# Is Platinum Elite Worth It with DRI?



## csalter2 (Sep 27, 2008)

Is Platinum Elite worth it? 

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Hello,

I am a DRI owner in the Trust and a Marriott timeshare. I have been approached by DRI to go from a Gold to Platinum. I know you get unlimited free upgrades, but is it worth it. I was offered 20000 points for $26000 which is about $1.30 or so. It sounds good considering what I have read here lately as to what people are paying. However, it still seems like a lot. Maintenance fees for the Platinum Elite would jump to $4400/year. It just seems a little steep. 

The only reason I have even considered it is because I think I may need more points when I retire in 12 years and will want to spend more time with my grandchildren. I notice that the number of points to reserve units is becoming higher. What one could get with 30,000 today is less than what it could yet you in the past. 

DRI seems to be creating more opportunities to use the points but from what I have learned all of the Diamond Selections give you little value for your points if use it for that. For example, I looked to book a cruise and DRI were going to use all 30000 points and give me $1500. The stress is on the upgrades. I've tried tried to upgrade using my gold but there was no availabilty each time I tried. It makes you feel as if maybe it isn't worth it. The salesman of course said that the prices were changing and the interest rates were going up as the prices. 


I would like to know what you guys think.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 27, 2008)

csalter2 said:


> Is Platinum Elite worth it?
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> ...




If $26,000 sounds good just to get unlimited free ugrades, then I have some property I'd like to sell you myself. 

Let's look at the obvious first. Are you really going to use $26,000 worth of upgrades? Are those upgrades worth the additional MF's? Are you aware that DRI has been increasing MF's greater than 10%/year on many of it's timeshares?

NO it's not worth it. Especially if you have to finance that purchase. Even if you pay cash that $26,000 would be money far better left in a savings account or even stuffed under you mattress at home. $26,000 at 2% interest would pay you $520/year and that money could be put towards your current MF's and club dues. 

Have you even looked at the resale market lately? You could buy numerous quality timeshares for $26,000.


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## csalter2 (Sep 27, 2008)

dougp26364 said:


> If $26,000 sounds good just to get unlimited free ugrades, then I have some property I'd like to sell you myself.
> 
> Let's look at the obvious first. Are you really going to use $26,000 worth of upgrades? Are those upgrades worth the additional MF's? Are you aware that DRI has been increasing MF's greater than 10%/year on many of it's timeshares?
> 
> ...





Thanks Doug,

I guess I was looking at not just the upgrades, but also the there are no fees for using many of the club selection products such as airline miles, upgrades, etc. I was also looking at the points to use for additional time to stay. However, you are right at $26000 it is costly and the maintenance fees would go up for the rest of my life. 

Thank you for reminding me to use my good sense. I almost lost it. 

P.S. Keep that property you wanted to send me.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 28, 2008)

csalter2 said:


> Thanks Doug,
> 
> I guess I was looking at not just the upgrades, but also the there are no fees for using many of the club selection products such as airline miles, upgrades, etc. I was also looking at the points to use for additional time to stay. However, you are right at $26000 it is costly and the maintenance fees would go up for the rest of my life.
> 
> ...




Points for airline miles et.... are a waste of points unless you absolutely can't use them for anything else. Points are valued at 5 cents per mile. You'll have to do the math on your MF's but, I bet you'll find them in the neighborhood of at least 7 cents per point (or more). So everytime you trade your points for a cruise, FF miles, airline certificates or to help pay MF's or Club dues, you're losting around 28% on the deal. Good for DRI but not so good for owners.

And they want you to pay an additional $26,000 for this convenience or "savings." Who are they kidding! If you need the additional points to use for vacation and you want those points to be in the trust and it's worth $26,000 to you, then that's fine. But if you're buying just to move up on the Elite ladder then you're wasting you money IMHO.


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## pgnewarkboy (Sep 28, 2008)

I am a DRI Club Sun owner and very happy with DRI.  However, it doesn't sound like a particularly good deal to me if you are simply buying to upgrade to the  Platinum elite.  If you need more points anyway, it would be just a bonus.  If you don't need or want the points for any other reason, it doesn't seem like you will get your monies worth.


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## winger (Sep 28, 2008)

Upgrade IF you can use extra weeks of travel in the DRI system or trading/exchanging w/ II (again, remember that costs approx $140 per exchange, paid to II), not for any of the other 'fluff' offered by II (club select, etc.).  As Doug mentioned, use these 'fluff' as a last resort if you cannot use all your points.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 28, 2008)

winger said:


> Upgrade IF you can use extra weeks of travel in the DRI system or trading/exchanging w/ II (again, remember that costs approx $140 per exchange, paid to II), not for any of the other 'fluff' offered by II (club select, etc.).  As Doug mentioned, use these 'fluff' as a last resort if you cannot use all your points.



Upgrade at full developer price? I don't believe there is any way someone could justify buying the additional weeks for platinum benefits and additional weeks if you look at the resale market. In some cases for $26,000 you could purchase 26 (or more) additional weeks. If all a person needed was 3 or 4 more weeks they could easily do that for less than $26,000 pocket the difference and use the interest off the money saved to pay for any upgrades they might want. 

Also keep in mind that upgrades are NOT guaranteed. There are on a space available basis. What might be available today might not be available tomorrow. If you're paying top dollar for a future benefit it would be nice to know that you will not only be able to always recieve that benefit today but that it will be available tomorrow.


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## winger (Sep 28, 2008)

dougp26364 said:


> Upgrade at full developer price? I don't believe there is any way someone could justify buying the additional weeks for platinum benefits and additional weeks if you look at the resale market. In some cases for $26,000 you could purchase 26 (or more) additional weeks. If all a person needed was 3 or 4 more weeks they could easily do that for less than $26,000 pocket the difference and use the interest off the money saved to pay for any upgrades they might want.
> 
> Also keep in mind that upgrades are NOT guaranteed. There are on a space available basis. What might be available today might not be available tomorrow. If you're paying top dollar for a future benefit it would be nice to know that you will not only be able to always recieve that benefit today but that it will be available tomorrow.


Good points.

One issue buying resale is whether DRI will allow these to be brought into his membership to upgrade him from gold to plat.  Assuming NO (this seems the direction DRI is moving, though not sure how successful they will be at holding the fort), the question then becomes how important it is for the OP to upgrade to DRI CLUB plat vs. buying weeks outside the DRI/CLUB system.  For example, one alternative is to buy say $7000 worth of Worldmark points (is it still Worldmark?) and have more vacation time this way. Or purchase two plat Marriott weeks for say about $22000-$26000.

Also, at $1.30/pt, I think this is way under the current going rate at over $2.50'ish/point - I attended a presentation last month and that was what they were offering me to upgrade.  Yes this is still way above say $0.35/pt resale (just an approx # I pulled out of the air), but it allows for easy, guaranteed conversion to CLUB points.


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## csalter2 (Sep 28, 2008)

winger said:


> Good points.
> 
> One issue buying resale is whether DRI will allow these to be brought into his membership to upgrade him from gold to plat.  Assuming NO (this seems the direction DRI is moving, though not sure how successful they will be at holding the fort), the question then becomes how important it is for the OP to upgrade to DRI CLUB plat vs. buying weeks outside the DRI/CLUB system.  For example, one alternative is to buy say $7000 worth of Worldmark points (is it still Worldmark?) and have more vacation time this way. Or purchase two plat Marriott weeks for say about $22000-$26000.
> 
> Also, at $1.30/pt, I think this is way under the current going rate at over $2.50'ish/point - I attended a presentation last month and that was what they were offering me to upgrade.  Yes this is still way above say $0.35/pt resale (just an approx # I pulled out of the air), but it allows for easy, guaranteed conversion to CLUB points.



Yes, it is way under what they are selling the points for now. I have considered it because I wanted the extra time. My kids will more than likely live in places other than where I live so I wanted to be able to stay for extended periods and not have to worry about accommodations so much. I just wanted the time. I also liked the other perks with the platinum such as the upgrades.  

I have been thinking of the cost quite a bit and more importantly the maintenance fees going up. I have given thought to buying some Marriott properties. I could get them resale at much cheaper rates right now. I own one already and really enjoy the quality that I am hoping to see at Diamond. I will probably just wait and see before I buy anything. There really is no rush.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 29, 2008)

winger said:


> Good points.
> 
> One issue buying resale is whether DRI will allow these to be brought into his membership to upgrade him from gold to plat.  Assuming NO (this seems the direction DRI is moving, though not sure how successful they will be at holding the fort), the question then becomes how important it is for the OP to upgrade to DRI CLUB plat vs. buying weeks outside the DRI/CLUB system.  For example, one alternative is to buy say $7000 worth of Worldmark points (is it still Worldmark?) and have more vacation time this way. Or purchase two plat Marriott weeks for say about $22000-$26000.
> 
> Also, at $1.30/pt, I think this is way under the current going rate at over $2.50'ish/point - I attended a presentation last month and that was what they were offering me to upgrade.  Yes this is still way above say $0.35/pt resale (just an approx # I pulled out of the air), but it allows for easy, guaranteed conversion to CLUB points.



At present, there isn't really any way to even buy resale and converty those into THE Club where it would be worthwhile. The last "cheap" conversion was to pay the $2,995 joiner fee to have resale units added to THE Club. How many "free" upgrades would it take before you hit the breakeven point on that number? I believe it would be in the neighborhood of 600 "free" upgrades to breakeven. Keep in mind upgrades are NOT guarenteed.

If the OP can use the points and wants the points then OK. But I think it's apparent that the OP was only thinking about the "savings" involved with being Platinum Elite vs Gold Elite. If those saving alone are the only reason to move up the food chain, then they will never be good enough to make that move. It will always be to expensive to justify.


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