PI_Tom
USA
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Joined: 01/18/2011
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Hi RVer's,
I'd like to give you some help about flat tires before you are stranded and ask for help from Good Sam Roadside Assistance (GSRA).To follow is the text of a letter I received from Good Sam after I experience a flat tire with my 45' Coach and called for assistance.
Thank you for taking the time to send your request for reimbursement of road service charges. Your request has been reviewed and processed.
Roadside Assistance - Good Sam Emergency Road Service is a "sign and drive" service and is the leader in Road Assistance. As stated in the enclosed Member Benefit Brochure, you must request disablement assistance through our telephone dispatch center within 24 hours of the disablement to be eligible for reimbursement. Only towing charges deemed necessary by law enforcement officers and those incurred on limited access and toll roads are eligible for reimbursement.
However, there are times when unusual conditions may prevent a member from using our dispatch network. I have reviewed the circumstances surrounding your reimbursement claim and determined I can approve a one time exception for payment. Your check should arrive within four weeks. ($190 check received)
"Mr C, as a one time exception we are approving your claim because you didn't know at the time of your call (flat tire) that we do not cover flat repairs due to liability reasons. We will do our best to send out service to change a flat with a spare, or replace a flat with a new tire but we will not send service to repair a flat with a patch. As you highlighted in our brochure page you sent, there should be no out of packets charges for services we provide, that would be correct the service vender takes Good Sam Payments (American Express) over the phone. Unfortunately, sometimes they will not take payments by phone, and we will have to reimburse you via a claim submittal.
Thank you for choosing Roadside Assistance- Good Sam Emergency Road Service. If you have any further questions contact Member Services at (800).
In the meantime, we wish you safe and happy travels!
Sincerely
Roadside Assistance Coordinator"
Good Sam Roadside assistance advertising says: NO OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES. Hmmm, it seems Good Sam follows the philosophy that Truth and Advertising don't belong in the same sentence together.
I own a Class A motorhome with 8 22 1/2" tires at a cost of $515.00 each. Where does any coach builder make room for a spare?
As for the liability excuse, as an Independent Insurance Adjuster for 35 years I'm going to call BS. Good Sam does incur liability when it summarily refuses to send a qualified "tire service" to the aid of a member who calls. Good Sam should do the right thing and dispatch a qualified "tire service". It is then up to that service to determine what is wrong with a tire and whether or not it is repairable or needs replacement. Until that tire service arrives, nobody knows what needs to be done and/or why a tire is flat. For it's part if Good Sam refuses and a member experiences damage or injury I submit Good Sam has negligence and liability to that member.
Just don't have a flat tire with a Class A motorhome and need tire repair. Good Sam Roadside assistance may just refuse you service and leave you too stranded along the side of the road.
Tom C
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hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
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Joined: 06/04/2003
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Unfortunately, every road service or extended warranty programs build in so many loopholes in them that they often prove valueless.
Yet at times they do some over the hill repairs....twice my extended warranty replaced my Xantrex converter with a new one at a cost of over $1600 to them. After the first replacement failed I suggested a different brand that was quite a bit cheaper than the Xantrex.....they refused and said everything had to be replaced with the same unit that had been removed. Go figure..
hershey - albuquerque, nm
Someday Finally Got Here
My wife does all the driving - I just get to hold the steering wheel.
Superman was an illegal alien.
Expedition - Suzuki Grand Viagra
NASCAR 14 - 99
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Jim Cindy
Northcentral, PA
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Joined: 03/24/2009
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I have to disagree with your assesment. While we have a 5th and not a DP, the same rules apply. Good Sam will and have paid for the tire service to respond and put your spare on if you have one. They will even attempt to locate a matching spare. They found and delivered to me the exact same tire that was the problem. They do not and will not pay for the repair of your tire or the mounting of your unmounted spare tire on your wheel. Good Sam took care of the service call, I paid for the tire. If your tire was repairable and the service guy was capable all you had to do was pay him for the repair, Good Sam would have still picked up the service call itself.
PBH Portable Beach House
2008 GMC 2500HD Duramax Allison 
2009 Cameo 34CK3
MorRyde IS, Disc Brakes, G614's
PullRite Super Glide Hitch
Propane fueled Yamaha EF 2400is
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Effy
MD
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Joined: 07/26/2011
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Coachnet.
2012 Thor ACE 29.1
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past-MIdirector
Michigan
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Joined: 03/03/2007
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My 2004 Bounder has a space tire in a carrier built in to the back of the coach and my last coach a Southwind also had a compartment for the spare. I've had flats with Good Sam coverage with the people coming out and pulling the spare tire out and putting it on the rig. Never cost me a dime out of pocket. If you stop to think I would not want an RV tire that goes flat on the road repaired until it can be inspected properly since in most cases it will have cord/side wall damage.
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Jackthewonderdog
United States
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Joined: 03/06/2011
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Repairing a tire on the road is not a great idea. FIrst of all to pull a 22.5 inches tire off the rim, inspect it, repair and remount on the side of a road or parking lot is a horrible idea and most tire repair services are not equiped to do this mobile. I have had a flat (blow out would be more appropirate) on a MH and GS sent out a service to change the tire and I was on my way again in short order. Perhaps you think they should come and swap out the rim too if it is damaged during the flat, or refill with nitrogen gas. I think they did very well by you, your complaint is invalid.
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wny_pat
Western NYS
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Joined: 08/11/2007
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Coachnet will repair it, provided it is not going on the steer axle.
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PI_Tom
USA
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Joined: 01/18/2011
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Some display their lack of knowledge by suggesting it is a bad idea to repair a tire on the side of a road. In theory, your thoughts are good, in practice, they simply do not work. Roadside tire repair has been occurring with semi trucks and trailers for more years than even I know. In the letter Good Sam said they would replace the tire but not repair it. Where do you think the replacement would take place and how do you think the new tire would be installed. Sorry but your thoughts are invalid.
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Jim Cindy
Northcentral, PA
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Tom, I agree with you completely about it being possible to repair a tire at the side of the road. A lot depends on the skills of the provider though. Good Sam simply will not pay for the actual repair. The decision to repair or not along with the cost of a repair is between you and the provider.
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Don/Shar
Sioux Falls, SD/ Lebanon, Indiana
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Joined: 04/05/2003
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I had a flat, called Good Sam, They had a guy come over 66 miles to no-where with a NEW tire and changed the tire right there. The only thing I paid was for the tire. Service call, labor was all taken care of by Good Sam RSA.
In the past 6 years I have had to call Good Sam's on several cases and have never been un happy. Two years ago on my way to Indiana from Arizona I had to be hauled on a flat bed on 4 different occasions. GSRS never balked was always there and even called to make sure the service man arrived when he said he would. My Beaver loves GSRS. My GSRS card is as important as my American Express....I never Leave Home without it!
Don / Sharon Smith
7th year fulltiming
1 high school sweetheart bride of 50 yrs. Sharon
1 long haired mini dauchound...Jake
1997 Beaver Patriot DP
2004 Jeep Rubicon
http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/smithster_photos/
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