new RCI exchange policies?

[govblanc]

We are staying at the Ron Jon resort in Cape Canaveral and listened to their sales presentation (for $75) on Wednesday. It wasn't bad but the sales person told us about some new RCI exchange policies that will go into effect this year. This may have already been discussed on TUG--I have looked at the BBS for awhile. Anyway, he said that soon unless you trade a Gold Crown resort you will not be able to exchange FOR a Gold Crown. Same for a Silver Crown. He said this would go into effect this summer and the language is in the latest RCI catalog. This would certainly affect me and I assume a lot of other TUGGERS who have been trading their non-GC timeshare resales purchased at a reasonable price for more desirable GCs and SCs. For example, we are staying for two weeks at the GC Ron Jon Resort, in the oceanfront building, after exchanging our two Mount Amanzi (South Africa) weeks, purchased at a bargain price.

Have others heard about these changes? Have they been discussed on TUG?

 

[Steve]

I think that salesman was feeding you a line. Don't believe it.

Steve

 

[geekette]

I'll believe it when I see it.

Ratings change at least annually. In order to enforce such a policy, ratings would have to be updated as they change AND a whole new piece of software logic would have to be coded to include this restriction. I cannot see RCI going to the time, effort and risk of adding such functionality. They never added restrictions to prevent trade-ups (and a 1 br never becomes a 2 br, while a Gold Crown could become unrated), so why would they do something more complex?

 

[Polly Metallic]

Most salesmen I have talked to over the years already thought that's the way the system works. I don't know whether they were truly that uninformed, or just trying to use that as a scare tactic. All our resorts are 5 star or Gold Crown, so it didn't matter to us, but I have always set the salespeople straight that the resort rating is only one factor of many in getting a high quality trade.

 

[bnoble]

Let me guess, Ron Jon is a Gold Crown, right?

Amazing coincidence, isn't it.

 

[grest]

what's that they say about salespersons whose lips are moving...
Connie

 

[Steve NH]

Firstly - I've probably gone thru 20 time share presentations - every one lies (Including the ones I bought from)

RCI wants the exchange fee - period. In fact I've gotten into Ron Jons twice - Once with a 'poor' red week and once with a bonus week. (They tell me they are a only once in 4 years - I stayed 2 yrs back to back)

Also I can't count the number of times I've gotten a two bedroom using a 1 bedroom trade.

 

[jdetar]

RCI is in business for exchanges. They want as many as they can get, regardless of these "standards". Resorts want their resorts filled.. and that means exchanges coming in for those customers deposits, regardless of where they come from. This would hurt EVERYONE on every level. Next time, explain that to the salesmen and he'll probably just cock his head sideways like a confused dog, or change the subject.

 

[Trade Ninja]

this would never happen. there are resorts that are not gold crown that are fall more in demand than gold crown resorts, for example a 2bedroom gold crown in orlando is a dime a dozen, a standard resort in myrtle beach or destin ( in the summer )- is worth way more- it's all about supply and demand, also, VEP can only benefit someone who is trading up-

 

[DianneL]

Sales people will tell you anything!

That's like the sales person last year telling us that unless we convert our fixed week to RCI points, at some time in the future we will not be able to get exchanges. And the fee to convert was around $3000. We didn't convert. As is posted above, his lips were moving ---