A class-action lawsuit filed against RCI in federal court in New Jersey claims many have trouble finding trades because RCI skims "a large percentage of timeshares from the system, including many prime timeshares, and renting them to the general public for profit or selling them to vendors who then rent them to the general public."

The suit also claims RCI uses them for promotional purposes and as fringe benefits to employees. Attorneys for RCI have denied those claims in court filings.

Many owners report that it is easier to make trades among resorts within a chain that developed their timeshare, such as among Marriott resorts worldwide. But even then they often warn that it is not as easy as salesmen make it sound.

Wood, a Marriott owner, said, "I used to be able to call six months ahead and get a reservation anytime. Not any more." He said if reservations are available a year in advance, "You better be on the phone one minute after it is available. If you wait a few weeks, prime times will be gone."

Clarke said, "We were able to get the locations that we wanted but not the weeks that we wanted unless we did the reservations 1 1/2 years in advance. How many people know that far in advance where and when they want to visit?"

Another problem that Clarke has noticed, as have many other owners, is that they sometimes give up a week at a luxurious resort and end up with a nightmare elsewhere in return.

Clarke said she traded a week at her Marriott MountainSide timeshare in Park City, and "the quality of the resort where we stayed in Florida (for it) was not as nice ..., which was dis- appointing. The vacations were enjoyable, but not because of the quality — or lack thereof — of the timeshare."

Several Web sites offer reviews of resorts to help traders avoid such disappointments and provide information beyond glowing information written by resorts themselves.

Bill Rogers, the founder of one such site operated by the Timeshare Users Group, writes there that he started it after he traded a week at a luxury resort for "what can only be described as a run-down converted motel."

He wrote that its picture in the directory looked great. "But when we got there the condo was probably WWII vintage and still had the original furniture. I have seen better thrown away on the street." He said he looked for the advertised tennis court and found it overgrown with weeds and without a net.

"So much for resort directory pictures and write-ups! We vowed we would never be ripped off again," he wrote.

Tuesday: Selling problems

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E-mail: lee@desnews.com