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Old 03-13-2009, 04:08 PM   #21
ols1932
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by exav8tr

I really think one must really utilize the TT preserves to make your money back and make it pay.
You're absolutely right. In our case, we've had our membership long enough that at the present time, using $25/night as a basis, we stand at +$750.00. I wouldn't recommend that anyone my age purchase a new membership because I don't think they would use the preserves enough to pay for the membership. However, I would recommend keeping one's eyes and ears open to "bargains" like memberships for $500 plus the $750 transfer fee, or even give aways from people like us who will someday have to give up traveling and the membership will be had for just the transfer fee. A real bargain. I don't think you have to go through a "broker" to get a membership.

Orv
 
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Old 03-14-2009, 12:05 PM   #22
exav8tr
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I agree with Orv 100%. You must have RV'ing time left to make up for the initial costs. Cathy and I figured on RV'ing for 10 years and that should be plenty of time to make a return on investment...
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Old 03-14-2009, 02:20 PM   #23
boylanag
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We bought into C2C and ROD when I was younger and earning. Now we can enjoy the systems and just pay the maintenance. Add these to Passport America and we travel and camp well, most of the time.
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Old 03-14-2009, 02:26 PM   #24
TLightning
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by exav8tr

I really think one must really utilize the TT preserves to make your money back and make it pay. For example, we will be staying at 4 different TT parks in the next 3 months, a total of 95 days in which we do not pay a nightly fee, this is a $2800 savings at $30.00 a night. We do enjoy the lifestyle at these preserves, more like camping than RV'ing. Dave, you are right there are not many preserves in the central and midwest states where you plan on going, not sure I would make the investment, unless I could get something "Real Cheap" for the future. Tom is correct as most transfer fess are around $700. plus the dollars you must pay the owner for the membership......
Is there a way to avoid the 14 days in seven days out policy? For those not familiar, the program states that if you are in a CG for 14 days in a row...you must leave (and cannot stay in another TT CG) for seven days.
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Old 03-14-2009, 05:49 PM   #25
exav8tr
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Tom, as a VIP member, you may stay three weeks in one preserve and move directly to another for another three weeks and so on and so on. The only exception is moving back into the same preserve, then you must have one week out. No way around this. Of course the VIP membership isn't cheap.....The plan you are referring to is the National Plan.....
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Old 03-14-2009, 06:52 PM   #26
hookman
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This is a letter we wrote to RV TIMES a free rv magazine published here in BC it may help understand Membership Camping. Since wewrote this letter the owner of our system offered no more dues for if you paid a one time fee. We have camped this off in 3yrs and now have free camping in this system.
Membership Camping:

Why choose membership camping over just using pay-as-you-go campgrounds?

In 1996 we bought a 1976 Prowler 19ft travel trailer and set out on our first camping trip to a KOA in the USA on the BC day weekend. It cost $33 + taxes per night.

Two weeks later we went on a two-night free camping at a membership campground. We were given a spot and told that one of their sales reps would be around to see us about a tour. A couple of hours after we arrived, the rep came around and arranged to take us on a tour on the following day. We were picked up at our trailer and shown the features and the layout of the park and then had a meeting in the sales office. They explained the membership camping system and how the reciprocal systems worked. Then came the “deal” like any other time-share.

Were we going to get four weeks a year only at the times they said? They told us it didn’t work like that. You could go every weekend or you could only stay to the maximum number of days that your membership was for; but four days to max were the same and then you had to leave for so many days so other members could use the system.

Dues were $350 a year. Membership fees were in the $2,900 to $5,900 range depending on the type of membership. Well that’s a lot of money upfront (remember the $33 + taxes per night at the KOA). We were told we could think about it, and that the quoted prices were good for a month and a half.

Two weeks later, we were back to the KOA and $33 + taxes a night for the Labour Day weekend. Now we had spent approximately $200 for six nights camping. Remember, dues for the year were only $350. We figured we should think a little more about the membership program and how much we could afford to camp. There are four long weekends a year, times approximately $35 x 12 or $420 for camping. Cost of the membership camping is $350 per year dues, or ten nights! Top membership would require 169 nights of camping, approximately 34 nights each year for five years to camp it off.

The first year we camped 29 nights, second year was 39 nights, and the third year was 59 nights. After the third year, I quit counting the nights. We found we were camping enough to make it pay for itself in about five to five and a half years.

Using the reciprocals also lets us travel more because of reduced nightly fees. An eight-day trip to the Oregon Coast cost $49 US, and a seven-day trip to Mt. St. Helens cost $42 US.

We now are RVing in a 1998 Nash 25ft travel trailer, which gives us more room and an oh-so-much-better bed. We use the system winter and summer. The majority of our camping is in this system but we do camp at other places too.

There are different types of membership systems: some you pay for a predetermined number of days, some have only one campground, others are multiple campgrounds and when a new one is added you pay to add that campground. The one we joined was a multiple campground and you don’t pay for the new campgrounds, which are added.

Is the membership camping affordable? Yes. Is financing available? Yes. Is it for everyone? No.

We recommend it whole-heartedly. Please note we are not salespeople. simply advocates for membership camping.

Don and Mary Ann Ross

donaross@telus.net
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Old 03-15-2009, 03:55 AM   #27
ols1932
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by TLightning

[quote
Is there a way to avoid the 14 days in seven days out policy? For those not familiar, the program states that if you are in a CG for 14 days in a row...you must leave (and cannot stay in another TT CG) for seven days.
Yes, depending on the type of membership you have or want. If buying someone's membership, verify what their membership consists of. We have friends that go from one TT preserve to another consistently. Plus, you can enjoy "extended stays" at most of the preserves.

Orv
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Old 03-15-2009, 04:02 AM   #28
dsprik
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What's a "preserve"? Different from a TT campground? Or are they all called preserves?
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Old 03-15-2009, 04:42 AM   #29
exav8tr
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Dave, TT calls all their parks "preserves" as most are a lot more than a park or RV CG, many have multiple areas attached to them and the word Preserve seems to follow their business mantra of providing a lot more than just a park or CG. If I'm not mistaken you can take a tour and stay for three days free and sit through a sales prep, usually no high pressure but will outline everything. IF you do this PM me and I will give you my membership number and you could use me as a referral. I think I get something out of that but not sure what....It's worth the three day stay and, who knows, you might find it right up your alley.... Hope this helps you decide. Remember, membership parks are NOT for everyone.
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Old 03-15-2009, 06:46 AM   #30
ols1932
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And every one we have been to has hiking trails! Surprise, surprise. That's part of their name. Some even have fishing ponds where you don't even need a fishing license. We were at one TT when they restocked the ponds with fish. Man, they poured fish out of a big truck for over 15 minutes. Could have been longer, but we were leaving and couldn't stay and watch the finish.

Orv
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