# Need help understanding rci / daelive / grand sirenis (2014)



## Cadecox (Jun 7, 2014)

Just bought. 5 day period expires tomorrow. I was given 60 weeks. Need information on how I can "book" these weeks with RCI or DaeLive to get other vacations. Not sure if I was scammed.  Can I talk to anyone here ?  Thanks


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## DeniseM (Jun 7, 2014)

Timeshare sales people in Mexico are the worst of the worst - simply put - they lie.  On ebay there are a ziillion timeshares for sell in Mexico for $1 - with no buyers.  There is far more supply than demand in Mexico, which gives it low trading power.  

ebay Mexico:  http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...H0.Xmexico&_nkw=mexico&_sacat=15897&_from=R40 

*RESCIND* - then come back here and do your homework, and give yourself time to make an informed decision with no pressure.  I guarantee that once you do your research, you will run from this deal...


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## Cadecox (Jun 7, 2014)

DeniseM said:


> Timeshare sales people in Mexico are the worst of the worst - simply put - they lie.  On ebay there are a ziillion timeshares for sell in Mexico for $1 - with no buyers.  There is far more supply than demand in Mexico, which gives it low trading power.
> 
> *RESCIND* - then come back here and do your homework, and give yourself time to make an informed decision with no pressure.  I guarantee that once you do your research, you will run from this deal...


It's not a timeshare. It's a weeks program. I have 60 weeks. Flat fee. No annual charges.


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## Cadecox (Jun 7, 2014)

Cadecox said:


> It's not a timeshare. It's a weeks program. I have 60 weeks. Flat fee. No annual charges.


$19,000 for 60 weeks that I can exchange through rci and daelive anywhere around the world. Only a few hundred dollars per week. How can that be a ripoff


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## DeniseM (Jun 7, 2014)

It IS a timeshare - buying weeks is the definition of timeshare.  

Either you are paying a small fortune upfront, or there is a maintenance fee, or a usage fee. 

It doesn't matter - timeshares in Mexico have very little value, because the market is flooded.


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## DeniseM (Jun 7, 2014)

Cadecox said:


> $19,000 for 60 weeks that I can exchange through rci and daelive anywhere around the world. Only a few hundred dollars per week. How can that be a ripoff



Because these weeks have no value.  Timeshares are assigned "trading power" and these weeks are going to have very low trading power - they will NOT take you "anywhere in the world."  You can't trade a low value timeshare for a high value timeshare.

You simply cannot believe anything the timeshare salesperson told you - they will say what every it takes to get you to buy.


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## tschwa2 (Jun 7, 2014)

Cadecox said:


> Just bought. 5 day period expires tomorrow. I was given 60 weeks. Need information on how I can "book" these weeks with RCI or DaeLive to get other vacations. Not sure if I was scammed.  Can I talk to anyone here ?  Thanks



Well you have to join the exchange companies.  It is free for DAE but it does take a little time for them to verify your membership.  RCI is about $89 per year.  Then both companies have exchange fees.  Need some more info to tell you about trading power with RCI- Mexican AI's usually don't have much.  With DAE you get one week for one week generally in the same size you deposit.  They don't have a lot of inventory at places and times I want to travel but it does work for some.  You can view their inventory at DAElive.com without becoming a member or depositing.  To an extent on line inventory is the leftovers and you can do better by depositing and requesting but it gives you an idea of the kind of inventory they get.

You probably should rescind but how much did you pay, what size units do you get to use or deposit and do you have to pay an additional fee when you get a week to deposit?


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## tschwa2 (Jun 7, 2014)

Through RCI it looks like most studios and 1 br units get 6-10 trading power units.  Trading power is on a scale of 1-60.  The average 1 br timeshare maybe around 20-25 per week.  The average high time/location would be around 30-45.  So if you are looking for a high time/ high demand location you may have to combine 3 weeks ($950)+ $109 combine fee+$89 annual RCI membership + $209 exchange fee = $1357 or 3 weeks of your prepaid time plus $407.


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## Cadecox (Jun 7, 2014)

tschwa2 said:


> Well you have to join the exchange companies.  It is free for DAE but it does take a little time for them to verify your membership.  RCI is about $89 per year.  Then both companies have exchange fees.  Need some more info to tell you about trading power with RCI- Mexican AI's usually don't have much.  With DAE you get one week for one week generally in the same size you deposit.  They don't have a lot of inventory at places and times I want to travel but it does work for some.  You can view their inventory at DAElive.com without becoming a member or depositing.  To an extent on line inventory is the leftovers and you can do better by depositing and requesting but it gives you an idea of the kind of inventory they get.
> 
> You probably should rescind but how much did you pay, what size units do you get to use or deposit and do you have to pay an additional fee when you get a week to deposit?



$5k Down. Also the contract is governed by panama law. So there may be no 5 day rescind. Can you help me with the trading power issue at RCI ?  Are you telling me that even if I book my week with RCI a year in advance it won't have any value I can use somewhere else ?


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## Cadecox (Jun 7, 2014)

Thanks for the advice everyone. The place is Sirenis close to Cancun - Riveria Maya. Very nice resort. I'm sure we will lose the $5k if we rescind. I'd stay in for sure if I had confidence I could use RCI value for trips to nice hotels in the US.  Is there anyway to verify what my trading power will be ?


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## DeniseM (Jun 7, 2014)

If it's a studio, it will have very low trading power - the info. post above in post #8 is accurate.  With exchanging, you can trade apples for apples, you can't trade an apple for a pineapple.

Why would a timeshare in Mexico be under Panama law?  This sounds like baloney they told you to keep you from rescinding - typical for Mexico.


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## tschwa2 (Jun 7, 2014)

If you rescind within the 5 days they have to refund everything you paid.  This is Mexican law and you bought a Mexican travel club which I believe is governed the same way as a Mexican timeshare.  Get out your documents and read every bit tonight.  Get the letter to rescind out asap if you want out.  This will be your only chance to do so.


If you don't, I can't imagine you not regretting it.


Where would you generally like to travel.  I gave you some averages but of course there are some that are less - especially last minute reservations if available, and to areas that have more timeshares than demand.  You could probably go to another Mexican resort and possibly ones that aren't AI's that require extra fees.  Vegas, Orlando, Branson, Williamsburg, etc have a lot of timeshares and you may be able to exchange one for one most of the year.  If you want to travel off season you could probably do one for one exchanges but you still would be looking at a $209 exchange fee and $89 membership fee through RCI.


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## Cadecox (Jun 7, 2014)

Denise. It's a silver suite. 838 sq feet


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## DeniseM (Jun 7, 2014)

Cadecox said:


> Denise. It's a silver suite. 838 sq feet



I don't know what that is:  Studio?  1 bdm.?  2 bdm?


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## Cadecox (Jun 7, 2014)

Tschwa - would the 800 sq foot count as studio ? Also did you look up the RCI trade value rate for serinis?  Thanks again. I read every word and there is no cancellation mentioned by the way. I can of course refuse to pay the balance.


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## Cadecox (Jun 7, 2014)

Denise it's probably going to be considered a one bedroom.  At Sirenis it's actually 2. But they told us to log it as a 1 bedroom on the exchange site.


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## DeniseM (Jun 7, 2014)

A one bedroom unit has a private bedroom, a living area, and a full kitchen - is that what you have?

You have to be an RCI member to use the deposit calculator.


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## Cadecox (Jun 7, 2014)

Are there any RCI members here who can use the calculator for me ?


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## taffy19 (Jun 7, 2014)

You should cancel while you can and study the program some more if you are still interested. Most likely, you won't be but remember this.

It's very easy to buy a timeshare in Mexico or anywhere but almost impossible to dispose of once your rescission time has run out and certainly in Mexico for most resorts over there.

I don't know anything about your resort but you have only five days to rescind so jump at it and start reading more about resorts in Mexico.

Many resorts are beautiful over there and you can buy them for pennies on the dollar re-sale later. You may even find something that you may like better yet.

Don't let your chance go by. Good luck with your final decision.

.


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## LisaH (Jun 7, 2014)

Cadecox said:


> Are there any RCI members here who can use the calculator for me ?



Here is what I have got from RCI for Grand Sirenis studio (add 1TPU for 1BR, subtract 2 TPUs for hotel room.): 
Week 38-44: TPU 9
Week 17-21, 33-37: TPU 10
Week 1-12, 15-16, 22-26, 45-50: TPU 11
Week 27-32: TPU 13
Week 13-14: TPU 14
Week 51-52: TPU 19

I am not even sure you can book Christmas/New Year/Easter. So basically, a studio unit is worth 9-13 TPUs.
To give you some idea: my 1BR Myrtle Beach summer week is worth 41 TPUs, and you can buy one from eBay for a few hundred dollars.

If today is your last day, you better rescind NOW, even if it's true that you might lose $5K deposit. It will save you at least $14K in the long run.


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## Karen G (Jun 7, 2014)

Rescind now while you still have a chance. Contact Profeco, the Mexican consumer protection agency, if you can. If you can't reach them today since it's Saturday, still go ahead and rescind your contract.

Rescission means the contract is null and void and each party is to be returned to the position they were in before the contract was made. That means that your money is to be returned to you.  Notify your credit card company of your rescission and cancel the card if you have to. If today is the 5th day since you signed it is imperative that you take action today. Put your rescission in written form, mail it if you can so that it will show you did it on the correct day if you can get a receipt from the post office showing that you mailed it today.


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## Smokatoke (Jun 7, 2014)

Cadecox said:


> $19,000 for 60 weeks that I can exchange through rci and daelive anywhere around the world. Only a few hundred dollars per week. How can that be a ripoff



I bought my TS for a couple grand, get infinite weeks, and can exchange anywhere in the world. You can get a better deal than you have now, but not pay $19K, and it be based in the USA. Listen to the people trying to help you.


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## TUGBrian (Jun 7, 2014)

While noone likes to hear they got a terrible deal...it would be a much larger mistake to ignore the advice being given and throw that money away!


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## deemarket (Jun 7, 2014)

*60 weeks a year or lifetime*



Cadecox said:


> $19,000 for 60 weeks that I can exchange through rci and daelive anywhere around the world. Only a few hundred dollars per week. How can that be a ripoff



Decide if you really want to pay $19,000 of hard earned money for something that you haven't taken the time to understand - timeshare costs, yearly maintenance, exchange company yearly membership fee and cost of each exchange/booking.

Take the advice given here and rescind.  You can always get the same price again if you really think you need this deal.  The salesman is just waiting for their next sale at the same price or lower.

There are so many timeshares for sale for next to nothing or you may find that renting so a while is even a better choice.

I hope you will take your time and make an informed decision   -  after you rescind.


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