Av8r
RVF Supporter
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2020
- Messages
- 44
- Location
- Queen Creek, AZ
- RV Year
- 2021
- RV Make
- Newmar
- RV Model
- Superstar
- RV Length
- 40’
- Chassis
- Freightliner
- Engine
- Cummins L9
- TOW/TOAD
- Jeep Gladiator
- Fulltimer
- No
I’m not sure whether I’m more disappointed in Michelin, or in CoachNet, so I’m going to go with my default position and blame all of this on my wife.
Last Wednesday we left suburban Phoenix to take the grandkids to see the sights in South Dakota. Nearing the New Mexico border on everyone’s favorite highway, I-40, we had a steer tire blow. I’m 99 percent sure that I did not hit a pothole or any sort of road hazard; I think the tire just came apart. It’s only 4 years old, has always been in an airconditioned garage, has only 25000 miles on it. I had just checked/adjusted pressures that morning, and my TPMS did not give any prior notice.
I am now even more of a believer in the Super C, as the actual failure was pretty much a non-event as far as drama goes. The initial reaction did take me into the other (left) lane, but not violently so, and letting off the gas allowed me to coast to the right shoulder with no problem. I was, however, driving on the rim as the tire was virtually gone.
But now, at roughly 2:30 pm, I’m obviously in need of some help. I called CoachNet and they started searching for a tire and a mobile tech. Now the issues start, as the tire is pretty big – 315/80 R22.5. Nobody stocks them. Communication was definitely lacking, as Coachnet assured me that they’d call every 20 minutes or so, and instead I had to call them about every hour to check on progress. Each time, I of course wound up with a different operator who had to be filled in on the situation.
Nearing sunset, I learned that at some point the decision was made to stop looking for a tire and instead tow me to a safe location where the tire could be replaced. Coachnet determined this to be the Love’s in Gallup, about 25 miles away. I was unaware of this decision until I called them, but as it was nearing dusk such a plan seemed reasonable. But I did ask that they send a lowboy tow vehicle to avoid damaging the rear of the RV. By 10:00pm they had located only one, and in their estimation, the price was too high, so they continued to look elsewhere.
At midnight, with me still next to the highway ( I had long since sent Grandma and kids to a hotel in the Toad), they told me they were giving up and would resume phone calls in the morning.
Keep in mind that the situation is NOT that there is no tow available. There is one; it just costs more than they want to pay! So, I called the tow company and paid for it myself. Towed it to Love’s, where we were told “We don’t work on RVs.” WHAT? The place that Coachnet determined to go was never going to help anyway?
Fortunately, there was a T/A at the same exit and they were willing to help. Next morning I called all the local shops and was unable to find the tire, so I used the interwebs to have two Toyos shipped in. Took several days, during which we all drove the toad back home to Phoenix. Got the tires installed on Sunday and drove the coach back home. Saga is now over except that the trip is delayed indefinitely while the wife and I recover from the Covid that we contracted somewhere along the way!
Bottom line is that I’m not happy with Coachnet. I understand wanting to save money, but at some point I want them to bite the bullet and pay what is necessary to get me off the side of the road.
Last Wednesday we left suburban Phoenix to take the grandkids to see the sights in South Dakota. Nearing the New Mexico border on everyone’s favorite highway, I-40, we had a steer tire blow. I’m 99 percent sure that I did not hit a pothole or any sort of road hazard; I think the tire just came apart. It’s only 4 years old, has always been in an airconditioned garage, has only 25000 miles on it. I had just checked/adjusted pressures that morning, and my TPMS did not give any prior notice.
I am now even more of a believer in the Super C, as the actual failure was pretty much a non-event as far as drama goes. The initial reaction did take me into the other (left) lane, but not violently so, and letting off the gas allowed me to coast to the right shoulder with no problem. I was, however, driving on the rim as the tire was virtually gone.
But now, at roughly 2:30 pm, I’m obviously in need of some help. I called CoachNet and they started searching for a tire and a mobile tech. Now the issues start, as the tire is pretty big – 315/80 R22.5. Nobody stocks them. Communication was definitely lacking, as Coachnet assured me that they’d call every 20 minutes or so, and instead I had to call them about every hour to check on progress. Each time, I of course wound up with a different operator who had to be filled in on the situation.
Nearing sunset, I learned that at some point the decision was made to stop looking for a tire and instead tow me to a safe location where the tire could be replaced. Coachnet determined this to be the Love’s in Gallup, about 25 miles away. I was unaware of this decision until I called them, but as it was nearing dusk such a plan seemed reasonable. But I did ask that they send a lowboy tow vehicle to avoid damaging the rear of the RV. By 10:00pm they had located only one, and in their estimation, the price was too high, so they continued to look elsewhere.
At midnight, with me still next to the highway ( I had long since sent Grandma and kids to a hotel in the Toad), they told me they were giving up and would resume phone calls in the morning.
Keep in mind that the situation is NOT that there is no tow available. There is one; it just costs more than they want to pay! So, I called the tow company and paid for it myself. Towed it to Love’s, where we were told “We don’t work on RVs.” WHAT? The place that Coachnet determined to go was never going to help anyway?
Fortunately, there was a T/A at the same exit and they were willing to help. Next morning I called all the local shops and was unable to find the tire, so I used the interwebs to have two Toyos shipped in. Took several days, during which we all drove the toad back home to Phoenix. Got the tires installed on Sunday and drove the coach back home. Saga is now over except that the trip is delayed indefinitely while the wife and I recover from the Covid that we contracted somewhere along the way!
Bottom line is that I’m not happy with Coachnet. I understand wanting to save money, but at some point I want them to bite the bullet and pay what is necessary to get me off the side of the road.
