The Popular Camping Membership Many Upset RVers Say Isn't Worth It

It's supposed to make RV life easier and cheaper. But somewhere along the road, things soured. Now, fed-up campers are calling out this once-trusted membership, saying it fails to deliver on its promises. Camping World's Good Sam membership is taking quite a bit of flak online.

Camping World is one of the biggest names in the RV sphere: a retailer that sells motorhomes, travel trailers, and all the gear that goes with life on the road. Alongside its dealerships, it also runs Good Sam, a membership program designed to make RV travel cheaper and more convenient. ("Designed to" are important words here!). Members get discounts on campgrounds, fuel, and propane, along with perks like free shipping and rewards points at stores. RVers can also buy roadside assistance from Good Sam, making it a complete package. It sounds great on paper. However, not everyone agrees that the savings live up to the hype.

In the r/RVLiving subreddit, campers have voiced a stream of complaints. One is that the gear sold by Camping World is available cheaper elsewhere with similar quality, making collecting points and access to discounts feel, well, pointless. Another gripe is that fuel discounts are limited to Pilot Flying J locations. While present in 44 states, it may not always be easy to find a Pilot when you need one, as they're few and far between in certain areas. Even if you do find a convenient stop, fuel might be cheaper at other local gas stations, as one poster points out in Facebook's RV Lifestyle Group page.

On the plus side, campground discounts can make the memberships worth it for frequent travelers. Over 2,000 RV parks and campgrounds participate in the scheme, so for those who regularly stay at private sites, a 10% discount on each for just $39 per year is a good deal. However, with so many affordable camping spots on BLM land, many RVers simply skip private campgrounds entirely.

Good Sam's roadside assistance earns mixed reviews, so RVers may want to err on the side of caution. Complaints on the Better Business Bureau site and in the r/RVLiving subreddit include long wait times, shifting ETAs, poor communication during active breakdowns, and simply not receiving the assistance expected to get back on the road. Roadside rescue service makes a trip less stressful, so being unsure if yours is going to show up isn't ideal.

Adding to the frustration, many customers say cancelling memberships isn't easy. Common complaints include having a subscription auto-renewed without realizing it, or finding charges continued to be debited after cancelling. For a service built on the promise of worry-free travel, it seems some members are finding the experience more stressful than it's worth.

For some RVers, Good Sam still makes sense, especially those who stay often at private campgrounds or shop regularly or exclusively at Camping World. But for travelers who look to maximize their budget on a road trip via boondocking and cheap fuel, or already have a reliable roadside assistance program, the membership may not be worth it.