SFX

[easyrider]

I have a deposit in SFX for a one bedroom unit that is over a year old. They told me it was a very good deposit. I placed four request for next spring. All I seem to be able to find are resort escapes that are not really what I want. I found one resort escape that would have worked but it was a two bedroom and with the exchange fee and upgrade fee it would have been better to upgrade my account and buy it.

I do see a bunch of Mexico stuff when I search until the end of the year but not a thing after that. Is there no inventory in SFX for 2020 ?

Bill

 

[rickandcindy23]

They are really not the best exchange company to use. You are having the same problems I had. I have pretty much walked away from all of my deposits because I need to see inventory and they pick and choose who to give inventory they get in.

It's a bad business model, IMO, but there will be people who will defend them, so I try not to be too harsh.

 

[DaveNV]

You probably know that the stuff you can see in SFX is only the leftovers. You need to call them and place an ongoing search through their system. Otherwise, it's not likely to return what you want. If they already have your requests in the system, call and ask why nothing has come up.

Dave

 

[easyrider]

You probably know that the stuff you can see in SFX is only the leftovers. You need to call them and place an ongoing search through their system. Otherwise, it's not likely to return what you want. If they already have your requests in the system, call and ask why nothing has come up.

Dave

I do have four requests for four different regions but all four are for next spring. Thats alot of 4's, lol. When I call in SFX only has inventory in Mexico at certain resorts.

Bill

 

[DaveNV]

I do have four requests for four different regions but all four are for next spring. Thats alot of 4's, lol. When I call in SFX only has inventory in Mexico at certain resorts.

Bill

Ok. So as Cindy says, the answer is apparently to not use them. I haven't used them in a long time, and I don't plan to renew my current membership when it expires. They've had over a year to try and find me an exchange I asked for (request first situation) with no results. YMMV.

Dave

 

[hurnik]

I have a deposit in SFX for a one bedroom unit that is over a year old. They told me it was a very good deposit. I placed four request for next spring. All I seem to be able to find are resort escapes that are not really what I want. I found one resort escape that would have worked but it was a two bedroom and with the exchange fee and upgrade fee it would have been better to upgrade my account and buy it.

I do see a bunch of Mexico stuff when I search until the end of the year but not a thing after that. Is there no inventory in SFX for 2020 ?

Bill

When did you place your Spring 2020 requests? Just now? That's probably a tad late, but depending on the regions, something may pop up. Spring is a popular time in a lot of places. However, if it was like last year, then that's plenty of time, IMO.

When you search online in SFX it's just like RCI/II. You're seeing "excess/live" inventory. You'll almost never see Disney, for example in RCI via that method because everyone puts an OGS (ongoing search in) and those get scooped up/assigned and thus, never make it into the online system.

Same with SFX, albeit their inventory pool is much smaller than RCI/II.

Same thing when you call, they're showing "active" inventory, not something that someone else has an OGS search for (ie, there may be something, but someone else put their request in before you so it'll be held by that person/reservation, so they won't see it as "available").

Unfortunately it seems the bulk of SFX inventory is in Mexico with Vidanta (along with some Sheraton and Hacienda del Mar), and some Hilton resorts in the US - usually Big Island in Hawaii and Florida (heck, there's been plenty of times that I, as a Hilton owner, have no inventory and SFX has something for me with Hilton--same with RCI as well).

The resort escapes are usually good deals, if one can travel then (my plans aren't that flexible--LOL).

Hopefully it works out for you, but if not, give them a call and explain and they're usually pretty good about extending your deposited week or working with you for something.

Even then, if it does work out, perhaps it's not a good fit for your needs (not blaming you).

Good luck!

 

[hurnik]

They are really not the best exchange company to use. You are having the same problems I had. I have pretty much walked away from all of my deposits because I need to see inventory and they pick and choose who to give inventory they get in.

It's a bad business model, IMO, but there will be people who will defend them, so I try not to be too harsh.

I don't think your experiences are invalid. Everyone's situation is unique/different. I think it's good that you let folks know what your situation is/was and what the results were. However, I think some of the comments/theories tend to detract from the facts sometimes.

I think it's worthwhile to have pros/cons "out in the open" so that folks can judge for themselves. That's the main reason why I've always suggested to folks that if they want to try SFX to use the free membership option instead of jumping in full force. I don't think II has a free membership option to kick the tires. You get to pay and then see, LOL!

Anyway, I truly do hope it works out for the OP, and yourself (meaning eventually your deposits don't go to waste).

 

[rickandcindy23]

So I guess I will get harsh. Some folks will come here and defend SFX to the death. What is their motivation for doing that?

Hawaiian Timeshare Exchange is one of the best exchange companies that I use for my deposits I don't want to give to RCI anymore. I can see all inventory online, and when you look at the inventory, you just know that inventory in these alternate companies is probably very limited. The people at htse.net are so kind, too. "Aloha! Mahalo, Cindy."

There are better companies to use than SFX, if you don't want to use RCI. II is great.

Browsing for what I want is beneficial to me because I look pretty often. I have deposited many weeks with Hawaiian and have gotten exchanges without having to wait because I see something and think, "I never thought about going there. I think I will take it." That is how online exchanging works.

SFX is archaic. As a timeshare owner of 38 years, I used to call II and RCI and ask for them to put me on a waitlist to get something, just about anything, with a broad range of dates and broad area to travel. That is SFX!!! The difference is that RCI and II back then just never allowed my weeks to expire. They would call me and say, "Hey, you have a week that's going to expire in 10 months." I would tell them that I want Anaheim. They would call me after a few months and say, "We cannot get Anaheim, but we can get Carlsbad." I would take it. I was also advised to call early to book something that was a last-minute deposit. I would call at 7 AM Eastern time and ask what they could give me within 60 days. I got some of my best weeks that way. I had to do it that way to get a vacation.

SFX is just such a waste of money. I cannot even stress enough how upset I am over their business model. It's the worst.

I would take what RCI or II would give me. I would accept an exchange, as though it was my only option. Because what proof do I have that a Marriott unit in Orlando is in inventory that I would rather have tried? No online inventory to see because no internet yet. So II would call and offer me these Westgate crappy units, and I would take them. In 1991, Westgate Villas was bad, and now it's even worse, so why would anyone take that over something better? Now many of those older units must go unused because no one will take an ordinary resort, when Marriott is just sitting online.

SFX does not care that my 9 deposits will go unused. They just don't care. It's like paying an upfront fee company $7-10K in money and then you don't get your timeshare sold. It's that much money.

I have placed exchange requests with my weeks that are expiring in 2020 and 2021, but I have four deposits that expire next month and the month after. It's money gone, and I am an experienced timeshare exchanger. I should have known better than to throw my timeshares down a deep well that is basically dried up. What is my proof that they have anything for exchange that I would want.

When I deposited my weeks, they all had good trading power, and now they say the opposite of what I understood when I deposited. II values my SBP. Why did I give them SBP? I must be more stupid than I thought because I could have gotten great exchanges with SBP through II. Peacock Suites? I could have rented those weeks. I have been very successful in renting my Peacock inventory via Redweek.

 

[rickandcindy23]

You know, I haven't told Rick that I wasted so much money in MF's by depositing to SFX. He just wouldn't understand why I would do that. I am smarter than that. I don't get SFX at all.

Let my post be a warning to all of you who think SFX is worth a try. IT IS NOT, not if you aren't a gambler. What do you think they can do for you that another exchange company cannot?

And do you know that if you find an exchange by another means, giving up on SFX, if you don't change your request with them, they will charge you the exchange fee, if they find something. No other exchange company does that. Stupid business model

You won't get phone calls to communicate that your deposits are about to expire. No extension of deposits, unless you deposit more weeks (they did extend mine once for free because I was so incensed at their lack of communication).

They get very few Marriott resorts. I would take any Marriott in Orlando in off-season, cooler weather months. but they don't have those. Those are sitting online by the hundreds in II.

 

[klpca]

Would you guys be willing to give an idea of what you are looking for and not getting - just for future reference - to save others from requesting the same resorts/areas that SFX doesn't have?
I don't use SFX much at all, but I have gotten what I have asked for a number of times. It has always been NYC, the Big Island or San Francisco though, so I suspect that is the secret to my success - it's easy to get what you want if you are asking for inventory for which they regularly get deposits.

Btw, I have never been charged for an exchange even though they say that they will. I seem to have always been given the option to refuse the exchange but I have always kept them, so maybe the push back would have come later or maybe they have a waiting list for that inventory? I am not sure why my experience has been different.

 

[PigsDad]

I've only used them a few times, but I have received exchanges for 1BR Breckenridge, 2BR Steamboat (both ski weeks) and a 2BR Thanksgiving week in Puerto Vallarta (GMNV). Never had an exchange expire. I have always used a 1BR HGVC for my deposits (various locations: Orlando, Miami Beach and off-season Hawaii).

Kurt

 

[SmithOp]

I think you answered your own question, you requested where they have the most inventory. I dont think we can list where they don’t. That is Cindys beef, they are not transparent enough, only showing upcoming 60 days of leftovers.

I won’t deposit with them again because I only own the one HGVC with high maint fee. I do use them for last minute cash bookings, keeping my free account active. We got a nice July week at Pine Acres in Pacific Grove last year.




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[klpca]

I think you answered your own question, you requested where they have the most inventory. I dont think we can list where they don’t. That is Cindys beef, they are not transparent enough, only showing upcoming 60 days of leftovers.

I won’t deposit with them again because I only own the one HGVC with high maint fee. I do use them for last minute cash bookings, keeping my free account active. We got a nice July week at Pine Acres in Pacific Grove last year.




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I was just trying to use the collective knowledge of TUG to figure out what resorts I should *never* request in sfx because I'm never going to get that exchange.

Interesting that Kurt got a couple of ski weeks through them. And also interesting that you got the Pine Acres exchange. That's on my list of places to visit.

 

[hurnik]

So I guess I will get harsh.

.

Cindy edited her original post

 

[hurnik]

Let my post be a warning to all of you who think SFX is worth a try. IT IS NOT, not if you aren't a gambler. What do you think they can do for you that another exchange company cannot?

I don't *think*, I *know* that they can typically get me Vidanta exchanges with only a $75 resort fee vs. the hundreds of dollars that RCI/II (by virtue of Vidanta) charge.

So, for *me*, who likes to vacation in Mexico at Vidanta resorts, it saves me hundreds of dollars (I believe a 2 BR RCI/II Vidanta-imposed resort fee is like $460 extra).

But obviously this is one specific example.

 

[hurnik]

I was just trying to use the collective knowledge of TUG to figure out what resorts I should *never* request in sfx because I'm never going to get that exchange.

Interesting that Kurt got a couple of ski weeks through them. And also interesting that you got the Pine Acres exchange. That's on my list of places to visit.

I think it's probably worthwhile to have a list. Although probably would also have to be very specific. For example, making a statement like: "SFX never has Maui" may not be factually correct. Especially if you find out that the requests were for high-demand weeks and placed only a year in advance.

We could have a table/spreadsheet with something like:
Deposited week (week 4 HGV Flamingo)
Deposted date:
Requested Exchange: (week XYZ at resort ABC, or week 123 in region ZBC for 2 BR unit) or something like that.

Off hand I'd say that they get very few Maui weeks and very few Key West weeks (I have gotten a Key West week once), only because I asked once when Mark used to post on the other forums years ago.

Although KW is very difficult to get (RCI only lists 4 resorts and we're pretty sure that one of the resorts hasn't had a unit for many years, so that leaves 3 and those are extremely difficult to come by even with an OGS unless you're looking for end of June/July where it's very "low" season for KW).

 

[ski_sierra]

I don't *think*, I *know* that they can typically get me Vidanta exchanges with only a $75 resort fee vs. the hundreds of dollars that RCI/II (by virtue of Vidanta) charge.

So, for *me*, who likes to vacation in Mexico at Vidanta resorts, it saves me hundreds of dollars (I believe a 2 BR RCI/II Vidanta-imposed resort fee is like $460 extra).

But obviously this is one specific example.

Can you get 4 BR LX2/LXR with SFX? They seem to be pretty rare with II now. Which weeks of the year can you get? I have HGVC so I'm curious what the all-in cost would be? Is Request first a better strategy with SFX?

 

[rickandcindy23]

It's these type of comments that detracts from the facts of the situation. Unless you have factual proof of what you "know", it could just be that "some people" like SFX because it fits/meets their needs. Lots of folks on Hilton's FB *love* hilton direct purchases (developers) and will champion that to the end, but they don't work for Hilton. They're just entitled to their opinion, but your accusations in this regard, are without merit, IMO unless you have factual evidence to show otherwise.

Maybe you ought to edit this, since I edited my post.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Mexico seems to be the exchange you can get with SFX. Those are usually positive results. I don't want Mexico.

The lack of communication, OMG! You enter a request and no one ever calls to ask you if you want to change it or add to it, or anything else. I will go in and request something for December of this year, just in case I can get something. I might as well because my weeks just sit unused. What harm in asking? It's off-season for almost everything.

Hilton owners seem happy. It's just TOO HARD to work with SFX. If they are favoring Hilton owners, well, I have no proof that they are or aren't because I CANNOT SEE INVENTORY online. If I could see some Hiltons in December of 2020, I would have booked them. We want Disney World in 2020. Orlando is SO EASY to get through II and RCI. I can get Disney through RCI.

SFX is the worst timeshare mistake I have made in my life.

 

[SmithOp]

I don't *think*, I *know* that they can typically get me Vidanta exchanges with only a $75 resort fee vs. the hundreds of dollars that RCI/II (by virtue of Vidanta) charge.

So, for *me*, who likes to vacation in Mexico at Vidanta resorts, it saves me hundreds of dollars (I believe a 2 BR RCI/II Vidanta-imposed resort fee is like $460 extra).

But obviously this is one specific example.

Check your inbox, I just got an offer from SFX for a new Los Cabos Solaz resort, good through Dec.


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[hurnik]

Check your inbox, I just got an offer from SFX for a new Los Cabos Solaz resort, good through Dec.


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Yes, I got the Solaz offer as well, but can't stay by December, unfortunately. But it's a great deal considering Solaz isn't offered via RCI/II or anyone else, AFAIK. It's not really a timeshare, although I think you can stay via points if you have Marriott, but it's via the "hotel" side of things. Expensive for meals though, if I read thepointsguy review correctly.

 

[hurnik]

Can you get 4 BR LX2/LXR with SFX? They seem to be pretty rare with II now. Which weeks of the year can you get? I have HGVC so I'm curious what the all-in cost would be? Is Request first a better strategy with SFX?

AFAIK, the 4 BR LX2/LXR don't show up very often, if at all. They had a 3 BR Spa unit (I think it was the Spa tower) in Riviera Maya once, but I couldn't travel at that time. I vaguely recall a discussion on the mexico forums here on TUG that certain rooms/towers/whatever were not available via exchanging any longer (or some never have). So don't quote me on the above.

So if you have Hilton, there's 3 ways you can get into Vidanta:
1) via Hilton points itself (there's the chart on the Hilton page) via Hilton's partnership with SFX.
2) via Hilton RCI account (although Riviera Maya can only get into Grand Bliss and lower, last time I checked--no Grand Luxxe, unless you go to Nuevo Vallarta)
3) via SFX directly by depositing/exchanging a Hilton week

Interval International also has units, but unless you have an Affiliate resort with Hilton, you can't deposit/enroll a Hilton week with II (again the affiliates are an exception).

Now, in the grand scheme of things, the "cheapest" option, IMO is #3 (although it will depend on how much your MF/point ratio is with Hilton)

IF you can deposit a 1 BR Vegas week your points will be either 2,400 (Flamingo) or 3,400 for 2 BR (Flamingo). While HIlton considers those weeks "silver" season (I think it's the 4 weeks in January/Feb), SFX considers those "red/high" season deposits.
Anyway:
Your cost for that, plus the approx. $110 Hilton resevation fee/guest cert fee, plus the $189 (I think) SFX exchange fee, plus teh $75 resort fee is your total all-in cost. Unless you want Grand Luxxe, and then it's another $299 upgrade fee.

Option #2 is of course, 3,400 or 4,800 Hilton points for 1/2 BR unit (red/high season), plus the $239 RCI booking fee, plus the resort fee (I forget what the 1 BR size is, I wanna say the 2 BR size is $460?).

Option #3 is the most "expensive" IMO, as I think a 2 BR Grand Luxxe is like 12,000 Hilton points (or thereabouts). OUCH! Plus the booking fee. I can't recall if the $75 resort fee is also there, I think it is.

Lastly, AFAIK, the request first option with SFX is only available if you have the paid membership. I don't believe it's available via the free membership.

Also, I am a Diamond Lifetime member with SFX. EONS ago, I did the free trial and it worked well, so I upgraded to Diamond "lifetime" (i think technically it was like 30 years or something), as in the long run, it saved me money. I don't know what the cost for that is any longer, so I cannot advise if it's still worth it. I want to say at the time it was like $2,300 but included 2 cruise certs ("free" cruise, which I valued at approx. $400/cruise), and with the reduced exchange fees and free unit upgrades, I'm ahead of the game now. I typically make 3 deposits/exchanges/year, although have done more when friends/family needed something.

Hope this helps answer some questions anyway.

 

[bizaro86]

IIRC Hilton owners can book vidanta directly by calling HGVC. I'm pretty sure those weeks are fulfilled by SFX, and then they get HGVC units in exchange. I suspect that is why their HGVC availability is better than their other availability.

 

[hurnik]

Mexico seems to be the exchange you can get with SFX. Those are usually positive results. I don't want Mexico.

The lack of communication, OMG! You enter a request and no one ever calls to ask you if you want to change it or add to it, or anything else. I will go in and request something for December of this year, just in case I can get something. I might as well because my weeks just sit unused. What harm in asking? It's off-season for almost everything.

Hilton owners seem happy. It's just TOO HARD to work with SFX. If they are favoring Hilton owners, well, I have no proof that they are or aren't because I CANNOT SEE INVENTORY online. If I could see some Hiltons in December of 2020, I would have booked them. We want Disney World in 2020. Orlando is SO EASY to get through II and RCI. I can get Disney through RCI.

SFX is the worst timeshare mistake I have made in my life.

I had to laugh at the Hilton owners part, only because on the FB pages, there's always complaining, LOL. Granted, some is justifiable, IMO, and some is not (like the person who waits 3 weeks before Spring break and complains that there's nothing in Florida--haha).

You bring some valid points (always have, I hope I didn't come across to say you never do).

May I inquire if you've ever communicated the lack of communication part to the sales team (or whatever they're called?) I used to have a dedicated rep, but he took a higher position in the company, so I have a different "dedicated" rep (I just remember their extension and always try to stick with one person so I can develop a repoire with them, so that's what I mean by "dedicated").

 

[hurnik]

IIRC Hilton owners can book vidanta directly by calling HGVC. I'm pretty sure those weeks are fulfilled by SFX, and then they get HGVC units in exchange. I suspect that is why their HGVC availability is better than their other availability.

Quite possible.

I mean to Cindy's point about SFX not having much Marriott, that makes sense. Marriott owns II and, I think, "internal" Marriott exchanges are handled via II, so I'd expect better availability via II (for Marriott) than anything else. I mean, if I was a Marriott owner, why would I pay more to deposit with someone other than II?