Lessons Learned on the Why You Need Roadside Assistance
Included in this article are product recommendations and reviews.
Imagine this: You're on your way to your weekend destination and your rig gets a flat tire. This was my experience out on the I-95 corridor heading from south Georgia to South Carolina, Charleston to be exact. Traveling in my travel trailer behind my F-150 tow vehicle, I had just left the Brunswick, GA area when my travel trailer (TT) experienced a flat on the left rear tire. And boy was this scary.
Luckily it was daylight when this occurred but I was still in the middle of heavy traffic and had to make my way over to the side of the road and park on the highway shoulder. The good news is that I knew that I had a spare tire on my TT and wouldn't have to buy one. The bad news, was that the left rear tire on my TT was completely flat and would need to
be replaced.
Do your research:
Having never changed a tire on my TT, my first thought was to get a little Google/YouTube knowledge before I attempted to swap out the tire thinking that it couldn't be much different than replacing a tire on my truck. This is not bad approach from most repair activities, but changing tires on your rig can be troublesome at best. I spent time doing my research only to realize this was not something I wanted to attempt on my own. I needed help.
Solution: Being close to Brunswick, GA was a blessing this time as I was able to look up tow truck services that changed tires on RVs and motorhomes. Most tow truck companies are not equipped to address fixing tires on RVs and motorhomes due to the size and uniqueness of this equipment, so you'll need to ensure you ask any towing truck company if they have the right equipment and resources to quickly and safely replace your tire.
One thing to keep in mind when working with most towing companies. If you don't have a replacement tire, they mostly likely will not either. It helps to be prepared for this and keep a spare handy at all times.
When my tow truck driver arrived, it was close to nightfall but they were efficient and very experienced. The repair was being completed on the side of the highway and I was concerned that there was the possibility that they tow truck driver was putting himself in harms way. Oncoming traffic did not slow down until they were upon the TT. I didn't have any warning cones to put out and oddly enough, neither did the tow truck drive. I highly recommend purchasing hazard cones to place several yards behind your vehicle so oncoming traffic will be aware.
Costs: Calling a local towing company is great, but it can be costly. Here's the kicker. Most towing companies would normally have a flat fee rate associated with replacing tires on cars and trucks, but with RVs an motorhomes, their rates can be vastly different. Replacement costs for my TT were upwards of $300 ($150 trip fee and $75 per hour - and I was charged 2 hours even though the replacement process only took about 65 minutes).
Things to take into account when working with towing companies directly:
When a tow truck driver comes to replace your tires, they may experience issues depending on what tools they have at the time when they receive call. Not all tow truck drivers keep all their tools available to them when they are servicing clients. And some may need to make additional arrangements based on what they have available to them when they arrive.
Things like different jacks (not just any jack will work with your rig), tools for leveling your rig if necessary.
It can be costly depending on the experience of the towing company, their location (travel time).
They don't supply tires. This is your responsibility.
As it turns out, this was not my only experience with flat tires on my TT and when it occurred again, I was in the middle of nowhere. Finding a tow truck company that was close enough to come and repair or replace the tire was very, very difficult. Although there are several random tow truck companies serving remote locations when you travel, the majority of them do not have the capacity to service RVs and motorhomes.
Recommendation: Purchase Road Side Assistance Plans:
Between my first experience with flat tires and this one, I had made the choice to purchase a roadside assistance plan specifically for RVs and motorhomes. This was the best choice ever. Upon calling the roadside assistance company, they already new my rig specifications, tow vehicle and were knowledgable about the surrounding area and what tow truck companies were available to service the flat.
The roadside assistance company called around and found a tow truck service to fix my flat. Their service was impeccable. They made all the arrangements, paid the fees directly to the tow truck company, and kept me abreast to the timing of when I could expect someone to arrive. This was amazing and made for a less stressful situation. When you have someone else doing all the leg work, it frees you up to focus on other activities such as determining new routes and/or how this breakdown will affect your schedule.
Many roadside assistance companies offer other services included with their plans. For us, here just a few additional benefits that were available to us once we selected a plan:
24/7 Unlimited towing
Not only are we able to tow our TT under the plan, but we can also extend this to any vehicle we own. Bonus for us that we can also extend it to anyone else we need. This comes in handy if you are traveling with someone in their vehicle and have breakdown and do not have roadside assistance.
Battery replacement
Flat repair
Mobile mechanics
Key replacement and lockouts
Tire discounts (new purchases)
RV Technical Assistance
Campground Discounts
Travel planning
Concierge services
Hotel and Car Rental Discounts
These are just a few of the services covered under the roadside assistance plan we selected. However, depending on your needs, you may opt to select a company that provides more or less services. But I strongly recommend purchasing a roadside assistance plan.
Lesson Learned: Purchase A Roadside Assistance Plan
Roadside Assistance Plans can be a game changer when you experience breakdowns when traveling.
For more information on this blog posting or product recommendations, you can reply back to this posting or send your questions to therealrvblog@konvrgence.com.
Comments