Which RV Club Membership is Best?
For years I have been a member of the Good Sam Club and used the different benefits of the program both at home and while on the road. I was content with my RV Club Membership plan, until…..
I learned that there was another club out there! Thanks to the RVMiles Podcast (if you enjoy camping at any level, this podcast is full of helpful information!) I learned about FMCA (Family Motor Coach Association). Now, don’t let the name fool you. They not only provide RV Club Membership benefits to those who own motorhomes, but they also include owners of travel trailers, pop-ups, fifth wheels, and virtually any type of camper!
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I had been hearing Jason and Abigail, the hosts of RV Miles, talk about their FMCA membership for a long time and I decided to take a closer look. My RV club membership with Good Sam Club was nearing renewal time so this seemed to be the perfect time to do a comparison of the two of the most popular camping club memberships. And I’m sharing my research with you! You’re welcome!
Click HERE to get a FREE pdf listing the results of my comparison!
I think that you should know that I’m not unhappy with my membership with Good Sam Club. I have enjoyed getting discounts at participating Pilot/Flying J stations and Camping World. I’ve enjoyed discounts at Good Sam member campgrounds, and I’ve benefited from their roadside assistance more than once (ironically both times were in the driveway of my bricks and sticks home, but they towed my car both times!)
I just like to know my options. The benefits of FMCA sound intriguing. I want to see how they compare in benefits and pricing. So, here we go!
Good Sam
Basic Membership
- Current membership rates are:
- $75 for a three-year membership,
- $50 for a two-year membership,
- $29 for a one-year membership
- There are often deals for first time members!
- 10% off at Good Sam Campgrounds
- I have used this benefit often!
- 10% off at Camping World and Gander Mountain
- I have used this benefit a few times, but because my home base is several hours away from either store, it isn’t something I benefit from very often.
- Gas discounts at participating Pilot/Flying J
- I use this when I’m traveling outside of my home state of Wisconsin. My state Pilot/Flying J’s do not participate in this discount. Make sure to check if your closest stations do!
- Trip Planner
- I used this benefit a lot in the beginning, but then began to use Google maps to plan my trips.
- Here is a post I wrote about how I plan trips and monitor the weather while on the road.
- Free shipping with a purchase of $49 or more from Camping World, Gander Mountain, and Overton’s
- Directory Discount Book
- Save 15% on propane at Camping World Supercenters
- Be sure to check THIS LINK to see the locations in your state or in the states that you plan to travel in.
- There is only one location in my state which is 4 hours away from my home.
- The only states with more than one or two Camping World Supercenters are California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,
- Supercenters may only offer one of the two discounts (usually only the propane)
- Be sure to check THIS LINK to see the locations in your state or in the states that you plan to travel in.
- Free dump station at select Camping World Supercenters
- Be sure to check THIS LINK to see the locations in your state or in the states that you plan to travel in.
- There is only one location in my state that is 4 hours away from my home.
- Supercenters may only offer one of the two discounts. Many do not offer the free dump service
- Be sure to check THIS LINK to see the locations in your state or in the states that you plan to travel in.
Roadside Assistance
- Platinum Auto
- $99.95 per year
- provides coverage for cars, trucks, and SUVs
- $99.95 per year
- Standard
- $129.95 per year
- provides coverage for cars, trucks, and SUVs
- provides coverage for one towable RV
- $129.95 per year
- Platinum
- $159.95 per year
- provides coverage for cars, trucks, and SUVs
- provides coverage for multiple towable RVs
- provides coverage for multiple motorized RVs
- $159.95 per year
- Platinum Complete
- $239.95 per year
- Includes complete Platinum coverage
- Tire and Wheel Hazard coverage
- Emergency Medical Assistance
- $239.95 per year
Extended Service Plan
- Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
- costs extra
- send for a free quote
TravelAssist
- Starting price of $89.99
- Emergency Medical Transportation
- RV/Vehicle returned to home
- Transportation Home
- Emergency Medical Monitoring
- Pet Care and Return Assistance
- Prescription and Glasses Replacement Assistance
I have carried the basic membership, roadside assistance and travel assist for several years. I chose to add on the Travel Assist when I became a widow so that my children were protected in case something happened to me on the road. Widowhood will make you think about these things differently than you used to! For me, the annual cost is $278.94 for all three programs.
FMCA
Basic Membership
- Current membership rates are:
- one year for $85
- two years for $160
- three years for $225
- Discounted RV Wifi with Sprint or Verizon (Verizon Connect on the Go)
- Verizon Mobile Broadband Plan $49.99/month
- Jetpack $.01 with 2 year contract
- 25GB per month
- Family RVing Magazine
- monthly magazine
- print and digital copies available
- FMCA University
- Virtual RV classes
- Free camping at FMCA Campground
- Stay free for 2 nights every month at the Cincinnati campground
- Anti-theft decal and membership plates
- Mobile App
- Access membership resources
- Track Maintenance
- Keeps Service Info
- Reference Checklists
- Trip Planning
- Tire Savings Program
- Michelin Advantage Program
- Hankook Traveler’s Club
- Continental Choice Program
- FMCAssist at no extra cost
- medical crisis assistance
- RV Return
- Pet Return
- Prescription Medication and Glasses Replacement
- Medical Evacuation
Roadside Rescue
- Motorhome coverage is $159 per year
- Towables are covered for $129 per year
- Free towing
- lockout service
- tire change service
- battery boost
- covers motorhome and additional vehicle
- Spouses and dependents are covered
Click HERE to get a FREE pdf listing the results of my comparison!
If I were to take the plans that are the most comparable to the services that I had with Good Sam Club, the annual cost for an FMCA membership would be $244.00. This is almost a $35 savings per year. Not much of a difference, in my opinion.
So, which will I choose? I think that I might try a year with FMCA and see how I actually use the plan, and then I can update this post with even more information I have learned about FMCA.
Do YOU have an RV Club Membership? Which plan do you have? How do you like it? Leave a comment below!
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