New Not Happy BG Owner

[eyechik87 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close eyechik87]

I truly feel your pain

Dear gprettelt
On Jan 20, 2008 this roll-a-coster-ride started for our family. Yes you did pay more than me (12000 EOY $14,000) but we share the same story. I am not going to tell you that you will get what you want ever, because I am still trying for that "GO SEE DO VACATION" BG sold me. But after finding Jim, and his referal to this site, things do seem clearer,(trust me the water was clear as mud a few weeks ago). I have recently scheduled a couple of vacations at my Husbands favorite place but I am still out of luck on my favorite place.
All of these stories could be an old country song,
I went in for a 90 minutes presentation...They told me I could tour the nation....I was like a little fish on aB i G hook...
So excited to schedule that first vacation that my hands shook...
Only to hang up in complete frustration.
With the words echoing in my ear "No number no reservation"..............

But now since I can not become a song writer I will stick to reading and learning everything I can so I Don't get hooked ever again. I wanted this to be GREAT for my Family. That is what it is all about... getting out there and GOING, SEEING and DOING WITH YOUR FAMILiIES.
Yep we did not have 14000 $ saved up, we financed, but we see it as an investment. I did have to make peace after I screamed, shook and jerked..ect ect ect. I love Panama City Beach, FL my husband loves Gatlinburg, TN so I guess if we can travel to at least 50% of the places we love I should be HAPPY because I am GOING SEEING AND DOING with my FAMILY. Just remember, this year you may not be able to go where you want but start early on booking next year. If you don't have enough points (like us) look for something that you and your family would enjoy and try that location. As for me I still want PCB, FL so I will be on that phone each week just hoping and praying that I will hear YES, Ms. Williams PCB, FL for that wk is available. Until then I will keep hoping , praying and wishing while I look at all the other places I could be go.

I know this is long and may not have been any help at all but I do hope it made you feel just a little better, and maybe my "song" made you

Angela Williams
Guntersville, AL

[gprettelt Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gprettelt]

One of the problems is that Bluegreen does not have any control over World Hotels inventory. While he should not have assured you of availability, he got the sale by getting you to rely on his verbal assurances.

Call the guy up and tell him you need him to make a reservation for you as he said he would. No sense stewing over it on your own when you can make him feel guilty.

Its not just the availability, I've tried moving my dates around and found availability. However, instead of 1,000 points per night, its over 4,000 points per night. He showed us in black and white - for the dates we wanted - that it would cost us only 1,000 points per night. But somehow, that material did not seem to make it into our packet of information that we left with. This goes a little beyond verbal promises.

Believe me, I've called him. I should have put the number on my "Alltel Favorites" because it has definitely been the most often called number lately. Of course, you can't call him directly at the Lodge Alley Inn. All you can do is leave a message. When he has called me back, he simply made more promises that he didn't keep. "I'll see what I can find out and call you back this afternoon." (didn't happen) I haven't heard from him in about a week. However, one of his associates has called me in response to the messages I've been leaving (no more than one a day and no ranting). He told me that the original salesman will be out for an undetermined period of time. I've spoken to him several times now. So far, he seems to be trying to help me. However, I think he is starting to realize that he's not going to be able to do anything either.

If I don't get something today, I'll have to make my next move - whatever that may be.

[willak Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close willak]

Timeshare systems are good for one thing. Staying at timeshares. With my 8,000 points per year I can get two weeks a year in a time share. But I would never waste it on a hotel. Bluegreen is a great timeshare system but sales is their one great negative. You won’t get the sales man to help you, he has already cashed his commission check. You are better of contacting the corporate office.

[gprettelt Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gprettelt]

Sorry to hear about your bad sales experience. You'll have to let us know how it gets resolved.

One thing you can count on from this message board is that we will do our best to tell you the facts about how the club REALLY works. Many of us have found that the key to making Bluegreen work is get good information about how it works and what it is likely to yield. Owners who know that going in are usually the happiest.

People post what they want to do with the Club in these forums and we give them the probability (high, medium, low) that what they want to do is actually possible based on our experience with the Club.

OK. Today I drove to Charleston and spent the whole day at the Lodge Alley Inn trying to get satisfaction. No, I didn't get exactly what was originally promised. I am a very reasonable person. But I left satisfied that they did not get away with telling me outright lies in order to get my money. Furthermore, I hope I have encouraged them to be more careful about the assurances they give to future prospective buyers. Give me a couple of years and I expect to be a happy Bluegreen owner. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to be calling the Boca Bum for another 10,000 if everything works out. Thanks for your support and thanks for letting me vent and thanks for the knowledge and information I plan to gain from this forum.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

OK. Today I drove to Charleston and spent the whole day at the Lodge Alley Inn trying to get satisfaction. No, I didn't get exactly what was originally promised. I am a very reasonable person. But I left satisfied that they did not get away with telling me outright lies in order to get my money. Furthermore, I hope I have encouraged them to be more careful about the assurances they give to future prospective buyers. Give me a couple of years and I expect to be a happy Bluegreen owner. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to be calling the Boca Bum for another 10,000 if everything works out. Thanks for your support and thanks for letting me vent and thanks for the knowledge and information I plan to gain from this forum.

That's great to hear. Stick around here and you will get lots of great tips for using your ownership going forward. Have fun.

[swirg53 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close swirg53]

Salespersons

I have been to several sales presentations from different companies at this point in my "timeshare ownership" career! They will try in any way possible to get you to buy. They will lie and misrepresent, if they have to, but the bottom line is that only what is in the written contract counts.

It would be nice if Bluegreen could somehow speed along the process of a new owner being able to make a reservation. The enthusiasm generated in me at our initial sales presentation where we bought had waned considerably by the time we got our information in the mail. So much in fact, that by then, I had forgotten most of what I had learned at the sales presentation. Obviously, they can't allow you to make a reservation while you are still in your recission period, but of course they also don't want to refer to the fact that you can cancel. After that period of time, there should be no reason why you can't begin to make reservations. At purchase (from the developer), you could be given a temporary membership number that can only be used beginning seven days after the signing of the paperwork or something like that. The reservation specialist keying in that number would realize it is a temporary number and could make a special call to be sure it is valid or something like that. It just seems very do-able.

This would be a good thing to let Bluegreen know about but of course, in the whole scheme of ownership length, that time period is very brief so many do not complain to BG about it. BUT the complaints stay out on the Internet forever!

[Sister Syl Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sister Syl]

I have been to several sales presentations from different companies at this point in my "timeshare ownership" career! They will try in any way possible to get you to buy. They will lie and misrepresent, if they have to, but the bottom line is that only what is in the written contract counts.

It would be nice if Bluegreen could somehow speed along the process of a new owner being able to make a reservation. The enthusiasm generated in me at our initial sales presentation where we bought had waned considerably by the time we got our information in the mail. So much in fact, that by then, I had forgotten most of what I had learned at the sales presentation. Obviously, they can't allow you to make a reservation while you are still in your recission period, but of course they also don't want to refer to the fact that you can cancel. After that period of time, there should be no reason why you can't begin to make reservations. At purchase (from the developer), you could be given a temporary membership number that can only be used beginning seven days after the signing of the paperwork or something like that. The reservation specialist keying in that number would realize it is a temporary number and could make a special call to be sure it is valid or something like that. It just seems very do-able.

This would be a good thing to let Bluegreen know about but of course, in the whole scheme of ownership length, that time period is very brief so many do not complain to BG about it. BUT the complaints stay out on the Internet forever!

I agree with you on the 30 day or more wait. You can get easily discoraged and frustrated with all of it, after being excited when you purchase. If you keep reading these boards it will help you with the knowledge you need as you wait to be able to make reservations. Get out your notebook and start planning your first trip and you will be ready to call when all your paper work goes through.
We love Bluegreen and I'm sure you will too.

[gprettelt Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gprettelt]

I have been to several sales presentations from different companies at this point in my "timeshare ownership" career! They will try in any way possible to get you to buy. They will lie and misrepresent, if they have to, but the bottom line is that only what is in the written contract counts.

It would be nice if Bluegreen could somehow speed along the process of a new owner being able to make a reservation. The enthusiasm generated in me at our initial sales presentation where we bought had waned considerably by the time we got our information in the mail. So much in fact, that by then, I had forgotten most of what I had learned at the sales presentation. Obviously, they can't allow you to make a reservation while you are still in your recission period, but of course they also don't want to refer to the fact that you can cancel. After that period of time, there should be no reason why you can't begin to make reservations. At purchase (from the developer), you could be given a temporary membership number that can only be used beginning seven days after the signing of the paperwork or something like that. The reservation specialist keying in that number would realize it is a temporary number and could make a special call to be sure it is valid or something like that. It just seems very do-able.

This would be a good thing to let Bluegreen know about but of course, in the whole scheme of ownership length, that time period is very brief so many do not complain to BG about it. BUT the complaints stay out on the Internet forever!

I bought on February 17. I still haven't received my membership packet. Owner services tells me that they didn't receive it until March 1 and it takes 30 - 45 days and I shouldn't expect it for another 2 weeks. And my RCI membership will be several weeks after that. It could definitely be improved.

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

I was also able to get my Bluegreen number before I got my card and stuff in the mail- To be honest I don't remember how but I think it was from calling them as well- I don't know if the fact that I was a sampler

I think having been a sampler owner did make a difference due to the fact that they already have your name and info in their system. I don't think that the sales staff has anything to do with it. They make a sale and move on to the next.

I was also a sampler owner and then purchased via resale. Since I purchased resale I did not receive any card or welcome package. As soon as I knew that the transfer was complete (very time consuming) I was calling BG. I had an owner number within about a week. They actually show my ownership date as being the date I purchased the sampler.

As far as RCI is concerned, when I called BG to get my number, they called me back the next day with it.