# SFX - Wow



## g4fishing (Jun 28, 2016)

SFX came through with an exchange into the Sloane Garden Club in London.  Got a 1br for later this summer. Pretty excited to get it.


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## ronandjoan (Jun 28, 2016)

*We got a good summer exchange from them too*

Pacific Shores on Vancouver Island last week.  It was fabulous, a 2 br with a great ocean view.
Then they got us a Hawaii week at Kingsland next April in the exact week we needed . Their VC's have been so good .


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## franks01 (Jun 28, 2016)

Are you guys diamond AFC members?

I can't decide whether to deposit my grandview Las Vegas unit with SFX or wait for DAE to find a match before I deposit. I would be SFX gold member...


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## presley (Jun 28, 2016)

I am thinking about doing the 5 Diamond membership with SFX because of Interval's recent upgrade fee charges. I have something I need to deposit somewhere. It was going to go to Interval because I get my best trades there, but usually I end up getting a 2 bedroom instead of a one bedroom, not because I want to, but because that is all there is available. The upgrade fee in SFX is wiped out for Diamond members and the overall cost of a 5 year membership is cheaper in SFX than Interval.


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## klpca (Jun 28, 2016)

ronandjoan said:


> Pacific Shores on Vancouver Island last week.  It was fabulous, a 2 br with a great ocean view.
> Then they got us a Hawaii week at Kingsland next April in the exact week we needed . Their VC's have been so good .



They got us a Kingsland week for late April as well. I was pretty stoked because I needed one of two specific dates. I haven't upgraded yet so I had to pay a hefty exchange fee ($209) as I recall, but it was so worth it to not have to search and search. I was able to book my cheap airfare this weekend.

The best perk of SFX is the outstanding customer service (I spoke with Maggie this time), but I am so spoiled with getting two trades for most of my RCI deposits, or getting an AC from Interval. The bonus weeks in SFX have been unusable for me - so it's always a straight across trade. I keep a spreadsheet of my exchanges and calculate the cost per night on all of my trades, and SFX has definitely been the most expensive of all of the companies so I don't use them all that much, but maybe I will look at the Diamond membership going forward.


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## Tahiya (Jun 28, 2016)

*limited inventory and locations*

I've tried to provide another perspective previously, and will repeat here.  

Based on others' reports, SFX seems to work well for specific locales.  Those seem to be Mexico, Hawaii, NY, and maybe London.  We didn't request those.  Of 3 deposits we made with them, we got:  1. a serious downgrade in season, (but also a bonus week for $400 that we gave to friends so they could join us on vacation in Napa.)  2.  a last minute exchange to somewhere we didn't really want at an inconvenient time--taken just to avoid losing the already extended week, and 3. We are still waiting on a match for the third deposit.  Between the first two deposits, we will have gotten 7 nights of use, plus we gave friends 9 nights we couldn't use.

While awaiting matches, we always had several ongoing searches, often requested a year out, and we kept updating them as time passed and nothing came through.  It's been a lot of effort and money for little return.   In case you wonder, we requested mainly Oregon and Southern California (but also Canada, and Az). Often, but not always, we were looking for a couple specific resorts and a limited timeframe, which is not what SFX recommends.  Some were fall, some winter, and some spring or summer, so not always high season.  At least 4 times we got our request matched first by II or RCI, so we changed our requests with SFX.


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## jackio (Jun 28, 2016)

The first week I ever deposited with SFX expired and I let the account lay dormant for years.  Then I tried again, and they came through with Manhattan Club for next week (4th of July week) for us.  I will definitely try them again.


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## dominidude (Jun 28, 2016)

As a Diamond SFX member you can request without depositing. That's what I do at all the exchange companies, I dont deposit anymore hoping that something will come through, I do a request first OGS.


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## Ken555 (Jun 28, 2016)

This thread is making me rethink SFX. Does anyone know how well SDO pulls with them?


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## presley (Jun 28, 2016)

Ken555 said:


> This thread is making me rethink SFX. Does anyone know how well SDO pulls with them?



They used to have a grid that showed you the the highest demand stuff. I always deposited based on that, but I don't know my way around their new website. If you mess around with it, you might find it. 

The current online deposit offer shows it expired in May. I called today and asked what I would get if I deposited my week for November 2016. I was offered the extension on my unused deposit (been extended for free many times and now goes out to 2020, lol) and a bonus week (like an AC in Interval) that expires in 12 months. Plus, of course 2 years to use my newly deposited week. 

I went ahead and did the 5 year Diamond membership for $399, which is about $80/year for the membership. That lowers my exchange fee to $149 and the size upgrades are free as are guest certificates. There are other travel benefits, which I won't use, but the cost of the membership and exchange fees are the lowest out of the other exchange companies that I use (RCI, II, GPX). Maybe I shouldn't post that because if they see that, they will raise their rates.


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## GrayFal (Jun 28, 2016)

g4fishing said:


> SFX came through with an exchange into the Sloane Garden Club in London.  Got a 1br for later this summer. Pretty excited to get it.



How far out did you get this exchange?

Thx


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## Sandy VDH (Jun 28, 2016)

I would assume they just got a match recently.  Sloan Gardens does show up in SFX, but most of the time it is within 60 days from checkin or less.  

I don't have an ongoing request, so I do not know what OGS yield with SFX.


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## ronandjoan (Jun 29, 2016)

klpca said:


> They got us a Kingsland week for late April as well. I was pretty stoked because I needed one of two specific dates. I haven't upgraded yet so I had to pay a hefty exchange fee ($209) as I recall, but it was so worth it to not have to search and search. I was able to book my cheap airfare this weekend.



What was your airfare.. I am continually checking since I could book any time now.. But the cheapest to KIA seems to still be in Nov as time goes by.. $479 today from Seattle. Via Hawaiian


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## g4fishing (Jun 30, 2016)

I put in the request in early February so I thought that the chance of a match was pretty slim.  Pleasantly surprised when we got it.


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## Sugarcubesea (Jul 2, 2016)

Ken555 said:


> This thread is making me rethink SFX. Does anyone know how well SDO pulls with them?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



Ken,

I was just thinking the same thing, I might move my SDO over to SFX...If anyone deposits there's let us know how it goes....thanks


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## JuliGee (Jul 18, 2016)

*SFX came through again!*

We're are thrilled! Got a call from SFX today, they came through with an exchange into the Hilton Hawaiian Village two bedroom unit for the Thanksgiving Week!!! We put the request in about 3 weeks ago. 

Oahu is our favorite island. We don't hang out in Waikiki during the day, we go to either the North Shore or Kailua and Lani Kai. 

Kudos to SFX !!!!

Juli


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## Ken555 (Jul 20, 2016)

Sugarcubesea said:


> Ken,
> 
> I was just thinking the same thing, I might move my SDO over to SFX...If anyone deposits there's let us know how it goes....thanks



I became a Diamond SFX member yesterday and deposited my SDO (as two 1-bed units). Made a couple advance requests for 2017 and 2018, will be looking for others as well, and will post my results when it happens.


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## Sugarcubesea (Jul 20, 2016)

Ken555 said:


> I became a Diamond SFX member yesterday and deposited my SDO (as two 1-bed units). Made a couple advance requests for 2017 and 2018, will be looking for others as well, and will post my results when it happens.



Ken,


Thank you for the information, I’m going to probably deposit my SDO there next year….thanks for the info, it’s very much appreciated.


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## Quimby4 (Jul 20, 2016)

I am new to SFX and signed up for the trial Diamond Membership. I am hesitant to join for 3 years and deposit any of my weeks. 

I am looking at Maui Summer 2017 to see if there is any chance of securing Marriott, Westin or Kaanapali Beach Club. Any thoughts?

Thx


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## tschwa2 (Jul 20, 2016)

What would you be depositing and what size where you looking to get?


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## Quimby4 (Jul 20, 2016)

tschwa2 said:


> What would you be depositing and what size where you looking to get?



Right now I have a Marriott DSV Studio May 2017 available, soon I will have a Riviera Beach Spa 2 bedroom avail


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## tschwa2 (Jul 20, 2016)

what size unit are you trying to get?


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## Quimby4 (Jul 20, 2016)

tschwa2 said:


> what size unit are you trying to get?



1 bedroom or bigger
2 adults + 2 teens.


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## presley (Jul 20, 2016)

Quimby4 said:


> I am new to SFX and signed up for the trial Diamond Membership. I am hesitant to join for 3 years and deposit any of my weeks.
> 
> I am looking at Maui Summer 2017 to see if there is any chance of securing Marriott, Westin or Kaanapali Beach Club. Any thoughts?
> 
> Thx




I believe they would be able to get you Maui, but not sure about the main resorts you are requesting. I often see Maui in online inventory and sell off list, but not sure I've ever seen any of those resorts. You have a much higher chance of getting Marriott and Westin in Interval. 

If you are depositing a studio, expect a studio or one bedroom. If you deposit the 2 bedroom, you'll increase your chance for a 2 bedroom, but season comes in to play, too. 

Your best bet is to probably call in and ask about doing a search without a deposit. I believe you can do that as a Diamond member.


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## Quimby4 (Jul 20, 2016)

presley said:


> I believe they would be able to get you Maui, but not sure about the main resorts you are requesting. I often see Maui in online inventory and sell off list, but not sure I've ever seen any of those resorts. You have a much higher chance of getting Marriott and Westin in Interval.
> 
> If you are depositing a studio, expect a studio or one bedroom. If you deposit the 2 bedroom, you'll increase your chance for a 2 bedroom, but season comes in to play, too.
> 
> Your best bet is to probably call in and ask about doing a search without a deposit. I believe you can do that as a Diamond member.



That makes sense. I also have Marriott priority with II. Any thoughts on Cabo, specifically the Pueblo Bonito Blanco and Rose? Have you seen much availability there? I dont have access to those in II and like that location better than Villa Del Palmar.


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## jdunn1 (Jul 20, 2016)

I would caution you about using SFX for Marriott trades.  SFX works best for Hilton Vacation Club owners unless things have changed.  Your preference in II is worth more than anything SFX can do for you, in my opinion.  I just do not think SFX gets many Marriott deposits, and probably very few if any of the high end Marriott resorts.  

I once tried to use SFX for a summer Marriott Myrtle beach or Hilton Head week and the best they could offer was one of the inland Marriott resorts in Hilton Head and that took a long time for them to even offer that.  Marriott owners have no incentive for using SFX.  Interval is the best option for trading for Marriott weeks.

SFX is great for NY and San Fran and a handful of other locations including Mexico but as a Marriott owner, I would not work with them.  And SFX is so expensive to use these days.  



Quimby4 said:


> That makes sense. I also have Marriott priority with II. Any thoughts on Cabo, specifically the Pueblo Bonito Blanco and Rose? Have you seen much availability there? I dont have access to those in II and like that location better than Villa Del Palmar.


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## JuliGee (Jul 22, 2016)

jdunn1 said:


> I would caution you about using SFX for Marriott trades.  SFX works best for Hilton Vacation Club owners unless things have changed.  Your preference in II is worth more than anything SFX can do for you, in my opinion.  I just do not think SFX gets many Marriott deposits, and probably very few if any of the high end Marriott resorts.
> 
> I once tried to use SFX for a summer Marriott Myrtle beach or Hilton Head week and the best they could offer was one of the inland Marriott resorts in Hilton Head and that took a long time for them to even offer that.  Marriott owners have no incentive for using SFX.  Interval is the best option for trading for Marriott weeks.
> 
> SFX is great for NY and San Fran and a handful of other locations including Mexico but as a Marriott owner, I would not work with them.  And SFX is so expensive to use these days.



We more than once tried RCI and I.I. for some great places, and they too fell short. So I like many other owners, gave up on them!

I agree with you that if you want to do an internal Marriott to Marriott exchange, because you love the world of Marriott, I.I. manages that program, and gives you an owner priority for Marriott inventory. And if Marriott world is your preference, that is probably your best bet. We have been that route before, and found a degree of inconsistency with the quality of resorts in the Marriott network, and felt it wasn't all that it was cracked up to be.

We are Marriott owners at Newport Coast Villas, and Club Donatello in San Francisco. SFX was actually first recommended to us by Marriott onsite management and owner services. We and a number of other Marriott owners we talk with at the hoa meetings have had good success with SFX. But then again, it depends on what your preferences are.

Our experience has been that SFX has offered us on numerous occasions Marriott resorts for exchange, but sometimes we would rather stay at other properties for a different experience, than the over built high density stucco resort vacation.

We get away for a few weeks a year, and take advantage of sfx bonus weeks, that are far better than II’s or rci’s with regards to pricing and advanced booking like an exchange week. We usually get a bonus week for less than a maintenance fee and without having to buy another week of ownership.

Everyone has their own way of doing their math. I happen to respectfully disagree with your math on sfx pricing, and am not sure what your math basis is them being more expensive?

You may want to read Presley’s post at http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243722

Juli


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## klpca (Jul 22, 2016)

re: SFX math - I use my maintenance fees plus my exchange fees then divide by the number of nights available for use - including nights that come from bonus weeks. I only count weeks actually used. 

For the weeks that we own, Interval has always been the least expensive, followed by RCI, then SFX. This is because I have never been able to use the SFX bonus weeks - although I didn't know that I could do a request on a bonus week. I may try that in the future. In RCI our little Donatello unit will get us two weeks easily, and I can usually squeeze a third week out of it if we can travel last minute. I get about the about the same from my Seapointe unit. Interval has been pretty generous with AC's, and of course there was the xyz program - now Choose 2 - which really stretches the value of weeks deposited with them, plus they have priority for both Marriott and VSE exchanges. 

So I can see how SFX is more expensive for some folks. It's not going to keep me from using them, but I hesitate to give them any deposits because I know that I can get more bang for the buck with one of the other exchange companies.


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## JuliGee (Jul 22, 2016)

klpca said:


> re: SFX math - I use my maintenance fees plus my exchange fees then divide by the number of nights available for use - including nights that come from bonus weeks. I only count weeks actually used.
> 
> For the weeks that we own, Interval has always been the least expensive, followed by RCI, then SFX. This is because I have never been able to use the SFX bonus weeks - although I didn't know that I could do a request on a bonus week. I may try that in the future. In RCI our little Donatello unit will get us two weeks easily, and I can usually squeeze a third week out of it if we can travel last minute. I get about the about the same from my Seapointe unit. Interval has been pretty generous with AC's, and of course there was the xyz program - now Choose 2 - which really stretches the value of weeks deposited with them, plus they have priority for both Marriott and VSE exchanges.
> 
> So I can see how SFX is more expensive for some folks. It's not going to keep me from using them, but I hesitate to give them any deposits because I know that I can get more bang for the buck with one of the other exchange companies.



I do appreciate that depending on your travel habits, some exchange companies can be more expensive than others. But can I ask, based on your travel, how is SFX more expensive?

Also, how much do the AC's cost, and how far in advance can you book them? Can you request what you want like an exchange week, or can you only book what's sitting around in their space bank?

And the same question for the XYZ weeks?

Thanks,
Juli


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## klpca (Jul 22, 2016)

JuliGee said:


> I do appreciate that depending on your travel habits, some exchange companies can be more expensive than others. But can I ask, based on your travel, how is SFX more expensive?
> 
> Also, how much do the AC's cost, and how far in advance can you book them? Can you request what you want like an exchange week, or can you only book what's sitting around in their space bank?
> 
> ...



Well - it depends (of course, lol). But the first big difference is exchange fees. I just paid $209 for my SFX exchange (and I was thrilled in getting the week so I'm not complaining). A Marriott to Marriott exchange in Interval is $129. I am pretty sure that the starwood (VSE) fee is $134. I almost always add an eplus which costs $54 but gives me three free re-trades and extends my week for an additional 12 months. I think of it as cheap travel insurance, just in case we need to cancel. Of course Interval has an annual fee, currently I'm paid through 2020, haha. 

AC's can be tough to use, but I am generally a persistent person, so we almost always use them. I think that there may be AC's that allow you to request a week, but I always search myself. I like to "go shopping" . If it is an AC given for depositing a week, they are easier to use - with those you can search for a full 12 months out. If they are a freebie that is just dropped in your account, it is harder to find something that works for us. The cost for the week is usually between $200-$300. We used one to stay at Hacienda Encantada in Cabo this past April, Grand Solmar in April 2015, and at the Welk property in Northstar last December. 

We haven't been able to use any xyz's/Choose2's recently - we just don't have enough vacation time - but I have used them to give to family members in the past. Those are usually under $200 and are available for the next 90-120 days. 

For our personal situation, I lock off my Marriott and VSE units and deposit to Interval. That is a given. My Donatello unit either goes to RCI or SFX depending on what I need. We trade off using or depositing the Seapointe unit - and RCI gives us enough tpu's for at least two exchanges (we have a summer week to trade). Coronado is a late summer week so not enough tpu's to bother giving to RCI. We couldn't get the time off last year so we deposited that week to SFX to exchange into Hawaii. I'm fine with that trade even though it is a straight across exchange. 

If you asked me what exchange company was most expensive, I would have said RCI, then SFX, then Interval. I was surprised when I ran the numbers. Btw, I did include the membership fees as well as the exchange fees. 

If someone only owns one or two Marriott or VSE lockoffs, and does not regularly purchase eplus, the savings can be pretty substantial compared to SFX - even more so if they are getting AC's for depositing their units. You could lock off a two bedroom Marriott, get at least one AC for the deposit, use a Choose2, and get essentially four weeks of usage from that one week. of course, your Choose2 and your AC week won't be in Hawaii, but they are cheap weeks, so you can't complain.

Some of this will change with the new upgrade fees that Interval added (I believe that SFX already has this, no?). The big change will be the added cost to upsize a studio unit. I think it was an extra $100 unless you have a platinum membership. 

Such a shell game!


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## JuliGee (Jul 30, 2016)

klpca said:


> If you asked me what exchange company was most expensive, I would have said RCI, then SFX, then Interval. I was surprised when I ran the numbers. Btw, I did include the membership fees as well as the exchange fees.



I just got II's 2016 fees off the website. If you take their most basic membership (Not Gold or Platinum), with the best deal being the 5 year membership ($356), that averages $71 per year, plus an exchange fee of$189, that adds up to a total of $260 per year in fees. Over 5 years that's $1,300!

With SFX's basic gold membership (which is free), and an exchange fee of $209, that's $51 per year less. Over the same 5 years, that's $1,045.

SFX is $255 less than I.I. over 5 years (an average of $51 per year less).[

This is on II's basic membership vs SFX's basic membership. I haven't run the numbers on the next level up.

Juli


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## klpca (Jul 30, 2016)

JuliGee said:


> I just got II's 2016 fees off the website. If you take their most basic membership (Not Gold or Platinum), with the best deal being the 5 year membership ($356), that averages $71 per year, plus an exchange fee of$189, that adds up to a total of $260 per year in fees. Over 5 years that's $1,300!
> 
> With SFX's basic gold membership (which is free), and an exchange fee of $209, that's $51 per year less. Over the same 5 years, that's $1,045.
> 
> ...


Marriott to Marriott exchanges are $129 and VSE are $134. We make 4-6 exchanges per year, primarily in Interval, but at least one in either RCI or SFX. (But we are in the process of downsizing because we want to do some non-timeshare travel). It's really going to depend on your individual circumstances.  I use II for Marriott and VSE almost exclusively, which limits my costs. Ymmv. But it's great that everyone finds what works best for them. Lots of choices for everyone!

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