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Leturno TUG Member Posts: 827 From: Plainfield, IL USA Owns: Silverleaf at Fox River -- Ff Branson @ Meadows -- Ff Nashville Registered: Jan 2003	posted 06-02-2005 00:51 Hi all, We just spent a wonderful weekend at our local resort and sales operations were in full swing. My kids made instant friends with the kids of a nice couple a few condo's down from ours. We found out that they had just purchased a trial "try before you buy" package from the resort. I told them I was a member of the timeshare user group online, and gave them the TUG2 address and our personal email address. It has been several days now and we have not heard from them. I would think if you are planning to spend from $12,000 - $25,500 you would ask some questions and do some research. I guess that is just me!? Scott ------------------ Scott IP: Logged
dougp26364 TUG Member Posts: 2187 From: Wichita KS owner: Polo Towers/ The Villas at Polo Towers/ Marriot's Ocean Point/Marriott's Grand Chateau/ HGVC LVStrip/ Grand Regency Branson, MO Registered: Jan 2001	posted 06-02-2005 01:01 I work in a hospital and apparently hospital employee's are big buyers of TS. I know a couple of docs and several nurses that have timeshares. I've given this addy to all of them and guess what, I don't believe any of them have ever so much as taken a peek at this site. [This message has been edited by dougp26364 (edited 06-02-2005).] IP: Logged
Heron TUG Member Posts: 1582 From: Ont, Canada Registered: Mar 2003	posted 06-02-2005 04:26 But ignorance is bliss! I guess given the choice of power and bliss they have opted for bliss. IP: Logged
geekette Non Member Posts: 291 From: Registered: Sep 2004	posted 06-02-2005 08:21 these people may be lurking. Might be reading the answers to their questions without having to ask them. IP: Logged
caribbean TUG Member Posts: 1434 From: Goochland, VA OWN : Sandy Point Beach & Boambee Bay in RCI pts Australia; Sandpiper Beach Club 2BR FL; 2 weeks - Royal Holiday Club Registered: Dec 2001	posted 06-02-2005 09:04 On our many trips we often get to talking to others at the pool or beach, etc. I have a business type card that I hand out to people that has a bunch of info on it including TUG address, my e-mail & phone. Over the last 3 years I have probably handed out 30-40 of these and have yet to have any of them contact me to ask questions. Just last month we were chatting with a couple from Conneticut, and he even came back to our unit to talk later. I mentioned that noone had ever gotten back to me and he said he was really interested in learning more & PROMISED he would. Never heard from them again. Weird. Boy what I would have given for someone to have offered me information before we bought our first one. That would have saved us BIG BUCKS. Oh well, live & learn. I'll keep trying. TS is great if you do it right. Patty ------------------ It�s these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes Nothing remains quite the same With all of our running and all of our cunning If we couldn�t laugh we would all go insane - Buffett IP: Logged
justnosy TUG Member Posts: 180 From: Port Jefferson Station, NY Registered: Sep 2001	posted 06-02-2005 09:27 Give them a couple of years and let some of them spend $$$$ - they'll suddenly remember TUG and then come and look. I've told friends and relatives about TUG and it took one person 3 years and 4 developer purchases before signing up for TUG!! Hopefully the majority of them are lurking and learning.... IP: Logged
zdxlc9p6 TUG Member Posts: 19 From: Two HGVC in Florida & Krystal in Cancun Registered: Oct 2004	posted 06-02-2005 10:06 We bought our first from a developer in 1997, and our 2nd (worst) in 2000. Bought a 3rd from an individual in 2002, but by then had learned to research the net for pricing. Bought a 4th earlier this year on eBay. Although I had heard of TUG, I never had anyone tell me how powerful it was until last fall. Since then I mainly have been lurkin' & learnin', with an occassional post. We're currently realigning our ownerships to reduce maintenance cost/week. Big Thanks To All!! IP: Logged
AwayWeGo TUG Member Posts: 1162 From: McLean, Virginia. Own at Cypress Pointe II (Orlando) & Lowveld Lodge (White River, South Africa) Registered: May 2002	posted 06-02-2005 10:46 When we were staying in a super-nice timeshare condo at Vistana Orlando (January 2003) on RCI exchange, we signed up for a high-pressure timeshare sales pitch, mainly for the freebies but also to find out some more about Vistana Orlando & Vistana Village. The sales babe already knew we were staying there on exchange & asked what timeshare(s) we owned. We described the low-cost non-USA resort where we bought a Red 2BR week for about the same cost as 1 year's Vistana Orlando maintenance fees + taxes + reserves. That's the week we used for the Vistana Orlando exchange, we said. We also mentioned TUG. The sales babe said, "You know, we could go on with the presentation, but I can tell from what you said about the week you used for your Vistana exchange that you won't be buying, so let's just cut it short. And would you mind giving me the information about TUG & your overseas timeshare?" -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA. ------------------ Through the sycamores the Cadillacs are gleaming, and the bankers on the Wabash shout Hooray! -BRC. IP: Logged
Heron TUG Member Posts: 1582 From: Ont, Canada Registered: Mar 2003	posted 06-03-2005 04:26 What I find particularly astounding is that TUG is very clearly mentioned in the material that the Royals hand out as part of their sales package. When they asked if I wanted to buy a Sands week I said "you see this place right here (pointing to TUG in the literature), that site promotes how to get weeks cheaper, now what do you have as a resale?" IP: Logged
elaine TUG Member Posts: 570 From: washington, DC Registered: Dec 2000	posted 06-03-2005 06:57 it's the same in other areas of "resale" as well. We just did a developers tour of a retirement golf community in NC. But we had also arranged meeting with a realtor about resale lots. He said he hardly EVER gets any calls ahead of time to view resale lots. The prices for comparable lots were 40-60% less than developer prices---I asked him, "don't people search the Web and run MLS listings to see what's out there?" HE said "NO." IP: Logged
camachinist TUG Member Posts: 1628 From: Kerman, CA Registered: Feb 2004	posted 06-03-2005 08:03 IMO, TUG'ers are the top 1% of the top 1% of the most informed timeshare owners there are, not to mention the vacaction population at large. By a sample of our friends and my business colleagues, most folks just use the internet for e-mail, and to occasionally shop online for travel and personal goods. Very few of our friends are members of online forums like this one. I would say the vast majority have computers and access to the internet. That says something. Perhaps, we're just more progressive. I was doing this back in the mid 90's when most of my friends thought I was strange Pat IP: Logged
AwayWeGo TUG Member Posts: 1162 From: McLean, Virginia. Own at Cypress Pointe II (Orlando) & Lowveld Lodge (White River, South Africa) Registered: May 2002	posted 06-03-2005 08:16 quote: Originally posted by camachinist: I was doing this back in the mid 90's when most of my friends thought I was strange My friends still think I'm strange. Any time people ask how many french horns I have, & I have to stop & count'm up, then chances are I'm at least semi-strange. -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA. ------------------ Through the sycamores the Cadillacs are gleaming, and the bankers on the Wabash shout Hooray! -BRC. IP: Logged
vkhome TUG Member Posts: 67 From: Penfield, NY/USA Registered: Apr 2004	posted 06-03-2005 08:39 My husband and I contracted for a 4 night/5 day TS promotion at a Marriott in West Palm Beach ($199 for the package). Prior to our visit, I plan to print out all resale information from this site (as well as other sites) and bring it with me when the sales person starts talking price. If they can match it, maybe we'll buy from them. If not, we go resale. IP: Logged
geekette Non Member Posts: 291 From: Registered: Sep 2004	posted 06-03-2005 08:44 Some people would rather just pay the going rate - it's easier, more convenient... My husband is one of them and extends it to car shopping. He hit a couple sites and determined the going price, and was going to just PAY IT. Didn't bother to go find invoice and didn't plan to come out with an opening offer. I can't change him, but I can sure be the family negotiater ; ) IP: Logged
RockJenkins TUG Member Posts: 37 From: Seattle,Washington Registered: Oct 2002	posted 06-03-2005 09:38 I like many other timeshare owners out there bought my first timeshare from a developer. I had been invited to a presentation by one of my wife's sisters. To this day my wife's sisters are pushing timeshare presentations to anyone who will listen....why? ....partly because they do believe it will benifit their friend's lives....but their real incentive comes from the club's offers of free stays and promotions to win what's behind door number 3. In a way I guess wives's sisters of the world or all doing us re-sale buyers a favor...... After-all...their can be no re-sales until someone buys it from the developer. Think about this... .....................Frontline HEADLINES thru-out the WORLD'S NEWSPAPERS shouting "BUY ONLY RE-SALE TIMESHARE AND SAVE 40 to 75%." What'd you say?????.... THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! ..... ....................... but ........................... ............. what if it did? ............. Rock [This message has been edited by RockJenkins (edited 06-03-2005).] IP: Logged
bigrick TUG Member Posts: 206 From: Sac, CA Registered: May 2003	posted 06-03-2005 23:06 Knowledge is not power. Applied knowledge is power. The OP gave the info to the buyer but the buyer chose not to apply it thus no power. Just bliss! ------------------ Rick Owner: Sudwala, SA and Lake Tahoe, CA IP: Logged
Emily TUG Member Posts: 507 From: Delaware, USA Owner: Waves, OC, MD Dikhololo, Brits, SA Registered: May 2001	posted 06-04-2005 05:57 quote: Originally posted by bigrick: Knowledge is not power. [b]Applied knowledge is power. The OP gave the info to the buyer but the buyer chose not to apply it thus no power. Just bliss! [/B] So true. . .so true. . . . Many folks plunk down the big bucks for the perceived value only to wake up several years later realizing that they could have purchased the true value for alot less. They are afraid that if they don't buy direct that somehow the overall experience/package will be tainted or less than. Now we know that in most cases this is hogwash but salesmen tend to make it pretty good hype. ------------------ Emily IP: Logged
Lynda TUG Member Posts: 1057 From: NH-- La Vista, SXM; Westin Club Regina, P V; Sudwala Lodge, SA; Caribbean Palm Village, Aruba Registered: Dec 2000	posted 06-05-2005 06:41 My friends at work- teachers and school staff- always seek me out to ask advice, but it about unloading a bad deal they bought. I have at least three people right now who bought in Maine under the "If I buy a Yugo I can trade it for a Porsche"...theory) Anyway, I am glad for the developer sales staff, otherwise the rest of us would have no good resale oportunities. I currently own a one bedroom Westin Regina, Puerto Vallarta EOY 1-50 week; two float 1-52 weeks in Aruba at Carib Palm-- a huge two bedroom and a one bedroom and ALL units are being fully gutted and redone which we saw last month; a penthouse one bedroom, in La Vista, SXM which floats EOY weeks 14-50, and a holiday week in Sudwala, SA, one bedroom. Including all closing costs (we bought some on Ebay) all these weeks cost us $5,500 including all closing/transfer costs. We really love the EOY use as we have some favorites and we just switch off every winter! Lynda IP: Logged
gw1400 TUG Member Posts: 996 From: CT Registered: Oct 2002	posted 06-05-2005 07:13 quote: Originally posted by bigrick: Knowledge is not power. [b]Applied knowledge is power. The OP gave the info to the buyer but the buyer chose not to apply it thus no power. Just bliss! [/B] Well said. ------------------ Support our service men and women: Link IP: Logged
retailman TUG Member Posts: 505 From: DENHAM SPRINGS LA USA Registered: Nov 2001	posted 06-05-2005 07:30 IMHI I feel some people are embarrassed they didn't do the research to make an informed purchase. It becomes a blow to there pride that they were douped. ------------------ john m jones IP: Logged
Leturno TUG Member Posts: 827 From: Plainfield, IL USA Owns: Silverleaf at Fox River -- Ff Branson @ Meadows -- Ff Nashville Registered: Jan 2003	posted 06-05-2005 23:45 Alan, What a great story. On the same visit as above we did the sales tour. The closer of course was very frustrated that we wouldn't buy an upgrade at developer costs. But; when we were saying goodbye to our sales guy who did the tour he said he didn't blame us for saying no and that we were doing everything right. An impressive confession from a sales guys in timeshare. Scott ------------------ Scott IP: Logged
Leturno TUG Member Posts: 827 From: Plainfield, IL USA Owns: Silverleaf at Fox River -- Ff Branson @ Meadows -- Ff Nashville Registered: Jan 2003	posted 06-05-2005 23:49 quote: Originally posted by vkhome: My husband and I contracted for a 4 night/5 day TS promotion at a Marriott in West Palm Beach ($199 for the package). Prior to our visit, I plan to print out all resale information from this site (as well as other sites) and bring it with me when the sales person starts talking price. If they can match it, maybe we'll buy from them. If not, we go resale. At least Marriott has a resales program for their sold out resorts. They are a leader in the industry by offering this and in my humble opinoin it is a big reason Marriott timeshares retain so much of their value. ------------------ Scott IP: Logged

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