Good Sam Club offers a Continued Service Plan that covers all motor home components including, in our case, the Ford Chassis. The cost for our 2004 26RSB with a $250 deductible is around $450 per year. A $500 deductible drops the cost to about $345 per year. It sounds like a reasonable expense. Does anyone have experience with the program? I am interested in the comments from other Born Free owners.
On another note, I was refused an extended service plan for our Norcold Refrigerator by Norcold, because the second year maintenance was never performed. I know that I am responsible to read ever shred of paper that comes with the motor home when purchased, but I missed that one. If you have a Norcold and wish to purchase an extended service plan, do not miss that service.
Good Sam Continued Service Plan
Moderator: bfadmin
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BornFree_n_Now
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 9:28 pm
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BobM
Norcold Warranty
The issue of maintenance was directly with Norcold. The maintenance involved cleaning of the burner area, checking the electronics, etc..
It sounds foolish to me to refuse selling a contract when an authorized Norcold dealer could validate the condition of the unit.
It sounds foolish to me to refuse selling a contract when an authorized Norcold dealer could validate the condition of the unit.
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robert
I have found that the Service Plans are generally a waste of money. You pay and pay and when you need them they find some loop hole so that they do not pay.
With a BF, I would suggest you put that $450 a year into a maintenance fund and draw on the fund when you have a situation that you would hope would be covered by the Plan.
I have two cars (98 Honda, 2000 Honda and the 2002 BF) and I am many dollars ahead on never buying the Extended Service Plans.
Just my 2 cents.
With a BF, I would suggest you put that $450 a year into a maintenance fund and draw on the fund when you have a situation that you would hope would be covered by the Plan.
I have two cars (98 Honda, 2000 Honda and the 2002 BF) and I am many dollars ahead on never buying the Extended Service Plans.
Just my 2 cents.
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Mike Jean Bandfield
- Posts: 513
- Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 3:43 pm
Excellent advice Robertrobert wrote:I have found that the Service Plans are generally a waste of money. You pay and pay and when you need them they find some loop hole so that they do not pay.
With a BF, I would suggest you put that $450 a year into a maintenance fund and draw on the fund when you have a situation that you would hope would be covered by the Plan.
I have two cars (98 Honda, 2000 Honda and the 2002 BF) and I am many dollars ahead on never buying the Extended Service Plans.
Just my 2 cents.
Read the fine print on some of the auto plans and you'll be amazed at what's excluded. Many will not cover failures caused by a broken nut/bolt or failures of seals and parts made of rubber. Many also have deductibles.
These plans are not smart insurance. You'll get better odds in Vegas.
Mike & Jean
2005 26' RSS Diesel
2005 26' RSS Diesel
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BornFree_n_Now
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 9:28 pm
Agree, wholeheartedly with the comments made about Service Plans in general, and only use the CSP program when we are about to take a longer trip ~~ 4 plus weeks ~~ then we purchase the protection for the month or two we will be on the road, and when we get back we cancel it and absorb the $50 cancellation fee as just part of the price. Depending on the deductible we choose, this extra protection adds $150 to $200 to our 2 month trip cost, and, if we have a problem, we have the “chanceâ€
Larry & Sharon
2002 26' RSB
Suzuki X90 4x4 Toad
2002 26' RSB
Suzuki X90 4x4 Toad
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Ray'n Mary
Continued Service Plans--Comnparisons?
We too have been receiving--deluged by--those Good Sam CSP ads. We've had same questions that Bob raised, and appreciate his bringing the subject up. So far I don't think I'll bite.
However, I'm wondering how other plans compare. There are other outfits that I understand have similar plans, such as:
--USA Travel Care (used by a full-timer friend of ours)
--Monaco (which he says costs almost half again what he pays)
--US Warranty (does not recommend; he used to use them but they gave too much hassle)
Any of you good folks have any info (facts or hear-say!) with which to make comparisons?
Also, might Family Motor Coach Assn (FMCA) offer anything related?
Ray
However, I'm wondering how other plans compare. There are other outfits that I understand have similar plans, such as:
--USA Travel Care (used by a full-timer friend of ours)
--Monaco (which he says costs almost half again what he pays)
--US Warranty (does not recommend; he used to use them but they gave too much hassle)
Any of you good folks have any info (facts or hear-say!) with which to make comparisons?
Also, might Family Motor Coach Assn (FMCA) offer anything related?
Ray
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Trisha
Pick up a copy of Motorhome magazine, a copy of the FMCA magazine, etc. Read the letters to the guys who fix the problems that most peole can't get reimbursed/fixed. Over half the complaints are about warranties that these companies don't honor.
not worth the hassle or the $. I would put the money away, like was said, and use it when needed.
ONE exception. The stupid Norcold thing. I did my second year service JUST in the nick of time. the last week I had (of the 2nd year), I took the rig to one of their Norcold service authorized places (rip off I thought) and they 'SAID" they did the work. I'm not so sure they really did, the guy didn't even know I had the gas shut off, and claims he was able to light the frig pilot anyway. I doubt it highly.
However, for $40 I got the 3rd year parts warranty. Norcold sent me a letter confirming it.
Why do I care? On my trip to alaska last year, the cooling coils on my 1 1/2 year old Norcold SNAPPED. Dumped the coolant (ammonia, yummm) into the rig. Smell was ghastly. Couldn't even call to get a replacement until we got near Fairbanks, and it would take 9 days for them to TRUCK the new one (which cost as much as the frig///nearly $1,000) to Anchorage. Went 11 days without a frig. Thanks to all the BF'ers and others who carried all our refrig/freezer stuff and my meds. (Thanks George and Sue Boley!)
I am glad I did not have to pay for that new coil unit. I've also had to replace the door unit once, and have a broken nub holding one of the shelves again. Not sure it's worth the bother. it's the tiny shelf on top. there wasn't but 2 small jars in it, but it was laying on top of the shelf under it when I opened the door. Also happened on the Alaska trip
After my experiences with that Norcold Frig, I would want it covered by warranty if at all possible. They're just too unreliable. I've seen others with problems here. The warranty for that one item seems to be worth it.
Warranties that cover the lamps on flat screen LCD tv's for 4 years are also a good bet, because they will prob. have to be replaced in 2 and cost $200 or more, plus labor (if you use the set like a home set...all the time). If you go through 2 of bulbs you got your money back, and then some.
They are the ONLY 2 things I would buy an extended warranty for. They are profit centers for companies, and they don't like to pay. But I've gotten my warranty money out of my BF. Luck of the draw I guess. My generator had a bad main circuit board within a year. We won't even go into the leak that cost a partial set of cabintry.
And I dont' do anything with my rig that others don't do to thiers, so I don't know what happened to me this time. I LIKE MY WARRANTY. I will either miss my warranty when it's over, OR everything will be like new.
<grin>
Only partly tongue in cheek. One thing I can say is that I have had ZERO trouble in obtaining warranty service for almost any part. From Born free, or from others, like in anchorage, Corpus Christi, TX, etc. I have had exceptionally good results getting my warranty honored. Carefree of Colorado didn't really want to fix my awning after their people messed it up, but they did.
But that frig. Ouch. Oh, last time I called Norcold, and gave them the serial number for that frig, the lady on the phone read the service history for a moment, then said, "Wow"...I laughed. She was impressed with how much history that frig has with them.
All I can say is that I am owed about ten years of perfectly trouble free RVing now.
Trish
not worth the hassle or the $. I would put the money away, like was said, and use it when needed.
ONE exception. The stupid Norcold thing. I did my second year service JUST in the nick of time. the last week I had (of the 2nd year), I took the rig to one of their Norcold service authorized places (rip off I thought) and they 'SAID" they did the work. I'm not so sure they really did, the guy didn't even know I had the gas shut off, and claims he was able to light the frig pilot anyway. I doubt it highly.
However, for $40 I got the 3rd year parts warranty. Norcold sent me a letter confirming it.
Why do I care? On my trip to alaska last year, the cooling coils on my 1 1/2 year old Norcold SNAPPED. Dumped the coolant (ammonia, yummm) into the rig. Smell was ghastly. Couldn't even call to get a replacement until we got near Fairbanks, and it would take 9 days for them to TRUCK the new one (which cost as much as the frig///nearly $1,000) to Anchorage. Went 11 days without a frig. Thanks to all the BF'ers and others who carried all our refrig/freezer stuff and my meds. (Thanks George and Sue Boley!)
I am glad I did not have to pay for that new coil unit. I've also had to replace the door unit once, and have a broken nub holding one of the shelves again. Not sure it's worth the bother. it's the tiny shelf on top. there wasn't but 2 small jars in it, but it was laying on top of the shelf under it when I opened the door. Also happened on the Alaska trip
After my experiences with that Norcold Frig, I would want it covered by warranty if at all possible. They're just too unreliable. I've seen others with problems here. The warranty for that one item seems to be worth it.
Warranties that cover the lamps on flat screen LCD tv's for 4 years are also a good bet, because they will prob. have to be replaced in 2 and cost $200 or more, plus labor (if you use the set like a home set...all the time). If you go through 2 of bulbs you got your money back, and then some.
They are the ONLY 2 things I would buy an extended warranty for. They are profit centers for companies, and they don't like to pay. But I've gotten my warranty money out of my BF. Luck of the draw I guess. My generator had a bad main circuit board within a year. We won't even go into the leak that cost a partial set of cabintry.
And I dont' do anything with my rig that others don't do to thiers, so I don't know what happened to me this time. I LIKE MY WARRANTY. I will either miss my warranty when it's over, OR everything will be like new.
<grin>
Only partly tongue in cheek. One thing I can say is that I have had ZERO trouble in obtaining warranty service for almost any part. From Born free, or from others, like in anchorage, Corpus Christi, TX, etc. I have had exceptionally good results getting my warranty honored. Carefree of Colorado didn't really want to fix my awning after their people messed it up, but they did.
But that frig. Ouch. Oh, last time I called Norcold, and gave them the serial number for that frig, the lady on the phone read the service history for a moment, then said, "Wow"...I laughed. She was impressed with how much history that frig has with them.
All I can say is that I am owed about ten years of perfectly trouble free RVing now.
Trish