Questions for the pros (and a bit of a rant thrown in for good measures)

[Phil&Kim Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Phil&Kim]

Sigh, this is the 3rd year of my timeshare ownership and I still feel like a total newbie.

We bought in November but our week is 33 so in early August. All I know is that on even years we get a week to use but as it’s in Vegas, we won’t use it. So I called to deposit my 2012 week yesterday and was told very rudely that I was late but that for this once they’d still process the deposit. I asked her when it has to be deposited and she said August 1st. I haven’t seen it in RCI yet but I assume that our value will be severely impacted from the lateness of my deposit. I guess I was expecting too much out of the resort to notify us that we either had a stay coming or had to exchange. Needless to say my calendar and my wife’s both now contain reminders for the future.

But that said I have a few questions I would appreciate an answer to :
Can you trade your week for a better week with your resort? I mean Vegas in August is ridiculous… I would love to use it if our week was in any of the other seasons. I assume we got targeted for this crappy week as we only wanted it bi-yearly and as such were a ‘small fry’ to the vendor. (I ran across an old post of mine, I asked this in 2011 and the response was that it would cost me!)

Can you get your deposit to RCI automated? The resort isn’t interested in telling me when I should do this so we nearly got screwed and no doubt we’ll face penalties in our points value. The RCI website offers no option to deposit for my resort, I need to call the resort itself to do so. Is there a better way to automatically deposit without calling the resort such as either sending them a letter?

When are you supposed to deposit your week to RCI? We have it bi-yearly so should I do that January 1st of that year even though the week is in August? How do we maximize the value or our week if we plan on exchanging?

It’s funny (well, not so much funny as depressing), we’re far from stupid people but owning a timeshare constantly makes us feel like idiots. The resort seem to enjoy keeping us in the dark as much as possible and providing no assistance. The worst part is we want to like the whole timesharing concept but every step since getting into this from purchasing, to depositing, to trading, etc… they seem to want to make it as convoluted as possible to ensure you feel helpless and vulnerable. I suspect this is because they want you to contact them so they can pressure you to upgrade or enter in a new commitment? I mean we’ve only stayed at 2 resorts since 2009 as our vacation time is scarce but we enjoyed them greatly, we had huge apartments in great locations that cost a fraction of what a hotel would have cost… so why do both RCI and my resort seem to make such an effort to keep us perpetually ?

The bottom line is I understand we’re likely stuck with this for life but I’ll always kick myself in the behind for not doing my due diligence and falling for the high pressure sales technique of the timeshare vendor!!

Thanks in advance
Phil

[easyrider Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close easyrider]

If you bought a fixed week 33 then that is what you have. Many resorts charge an upgrade fee to switch weeks, you need to speak with your resort to find out how this process works. Depositing your week into RCI as far out as posible will give you the best chance at trades.

Bill

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

The first time you make a deposit to RCI will be a very manual process. After that it does become easier as you have a fixed week. You should get a resort priority to trade back in to where you own with RCI. Of course they will bang you a $199 fee for the pleasure. Depositing as far out as possible used to be the norm. Now there is a deposit calculater to tell you how many Trading Power Units you will get at various timeframes. 10 months is the max out now. Many deposit earlier to get that on-line search started.

[ampaholic Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ampaholic]

The best way to have auto deposit and trade back in at little or no cost is to buy an already converted RCI Points unit cheap. With RCI Points you can reserve back in at your home resort between 11 months and 12 months out for a minimal fee (many are $40 some are free).

For example in July 2011 I reserved the July 4th week in 2012 at Fox Hills (was my home resort) and it was no dollar cost to reserve (but it was 60,000 points).

If I didn't want to buy another unit and wanted Vegas - I would deposit the (next) existing week into Platinum Interchange and get the three for one deal - you get out one regular week, one 90 days Bonus week and one 45 day Bonus week.

You can always get Vegas at 90 days and usually at 45 days also.

[Phil&Kim Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Phil&Kim]

The first time you make a deposit to RCI will be a very manual process.

This was the second, the first had been much easier. I think now we'll do it simply, on January 1st of the year where we have a deposit I will simply have it done and leave it at that. Kind of unfortunate that I'll never use it in Vegas but considering the low cost of hotels there and the quality, it's probably better that way!

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

You need to deposit 276 days before check-in to receive the maximum trade power from RCI for you week. That means if you deposit after the first of the year, you will get 95 percent of your trade power value. To get 100 percent you need to deposit in early November of the previous year. You can log on to RCI, click on Manage Deposits, then look for Deposit Calculator on the right. Just plug in your resort, unit and week and it will show you the tpu number for an August 2013 deposit.

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

...you might also need to pre-pay your maintenance fees in order to deposit it. I have to do this at my fixed-week resort. This requires a call, and probably should be done several days before you deposit to make sure that everything is recorded properly when the deposit is confirmed with the resort.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

...you should also consider using one of the independent exchange companies, especially if you forget to deposit with RCI far in advance of your check-in.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

...you should also consider using one of the independent exchange companies, especially if you forget to deposit with RCI far in advance of your check-in.

I second that. Some of them are:

www.htse.net
www.daelive.com
www.platinuminterchange.com
www.tradingplaces.com

[Phil&Kim Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Phil&Kim]

...you should also consider using one of the independent exchange companies, especially if you forget to deposit with RCI far in advance of your check-in.

That's a good idea... but something happened that I was NOT expecting. My week is actually past and the Grandview threw me a bone (although she was rude like I said) and not only still allowed me to deposit my week for 2012-2013 but RCI gave me 20 points when I expected to get about 5 for being so late (the deposit calculator wasn't working when I tried). It's not much mind you since I believe my full deposit is typically worth ~34 but with 20 I can still find something in many areas.

Are combining deposits a good idea? I have 17 points expiring in 3 days and I thought of combining as then I'd have 37 points until August 2014 but they want 119$ to do it so I didn't bother.

That said, thank you all for replying and providing advice, I should make a point to come here and re-read the answers to what I post every few months so I don't feel so lost.

Ps- I didn't know I had my very own fan here

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

That's a good idea... but something happened that I was NOT expecting. My week is actually past and the Grandview threw me a bone (although she was rude like I said) and not only still allowed me to deposit my week for 2012-2013 but RCI gave me 20 points when I expected to get about 5 for being so late (the deposit calculator wasn't working when I tried). It's not much mind you since I believe my full deposit is typically worth ~34 but with 20 I can still find something in many areas.

Are combining deposits a good idea? I have 17 points expiring in 3 days and I thought of combining as then I'd have 37 points until August 2014 but they want 119$ to do it so I didn't bother.

That said, thank you all for replying and providing advice, I should make a point to come here and re-read the answers to what I post every few months so I don't feel so lost.

Ps- I didn't know I had my very own fan here

Absolutely combine your deposits. Now. Today. You paid maintenance fees for those 17 points. It is well worth it to extend them for 2 years. You can get some mighty nice trades for 37 points.

We see a lot of people that got suckered at that resort. They must have some great sales staff.

[Phil&Kim Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Phil&Kim]

We see a lot of people that got suckered at that resort. They must have some great sales staff.

Not so much great as just the pressure is extreme. I remember stepping in the room, they had dozens and dozens of sales people at tables talking to suckers like us... and if you waivered or showed interest they'd bring in the 'closer' with his/her stack of pictures from resorts they've visited, how they're willing to accomodate your needs, etc, etc. Most of the people there are tourists who haven't done their due diligence.

And I believe they also have plants in the 'video demo' room because a number there say they are already owners in other states, etc. and how they want to buy more because they love it. Only now do I realize that only an idiot would pay full price for a timeshare when you consider there are thousands of people trying to get rid of theirs!

Later on, we got a sales pitch at Atitash Mountain Resorts and unlike Vegas, it's 1 room, 1 person and when we said we had no money, instead of lowering the price 4-5 times he simply said he understood and wished us the best.

I will combine my deposit as you suggest to retain my points, hopefully 37 points is enough to get us something nice in Hawaii!

[ampaholic Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ampaholic]

The difference between a 37 point vacation and a 20 point vacation would be well worth $119 to me. It may not be to you? only you can decide.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Not so much great as just the pressure is extreme. I remember stepping in the room, they had dozens and dozens of sales people at tables talking to suckers like us... and if you waivered or showed interest they'd bring in the 'closer' with his/her stack of pictures from resorts they've visited, how they're willing to accomodate your needs, etc, etc. Most of the people there are tourists who haven't done their due diligence.

And I believe they also have plants in the 'video demo' room because a number there say they are already owners in other states, etc. and how they want to buy more because they love it. Only now do I realize that only an idiot would pay full price for a timeshare when you consider there are thousands of people trying to get rid of theirs!

Later on, we got a sales pitch at Atitash Mountain Resorts and unlike Vegas, it's 1 room, 1 person and when we said we had no money, instead of lowering the price 4-5 times he simply said he understood and wished us the best.

I will combine my deposit as you suggest to retain my points, hopefully 37 points is enough to get us something nice in Hawaii!

You cannot yet see into our exchange opportunity boards. Unless you become a contributing member or have 30+ posts. How does Maui sound Nov-early Dec 2013? You can get that if you combine. Other resorts as well beyond the one I'm referencing.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

Ps- I didn't know I had my very own fan here