Help with RCI TPU & RCI Points

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

Oops. Looks like someone answered your question as I didn't read all the way to the end before answering.

As been commented, 46,500 points is not really high in the RCI points world. This is especially so when compared to WC maintenance fees, which I believe are $600+ per year for a 1BR. With RCI points, you are targeting unit point costs to be $0.01 per point.

I can't remember but I believe Winnier's Circle units are sold as fixed weeks as opposed to floating weeks. Where did you get the 51 TPUs number from? Was that you playing around and finding that was the highest or that is the actual value of the week you are buying/able to reserve?

If you kept the unit in its current converted format of RCI points, you would not be able to deposit it in the the future as a week with TPU trade value. With fixed weeks converted to points, from month 13 to 12 prior to your check-in date, you get to decide if you want the actual use of that week. After that 12 mth mark, you are automatically assigned the points. If you say you want the use of the week and then decide at some point down the road, say 6 mths prior to the check-in you want to exchange it, you get assigned the previously discussed # of RCI points. So it is use of the actual week or points trade value, not TPUs.

If you decide not to keep the week in points, then you've given up the converson fee and would have to pay it again if you want to go back to points in the future. If your week truly gives you 51 TPUs, I would say you are better off on the weeks side of things as opposed to points.

I am still trying to understand all of this but basically you are saying as long as I decide between 13 and 12 months ahead, I could use it as a week and get the TPU? 51 is the actual TPU the week receives which the owner told me and I confirmed with RCI. But if I understand correctly, I could use it as a week and get the TPUs as long as it is in that timeframe and before it converts to points?

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

I am still trying to understand all of this but basically you are saying as long as I decide between 13 and 12 months ahead, I could use it as a week and get the TPU? 51 is the actual TPU the week receives which the owner told me and I confirmed with RCI. But if I understand correctly, I could use it as a week and get the TPUs as long as it is in that timeframe and before it converts to points?

No. JW and I were saying the same thing. You only get use of the week if deciding between months 13 and 12. After that, you get RCI points. For trading purposes, you're either in Points (if you leave it converted when you buy it) or TPUs (if you decide not to keep the week converted). You can't have both.

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

To repeat: you can have points or you can have TPUs. NOT BOTH.

For your specific weeks purchase decision I would suggest this:

If you mainly want points for exchanging, then look somewhere else. You are not getting a big number of points for this purchase and not at a great price point. You can do much much better.

If you are buying this week mainly for personal use with the idea of depositing it and exchanging it once in a while, then this week can be decent for you, if you 'uncovert' it, and buy it for a good price. The main thing though is that you are planning on buying it mostly for your use (which includes renting it out).

If you are buying this week mainly for the purpose of exchanging and and want to be in TPUs, then you can do better elsewhere, but it's an ok buy if your buy in cost isn't too high. The TPU price point is on the low side and decent. And if you live in the area and like the resort, it's an even better ok buy since if things ever go belly up with exchanging, you can simply use it yourself.

In summary: if you are buying strictly for points exchanging, walk away. If you are buying mostly for own use, then buy it if you like the resort/week/unit/etc. and get the week out of points (but you don't have to be in a rush to do this). If you are mostly buying it for TPU exchanges then it is a decent place to own and you need to get it out of points as while it's in points you CAN'T get TPUs for it when depositing.

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

If you are buying this week mainly for the purpose of exchanging and and want to be in TPUs, then you can do better elsewhere, but it's an ok buy if your buy in cost isn't too high. The TPU price point is on the low side and decent.

Really? Do you think 51 TPU's for $600 is a bad deal?
Where are there better deals?

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

Thanks everyone! I am glad I waited before jumping the gun. We would use it every other year or so as we are spending a fortune on hotels when my DH attends Comic Con so we could go as a family for the week instead.

I would love to know as well of any good west coast resorts with high TPUs and low maintenance fees!

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

I would love to know as well of any good west coast resorts with high TPUs and low maintenance fees!

I think we all want that! I'll be one better and less picky and it doesn't even have to be west coast. Just driving distance and I would be ok with that.

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

Really? Do you think 51 TPU's for $600 is a bad deal?
Where are there better deals?

No, I don't think it's a bad deal at all. I said it's an ok deal and even a better one if they do plan on using the unit themselves quite a bit. And I will upgrade my 'ok' to 'good'... I might even go so far as to say 'very good' given the rest of the OP's desires**.

But there are quite a few timeshares out there that offer even better price points (in fact, you and I talked about a few privately). But of course once someone starts adding in things like location restrictions then the better deals can get knocked out of contention fast.

**Since the OP says that they would use the unit every other year, and that it would allow them to save money when traveling as a family to this known needed destination, and the TPU cost is good, then this could be a smart buy for the OP.

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

Thanks everyone! I am glad I waited before jumping the gun. We would use it every other year or so as we are spending a fortune on hotels when my DH attends Comic Con so we could go as a family for the week instead.

I would love to know as well of any good west coast resorts with high TPUs and low maintenance fees!

I'm not sure if he still has it but Spence was selling one of his resorts that would fit your wish and is in the same vicinity as Winner's Circle. It's a gold crown, which theoretically means a higher quality resort, so you'd have options with it. I'd touch base with him. He was selling it for a reasonable amount.

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

I think we all want that! I'll be one better and less picky and it doesn't even have to be west coast. Just driving distance and I would be ok with that.

Yours might be a bit more difficult to track down but really not that hard if you're willing to invest a bit of effort. You know where you live; look up the resorts in the area using RCI's online directory; use the deposit calculator to see what weeks give you higher TPUs. You know the max is 60 TPUs so that's the standard you measure against. Check out some resort reviews on Tripadvisor to get a feel if you would want to stay there. Make a list of what you find for resorts/desired weeks and do a search on ebay/redweeks, MSN, etc. Voila!

Nothing a little elbow grease and a few hours of patience and you've got your answer. I'm not going to do your work for you but will tell you how to do it.

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

I'm not sure if he still has it but Spence was selling one of his resorts that would fit your wish and is in the same vicinity as Winner's Circle. It's a gold crown, which theoretically means a higher quality resort, so you'd have options with it. I'd touch base with him. He was selling it for a reasonable amount.

Thanks! I will check with him.
Mleanie

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

Yours might be a bit more difficult to track down but really not that hard if you're willing to invest a bit of effort. You know where you live; look up the resorts in the area using RCI's online directory; use the deposit calculator to see what weeks give you higher TPUs. You know the max is 60 TPUs so that's the standard you measure against. Check out some resort reviews on Tripadvisor to get a feel if you would want to stay there. Make a list of what you find for resorts/desired weeks and do a search on ebay/redweeks, MSN, etc. Voila!

Nothing a little elbow grease and a few hours of patience and you've got your answer. I'm not going to do your work for you but will tell you how to do it.

How is he supposed to do this with BG points? I thought they had a grid that you exchange with RCI. I don't think he can deposit a specific week anymore since they went to the RCI portal.

Doesn't He also needs a weeks account to get access to the deposit calculator?