RV Campground Timeshares - Montana Owners Club

DONnANNIE · 08-17-2006, 02:43 PM

We just bought our first 5th Wheel. We received 3 different "freebees" from KM Resorts of America, Thousand Trails and Western Horizon Resorts.

KM Resorts gives us a free lifetime membership, but we have to pay a annual "maintenance fee". How much is the "maintenance fee"? Next week we go to Yogi Bear Campground for our free stay.

I would appreciate any comments on any of these timeshares or any other timeshares. The good, the bad and the UGLY.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Don and Annie

2006 Silverado 3500 Duramax Diesel / Allison Auto 6 Spd, 4x4, Ext Cab, Long Bed, Husky 16K Hitch.
2007 Montana 3650RK

old turbo · 08-18-2006, 12:52 AM

You have to be careful on these campgroung time shares.Do they have it in the contract how many times they sell each site. If they have say 100 sites and say they sell each one 10 times you have a whole lot of folks competeing for camping space. I would take the contract and run it by an attorney to check out the fine print. Find out if this is a life time contract just for the maint fees. If you are just paying maint. fees how many times are you allowed to camp and for how long each stay? Another question would be are they allowed to raise the manint. fee at any time? It sounds to good to be true because they like to sell memberships which can run as much as $8,000 dollars. I have a bunch of resorts here in Michigan and they do not do all these improvemnts and pay all the help off maint. contracts.If you are just paying the maint. fee are you allowed to camp on holiday weekends? I know alot of these resorts belong to systems with more than one resort,do you have the right to go to other reorts in the system under this contract? I hope this will be of some help.

kegger5769 · 08-18-2006, 03:57 AM

I belong to a "membership campground" in Winters, CA and have been using it for 15+ years. We also have 3 other campgrounds in CA we can use as if they where our home park which includes holidays ect. During peak season we can stay 2 week in 1 week out, off peak it's 3 weeks in 1 out. I know a few peaple who fulltime in the area that just bounce between parks with no problem. As far as KM resorts I have full access to them as a sistor park but have not been there personally. I have heard that Yogi Bear park is very nice. All I pay is yearly maintance due of under $300 a year, and if you use it it's not a bad deal. Good luck on you chioce.
Kim

FulltimeFollies · 08-18-2006, 01:25 PM

These that you refer to as time shares are actually park memberships. There are true RV timeshares where you actually buy the land for how long you want to.

The membership parks that you mention are Expensive, restrictive and loved and hated by its own members or former members.

Your state ment of how much are the maintenance fees is the best. They go up every year. The upfront cost are tremendous. Take Thousand Trails that you mention, they will sell you a lifetime membership anywhere from 6000 to 12,000 plus the yearly maintenance fee, and a additional billings under certain circumstances. Yet, you can buy the same membership from resales for only the transer fee (50-500) depending on the contract , as they have over 100 contracts as amended over the years. Most all operate about the same except the area of resorts etc. If you have the money, intend to use the parks for a period of years, and can live within the rules, ie; two weeks in two out, one week in , one out etc, you may actually enjoy being a member.

I would caution you to read, read , read, and read again the COMPLETE contracts and understand exactly what you are paying for. Do not enter into any contract that you cannot dispose of without losing a kneecap or 3 fingers off your right hand. They are out there like that.

c5racer · 08-18-2006, 05:10 PM

When we joined KM Resorts the joining fee was waved and the dues of $325.00 a year were frozen for life. We also have ROD with dues of $99.00 a year, and RPI with dues of $79.00 a year. When we used to go South for the winter we payed about $150.00 for 6 months of camping. Now we plan on going South in the winter for 3 months and North in the summer for 3 months. Don't plan on spending over $150.00 to do it. With ROD we can go from one park to another with no time out and the camping is free.

04 Silver Dodge Laramie QC 3500 DRW, HO Diesel, 2wd, 6spd, LB, 4.10, Sport pkg, Bun warmers, Jake.

2004 Big Sky 3670RL, Fireplace, Sat Dish/Dig Readout, Cent Vac, Big Sky & Value Pkg, 2 Fantastic Fans, Basement Tray, Safety Glass, 2 Batts, Pressure Pro

Glenn and Lorraine · 08-19-2006, 01:14 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by FulltimeFollies

These that you refer to as time shares are actually park memberships. There are true RV timeshares where you actually buy the land for how long you want to.

The membership parks that you mention are Expensive, restrictive and loved and hated by its own members or former members.

Your state ment of how much are the maintenance fees is the best. They go up every year. The upfront cost are tremendous. Take Thousand Trails that you mention, they will sell you a lifetime membership anywhere from 6000 to 12,000 plus the yearly maintenance fee, and a additional billings under certain circumstances. Yet, you can buy the same membership from resales for only the transer fee (50-500) depending on the contract , as they have over 100 contracts as amended over the years. Most all operate about the same except the area of resorts etc. If you have the money, intend to use the parks for a period of years, and can live within the rules, ie; two weeks in two out, one week in , one out etc, you may actually enjoy being a member.

I would caution you to read, read , read, and read again the COMPLETE contracts and understand exactly what you are paying for. Do not enter into any contract that you cannot dispose of without losing a kneecap or 3 fingers off your right hand. They are out there like that.

Yeah what FulltimeFollies said.

Something I have always wonder---If these memberships are so darn good how is it that you see so many up for resale within a very short period of purchasing it. Why on earth would someone pay the HIGH membership cost only to turn around in less than a year or two and resell it for 25% or less than the original purchase price.

If anyone could legitimately explain that to me I might change my mind but as of this posting I feel they are a HUGE waste of money.

If you want to save money join Passport America as it only costs 44 bucks and you'll get that back the very first time you use it.

Glenn
Montana Owners Home Page
RV Related Links

Glenn and Lorraine

M O C - 4 2 0

We are using a 2005 White GMC Sierra SLE 2500HD Extended Cab, Short Bed, 4X4
with the Duramax/Allison Combo and Firestone Ride-Rite air bags
to drag around our 2004 Montana 2955RL 32'
using a PullRite 16K SuperGlide Automatic Sliding Hitch

"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us!"
You know you are retired when you wake up in the morning with
nothing to do and go to bed at night with it only half done.
BUT, Keep in mind, doing nothing can be a very
tiresome job because you can't stop to rest

Click on the Flags for the Forecast

old turbo · 08-19-2006, 03:05 AM

I have another way these membership campgrounds get your money. I will not mention any names . A park with 35 sites in AZ sells what they call choice camping in one of the rv magazines. You pay an up front fee and no maint. fees. They also pay your first year fee in Coast to Coast wich gets you camping for $8.00 a nite at member campgrounds.After the first year you have to pay the coast to coast membership $139.00. Then a couple of years later they need more money so they bail out of Coast to Coast and go in with aor"American Outdoor Resorts". The resort calls you and tells you that in order to stay in because you have your original money in,it will cost you this much more money to stay in. You pay more money,then a couple of years later they send you a letter that states that they will no longer honor their silver and gold memberships and that if you want to save your membership money so that you can sell your membership in the future you have to invest in the platinum membership for another $1000.00. If you do not change they will cancel you out and you are out the money.

dchafer · 08-19-2006, 03:37 AM

Glenn and Lorraine, I'm with you. I love Passport America and it works for me. I find those membership parks too risque...there are too many unhappy customers for me to take the chance on high price membership. For some others they are very happy.. whatever works for you......
P.S. we stay at Roberts RV in St. Petes, not far from you eh!!!!

Diane,Dennis & Taffy
3400RL
2003 Silverado 2500 HD D/A, Prodigy Control
Reese 16K Slider

zteg · 08-19-2006, 06:16 AM

Had a regular time share in vegas. Swapped for use in other states but try and sell. Not...
Scary part is if you let it lapse or are tired of anualy maintenance increases they can put a lein on your property. Finally was able to unload it this year and pay to boot. Never again and wouldnt recomment purchase. My opinion..

c5racer · 08-19-2006, 12:23 PM

Seems like most of the negative comments are from people that have never had a campground membership.

04 Silver Dodge Laramie QC 3500 DRW, HO Diesel, 2wd, 6spd, LB, 4.10, Sport pkg, Bun warmers, Jake.

2004 Big Sky 3670RL, Fireplace, Sat Dish/Dig Readout, Cent Vac, Big Sky & Value Pkg, 2 Fantastic Fans, Basement Tray, Safety Glass, 2 Batts, Pressure Pro

Chuck and Carol · 08-19-2006, 12:44 PM

As I have said before, we have a Thousand Trails membership. But someone said their RPI was only $79.00. Just got my bill and it was $149.00. Shredded that up and will not renew. We also have ROD. They have a campground just 40 miles from home. Nice and quiet after school starts.

Carol and Chuck

Carol and Chuck
2006 3670RL
2005 GMC 3500 Sierra (White)
Allison/Duramax diesel, dual wheels,
4 wheel drive,
long bed, crew cab,
pipe running boards
Reese hitch.

Glenn and Lorraine · 08-19-2006, 01:17 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by dchafer

P.S. we stay at Roberts RV in St. Petes, not far from you eh!!!!

We stayed at Roberts a couple times. Last time was October 04.

Will you be there this winter??