Hello Wise Ones and the others,
Anybody have any recs on great perks sitting through time share presentations in Cabo or San Jose?bajajudy - 5-2-2013 at 01:15 PM
I have heard that they give you cash in some cases.....
I went to one presentation 20 years ago....got a free ride to San Lucas and free burgers. Well I dont eat gray hamburgers but the free ride was good.windgrrl - 5-2-2013 at 01:48 PM
Well, for lack of better judgement or perhaps some interest in a real estate tour for future planning, we attended one several years ago at an up and
coming East Cape development. We were hosted by a very charming Mexican salesman, not with high pressure tactics, but having very sharp sales skills.
We had plain Ritz crackers dressed with squeeze cheese and Margarita mix margies.
We had the choice of a return vacation, windsurfing gear of our choice or could name it if we bought in. We didn't and tried to waive the free one-day
car rental given to us for attending the presentation, but he insisted and we took a fun day trip to La Paz. The timeshare sales tanked and the lovely
rooms are now hotel rooms.
If you're only there for a few weeks each year why not check the local rentals (e.g. VRBO)? If you don't need beach front, check out the real estate
market and do lots of research about owning property in Mexico.
Have fun if you do go,
w
[Edited on 5-2-2013 by windgrrl]monoloco - 5-2-2013 at 02:32 PM
Timeshares are a scourge, please don't encourage the shills by going to their presentations.Wally - 5-2-2013 at 02:48 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
Timeshares are a scourge, please don't encourage the shills by going to their presentations.
Rubbish.
A couple of years ago the OPC's were getting close to $1200 for every presentation they could fill. At one point I heard guys talking that they were
giving up to 1/2 of that to get people in. Doubt it's like that now but they will likely give you $300-400 worth of fishing, golf, activities to take
a tour. Then the resort will buy you breakfast or lunch. The 2 places in San Jose that seem to be still killing it are the Mayan and Cabo Azul. Both
are nice, Cabo Azul is really nice. Friends and family stay there a lot.Vince - 5-2-2013 at 02:50 PM
They are similar all over. We went to one in Puerto Vallarta where they are particularly aggressive. They meet you while you are checking out a rental
car. To start off, wife and I made a pact, DON'T GIVE IN. A free breakfast was offered at the hotel where the time shares are located. After a nice
breakfast with the younger salesman, we went thru a total of 4 levels of different high pressured salesmen. Each time we said we didn't want the deal
they were offering. Finally after the 4th one, the older more experienced one, they gave up at about noon and gave us the promised $200 dollars and a
bottle of tequila for listening to the sales pitches. It really wasn't worth it but we wanted to see if we could do it.desertcpl - 5-2-2013 at 02:57 PM
they just gave us the $200.00 and bottle of Tequila
and told us to go
Cypress - 5-2-2013 at 03:07 PM
They might give you a few discounts on meals, rental cars etc. sancho - 5-2-2013 at 03:31 PM
Read of a guy in Vallarta, sat thru 6 of them, made
$600, paid for the flight. An aquaintance of mine
not only bought 1, but 2, at Cabo, Pueblo Bonita
I believe. The pitch was they would rent out the
2nd one, to pay for the first. Never saw a peso in
rent of the 2nd. I thought only first time
Baja visitors, struck by it's beauty bought those.
Don't know the current status, but as of a yr. ago,
reports were you could pick them up resale from a
private party for just the yearly maintance fee, which
is approx. $500 a yr., sorta getting it free. There was
a post here, that listed a site where people were
bailing out on timeshares. I understand you can't
just walk away as it will affect your credit in the US,
not to mention the maids make in a day the price
Gringos pay for a poolside umbrella fruit c-cktailBarry A. - 5-2-2013 at 03:44 PM
My wife and I have attended many-------all over the world--------always enjoyed them, and the perks were always fun and profitable.
Never even came close to buying anything, tho as that was NOT our intention in the first place. Our phylosophy, if they want to give us stuff, then
so be it----------it's all fun!!!
BarryWally - 5-2-2013 at 03:44 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by sancho
Don't know the current status, but as of a yr. ago,
reports were you could pick them up resale from a
private party for just the yearly maintenance fee, which
is approx.
Absolutely, Ebay is full of them. We picked up a Diamond International block of points for $1 and the owner paid the transfer fees. HOA is $300/year.willardguy - 5-2-2013 at 04:44 PM
I attended one 25 years ago at the melia cabo san lucas, best money I ever spent. what amazing memories, if you're not having fun in cabo, you got a
problem!Bajahowodd - 5-2-2013 at 04:56 PM
As someone who actually owns three timeshares, I do have to say that today's presentations are not anywhere close to what they were 25 years ago.
Especially in the Cabo region, since there was a time when there was so little competition, and the beaches were still pristine. Perks included bonus
weeks. Also included tons of stuff such as free rental cars.
Although it might seems counter-intuitive, the situation today provides fewer perks.
And as a recovering timeshare presentation participant, I must admit that sitting through literally hours of crap, when one has absolutely no interest
in making a purchase, is disingenuous. I can no longer go to these things, just so I can still face myself in the mirror.
People, those timeshare sellers are living week to week, in the hope that someone will purchase. I cannot look someone in the face, just so I can get
a free ticket for a zip line, or a few days of rental car.durrelllrobert - 5-2-2013 at 07:49 PM
When we checked in at our all inclusive resort in Puerto Penasco (Rocky point) they informed us that due to a SPECIAL PROMOTION we were entitled to a
$300 voucher for anything not part of the all inclusive. When it came time to activate the voucher my wife was told we both had to attend the time
share
presentation. She informed them that there was no way her husband (me) would attend so they agreed to just give her a complementary tour. Less then 1
hour with a very polite young man and we had $300 extra to spend even though the 2 br condo we rented only cost $200.jbcoug - 5-3-2013 at 07:09 AM
My wife and I usually attend one on each trip down to the Cabo area, latest was last month. First of all, NEVER buy retail from them. There is nothing
that you can't get elsewhere for pennies on the dollar. That said, the presentations allow you to see whats new in the area. My rule of thumb is don't
go for less than $300 US cash. Last month was very typical, $300 US off our rental car, two bottles of booze and a good buffet breakfast. Count on a
couple hours and some pressure. It's simple, just say NO. If you want a lot of pressure and some insults, go to the Grand Mayan, they are downright
nasty. I'd never go there again. These are not for everbody, some buy into all the BS and end up regretting their purchase (as they should). Don't go
for a Mexican blanket, a bottle of cheap booze and some discount coupons though. Ask for $300, that's readily available.
JohnSwissFrank - 5-3-2013 at 02:35 PM
Who is most likely to be the time share salesman in BA?willardguy - 5-3-2013 at 04:06 PM
Uknow who!acadist - 5-3-2013 at 04:09 PM
Bahai Asuncion? That would be ShariDavidE - 5-3-2013 at 04:19 PM
I told a street hawker that I could not just go to a presentation. I needed to check with my parole officer first. Four days I passed him on the
corner, and he never gave me another glance.Bajahowodd - 5-3-2013 at 04:58 PM
I know first hand that there are some great freebies to be had. But, although I did that stuff years ago, I have stopped inasmuch as I like to be able
to look myself in the mirror.
Remember, those folks that are taking you on the tour are not salaried. They only get compensation when you buy.chuckie - 5-3-2013 at 05:23 PM
I find this stuff hard to believe....So cheap you have to chisel time share deals? Fuhgetaboudit....It aint worth the agro...Geez!mirko - 5-3-2013 at 05:57 PM
Don't know if this has been posted before, but timeshares are a rip off. I don't care how nice and exclusive the project is, you can always find a
deal on the internet for less than 1/2 of the price, in the same development, same unit. I used to own 3 timeshares in La Paz in the same small
development. I bought one on ebay for $1.25. Yes you read it right. I bid $1,000 but the winning bid was $1.25. I then told my wife we should go
look at what we bought. It turned it to be somewhat spartan but very nice and room with a terrific location (for us) and view. I then bough 2 more,
also on ebay for around $300 each. All along, my maintenance dues were about the same as renting a unit in the same building, and that is the key.
You have little to gain buy buying a time share since you can rent for the same price. A few years later and the timeshares went under and started
asking me to pay a year's dues in advance etc. I said no since I had virtually no investment in the thing. If you must buy a timeshare, buy on the
secondary market for much cheaper. As to the presentations...I would rather have a root canal than sit through one of those.SwissFrank - 5-6-2013 at 09:32 AM
Are the tactics in Bahia Asuncion high pressure or subtle?BajaBlanca - 5-6-2013 at 04:51 PM
I went to a time share in cabo many moons ago, in exchange i got a free ride to my hotel and back, plus a fantastic dinner at a fancy restaurant.
Worth the 2 hours, i think. I did not buy, but enjoyed Cabo to the max.daveB - 5-6-2013 at 10:13 PM
In 1999 I went to one in CSL from San Jose, got a ride there, suffered through the entire presentation following a carrot that was a free car rental.
Well, that didn't happen, we didn't buy, had no intension to and I guess it showed. Ended up walking up to the highway and hopping a bus back to the
condo.
Not having learned my lesson, in 2002 went to one in Republica Dominica. We each got a travel bag and a bottle of rum. Only the rum ever came in
handy.BajaParrothead - 5-7-2013 at 07:48 AM
This past December, my wife surprised me with a four day excursion to the Ola Gran Faro in San jose. Nice property but the all-inclusive was no
bargain. We sat through their 1 1/2 hour presentation in exchange for two days of rental car from Thrifty Rents. Made it nice and easy to run up to
Los Barriles for a day and visit with friends.monoloco - 5-7-2013 at 08:28 AM
I certainly wouldn't want to spend my vacation time sitting through a high pressure sales spiel, for something I had no intention of purchasing, for
some trinket. My in laws spent a half day listening to one in Los Cabos a few years back for $100 off on a over priced meal in the resort restaurant.
It still ended up costing them over $100, on top of the discount, for a meal that they could have bought for $100 or less at another restaurant.
