. They may also not go far off a paved road to tow. Different states may also have different AAA benefits.

Hard to not have a tow policy as it costs a fortune to have an RV towed.

A water alarm on your primary filter may also save an expensive tow. Not many owners will check their sight glass on a regular basis and not after fueling.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #10 –
Escapees Saferide membership $109/yr

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #11 –
Just to respond to the original question, this isn't something Foreforums can or wants to look at.  We're simply a very small (4) group of volunteers with no "staff", who do this because we enjoy it.  The active membership is also much smaller than the usual sponsors/negotiators of these offerings.

While Escapees does offer the same SafeRide-run program as FMCA, Escapees is much more of an RV advocacy group than FMCA, so I would encourage folks to use their organization instead.  (I do see Escapees is now offering tire discount programs as well).  This is the only RV organization I will personally endorse.  We are lifetime members.  We have not used roadside assistance through them.

Good Sam Club also offers a roadside assistance program.  No tire discounts (that I'm aware of), but they do have a emergency medical/coach transport program that looks competitive to or better than FMCA's.  We had GS roadside when we had our Lazy Daze (pre-FT).  Never used them for the coach but did use them to tow my car once. 

CoachNet gets good reviews, but it's been years since we had them (our LTV came with a couple of years of SafeRide as part of the new coach package).  We never needed to use them.

Now, I did just check and All Inclusive Motorhome Club does offer CoachNet discounts.  I should look into that further for our needs - we are AIM members (because we like the premise of the club, especially after FMCA's nonsense) but have not taken advantage of any of their programs.  They have a very good leadership (and corporate support via National Indoor RV Centers' Brett Davis) team.  CoachNet is a sponsor of AIM Club.  This is not an endorsement - we aren't actively-participating members.


To be honest, the quality of any roadside assistance offering is highly dependent on the actual providers who contract to provide service in their area to the program.  This is out of the RV organization's hands, generally.  I don't know why FMCA switched from CoachNet to SafeRide and I don't know why Escapees chose SafeRide.  It could simply be a matter of pricing.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320
 

Re: Foreforum Rdside Assistance Endorsement and/or Annual Perf Review Survey/Ranking

Reply #12 –
My experience with Coachnet has been very satisfying.
They took a little longer than promised but arrived with all the right gear, got the job done quickly with no damage.
We only needed a pull out but it was a relief to know it worked as intended.
1998 U295 36'
Build# 5358

SMILE!....it makes people wonder what you have been doing.