# Are there still six collections of Diamond resorts?



## JohnRig (Apr 8, 2016)

Hey all, 

I'm trying to figure out which collection of Diamond I should buy into resale and I was wondering, are there still only six collections? The TUG FAQ post by  Bill4728 hasn't been updated for about a year now and it says six or seven but then only lists six. I tried calling Diamond about this, but they just keep transferring me to different departments and won't answer my question!  Can anyone help?

Thank you!


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## Michael1991 (Apr 8, 2016)

Diamond manages nine collections:

• the Diamond Resorts U.S. Collection 
• the Diamond Resorts Hawaii Collection 
• the Diamond Resorts California Collection 
• the Premiere Vacation Collection 
• the Monarch Grand Vacations 
• the Diamond Resorts European Collection 
• the Diamond Resorts Latin America Collection 
• the Diamond Resorts Mediterranean Collection 
• Club Intrawest


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## jeffrapp (Apr 12, 2016)

*DRI Collections*

I currently own 15,000 points, bought over several years, in the California Collection, which makes me a silver member. I am vacationing at the Sedona Summit. I had no intention of purchasing more points. I attended an event and presentation for the freebies and the "update", which actually was informative and low key. 
I raised the question myself about the limitations of the California collection, which is no longer sold, but still exists. I was told it only includes a few resorts. The downside is that there are many fewer "home resorts", thus fewer opportunities for the 13 month reservation window. Also, there are fewer members, thus increasing the exposure to increased maintainence fees or assessments. 
Should I ever want to sell it, I assume it would be much less attractive to a potential buyer than 15,000 points in the US Collection.
I was shown a form I apparently signed a couple of years ago, declining an opportunity to buy 2,500 points at the then going rate (around $4 a point), which would have also transferred all my points into the US Collection. 
I asked if it was still possible for me to do it. At first they said no, then made a big show of getting the document I signed, discovering that it was not done properly, then getting permission from a higher authority to allow me to do it. 
The agent had originally intended to try to get me to buy 15,000 more points, at the going rate of about $8 per point, in order to advance me into the exalted realm of gold membership. I did not want any more points, although I do use them every year. Of course, I do not enjoy the maintainence fees, which would rise by about $500 with 2,500 extra points. 
My question is, does it seem sensible to buy the extra 2,500 points at $4 per point, primarily to move from the California Collection to the US Collection? Of course, I will also have more points, but that is only a secondary benefit. The down side is the purchase (although it is at a lower price than the current rate), and the increased MF's. 
Thanks in advance for prompt answer. I believe I have a few days in which to rescind the contract.


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## tschwa2 (Apr 12, 2016)

I would not spend $10,000 to buy 2500 points which you don't want in order to change your collection.  The resale value of what you have now is probably $0.  The resale value after this transaction is probably $0.  DRI strips so much value upon resale  and has fairly high MF's.  Many have spent the $250 or $299 per contract this year to get DRI to take back their fully paid points contract.


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## Michael1991 (Apr 12, 2016)

jeffrapp said:


> My question is, does it seem sensible to buy the extra 2,500 points at $4 per point, primarily to move from the California Collection to the US Collection?



As far as I can tell this purchase would give you an extra 3 months for your reservation window. That would not be worth $10,000 to me. Are you having problems making reservations in the 10 month window? Hawaii Collection owners also have only a 10 month window into the US Collection locations, and I've not seen complaints about availability problems. 



jeffrapp said:


> Also, there are fewer members, thus increasing the exposure to increased maintainence fees or assessments.



I don't think this is the case. Your collection is responsible only for the weeks it owns, and other collections also own weeks at your home resorts.



jeffrapp said:


> Should I ever want to sell it, I assume it would be much less attractive to a potential buyer than 15,000 points in the US Collection.



This is probably true, but I wouldn't pay $10,000 to eliminate it. At some future date you could give-away your points with an offer to pay as much as two years MF, and you would still be ahead financially.


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## jeffrapp (Apr 14, 2016)

Thanks so much to all of you for your help. 
I rescinded the deal. 
They offered another deal for about $6000 for 1500 points, still too much money. 
I would have probably paid $4000 for 1000 points just to switch collections, but they wouldn't do it, which mystifies me. They would still get some money out of it, and made me happy. 
They had me hand write a note saying that I wanted to cancel the contract, they counter signed it, and gave me a copy. It seems too simple to me. Is this the legitimate way of of doing this?


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## clifffaith (Apr 14, 2016)

DRI is real big on having you hand write requests that the old price be offered to you again, or that you are declining something.  Only thing I can figure is that it is a stalling tactic trying to keep you in front of them as long as possible. Lord knows we spent over 5 hours being lied to last weekend (thank you Tuggers, for your input!) before we bought a worthless sampler.  Then we had to write out long hand why we were canceling it when we did so two days later.


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## jeffrapp (Apr 14, 2016)

Cliffaith, why do you consider the sampler worthless?


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## clifffaith (Apr 14, 2016)

jeffrapp said:


> Cliffaith, why do you consider the sampler worthless?



We are platinum members, with points in both the US & Hawaii collections. For five hours we were told we needed to buy 13,000 more points so that our US collection would be platinum in and of itself so that we could move all our points into "the trust" and use all these new points to pay off our maintenance fees by using points for air, car rental etc.  After having the voodoo math explained to us four times we still didn't get what the heck they were saying, so we declined.  Then a woman purporting to be from the corporate office sold us a $3000 sampler package that would get us into the trust.  Tuggers repeatedly told us we were already in the trust.  We went back to the sales office and after trying to weasel word us some more, they finally admitted we were indeed already in the trust.  We cancelled the sampler and got our money back.


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## Michael1991 (Apr 15, 2016)

jeffrapp said:


> Cliffaith, why do you consider the sampler worthless?



I'm not sure why an existing owner would want to buy the Sampler. This product offers points (15000) for an 18 month term. The cost is a bit higher than the annual fees for the same number of trust points. The selection of resorts available for Sampler points is very restricted. And the owner is required to attend sales presentations (two-hour minimum). The biggest complaint that I've seen regarding the Sampler is the lack of availability.


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## TheLatbrats (May 10, 2016)

*A New Collection*

Hi There,

We just arrived home from Cabo Azul. Yes, we did go to an "Update". Their big sales push is the "New Collection Cabo Azul." From what we were told is that Cabo Azul is now a collection. I quote, " It is so popular that before long members will not be able to go so it is a very good idea to buy additional points into Cabo Azul. By doing so you will still have your 13 month booking right with the US Collection but now you will also have a 13 month advantage getting into Cabo Azul." They had a sales contract all ready to go with the new Cabo Azul Collection name on it. Since we were hit by three reps all saying the same thing I would think it is a go.

Now where have I heard similar words before? Let me think. Hmmm could it be while attend an "Update" at Kaanapali Beach Club?


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## geist1223 (Aug 21, 2019)

Every time I look there is available Units at Cabo Azul. I frequently get emails from DRI offering me Cabo Azul at half off on the Points.


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