Timeshares: Anyone have any experience with them?

I've never had a timeshare or so much as even spoken to a representative of a timeshare company. In my experience, however, it is not a bad thing to be close to someone who has one. My grandmother has something like 500 days of a timeshare in Mexico, and it was easy to transfer to another location last year. My future wife and I are going on our honeymoon for dirt cheap in September, so no complaints there! If you're interested, I would definitely read up on how it works.

 

GF and I got a trip to Vegas for attending a timeshare presentation.

First, the presentation...I went in knowing I was not going to buy. I listened to their presentation, and it did sound good to be honest...simple numbers though, I didn't have the cash up front.
After politely declining, they worked different numbers deals. After declining further, they called in a big gun...he offered more deals. Still declined and he started acting condescending. He finally gave up and directed us to claim center.

We were given an info page with the package options for the trip. Had to pay $100 for any taxes to begin with.

Then...The offer was 3 days, two nights...offstrip...on one of their timeshares.

It essesntially amounted to one full day.
The flight left late at night, and returned early the third day. We paid to extend the days between flights, then pay for luggage, then pay for preferred seating...The flight ended up costing about $400. We got our own room on the strip but they would not credit us any $$$ for not using their room.

The flight was on Spirit airlines...never again. The return flight was rescheduled for an evening flight and spirit put us in a roach motel. We caught a cab to MGM and enjoyed the extra day, but when we got back to airport for the 10pm flight, it was delayed until about 2am.

I wouldn't go through that experience again. Not worth it.

Any specific questions you have?

 

Had a similar experience with "Silver leaf Resorts", which has locations in Conroe and Galveston, among other places. Their pitch was "we're not really where everyone wants to be, but we're pretty close to decent places."

Dude showed me the time share rooms and whatnot, while driving me around in his car. It was a caddi. He was like, "working here, I'm able to afford buying these rooms, and this car." Look at the key chain, and it says "Enterprise". Both keys are on it, and the standard "IF lost, key replacement is $300". I'm not an idiot...no need to lie.

Anyway, went through the numbers game, and I was never really interested, just wanted to see if we could really get the free cruise they told us about (and a $50 prepaid card).

It legit took all day (they said 45 minute presentation) and we got our vouchers for the cruise, but never took it because of the hurdles we'd have to jump through.

Not sure I'd ever buy a time share. Especially the way they talked about it (seemed like a lot of hurdles to just get a room...read the google reviews for the companies).

My in laws have one. Did the presentation in Vegas. Havent used it one. I think they'd pay like $400 a month or something for it. You can definitely save your $400 and just get an all inclusive resort for less in Mexico or somewhere ($400 x 12 months = $4,800 per year). I think my father in law just actually stopped making the payments or something.

I don't recommend them...but the experience I have is only what I posted above.

I do think everyone should go to the presentation at least once.

 

The promotion process can be a pain if you allow it to be. If you're just there for the presentation and have no intention of buying, simply set yourself with a time limit and leave after that. We have done that in the past. If you do plan on purchasing, a couple of extra hours of time should be budgeted during the presentation.

Also, we do own time share and have had great experiences with them. We have stayed in Australia, Brazil, Hawaii, St. Maarten, Mexico, Africa and a number of other places and have never (to my recollection), not been able to get a room at or near the time we want to go. (caveat - our traveling time frames are usually flexible) - but we have also booked numerous trips for friends and family with minimal issues)

The main thing to watch out for is the yearly maintenance fees. They can be very high and they can be very reasonable.

 

I can't imagine why someone would volunteer 8 hours of their time and sanity to try and get a free "vacation" out of it. They have a term for people that do that, it's called "moochers" and they never let them off easy. The rewards are full of blackout dates, taxes and if you happen to miss the window you lose out completely (Cruises)

I've heard the pitch about "How much do you spend on hotels when on vacation", "now multiply that by 20 times in your lifetime" and boom you could have a timeshare you can "own" and pass on to your kids (more like pass on hundreds of dollars of debt).

I've heard of buying timeshares off of desperate folks though. That and now the new thing about instead of timesharing a location you get hotel points instead (that seems like a better deal). No way would I buy one new.

 

8 Hours??? I have never been to a presentation that has lasted more than 60-90 minutes.

 

Moochers...interesting. They approach me, they offer those terms for a few hours of my time, no obligation to purchase, I take them up on it, pay for my upgrades, and they say I'm a moocher? Screw them. Now that I know this, I might just attend another of their sessions and get another weekend vacation. LOL

 

Hey I hate timeshares too, think their a scam but that's the exact word they use.

Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just showing you the way they view people. The sale people are brainwashed to think they are giving people a dream vacation for life. It's like an MLM.

 

Who are you with if I could ask? We bought through Interval International 13 years ago and have no complaints. Had no hard sell whatsoever during the purchasing process and bought through a program wherein we don't use our week (in Williamsburg, VA), we can exchange it and get a second week the same year. Basically, we paid upfront for cheap lodging for the rest of our lives. We've been to Vegas, Atlantic City, Cape Cod, Acadia, all over FL and CA, Colorado, New Mexico, Jamaica, Ireland and Spain. And Williamsburg. Planning to book two weeks in Germany/Austria next summer.

 

Oh shoot....I completely misinterpreted what you meant by your post. I apologize for that. I'll go back and edit.

 

Don't. You aren't buying anything and they aren't going to make you money.

 

If you are very good dealing with sale people I agree it shouldn't take long but some people show cracks and those crack can end up with you going from a presentation, to a sales office and getting badgered by 3-4 managers until you cave and buy or be assertive and just leave.

These companies don't growing and creating new timeshares because they give **** away. 8 hours is an exageration it but still It can be that bad.

 

Bingo. For the first couple of years after we bought they'd call us up to try and upsell us or purchase a second timeshare. I lived in MD at the time and it was only a 3 hour drive and we loved Williamsburg. Two nights at the property, tickets to Colonial Williamsburg/Busch Gardens/Water Country and a $50 VISA/MC gift card. They were told on the phone we weren't going to buy and they said, "Come on down anyway!" We'd go, listen to the initial spiel, reiterate that we had no intention of upgrading or purchasing and were on our way inside an hour. After the 3rd or 4th trip they took us off the call list.

I can't imagine why someone wouldn't take advantage of such an offer. I have a term for companies that do that, it's called "stupid" and I always take them up on it.

 

I've heard a lot of horror stories about Silverleaf. I guess it all depends on the company.

 

I have a buddy who sells timeshares and he clears 10Gs minimum each month. I asked him how he makes that kind of money selling freaking timeshares. His answer.... There's a lot of old people with a lot of free time on their hands but there's even more fools in the world.

 

There's enough timeshare pros/cons out there on the web. If you're determined to purchase one, I think the secondary market might get you the best value. There are many sellers out there whose life situation is not suitable for timeshare ownership who are basically giving them away.

 

I forgot to add that you submit three choices of dates. If they can't accommodate you on the 1st date, they will try for 2nd date choice, then 3rd date choice.

They ask you to jump through some hoops. I really don't think it was worth it, because we had to travel from the RGV to Houston to catch our flight. If you're flexible and laid back, you can get the vaca for cheap. Just understand that they are not going to make it easy, even after the presentation is over.