Lots of information here that is not correct and misleading.
"Something everyone should know about SFX is that if they offer you a week that fits your search exactly, you have to take it. So if you have deposits in RCI and II, and you also entered a search with SFX for a longshot match (and it usually is a longshot), if you don't cancel the search with SFX after getting the match with the either of the big companies, SFX's exchange agreement says you must accept the exchange".
Their rule is if they offer you exactly what you asked for, which is an exact match and you decline to accept what you wanted, an exchange fee is due, but you Do Not have to take the week as you state. NO OTHER COMPANY MAKES ME PAY AN EXCHANGE FEE FOR A WEEK I DO NOT WANT.
"I am not interested in Mexico, and I understand SFX cannot offer Vidanta without fees (charged by Vidanta) anymore".
SFX has never offered Vidanta without fees. We have exchanged into Vidanta for the several years and there have always been resort fees charged.
"Also, I have to say it because others do not, but SFX may never find a match for you, if you deposited a week that is not prime season. They will keep saying your requests are prime season, and your deposit was not prime season".
I believe they have rules similar to rci and ii, if you deposit a week in low season you cannot get a week in high season unless its within about 30 days in advance. Our daughter deposited an off season week in Florida and got an off season week at the Ridge at Lake Tahoe in the off season within a few days of making the request. I HAVE REQUESTED MANY DIFFERENT AREAS AND WE ONLY TRAVEL OFF-SEASON, MOST OF THE TIME. WE ARE RETIRED. HAD I KNOWN IT WOULD BE LIKE PULLING TEETH TO GET QUALITY RESORTS FROM SFX, I WOULD HAVE LEFT IT ALONE. I HAVE 26 WEEKS BOOKED AHEAD OF ME AT VARIOUS RESORTS IN RCI AND II FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. NOT ONE WAS SOMETHING I SETTLED FOR.
"And another thing, if you think SFX only has high quality stuff, that is not true at all. They will offer some sketchy resorts that do not have a quality rating with II and RCI. That happened to me with a Myrtle Beach one bedroom for last year in May. Matched my search exactly for area and took the match. I'd hoped it was a better resort. I was hoping for Sheraton or Marriott, or any other high-quality resort".
Rci and II also have some of the same sketch resorts in their system too. Were your deposits the same quality as Sheraton or a Marriott or less? SFX'S ENTIRE SALES PITCH IS A HIGH QUALITY EXPERIENCE WITH QUALITY RESORTS. AGAIN, I DON'T ACCEPT LOW-QUALITY RESORTS OR ENTER ONGOING SEARCHES FOR THEM IN RCI OR II, UNLESS I KNOW OF THE RESORT PERSONALLY AND KNOW WHAT I AM GETTING. CASE IN POINT, KAHANA BEACH. IT'S AN ORDINARY RESORT BUT WE LOVE IT.
"Now this is an odd scenario, you would think, but it's easy to forget that you entered a search with SFX and didn't cancel it".
Now that is odd, we get email notices from sfx while a search is in progress letting us know they are still searching, and asking us if we want to cancel and search or add other locations. We also get notifications in advance of deposits and requests expiring. NOPE. WE DO NOT GET NOTICES AT ALL AFTER ENTERING A SEARCH ONLINE. YOU MAY AS WELL GIVE UP TRYING WITH SFX ONLINE SEARCHES WITHOUT TALKING TO SOMEONE AT SFX PERSONALLY. "IT'S DEAD, JIM."
The entire point of the post was to compare experiences, SFX vs. II. Hands down, II is better, RCI is second best, Hawaiian Timeshare Exchange is my third best, but a distant third. I am always going to warn people away from SFX. Always.
Juli