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Road service and tour guides
Yahoo Message Number: 118963
Hi Folks,
 I'm currently enrolled in AARP's RV road service and I've been happy with their service. However, I'm considering switching to AAA, primarily because they offer what appears to be outstanding tour and trip books for any area I'd travel in. I'm not sure the AAA road service is any better than what I've got.
 I'd appreciate input from you who've had much more experience at this than I have. Plus, if you have suggestions other than AARP and AAA I'd like to hear about them too.

Thanks much.

Chuck, Bellevue, WA 1995 22' FL
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118964
I know nothing about AARP's emergency road service (ERS), never even heard of it.  However, AAA's ERS for RV's isn't offered in all areas, so if you have a breakdown in an area where it's not offered, you're on your own finding...and paying...for help.  You may (or may not) be able to get reimbursed once you return.
 I would recommend a "real" RV ERS such as CoachNet (#1 choice) or Good Sam's ERS (or its clone from Camping World).

Linda Hylton http://earl-linda.blogspot.com/
Linda Hylton
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118966
"chuckx6"  wrote: I'm currently enrolled in AARP's RV road service and I've been happy with their service. However, I'm considering switching to AAA, primarily because they offer what appears to be outstanding tour and trip books for any area I'd travel in. I'm not sure the AAA road service is any better than what I've got.
--- Chuck, I belong to AAA because I go through enough of their maps to make the basic membership worthwhile to me; I rarely use their "tour books", but these may be valuable for some.  However, I suggest not contracting with AAA for their emergency road service *for an RV*; you are much better off with an emergency road service designed specifically for RVs.
 AAA is a *regional* organization; it's not really a national "club" with consistent policies and offerings.  AAA is organized into districts, and each district operates pretty much independently.  For example, the AAA "club" where I live in northern CA covers northern CA, Nevada and Utah; "Plus RV" (or whatever it's called) isn't even offered within this district.  The "Automobile Club of Southern California" (what AAA is called in southern CA) does offer the plan.
 If the AAA district where you live does offer "Plus RV" and you choose to subscribe to this plan, do read the fine print very carefully to verify that the AAA plan will cover your emergency road service needs with no hassles, reimbursement issues, and/or delays or "we don't have a tow operator who can get there" *wherever and whenever* you might need the service!
 It's certainly up to each person as to which RV emergency road service s/he chooses, but you might want to look at Coach-Net.  Many RVers contract with Coach-Net and are happy with the services.

Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118967
"I'm considering switching to AAA, primarily because they offer what appears to be outstanding tour and trip books for any area I'd travel in. I'm not sure the AAA road service is any better than what I've got."
 If you search this website's archives on 'aaa', you'll find plenty of advice. The consensus is: don't rely on AAA for RV road service. They don't cover all areas of the country, and when they do send a truck, in many cases it will be ill-equipped to deal with anything bigger than a minivan. I've seen plenty of horror stories.
 The most-recommended RV road service is Coach-Net. I have them, have used them, and can testify that they send people who know how to tow a seven-ton (or larger) RV without damaging it. In addition, when you call Coach-Net you're not just talking to a minimum-wage phone operator--they have certified RV techs on staff who can talk you through many problems.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118979
I have AAA RV service here in So. Cal.
 The last time I needed help(tire went flat on the fwy)  they sent a truck that specialized in trucks and RVs.  He even knew how to get off the tire valve extenders and the hubcaps.  It was fantastic.  Old tire off, spare on, back on the road within 45 minutes of making the call, but I was in Diamond Bar, which is not in the boonies at all.
 5 years ago, same thing near Riverside, CA, except AAA sent some bozos (sorry clown fans) who knew nothing about RV tires, and I had to watch them strip six of the lug nuts so badly I had to get them replaced.  AAA eventually paid for the damage, (over $300 repair) but I was the one who had to make all the calls. Repeatedly
 Bottom line, AAA was there, but it depends on where you are when you need them, and who they have contracted in the area.
 Hopefully someone nearer to you can give you some input. Maybe you could call the local office and check on which businesses they would use in the area you will be traveling, and then check them out yourself.
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118981
JJ, your two very different experiences underscore the point I was making. We RVers travel all over, and we need a road service that works *everywhere*--not one where you have to ask before you set out, "Will AAA be able to help me at that location?"
 Coach-Net, Camping World's road service, or the widely used Good Sam road service... all three cover the entire US with equipment and operators who know how to deal with trucks and RVs. Wherever you go, they'll be there.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118983
wrote: your two very different experiences underscore the point I was making. We RVers travel all over, and we need a road service that works *everywhere*--not one where you have to ask before you set out, "Will AAA be able to help me at that location?" --- Actually, there are two issues here; "quality" of service and "delivery" of service wherever it's needed.  Both of JJ's reported experiences with AAA "Plus RV" happened *within his home district* that's covered by what AAA is called in that district, i.e., The Automobile Club of Southern California.
 So, AAA *did* provide emergency road service in both cases (they obviously service the district in which the Plus RV policy was issued), but the service provided with one of those calls was apparently much less than satisfactory.  With AAA (and its Plus RV), not only is being able to *get* emergency road service for one's RV when out of the issuing district a crapshoot (read the policy and ask hard questions of the selling agent!), the service quality for RVs varies widely.
 AAA is great for *automobiles*; IMO, if one wants a consistent, reliable,  knowledgeable *RV* emergency road service, just cut to the chase and contract with Coach-Net!  As ever, YMMV.

Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118985
I agree with JJ.
 I think that AAA's service is only as good as those contracted to do the emergency calls for them, time of year, holidays, etc. That could be said of any roadside service company but I haven't heard many negative things about CoachNet (except what I wrote at the end).

I had AAA for my car and they were great!
 However, the one time I needed a tow for a LD MidBath, when they did show up, a little over 8 hours later (you read right! I waited for over 8 hours for a tow vehicle to show up!) they sent a semi-truck with a flat bed trailer???
 Another call was made after they arrived and within 20 minutes a massively huge tow truck arrived to do the 30 minute tow to my mechanics shop.
 I think AAA is great for autos but leave a lot to be desired with their less than knowledgable staff when it comes to dealing with RV's. The pro's are they will tow you to the shop you wish to go to.
 I have read several posts on this forum that CoachNet will only tow you to their closest designated "Authorized Repair Facility" which could be a local Ford Dealership! (Not my first choice of where to go if local $$$$ but then probably the best choice if you're far away from home in unfamilar territory.

Ed 94' 26.5' MidBath Red Lazy Daze named "TranQuility"
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118986
"AAA is great for *automobiles*; IMO, if one wants a consistent, reliable, knowledgeable *RV* emergency road service, just cut to the chase and contract with Coach-Net!"

Which also covers your car, in case that wasn't obvious.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118989
On Dec 10, 2010, at 10:00 AM, chuckx6 wrote:

Quote
Thanks to you all for your help in my quest. Based on this it's clear to me that Coach-Net is the way to go for coverage. And I'll probably just head to Amazon to see what kind of good tour/travel books I can get for the areas I'll be traveling in.
You could try what I do Chuck:  Get Coach Net for ERS then mooch maps from very generous, loving AAA member friends who know I can't fight my way out of a wet paper bag without a map!!!
 Although a distinct advantage of AAA area maps is you can get them for entire regions (adjoining states), some folks here depend on the very detailed, individual-state Benchmark Atlases.

Happy trails wherever your maps take you, Lorna Coarsegold, CA
2003 RB
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118991
Lorna, I so agree with you.  I love their regional maps esp. for trip planning.  Fortunately we have a neighbor who still is a member who got them for us last year.  I also have the big Benchmark atlas for Oregon, Cal and Nevada where we do much of our shorter trips as well as a Walmart atlas for the US.
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118992
Lorna Dunham  wrote: Although a distinct advantage of AAA area maps is you can get them for entire regions (adjoining states), some folks here depend on the very detailed, individual-state Benchmark Atlases.
--- Yeah, I do! ;-)  In addition to the Benchmarks (www.benchmarkmaps.com/), if your travel plans include the "northwest" (OR, WA, and BC), the southwestern states, Baja, mainland Mexico, and/or Alaska, do look at the camping and travel guides by Mike and Terri Church; the "Church books" are excellent references!  Their website is: www.rollinghomes.com, but they sell through Amazon.
 My preference is to rely on the web rather than on printed guides (with the exception of the above, AAA maps, and "The Mountain Directory", another essential reference for the kind of travel that I do) for travel planning; information on most travel-oriented websites is usually much more *current* than printed media.   Every state and province has at least one tourism website, and there are usually several more that are "unofficial" guides to the particular state's attractions and activities.  Use Google maps to get close ups of specific areas.  Scenic roads?  Try www.byways.org; don't miss the links to each state's designated scenic byways listed under the "main" byways.  Search and activity, e.g., "fly fishing", or "river rafting", or "bluegrass festivals" or whatever interests you and see what's going on when and where.  If you like camping in national forests, the websites of every national forest in the U.S. offer a great deal of information, and Fred and Suzi Dow's website, www.forestcamping.com, provides descriptions of most of the campgrounds within many of the national forests; they haven't gotten to all of them yet, but they're working on it!
 There's a lot more, but you get the idea!  ;-)  If one has a destination in mind, it's a pretty sure bet that someone on this board has been there and can offer suggestions!  Trip planning can be almost as much fun as the trip itself!

Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Road service and tour guides
Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118994
Last fall I was in Shelbyville, Kentucky with a flat.  We knew some people there who recommended a tire shop.  I called Good Sam and they told me I could use them, pay and send them the bill or they would call someone.  I chose to go with my friend's recommendation.  I sent the bill to Good Sam and was re-imbursed within a month.
2015 27' Mid Bath