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What is the value of an RCI point? (by Mack F.):

Hi, all!

I am considering timeshare ownership (courtesy of eBay), and I am struggling with the question of how many RCI points I need to be bidding for. I've called and written RCI, themselves, on the assumption that surely THEY must know ... they do (I still assume), but won't divulge such sensitive information to a curious non-member. I sent RCI an email which hopefully clarifies my needs, but they aren't going to reply for 48 hours, which is too late for some of the auctions I'm looking at. I'm desperate for quick answers, so I will reprint my email here, in case somebody in RedWeek land can help me out:

Dear RCI,

I just had an extremely unpleasant experience speaking with one of your customer service representatives who was unable to help me with my question. This was following yesterday's call to a representative who answered my inquiry with misinformation. I'm hoping that somebody at your corporation will be able to assist me with my problem:

I am not an RCI points member ... yet. I am considering purchasing a timeshare resale that converts into a number of RCI points. My goal is simple - I want to be able to look at some charts for different properties to determine exactly when and where I will be able to "spend" these points. Before I pay somebody thousands of dollars to buy an allotment of points, shouldn't I know exactly what they are worth? How will I know if 60,000 points a year will satisfy my vacationing needs, or if I ought to purchase 90,000 per year instead?

My quest to become more informed about your point system seems reasonable to me as someone on the verge of commiting to an expensive purchase, yet I've been unable to get my questions answered in a satisfactory manner. Your first representative whom I spoke with assured me that the point breakdowns for your affiliated properties are readily available to anyone on the RCI website. Not true. The second customer service agent told me that I may have NO INFORMATION unless I am already member, and I must make my points purchase blindly, simply hoping for the best. He would not transfer me to a supervisor, or anybody else who could possibly help me. His only suggestion was to refer me back to the resort that had referred me to RCI in the first place!

So, is there any way for me to get the information I need to make an intelligent points purchase? Do you have a department that caters to the recruitment of non-members? It might be a good idea to be more forthcoming, as the attitude I've encountered from your company thus far only perpetuates the "myth" that timeshare ownership is a worthless scam where slick salesmen talk unsuspecting people into buying something that is impossible to use.

My confidence in your company is not very high at this time, after reading on the Internet about RCI member experiences, but I have visions of palm trees dancing through my head and I'm not yet prepared to give up hope. If you can find some way to simply allow me access to the secrets of what an RCI point is actually WORTH, I might proceed with my timeshare purchase so you can collect my exchange fees ... and my childrens's ... and my children's children's, etc.

Thanks for your time! MF

I suppose since none of you can get me into the bowels of the RCI website, my question to existing RCI point members are:

1. How many points do you receive each year?

2. How many resort nights can you get in peak season? Value season? (I know this will vary greatly with location, but approximately how much bang do you get from your vacation buck?)

3. Do you feel you have enough points each year? Do you ever resort to buying/borrowing?

Thank you for your answers! MF