Are you a current member of the Good Sam Club? If you answer yes, are you a new member or have you been a member for a long time? We’re curious!
As we’re sure you know, the Good Sam Club is the largest organization of RV owners in the world. Today, the club has nearly 2.2 million members. The membership costs $29 a year, which will pay for itself quickly if you stay at one of its 2,400+ parks and campgrounds, where you receive a 10% discount. You also get perks such as saving at Camping World and Gander RV & Outdoors (plus free online shipping), fuel savings, trip planners, dump services, and a propane discount. Not too shabby…
So, are you a current member? Please tell us in the poll below. We’d also like to know what you like or dislike about your membership in the comments.
I’m a life member BEFORE Makeus Lemonaidus took it over and ruined it
Like Seann, my husband and I purchased a lifetime membership many, many years ago. About the only thing it’s good for now is a rate discount the few times we stay in a park that accepts it.
Same here. We hardly ever go into Camping World…. almost everything we need can be found elsewhere–cheaper. And 10% park discount? Well, every little bit helps….?
Makeus Lemonaidus IS the reason we cancelled our membership!
Have been a Life Member since when they first started Life Membership. I would not join today. When Lemonis took charge the direction the club is taking is not to my liking and Camping World is no bargain.
Turned out to be an advertiser for Camping World
It came with the RV. and as camping world uses this AND gives a military discount on top, we visit camping world to pick up those little “specialty items” for our RV. Life is too short to hate someone.
Exactly! Too bad we cannot bottle all the energy that goes into complaining about everything.
Did not see an advantage to belong to Good Sam. Never used any parks that gave discount and Camp World are a bunch of crooks and don’t want to support thiem.
16 year member. Prices in Camping World stores are somewhat competitive. I live within 2 miles of a store. I also have used the discount for propane and at campgrounds.
Bought a Lifetime Good Sam’s membership 12 years ago. If we had not made that purchase, we would not be members today. The benefits in our travels do not make it worthwhile.
Life member for many years. I didn’t join for discounts or products, I joined the CLUB. We attend many Samborees and local chapter events.
Before I knew any better I paid for a lifetime membership. That has been 20 years ago and I have yet to get even a small portion of the benefit from the $300 it cost me.
I only have it because I too have a Lifetime membership since 1993. I wouldn’t purchase it today.
I bought a veteran lifetime membership several years ago for 100$. I have saved some money over the years so it was a deal then but I would not pay what they want for one now.
We have a lifetime membership that is over 10 years old, wouldn’t get a membership if we didn’t already have this.
We were members, but hardly worth the cost when we can’t travel. We will join again when the border opens up. Safe Travels and Happy holidays.
Had it first for the campground discounts. Used it at Camping Works when we were a couple hours from one. Had to have it to keep our RV insurance. Then Marcus Lemonis made it clear RVers were simply a market to plunder, we were informed we’d have to upgrade our RA plan, the insurance went way up and we found comparable insurance for a much better price. Never looked back.
I became a life member about 30 years ago when I was elected president of our local chapter. Since Marcus Lemonis bought everything I wish I could get my money back and turn in my membership as it’s as worthless as a weed now.
We are members. We just joined.
I became a lifetime member way back when membership in GS actually meant something. If not for that, I would have dropped my membership a long time ago.
I joined shortly after we got our rv, then quit for years over all the junk mail. I joined the CW Presidents Club to get a discount on a large item at CW, and then they combined that w/Good Sam & I was back in. I use the FJ fuel card & rv park discounts.
Been a life member since 1972. All in all it has more than paid for itself
I am a life member for years now! Love the campground discount and love the RV Plus card discount at Pilot Flying J.
I was a member several years ago. Then I had a flat tire south of Orlando and they sent out a man who didn’t have an air compressor in his truck. He couldn’t help me. So what is the point of their road side assistance? When I complained to Good Sam, they said they only allow their contractors to put a spare tire on the trailer. If the spare needs air, then you are out of luck.
Even WORSE experience! After waiting OVER 2 hours, he came out with nothing more than I had already in a tiny pickup truck with NO WARNING LIGHTS! Then , put the tire on, but it wasn’t on right, luckily we were able to pull off the interstate a few miles down the road out of traffic and put it on correctly. No response from Good Sam on a written letter or email!
We debated renewing our Good Sam (Bad Marcus?) membership and finally concluded that our annual discount at a campground we visit one or two times annually more than offsets Good Sam’s annual fee. We have cancelled all other connections to Camping World/Good Sam/ML, including Motorhome Magazine/RV Life.
I won’t even shop at Camping World. Most of the stuff they have I can get cheaper at etrailer.com or Amazon.
I too took a lifetime membership long before camping world messed things up. I miss the Highways Magazine and the campground guide keeps getting smaller and less useful each year.And I wish the club meeting were still around. I do stay in several Good Sam parks each year but maybe not enough to recoup the high membership price they charge each year. It use to be a great club but not anymore and that is sad.
Ditto Ron: I too am a life member – since about 1994. It is now a hollow shell of what it was and could have been. Meg Ryan did a fairly good job of keeping it informative and useful. Too bad!
I have been a member for 11 years.
We became lifetime members many years ago before CW took GS down. If I wasn’t lifetime, I wouldn’t be a member now. The GS discount at campgrounds isn’t worth the $29.00.
I have a life membership of Good Sam. I sold our RV almost 3 years ago and am not pleased with good sam. I do not like their email and snail mail crap and I will not purchase anything from them.
I was until Camping World ruined it.
Paid for a lifetime membership the first year they were offered. Never dreamed it would wind up like it is now – just a marketing tool for Camping World.
Ok technically I am a member because I bought a lifetime membership the first year it was offered. However the only thing I use is to find campgrounds. I haven’t stayed in a GS park in years.
yup, since 1986,
Lifetime member. Wish we weren’t. Association with Camping World sucks!
Lifetime member
Good Sams was once an actual rv club with many active chapters and events across the country. This included a large national rally. Since Markups Lamoanis (misspellings intentional) bought the rights to it it has become nothing more than a marketing tool for Cramping World, and now Granduer Maintain.
Lifetime membership. Many years ago they had a deal for new members. I wrote email to Marcus L. that we had been paying yearly for a long time, why just offering to new members. He changed the promo and opened it up. Fortunately it has paid for itself by now. We do have their insurance which we had to use and were pleased with how it was handled. Have their Travel Assist program. Use the Flying J rewards card (although not as often since we signed up for the TSD program). Canceled the roadside service and went with Coach-Net. We also used them when they did event trips. Yes, expensive. However, got to go to Daytona 500 when it was impossible to get tickets. We learned the ropes and eventually went on our own. Met some great people we still are in contact with and see a few every year at the 500, including the “wagon” masters.
Life member for 20+ years. Got a life membership for our daughter when she graduated from college (they were offering a great deal). The CW store discount has paid for itself. Also the campground discount has paid for itself over the years. Benefits have eroded over the years and it appears the “club” has been crushed out of existence. And that’s too bad. The local clubs did a lot for the communities they were located in or camped in. A few might still be kicking and doing good works for good causes.
Yes, but only because we must be members to get our “special” rate on our RV insurance. Shopping around next renewal because GS discount is replaced by FMCA and CW is just awful, never shop there. Lemonis just makes me gag.
I was a member of the Good Sam’s ham club and it was just too unorganized and undependable.
DECADES ago, I “bit” at an offering for a Good Sam Club Life Membership. I had not yet started RVing (and would not until 2010). Of course, the GSC has been gutted by Marcus L over the last several years so, my Life Membership is almost worthless now (I do get a small discount when I rarely shop in a Camping World). After hearing several horror stories about the RVs that Camping World sell, I would NEVER buy an RV from them (and also would NOT recommend CW to any other RVer).
I joined Good Sam and did get a discount on a couple of items, but driving 22 miles one way ate up any discount. When we went shopping for a tow bar, we received an $8,000 quote from the up seller at Camping World. We left in shock and went to the dealer where we had purchased our RV. $6,000! Everyone insisted only Blue Ox would fit. A friend has a RoadMaster tow bar, but I was so confused as to what would work, I called RoadMaster. Bought everything from them direct, just over $1,200 delivered, $350 installation at Uhaul. I let the membership lapse.