thoughts (long post)
DAman,
Far be it from me, to speak for rickandcindy, but I'll share what we've learned about RCI Weeks vs RCI Points, or one system compared to the other. Naturally, the perspective one draws will be based on several factors, and even what you are trying to accomplish for exchanges. The number of exchanges you make; where you exchange into; properties you already own; properties you are looking to acquire; how much planning you put into making exchanges, whether you can rent or borrow points; and a host of other considerations are just a few examples of things that can shape one's preference and perspective about a system. It's not unusual for someone to like one system over the other, given the following.
Probably the 2 biggest factors that can influence ones preference are cost per point or cost per TPU, and the inventory you are trying to exchange into:
1. Cost: The maintenance fees of the properties you own is the single largest factor when it comes to cost. However, there are also exchange fees, combine fees, membership fees and even Points For Deposit fees that can add to the price you pay for your vacations. You need to factor all of these together when you plan your exchanges; if your intent is to eek' out everything you can from either system.
Unfortunately, if you have high maintenance fees, you will end up with high cost per point or cost per TPU even before you get started -- since fees will drive the cost even higher. So owning properties that deliver the highest TPU or Points for the lowest maintenance fees is ideal. (These properties are highly desired in the resale market and here lately they typically command larger up-front costs to purchase them. You can still get some nice RCI Weeks or Points bargains if you are patient, but you need to do a lot of leg work to find them, and they aren't talked about a lot for obvious reasons.) If you already own properties that deliver high cost per TPU/point, then you have to live with it, maximize their use for specific exchanges, or put together a plan to dispose of them for lower cost properties.
2. Inventory: The inventory in each system is very different, because they originate from different sources; from Weeks owners, Points owners, weeks owners making Points for Deposit (PFD) deposits, and even from the resorts themselves. Because of that, some resorts/units can be more abundant (and/or at a different cost), in one system vs the other.
Special arrangements and agreements between RCI and some resorts, whether a resort bulk banks weeks for owners, RCI rentals, and other factors can also influence inventory. So if getting into specific areas/resorts is important, you sometimes need to use one system vs the other to have the best chances for an exchange. Renting directly from RCI Last Call or Extra Vacations is another option that we periodically use; they sometimes have good bargains.
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Both systems have their own advantages, disadvantages and quirks. It's the nature of the beast -- and there isn't anything anyone can do outside of RCI to change them. RCI can influence things anytime they want; through enhancements, revisions and increased fees or even rental of available inventory. So, you essentially need to keep-up with program revisions, follow inventory, monitor maintenance fees, etc., since things can literally change over night. (Exploiting the quirks and loopholes in one system vs the other can also be advantageous; and learning as much as you can about each system is the best way to do this.)
It's true you can rent [buy] extra points from RCI if you need to, currently at $.02/point. However, we've found that borrowing from a future year is a better option, since it allows us to leverage our very-low cost/point. You are allowed to do this in RCI Points.
We also have a relatively low cost/TPU from our weeks properties, and we also frequently do PFDs when planning exchanges -- so we work within and between both systems when it is to our benefit. We've come to realize that either system is nothing more than a way to achieve an end -- but you can optimize things, if that is what you want.
Oh yeah, one size does not necessarily fit all!