Have you attended a timeshare hardsell?

[radhak]

LOML got an offer for a pair of free Disney World passes (and some other goodies) if both of us attend a 90 minute 'seminar'.

The total value of the goodies could well be around $400, so she's 'persuading' me to accede. But I am more than a little wary of what is entailed - those 90 minutes could be heavy nuisance, right? As in, buy, buy, buy, or else?

Of course I am not gonna buy anything, come what may, but has anybody gone thru this personally?

[crokett]

I have a few times. My in-laws had a timeshare. They could give their week to a guest who could use it at pretty much any participating resort - that is how we got to honeymoon in the Dominican. Anyhoo part of the requirement was some time during the week as a guest you had to sit through a pitch. When we went to hear the pitch I pointed out to the guy that we were on our honeymoon and had no interest in a timeshare and could we just sign the paperwork so he could get paid and we would leave. He let us do that. When we went to Florida using their timeshare it was the same thing, only the woman was much less accomodating and made us sit through a 90 minute spiel despite having an 18mo old who was fussy. We also sat through another one to get Universal studios tickets.

What they do is give you a tour of the place and show you a model, then they take you back to try to get you to buy. You will be shocked at how much these things cost. You will have to say no a lot. Also the sales person will at some point call their boss over and you will have to say no to him or her also.

[radhak]

Good info, thanks!

Actually, a high price tag will be good. Easier for me to say no, knowing I don't have the money; and easier for LOML too, as she only likes bargain-cheap, nothing high priced!

[kirkroy]

I did a very similar deal (Disney World). The sales thing was insane but it was easy to say 'no' repeatedly, especially since I knew I couldn't afford it at the time (2 small children). The real negative? The deal was in October and it was crazy hot in FL at that time.

Kirk

[sweensdv]

Read the fine print very carefully before you buy one of these things. These things are nearly impossible to sell down the road and, in many cases, your kids will be responsible for paying maintenance fees long after you're gone. The only alternative will be to pay a fee so you can "give" it back to the sellers. DAMHIKT

[bluzcat]

Honeymoon in Cancun, a gift from a friend of mine. Had to sit through the high pressure sales pitch. Knew it going in, so I was prepared. Interval International I think was the name of the timeshare outfit. Boy, did they have an answer for everything! When you really look at the costs involved, it is really expensive. Even if you bought it outright with a windfall of money, the annual maintenance costs are as much as a week at a fairly nice hotel. The resort we stayed at in Cancun was very nice, but back then (1995), the resort company being a foreign owned company, couldn't hold title to property in Mexico. They only leased the land the resort was built on. Said no in the end. I remember our airfare only was pretty high also. If I would have booked flight and hotel together, it seems like it was only a couple of hunred bucks more. If you do go, just remember, "If it's such a good deal, why do they have to bribe you just to hear their pitch!"

[eezlock]

have you attended a timeshare hardsell?

Yes, on a couple of occasions in the distant past. Only after I figured what was really going on and I had heard enough....did I get up and walk out! I don't like the idea of some jerk trying to sell something to me and never giving me direct answers to direct questions.I don't like the old tap dance around the truth about something or their version of a dance and pony show!
I guess that is the reason I don't own a timeshare anywhere, I could never get it clear in my mind as to what I really would own if I bought into this scam, and they could not tell me either. I detest the idea of me paying for something that everyone else gets to use when they want to and me taking
the leftovers and having to like it! Timeshares are for the most part a big SCAM! You buy, you pay for upkeep, and we will enjoy using it!

[radhak]

Thanks everybody for the input.

Just to put everybody at ease, my intention is to go in just to avail of their freebies; there is no way I'm gonna end up buying any timeshare ! But I just want to be prepare myself with 'how many ways can I say NO!"

I'm just making up my mind if the 90 minutes of aggravation is worth the freebies!

[Kristofor]

I went to a number of these sessions as a kid. My parents were..... frugal. So on our vacations we'd take a couple hour side trip where they'd go with the 3 kids in tow to pick up the free TV and knife set or whatnot. The whole time we heard about how they're a scam, etc.

Then, a funny thing happened... My sister ended up with a timeshare when she split from her Ex. She was young and poor, and ended up giving/selling it to my parents (I don't remember what brand it was but they merged or were bough by Wyndham). I laughed and laughed because they had told us timeshares were a scam probably 100 times or more.

However... since then they have used it a LOT. They do a week in Mexico each year (have now hit Cancun, Cabo, Ixtapa, Alcupulco, and a couple other places), and another 1-2 weeks somewhere else (they've been to Hawaii, Vegas, Orlando, Branson, Smokey Mountains, Japan, and the Wisconsin Dells (maybe others)). Several of those (Dells, Vegas, Orlando, Branson) have been in 4 bedroom suites with 2-3 of us kids and our families present.

Now, it still may be a scam or at least a poor value for the dollar (of course it's not my dollars which makes a pretty big difference), but it's forced my father to take more vacation time too, which is good. And having it has resulted in a number of great memories from family trips that otherwise would not have been an option for some or all of us kids and our families.

Anyhow, back to the question. It's easy to sit through one of the presentations for the free tickets or whatnot. Just be clear that you're not going to buy and don't get into arguing numbers about costs which they seem to like to twist (what's the point, you're not buying). If possible walk or drive to the presentation, don't take a shuttle or you're at their mercy "Aw shucks, just missed that one, the next bus is in an hour". About 90% of the reps I've worked with know you're only there for the freebies after 10 minutes and are easygoing about putting the show on for their managment. The other 10% may try the hard sell, or guilting you, etc. but they have no power, just be firm and you'll be done in no time and can walk out with the swag.

[BobSch]

I can think of several better ways to spend an hour and a half — like banging the family jewels with a hammer.

[themachine]

I am sure you are confident at saying no, and that is certainly the best response. Any timeshare that you really want is available on the internet at no more than 50% of what they are selling at the resorts. But keep in mind that these salespeople are probably the best trained in any sales arena, and they have a 40% success rate. And it will be absolutely a whole day shot for the sales pitch event. I know from experience. By the way, in Mexico you can literally make up to $300 if you are willing to sit in on these things but I would rather sell a kidney.

[ragswl4]

I am sure you are confident at saying no, and that is certainly the best response. Any timeshare that you really want is available on the internet at no more than 50% of what they are selling at the resorts. But keep in mind that these salespeople are probably the best trained in any sales arena, and they have a 40% success rate. And it will be absolutely a whole day shot for the sales pitch event. I know from experience. By the way, in Mexico you can literally make up to $300 if you are willing to sit in on these things but I would rather sell a kidney.

My feelings exactly! I sat thru one of these in CanCun a few years back. Couldn't talk the wife out of the free t-shirt and bottle of Tequila that was offered. Worst 90 minutes of my life without sedation. Knowing that we were not going to buy anything and still going thru the motions was very frustrating for me. In the end my wife said, "never again" so I guess in a sense it was worth it. We left our hotel at 8 am and didn't finish the thing until noon. 90 minutes is only the spiel. Hated it.

[Gator95]

The spiel is not so bad. Once you let them know that you'll be glad to consider the offer once you check for prices of equivlent used timeshares on the internet and make a counteroffer, they pretty much leave you alone to feed on the less nimble.

[Ed62]

I look at timeshares as a rough equivalent to fitness center contracts. Most people won't use them very much, and it becomes a waste of money. Only it's on a larger scale. Never been to a pitch, and never will.

Ed

[JoeyGee]

LOML talked me into going to one once. It was only supposed to be an hour and it ended up being over 3. I was steaming and ready to leave. I should have walked out but I was too "polite" to. It was funny how much the price kept coming down the more we said no.

We had to fill out questionairres before hand (LOML supplied WAY too much info that I wouldn't have). We were then separated--we went into bull pen (boiler room, etc) while other older and more established targets, er, I mean customers went into nicer offices.

LOML was genuinely interested, but I said I had to sleep on it. I wasn't about to shell out that much cash under pressure. They said they couldn't do it, and the Attorney General wouldn't allow them to offer the same deal the next day (what a load of crap that was).

We noticed a few couples went outside to smoke, and the salesman went with them. They would not let anyone out of their sight! They had PC's set up to show how great their BBB ranking is--but they wouldn't let me Google the company, or look for anything except what they showed.

I looked it up when I got home. This company changes names about every six months and was being sued by 2-3 different states. They figure if they just change the company name, they could get away with it.

Funny this comes up. We are staying in a family members time share next week and considered sitting through a spiel for free Disney tickets. Thanks for the reminder, I will gladly pay for the tickets now.