Good Sam

[Boondocker]

I got an offer for Good Sam for $12 a year. Is this worth doing? Are there enough campgrounds giving discounts to make it worth messing with? I think the offer said something about discount gas, anyone know about that? Any other points I should know about?

[overlander63]

Rodney, I think after you get into it, they also offer towing and insurance thrugh "partner companies". If you camp somewhere that offers a discount to Good Sam members, and there are quite a few, you could save your $12 in one night's camping.

[SilverCottage]

We joined last month and I actually enjoy the magazine that comes with a membership. I think it is worth the $12 just for the magazine and any camping discounts will be a bonus.

They will bombard you with a ton of junk mail though.

[Silver Threads]

We also recently joined and there are a lot of campgrounds here in Tn that give a discount to Good Sams members. When I joined it was 19.00, but the money I save more than pays for it.

[HOG-I]

Joined Good Sam last year and it has more than paid for itself. Good Sam RV parks have proven to be top drawer.

[jcanavera]

I've been a member for over 20 years. The campground discounts more than justify the expense. Note that the annual membership has gone up to $29, so the offer of $12 is pretty good.

A good example is that the park that is hosting the Forums Branson rally this fall is offering a 50% discount to us if you are a Good Sam member. That's a full hookup site for $15 a night. Not a bad deal.

Jack

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

The campground discounts more than justify the expense.
Jack

I was thinking about that, and then I started to wonder how many parks I would stay in that had the discount. I guess its a try and see sort of thing.

[dwightdi]

There are many parks that offer the discount. More than OK or other parks. They make their money by trying to sell you road service insureance and other TV insurance as well as health and credit cards and everything else. You will get at least five mailings per month including the magazine. It is a good deal and you get alot of junk mail you can throw away or burn for heat.

[RedSHED]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

I started to wonder how many parks I would stay in that had the discount. I guess its a try and see sort of thing.

If you know anyone with one of the campground books that will let you take a look, you might get a better idea.

[silver 67]

The "Trailer Life RV Parks, Campgrounds and Services Directory" is the official directory of Good Sam. All of the Good Sam Parks are in bold in the directory. The directory is BIG but it is full of good information and ratings of most of the parks listed. I found my last directory in a discount book store for about 5.00. It was a couple years old. This year when we renewed our GS membership, they offered the 2007 directory at a very reasonable rate.

We got a Good Sam membership before we realized what condition Moby was in but have continued it for the magazine and other information that they provide. We have taken the directory with us on road trips and have been known to just drive in a rv park to "check it out" and compare to the ratings in the directory. ..... It doesn't take much to entertain old people.

[cammur]

For $12 bucks you can't go seriously wrong if you can stand all the insurance mailings. They must come in weekly and are the scam-looking type - special envelopes that make them look time critical, sometimes with post-its from somebody saying her best friend loves the company, etc. Very low end marketing. I got tired of being treated like an idiot and cancelled my membership.

[BDandTTs]

It certainly will not hurt too much to try it for $12, but we no longer find that the full price membership is worthwhile. On our recent 6 weeks of camping in NY, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania we stayed at only 1 Good Sam park, discount $3 (10%). We now run into AARP discounts more often than ones from Good Sam, and since Bob now has the Golden Age passport we have even more reason to stay at national parks and US government sites.

We do, however, have and like the Good Sam roadside assistance plan, it covers all cars, RVs or Airstreams and drivers in the family. When renewing last February I was told that the basic Good Sam membership was not a prerequisite for roadside assistance as I had previously assumed so I think I'll cancel our membership and see if we can get a little money back.

[Cracker]

Originally Posted by BDandTTs

We do, however, have and like the Good Sam roadside assistance plan, it covers all cars, RVs or Airstreams and drivers in the family. When renewing last February I was told that the basic Good Sam membership was not a prerequisite for roadside assistance as I had previously assumed so I think I'll cancel our membership and see if we can get a little money back.

I've been on the Good Sam roadside assistance plan for several years now without subscribing to the membership plan. Fortunately, I've never had to use the roadside assistance - but we maintain it because it is the only plan we found that covers trailers, along with the tow vehicle and other owned vehicles.

[moosetags]

You get a lot more for your money with Good Sam than with WBCCI, and we belong to both. We just re-upped our Good Sam membership for another three years. Their HIGHWAYS magazine is much more informative than teh BLUE BERET.

[ibgl6]

I have been a Life Time member since 1999 it cost 300. but I am a member for life I guess?? I have used it at several campgrounds and I read the mags. all the time some of the stories are like your there I also use there road side towing it is extra though they have a really great web site with a trip planner and a campground locater check it out they also publish a book yearly?? with names of volenteers willing to help others ..

[Relentless]

For 12 bucks, do it. On the West Coast many campgrounds give a 10% discount, the magazine is good and the trip planner is very good.

The junk mail is obnoxious.

John