Extended Service Plan

[lgsamp]

Hi All, I’m looking for input regarding the Good Sam Extended Service Plan. Has anyone used this plan? Was your experience filing a claim good or bad? Thanks for your help!

[wayne77590]

I have used them a few times. It really depends on how the repair place writes up the description.  I don't know how that exactly works but a service manager re-submitted a request for authorization and the way he worded it, he said, they approved it.

[rayin]

On 8/30/2019 at 11:08 PM, wayne77590 said:

I have used them a few times. It really depends on how the repair place writes up the description.  I don't know how that exactly works but a service manager re-submitted a request for authorization and the way he worded it, he said, they approved it.

Yep, dot i's cross t's. It is a contract, and worded as such. I bought an extended service contract with our MH from CW, studied it before signing, as I would with any contract.

[HAPPY HOBOS]

Extended Service Experience

Purchased a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 370 Cummings diesel with 52,000 miles on it in February 2017.

Added Good Sam Extended Service plan before picking it up from the dealer.  The deciding factor was monthly premium vs $9,000 up front for the plan offered by the dealer through the RV Dealers Association.

Experiences:

 May 2017, just as we reached home we had trouble starting and had very little power.  GS Roadside Assist paid for towing to a repair facility.  GS Extended Service Plan paid for most of the repair less the deductible and a few uncovered items.

May 2018, following required state inspection tried to get the dash AC serviced at the same repair shop.  They refused to deal with the Extended Warrantee service as they had trouble collecting the last time.  Replaced the AC compressor at our cost.  System worked initially but a leak in the system caused it to stop blowing cold air.

April 2018, had both roof top AC's replaced along with an updated control therm. at a Newmar dealer in Mass.  Extended Service Plan covered all but the deductible.  The dealership on the other hand was a nightmare.  With the AC units all ready at their shop it took 3 weeks to get them installed after repeated promises to have them done in 2 days.  Finally drove their at 3:00 PM on the final day they were promised and found they had not started working on them yet.  Complained to the Owner and he lit a fire under somebody's kiester.  The job was complete by 5:00 PM, but it was a little sloppy and I had to reseal the joints before we left the next day for a 2 week trip.

May 2019, had the HWH jacks serviced at an independent RV repair facility in Alva FL.  Covered by GS Extended Service Plan.

May - June 2018 battling a reoccurring hydraulic system leak (Not the jacks, the fan and power steering).  Finally the pump blew in Indiana and Good Sam Roadside paid for the tow to a repair shop.  GS Extended Service Plan covered the cost to replace the pump less the deductible.  One week in a motel - weekend plus time to diagnose and order parts.

June 2018 still have a leak in the hydraulic system but we can get by adding fluid.  Decided to stop at Spartan in Charlotte Michigan (the folks that built our chassis) to have them take a look.  150 miles out of the way but I'm done with dealing with this problem any more.  Spartan techs found another fitting leaking and fixed it.  We are so impressed with the experience at Spartan that we had them do a full chassis inspection $125.00.  They found a book of recommendations on our older coach, priced them out and suggested a spaced plan to address the issues.  Katie, the service writer said they had good experience working with GS Extended Service Plans and they could take a real bite out of the cost of bundled repair work.  We looked at the total number and with confidence in the techs and the customer service provided decided to do all the work in one fell swoop.  After being placed on the cancelation list and heading home to New England we got an appointment for August 6th.

Well we are back home (Aug 23rd) and the coach ran and drove much better.  We did new front tires (Michelin's through our FMCA discount) upper and lower ball joints. new air tanks, valves etc., alignment, ride height adj. and every thing else on the list.  And with the $4,700 dollars covered by the GS plan we added the replacement of the fuel tank (reoccurring rust blocking the filters a real pain in the kiester).  Now for the GS saga.  After being formally notified of the repairs to be addressed on Monday Aug 5th by Katie GS said they would send an inspector.  Their plan allows 24 to 48 hours for an inspection at GS discretion and with the dollars involved I'm not surprised they requested an inspection this time around.  Their inspector did not arrive until 3:00 PM on Friday August 9th and that only because I called Jamie's personal cell number and wrestled my way to upper management at GS corporate.  By this time our appointment block at Spartan had been consumed.  They scheduled a crew in on Saturday Aug 10th to begin the work even though we did not have a decision from GS.  By the end of the day Monday GS had responded with approval to pay over $4,700 of the repairs.  The whole week of Aug 12 - 16 Spartan was JAMED with RV's to work on, every RV hookup in their RV parking lot was full each night.  By the end of the week they had just the final upper & lower ball joint, alignment and ride height adjustment to do.  Monday Aug 19th they finished up and we stayed one more night then left in the morning.  We made an appointment to be back at Spartan the last week in April 2020 to replace the 4 rear tires and do another chassis inspection.  Our intent is to have all our scheduled work done at Spartan to minimize the problem of finding qualified tech's at random RV repair facilities.  Also their is lots to see in Michigan so including a swing through on a regular basis is not a real sacrifice.

Takeaways:

The Extended Service Plan has worked out as a protection against major cost repairs.

The plans  are so difficult to deal with that independent truck repair shops understandably don't want to deal with them, even when I offer to kick in another $100.00 to cover their costs.  Katie at Spartan told me she spent multiple hours on the phone with GS Extended Service 8/5 and 8/6 and she has lots of experience dealing with them.

RV dealers (those who sell RV's) don't prioritize repair service especially for units that they did not sell and doubly true for older units.

I won't let the second day go by when waiting for an inspection without calling GS corporate and speaking to the management contact we have after this delay.  My bad.

On Spartans web site they mention Coach Net, this is the only time I have seen a service provider even mention a plan.  But Coach net has a coach age limit that we could not meet.

FMCA tire discount worked, but the savings were minimal for Michelin's.

Their are 3 great private restaurants within 12 miles, one with in long walking distance of Spartan.

The Gilmore Auto Museum is a great multiple day visit.

The Mid Michigan Gas Tractor Association August Fair is worth the day.  I have never seen so many old tractors from multiple countries on display and it's a real local fair not some commercialized hopped up tourist trap.

The Diesel price at the grocery store in town, Meijer cant be beat. 

Bodies Chop House in Lansing is a great anniversary dinner spot $$$. 

Our last night at Spartan.  Is their a pot at the end of those rainbows?

[rayin]

HapptyHobos. Good Sam ESC does not have their  own inspectors, they have contracted independent RV inspectors in every major city. IMO you did the right thing by contacting "Jamie" and persisting in obtaining satisfaction. It's like the old addage, "The wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the most grease."

We also had a GS ESC policy on our MH. Overall we were quite satisfied with our  results, money well-spend in our case.

It is Cummins NOT Cummings. You may have been thinking of Senator Cummings.

[C-786563]

Has anyone used American RV Warranty ?