Good sam?? Good riddance!

Widoemaker · 10-30-2018, 12:26 PM

We just joined Good Sam's Club... HUGE disappoint!!!... First off they say save .08 cents on every gallon of Diesel at Flying J and Pilot stations...first stop fuel was $3.39 gallon..after the .08 ... $3.31.... HOWEVER....100 yds down the Rd it was $3.09 at an EXXON!!!! EVERY exit same story!!! ..then..90% of Campgrounds we contacted on our recent trip claimed to be Good Sam's members... We we asked for our discount, they replied... OH WE DONT GIVE any discount!!!! We just contacted Good Sam and are getting our membership cancelled and $$ refunded... It costs us MORE to be members than it's worth.... SCAM.... I guarantee Sam's gets a kick back from The Gas Stations!!!... Good Sam...GOOD RIDDANCE!!!

wags999 · 10-30-2018, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Widoemaker

We just joined Good Sam's Club... HUGE disappoint!!!... First off they say save .08 cents on every gallon of Diesel at Flying J and Pilot stations...first stop fuel was $3.39 gallon..after the .08 ... $3.31.... HOWEVER....100 yds down the Rd it was $3.09 at an EXXON!!!! EVERY exit same story!!! ..then..90% of Campgrounds we contacted on our recent trip claimed to be Good Sam's members... We we asked for our discount, they replied... OH WE DONT GIVE any discount!!!! We just contacted Good Sam and are getting our membership cancelled and $$ refunded... It costs us MORE to be members than it's worth.... SCAM.... I guarantee Sam's gets a kick back from The Gas Stations!!!... Good Sam...GOOD RIDDANCE!!!

I don't use the gas discount as I get a better discount and rebates at other places. But I have never been to a campground that said they were Good Sam and not gotten a discount. Having just renewed for 3 years at $75, and getting 2 $25 coupons to use at Camping world, my net was $25 for three years.. Doesn't take many nights of camping to be ahead of the game. I don't purchase much at Camping world, at least not at regular price, but, sometimes you have no choice and you also get a 10% discount and many times a better price on many items. If you have a different discount at a campground they won't give you two discounts, perhaps that is why they said we don't give that discount, in conjunction with AARP or AAA or whatever..

Sorry you found it not worth while, but, we all have different usage and what Is good for one is not necessarily good for the next guy. I really don't care if they get a fee from a gas station or not, doesn't affect me at all. I actually use my Costco card and get 4% rebate on all gas purchases, anywhere.

AKRUEBBE · 10-30-2018, 01:39 PM

There are several good apps for finding the price on gas near you while traveling. One I use is GasBuddy. Also on my RAM Uconnect there is a app to find fuel that gives you both the distance to a particular station and the price. Really helps in finding the best prices. We've found as much as a 50 cent difference just within a few miles!

PlayersZ28 · 10-30-2018, 01:57 PM

I have GoodSam Roadside Assistance. Have never used it so I don't know if it's any good or not. I had the camping card last yr but haven't renewed it. Pilot/FlyingJ are convenient but not the cheapest.

Grumpy · 10-30-2018, 02:11 PM

Never had their gas card because only time I got a load of bad diesel was at a FJ. Started using Shell as much as possible. Used the CG directory and found many CG that gave the discount. Also the duscount at CW used to be good until they started jacking up all the prices.

RipinSC · 10-30-2018, 02:27 PM

I have used it many times and always got my discount. I always look for a Good Sam campground first. We went out west for 6 weeks last year and used it most of the time. I also use the pilot discount allot when traveling. They normally have enough space for big rigs to maneuver. I also just signed up for the 3 extra years and received the $50 coupons.

Pfflyer · 10-30-2018, 02:37 PM

Before I canceled my membership because of the CEO, I got my money's worth out of it. Even got a discount from a non GS campground once. Now if we aren't staying at a State Park we stay at KOA's and use there discount. Never been to a KOA that wasn't nice and what I consider first class but I cant say that for every GS member campsites I stayed at.

RedHorse1 · 10-30-2018, 03:59 PM

It seems that the truck stops diesel (using the semi pumps) is more expensive. At 39’ I use them for almost all my fuel stops when towing to make sure I don’t have any entry/exit issues but I try to gauge my stops so I arrive at the CG needing fuel which I can buy based on price. I also get fuel the night before departing.
For whatever reason I buy fuel at a flying J very seldom so the discount isn’t a factor. I’ve found RVParkReviews will sometimes show a CG is a GS member when they aren’t but if they are a GS member I’ve had no problems getting my discount.
After spending time in Fort W visiting the Mouse I find the thought of paying $0.10 more per gallon for fuel no big deal.

Jayco Rich · 10-31-2018, 07:39 AM

Sorry you were disappointed.
I only use the gas discount at Flying J when I'm hooked to the 5th wheel. I once was at the first pump of a Station, when I was at the cash register paying for snacks I looked out to see that if I pulled threw I would have taken everything off the roof because of the low clearance.
I've never had a problem getting the discount at a GS campground.
With CW only a couple miles away I save a lot of money on all my propane.
They honor the internet sales prices at the store, so some things are cheaper there.
It doesn't work for everyone but it works for me.

Jim Smyth · 10-31-2018, 09:19 AM

I save money with my Good Sams card plain and simple and it pays for itself. Also a discount is a discount. I like and look for flying J. Huge lots for my set up and foods usually pretty good. YMMV

RAurand · 10-31-2018, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim smyth

i save money with my good sams card plain and simple and it pays for itself. Also a discount is a discount. I like and look for flying j. Huge lots for my set up and foods usually pretty good. Ymmv

yep, me too!

rollingrockTX · 11-07-2018, 01:52 PM

I too dislike GS and will never use them again nor will I step foot in a CampingWorld.

I have never met a company who spends as much money as they do on sending junk mail, renewals...it almost seems like they want to confuse people so they get all their various services.

I'll stop my rant there.

Forelyndogs · 11-07-2018, 02:34 PM

We've found that Flying J's often have the best entrance and exit for RV's as well as a specific island for RV's. (Not that those islands are not being used by non RV's, but the idea is good.) We are Life Members of Good Sam, became so when it was still primarily a campground discount and help your neighbor organization. Once they were bought by Camping World they have become mostly an org dedicated to selling services and stuff. CW may not always be the best place to buy stuff but they can be a godsend when you need them and they are easy to find. I have never not gotten a GS discount at a CG, but there are plenty of other discount programs available.

Mopar_Earl · 11-07-2018, 02:50 PM

Add me to the dislike list. I only ever got a discount once in all the years I was a member. It wasn't even much of a discount. They were consistently sending me mail and emails to sign up for their other services. I mean they spent hundreds of dollars a year on sending me that crap. Then they sold my email and I get loads of crap email thinking I'm a senior when I'm not.
Camping world use to be nice and good prices. Now they seem to have the highest prices. I haven't bought anything online from CW in many years. Now I order online from Amazon, PPl and a couple other places that have better prices and faster and usually free shipping. My membership expires in a couple months. After probably 15 years I won't be renewing.

Earl

ifallsguy · 11-07-2018, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Widoemaker

We just joined Good Sam's Club... HUGE disappoint!!!... First off they say save .08 cents on every gallon of Diesel at Flying J and Pilot stations...first stop fuel was $3.39 gallon..after the .08 ... $3.31.... HOWEVER....100 yds down the Rd it was $3.09 at an EXXON!!!! EVERY exit same story!!! ..then..90% of Campgrounds we contacted on our recent trip claimed to be Good Sam's members... We we asked for our discount, they replied... OH WE DONT GIVE any discount!!!! We just contacted Good Sam and are getting our membership cancelled and $$ refunded... It costs us MORE to be members than it's worth.... SCAM.... I guarantee Sam's gets a kick back from The Gas Stations!!!... Good Sam...GOOD RIDDANCE!!!

When we travel, we always use one of two apps (sometimes both):

Fuel pricing available through my vehicle's Sync 3 system. Yes, it is only as accurate as whatever source they use, but I find it to be relatively accurate.

(state name)gasprices.com - again prices are as accurate as their source. However, you can plug in specific cities (such as Albany, GA or Casper, WY) and get what pricing they have data on.

Both methods let me choose the fuel type (gas or diesel) and give me a very good idea of what to expect for fuel pricing. And both will route you to a station, if you don't know where it is.

As for the discounts with GoodSam's, honestly about 75% of the time, when we are traveling, prices can be the cheapest or close to it before discount. Also, you need to take into account how far out of your way you are willing to go to save 1 or 2 cents a gallon. 5 miles off the interstate for a couple of cents savings has never made sense to me, especially when hauling a TT.

As a disclaimer: I was given membership in GS until 2022 when we purchased our TT in 2016.

memphis02 · 11-07-2018, 03:53 PM

I, not only use my GS discount, but also have the Pilot/FJ fuel card and end up saving, I believe 12 cents over advertised price. Having a 40' Seneca and typically towing a 20' Enclosed trailer, we're as long as most semis and must fuel from both sides; which means I'm going to have to stop at a travel center where prices are going to be higher than your average filling station, anyway.

Having the fuel card allows me to skip a trip into the travel center, wait for someone to help me, perform mental math on (gallons needed * credit price) + (def * price), wade back through the diesel spills and oil puddles, etc. Instead, I jump out, swipe my card, enter a pin and fuel. -I'm normally done filling before my siberan husky has found the perfect spot of grass to call her own!

I, certainly, have no love or devotion to any of the involved companies; but for us, it makes life easier, which is our entire motivation for RV'ing in the first place.

**norty1** · 11-07-2018, 04:27 PM

I am a Life Member but a wary customer. I make purchases there, mostly convenience when I need something and don't want to wait. Their GSRS has never let me down.

Their CEO may be a great CEO but he had made a lot of enemies with his attitude about us long time customers who were here long before him.

I might even make a purchase if the price was right but go elsewhere for warranty service. I have not seen anything happening online or locally to make me reconsider.

We get our discounts on fuel from other sources.

PS. You can get off their mailing lists.

Bob806 · 11-07-2018, 04:37 PM

I don't use the Pilot/Flying J diesel either, but I enjoy being a Good Sam member. Their website has a trip planner, which I find useful.

While we tend to stay at state parks and COE parks on our trips, it does help to find Good Sam places on the way sometimes. I think it's worth it to us to be members.

flyboy1 · 11-07-2018, 07:52 PM

Belonged to Good Sams for years, also have their Roadside assistance and had to use it when my diesel pusher broke down and I needed a tow.
While they only towed me about 2 miles, the tow truck had to come from 70 miles away. Long story short, tow bill was over $600, my cost, ZERO.
Brother in law used his as well, lost a wheel while traveling to Lake Havasu.
He called GS roadside assistance and they brought him a new wheel, tire, and hub as all the studs had broken off. It took them 2.5 hours to round up all the necessary items but they found everything, installed it and his total cost was only $235.00, parts only. Used to stop at Flying J's but they are always much higher than almost any other. I know use Maverick, call their travel assistance center and give them my route and what I'm towing, they give me exact locations and cost, they make sure that I can easily get in and out with the rig attached.

RetiredLEO · 11-08-2018, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rollingrockTX

I too dislike GS and will never use them again nor will I step foot in a CampingWorld.

I have never met a company who spends as much money as they do on sending junk mail, renewals...it almost seems like they want to confuse people so they get all their various services.

I'll stop my rant there.

AARP and The NRA would have to be close 2nd's I think they spend more money on mailings and phone solicitation than membership fee's

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