mweiner

Interesting.... I've been a AAA Member for 37 years.. and they have NEVER failed on roadside assistance ... We have AAA Premier RV now, and I wouldn't trade it for FMCA, Good Sam, or anyone else. Sometimes price is really not the main factor here... can you work with people?? Apparently not with some FMCA roadside assistance folks... yeah, I know, they're contracted individuals , BUT, it's a POOR reflection on the FMCA and means that their screening process for companies that act like this gives them a bad name. VERY UNFORTUNATE. A friend of mine broke down with his car in a remote location, had AAA Premier, went to an authorized garage in a small town, had to wait a few days for parts, AAA reimbursed him for almost $1,000 to stay in a hotel and other expenses like food.. My point is, IT WORKS.. SORRY to hear that your engine needs a rebuild... I hope that the garage you took your vehicle to is honest. I'm surprised that your 2009 Allegro Bus had an incident like that... how many miles do you have on that vehicle. Plus, since you are full time are you going to be staying in a hotel while it's fixed... I also see that FMCA has a trip interruption feature like the AAA Premier... hope that goes smoother than the tow!

Bill, Well.. maybe you can purchase a mirror .. but, you can't get the service.. they quietly discontinued this in 2014 See this article link below, http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/03/onstar-quietly-discontinues-fmv-program-exclusive/ Besides, on further discovery, OnStar is a basically another cell phone provider .... not a satellite service , SO, it doesn't have worldwide 100 percent coverage. The Garmin In Reach is a more complete solution at less cost. I'm only getting the "Safety" coverage for $14.95 per month... you can turn the service on when you travel. There is a lower price of $11.95 per month if you choose to have it activated annually. I'm going to think about both of these plans.. but, again, it's one of the services I hope I will never have to use... kinda like "long term care insurance".. I have that too. It's like this.. you want to go out in natural settings.. but, you don't want to me out there without a lifeline back to civilization, that would be bad.. Or, maybe something happens and you need to be rescued ... yeah, that can happen.. just think medical emergency. The device has an SOS button.. press that and you're connected to the response center... they know exactly where you are anywhere on earth... handy device.... I could even take that on a trip to Europe.

That is correct and it's been successful for 20 years... glad to hear you're aware of the service. I discovered this evening that OnStar , the service I thought was global is NOT .... The OnStar service relied on CDMA mobile phone voiceand data communication, primarily via Verizon Wirelessin the United States and Bell Mobility in Canada, as well as location information using GPS technology. AT&Tannounced the contract to replace Verizon in 2013 based on 4G technology from 2014. It is definitely not a satellite system and NOT worldwide. You can certainly purchase a satellite phone .. but, the airtime and monthly cost is VERY EXPENSIVE. http://www.satphonestore.com/airtime/iridium-airtime.html This text message service through Garmin In Reach is a most affordable emergency solution and handy anywhere you are.

Unfortunately, CB radios have a lot of problems with terrain... read this below... If you are relying on a CB Radio to help you get out of a emergency, I would take this article very seriously. https://www.rightchannelradios.com/blogs/selection-guides/18150035-cb-antenna-range-approximations

Herman, Hope you're doing well. Here's some information I'd like to share with you and others. According to my cell provider, Project Fi, it's a federal law that any call place over the 911 Network must be routed through the closest provider... ALL cell phones have the capability of making 911 calls, even though your cell phone provider says you have "NO SERVICE".. it's an emergency. The trouble is .. although it's usually Verizon and they seem to have the most towers everywhere.. there's still "DEAD SPOTS" and if there is NO towers anywhere in the area ,the call cannot go through. This is where the strength of the Iridium Network lies... a cache of satellites orbiting the earth. Actually, a lot of people may have never heard of Iridium although they've been around for almost 20 years. They are a worldwide company and the service is 100 percent coverage everywhere 24/7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium_Communications Finally decided today to get one of these satellite communicators for safety. They are NOT cell phones.. Although you can buy Iridium satellite phones and the air time is extremely expensive. These Garmin In Reach devices uses the same network as the Iridium voice network except they only allow you text message two way communication to GEOS. GEOS has also been appointed as the global 911 Responder for Globalstar SPOT (Satellite PersOnal Tracker) In addition to the IERCC 911/SOS monitoring provided with your supported device (at no cost to you), GEOS offers a Search and Rescue (SAR) Benefit to its members. This special Member Benefit is available for a very affordable annual fee and can insulate you from significant financial impact should you find yourself in an emergency situation most anywhere in the world. Who Will Answer Your SOS? GEOS Will. GEOS is the world leader in emergency response solutions and monitoring. They’ve supported rescues in more than 140 countries, saving many lives in the process. And they’re standing by 24/7/365 to respond to your SOS, track your device and notify the proper contacts and emergency responders in your area. Then, while help is on the way, GEOS will continue to text back and forth with you, providing updates and critical information until your situation is resolved. http://www.geostravelsafety.com/contact-us.html Even though I'm not wandering off into the wilderness.. there's still plenty of places we go that have little or no cell coverage, especially in National Parks and other remote scenic highways.. you just never know. Last fall on our USA trip, we had NO CELL service in Wyoming and South Dakota, absolutely nothing. I hope this gives you and others a little more information. I know that the FMCA has a very nice feature of sending out a rescue to people, but, first, you need to contact someone before they can find you... The feature of this particular service is they will know your exact location. I originally looked into getting OnStar.. but, they will not provide service to anyone without an approved GM product.

Have any of you used Garmin In Reach for places where you had NO CELL PHONE coverage of any kind in an emergency to summons roadside assistance?

OK, I'm told that I need new shocks on my 2012 Roadtrek Adventurous.... and driving over uneven pavement or rough roads, the entire coach does rock and the cabinets bang around.... I certainly don't like that.. After talking with a company who sells and recommends Koni FSD shocks.... they are also recommending me to install a trac bar, and/or an auxiliary sway bar... I've decided that putting the shocks on is a good idea.... BUT, if you had to choose between the Trac Bar or the Anti sway bar... which one would you choose and WHY??? The only other issue I've encountered while driving behind semi trucks is the feeling of the "wind" being drawing me in and causing a little wobble.... Lastly, i could just install the shocks and struts and see how it feels and go from there.... Do you think that's a reasonable plan?? Any thoughts???

For my situation in Southern California...it's not a priority.. BUT, maybe you live in the Northeast or Northwest where this is an issue?? Are there any true 4 season Class B motorhomes? Or, if you are traveling in winter climate, just add the pink antifreeze to the fresh water tank..... What do you do???

I know....I'm asking IF they'd considered a late model???? AND, I pointed out various options for a gasoline or diesel powered rig...

Question... were you thinking of purchasing "new"...? If you can find a late model vs. getting a brand new rig.. you'll save money, at least that's my opinion.. trouble is finding exactly what you want... Also, keep in mind that the gasoline versions of Class B's are not built to the same standards as the Mercedes Benz Sprinter.... We went from a teardrop trailer to the Class B.... So, in answer to your question, NO, we didn't have any problems whatsoever making the switch.. Hymer and Roadtrek are sister companies...in fact, Roadtrek is part of the Ervin Hymer group...they got absorbed by Hymer... great company... I had a few questions about my RS Adventurous..a used vehicle and the representative called me back and answered every one of my questions... never rushed me off the phone.... I appreciated that..... Roadtrek makes a lot of different models.. but, they ONLY make Class B's.... they're not trying to be in every market segment which means they focus on one thing only...and they have been in business building Class B's since 1974... In case you are wondering...NO.... I don't work for them.... BUT, I did a lot of research and have a friend who is on his second Roadtrek and highly recommended it to me... My average MPG with the diesel engine is 18.. although I have gotten 19 to 21 depending on where I was going...all flat ground etc.. The main difference between the gasoline and diesels is the mileage and performance....sure, the diesel are more expensive...to buy and maintain?? We'll see...One thing is that the diesel engine won't slow down climbing mountains...if you plan on going to do a lot of steep mountain driving... you're going to want the diesel...and the Mercedes Benz tiptronic transmission is really great!! I purchased my rig 5 years old last May 2017....so, it's just a little less than one year old for me... saved almost 50 percent off the sales price of a brand new rig.... that's a lot on a Class B.... most newer Class B's ..it's not just the price..it's the sales tax... let me tell you it all adds up... If I were you..I'd go look at them, drive each model and look at the various features .. plus look at the WEIGHT CAPACITY...of each rig... not as important on the Class B's, but, it's all important..... One final thing... for me, getting the dual wheels setup in the back was really important.... because, it gives you better stability...one of the first things I did was examine all the tires... they looked fine, but, were approaching 6 years... remember, Roadtrek takes a coach from the manufacturer..in my case, Mercedes...it was a coach conversion on a late 2011 model... they converted it and sold it as a 2012 RS Adventurous... pretty much everyone does this as well.... There's going to be a driving difference between a front wheel vs. rear wheel driving setup... again, the Ram Promaster has been getting very good reviews... Roadtrek definitely sells them.... look at the Roadtrek website..... I've heard the Roadtrek Zion and Simplicity are quite capable... If you're giving up the Class A...is that because of poor mileage, or just too big for you....the great thing about the Class B is we can take it everywhere.... Last year... took it across the USA on an almost 11,000 miles grand tour... there's no place you can't take this ..... Good luck...we searched for quite some time... finally found a slightly used model with only 26,000 miles....

Already reported it.. yes, I'll pay the current deductible... just wondering if this is more prevalent on higher profile vehicles..if so, I'll go ahead and lower my deductible for next time... just a hairline crack.. about 10 inches long.. didn't even give it a second thought when I heard the rock hit... short time later it appeared...it will only get worse over time..

How many of you have experience a cracked windshield ?? And, how often does it occur? Did you consider lowering your deductible on your comprehensive insurance??

Jim, just sent you another private message on this subject, please reply to me there. ---Mark

Aside from traveling, you sometimes need to just stay in place.. weather conditions, resting from driving, medical conditions, or just taking care of business... There's many large cities that restrict access to where you can land your rig or just park overnight. Some situations might make it feel like you're a shark, always in motion, so what do you do? You can't always just head for the hinterlands. Then, there's time when repairs just are required and your home is temporarily disabled....and you have to dock for repairs or take the rig to a professional? I'm sure that very few of you do major mechanical work on your RVs.... including transmission, engine, fuel and electrical problems? All of these are serious questions.... what's the best alternative for these things? Having a contingency plan for all of these things are really important.

AAA helps with car registration, sales, insurance matters, overseas travel, DMV and much more.... It's not just hotel rooms....