Looking for feedback on RV Resort Memberships

[jmbrowning]

I'd like to know what your experience is with RV Resort memberships. Particularly K/M Resorts in WA. If you've heard any stories (good or bad) please pass them along.



The affiliated organizations look handy, the ones where you can stay in a private campground for $5-6 a night. Coast to Coast sounds like a good one, RPIcould work, too. Anybody used them?



TIA

 

[Partyat33]

Every one that I have looked at seemed like a ripoff. If you are going to get a membership try to get it used. There are ads in the TDR and other publications.



SAVE some $$$$$.





Dennis

 

[Ramboy]

I looked into a few of these some years back. I didn't buy any of them because due to clauses in the fine print, you can't ever leave these things. You can't just say that you no longer want to belong and stop paying. There was an initial charge of $7,500 to $8,500 with annual fees of $330. That is one of the reasons that you see a lot of them for sale-it's the only way to get out of them. There is also a transfer fee if you sell of about $600. Also, if you die and your wife's name is on the contract, she is responsible for the annual fees until she sells or dies.

This was about nine years ago so things may have changed by now but I would advise reading all the fine print.

 

[SlyBones]

Buying into one of the campground clubs can be a ripoff unless you use them all the time. Otherwise I just dont see the expense is worth it.



CCC and RPI at $6-$8 per night are nice. There are two problems. First is you have to join one of those expensive clubs to belong. As the are reciprocol ( sp? ) programs. You are trading nights in your resport for nights in someone elses, for $6 per night fee.



Second problem is most CCC and RPI parks are not located near where you want to go. At least not tourist trap places. Like you wont find one within 75 miles of the Grand Canyon. All of the RV parks close to the Grand Canyon can charge what ever they want, and motorhomes are lined up to get in there. They dont need no clubs.



Of the CCC parks I have stayed in, most of the people that enjoy the benifits are retired and are "full-timers". They are not in a hurry, dont mind the drive, and basically spend about $2000 a year for rent, water, sewer, electricity, etc. ( not including motorhome payments of couse ).

 

[jmbrowning]

Amen to the save $$$ idea.



They start with a "value" of $5995. 00 and start knocking the price down right away. By the time I walked out of the presentation they had themselves beat down to a fraction of the "value". I didn't even start to work him, I'm not sure I'd use it enough to make it worthwhile.



I found a couple "used" memberships in the paper but don't have the particulars yet about the transfer. There are a couple "Home Resort" memberships available online, too, that are cheaper still. Those are just a way to get the affiliation, but that could work for me if the system operates as they say.



Thanks for the feedback. Anyone else have anything?

 

[SlyBones]

My stepmom's brother is a full timer, with a big 5er, etc. He looked into the clubs things for the CCC and RPI affiliations. Ended up not doing it. Says he typically pays $300 per month at the resorts he finds. Figured its more expensive that $6 per night but not once you factor in the original club membership.



Also get to stay where he want and not where the clubs are. You still will not get the place close to the Grand Canyon, like in my example. High tourist trap places just dont need clubs, monthly rentals, etc. to get visitors.



However going to San Diego to my dad's for example. The closest CCC or RPI place is a little ways away. So for $6 I have to drive. For $20 per night, I can stay a few miles away, and right in town. The bother stays in the same place in the winter for 2-3 months at $300 per mo. Then as it gets hot, he moves on to a new place. Looks for places in town, away from high tourist areas, and gets good deals on monthly rates.

 

[travelweary]

I joined Leisure Time Resorts a few years ago and it now is part of Thousand Trails. I agree with some of the earlier posts, if you buy one get a used membership. I paid $6500 and I see them for sale in the paper for $600. I wouldn't buy into it again but I'm trying to make the most of it. Dues for most memberships seem to be around $400 a year and K&M is around that. I've talked with numerous RVers about CC and RPI and most of the feedback was negative and seemed to be because of availability. I saw on another board that some RPI parks are charging more than $5 and by the answer from corporate it seems that its legal. I bought my membership because 2 parks were close to my house so I can use them daily and its great for spending time with the kids on weekends. Its really up to how and how often you'll use it. If you are just going over the road on occasion I would just get memberships to Good Sams Club, KOA and other cards that get you discounts at certain parks. It takes alot of $20 nights to make up for what you'll pay otherwise. Happy Camping and good luck whatever you decide.

 

[BigMike]

My wife and I joined Thousand Trails a couple of years ago. Cost us $3000 on a Fleetwood promotion. $340/year. They have beautiful campgrounds in beautiful places. We use it as much as we can now, but 3 years from now when we retire, we'll get our monies worth out of it. We absolutely love the security, cleanliness and nice people.

 

[jmbrowning]

Hmmmmm... Thanks for all the info!



I'm thinking I need to concentrate on where the locations are and whether I'll use then enough to pay the initiation and yearly.



The online home parks are $450-$500 and $100 a year plus the RPI yearly. Doing a little easy math, if I used it for a 3 night weekend a month and saved about 15 bucks a night that would be $540 saved a year. Of course some months I might use it more, like for vacation or a couple weekends, and some I might not use it at all, like at the holiday season. But loosely based on that model it'd start paying for itself in the second year. Not bad IF I use it.



I posted the same request on irv2.com and had one fellowsay that he checked with at least one resort that only allocates 10 spaces for C2C. When those are full C2C members can rent a space for $25 just like anyone else. I guess there are no guarantees.



Still evaluating.