On Wednesday March 3 about 10:00 am I went to start our 2000 Monaco Diplomat. After waiting for Start light to go out I turned key to start and nothing happened. My Wife whose hearing is much better than mine said there was no sound of starter turning over. Tried a couple of more times with me back by engine and she operating key no sound. Have been a member of the FMCA Roadside Rescue (RR) to a couple of years so I called them for a jump start. That was the start of numerous phone calls and text messages for rest of Wednesday. First phone call to RR was very confusing, difficult to understand and resulted in first company that was contacted by RR texting they could not handle the job. 2nd call RR rep was easier to understand and seemed to understand what I needed in equipment to jump start the coach. That call resulted a man in Toyota Prius with 10 gauge jumper cables that wanted to use the Prius battery (12 VDC section) to start engine. Third call to RR, third rep, resulted in another small car that I could see at RV Park gate that wanted to come and see what needed to be started. From my coach I could see another very small car at gate and when he called I refused him access. He pleaded please let him so he could take and picture to show his boss and they might get paid. Fourth call got second call rep and he was very sympathetic and apologetic. All of the calls resulted in text message pointing to web site that would provide contact info like driver name and ETA. First 3 showed an automobile symbol. This time symbol was a small wrecker and arrival ETA. About 4 hours later around 6:00 pm this wrecker never showed up. I had reached that driver by phone once and he had several excuses why he was late, when he did not show up I call him again and was put into voice mail that said Mailbox was full please try later. He never responded to later calls all going into voicemail. I eventually cancelled service request at 6:30 pm or so.
Couple of calls with Paul (FMCA Membership) and he stated he was contacting RR and his supervisor to get situation moving to resolution. When nothing happen that day I called him again on Thursday Morning and he promised more pressure up the chain and with Roadside Rescue. I believe Paul did all he could to help. Thank you, Paul.
Day two - Thursday March 4 started about 8:00 am with text message that a towing company was coming out to tow me to a repair shop. Do not remember exactly number of calls and messages to that tow firm to get assurance they could do the job. Yes, they could and would be there shortly as they were located only a few miles away. Two and half hours later they called to tell mar there heavy wrecker was not coming as it was not running. In meantime I am back on phone with another local heavy haul and confirmed that they could come out about 1:00 pm. Another call to Roadside Rescue (by this point I have lost track of number of calls to RR). Rep put me on hold and I was now speaking with a person that understood situation and promised resolution. I gave that person name and contact info of tow company I contacted and they promised to contact them immediately which they did. That rig showed up at 2:45 pm and after during the correct procedures to tow motorhome he at my request towed rig to his company which is also a established truck repair in Stockton, CA.
My not so humble opinion of Roadside Rescue is their service representatives are generally poorly trained regarding motorhome drive trains, jump starting and towing needs. As mentioned above one of the reps phone equipment was so bad neither I nor Wife could understand her. Their followup texting system is ridiculous in its ETA times. Also they kept sending followup texts asking for Y or No answer had provider showed up. When I would call 888 number provided in text the RR rep would not know I was follow up caller and start asking same questions like I was new caller. Also received several robo calls asking if I had been taken care of with service. There was never any follow up to text or robs queries.
Last RR person did offer to pay extra RV Park charges. The towing company that responded is J & E Towing in Stockton,CA very knowledgable driver.
I am very much a supporter of FMCA and have used their tire discounts twice, believe strongly in FMCA Assist. But they need to JUMP START Roadside Rescue.
