The BeautifulBiltmore - Carolinas - Mercedes

FIRST QTR 2013
MBCA | Carolinas Section
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER
OF THE MERCEDES BENZ CLUB OF
AMERICA, CAROLINAS SECTION
The Beautiful
Biltmore
MBCA Carolinas
Members of all three sections in our Carolinas
region, forty-four in all, enjoyed a weekend at
the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.
Club section presidents and our Eastern Regional
Director, Bill Hopper attended as well.
The weather was perfect! We started our weekend
with refreshments and a tour of the newly
expanded Skyland Mercedes in Asheville, where
members learned about some of the latest service
techniques available only from Mercedes Benz
dealers.
From there, we caravanned to the Biltmore for a
luncheon at their restaurants. After some brief
time, we started a guided tour of the Biltmore
mansion.
The personal tour guides provided fresh
information and provided the unique opportunity
to answer questions. After our tour, we assembled
on the green for a group picture with our vehicles,
directed by Bill Hopper.
Then on to a tour of the winery and winetasting
for some brief relaxation or shopping for others.
Most of the group had traveled some distance
and were staying at the Inn at Biltmore.
Due to the number of people involved, some
of us chose to eat at the Inn, who provided a
private dining room. Others selected the Bistro
at the Winery or Cedric’s, a casual pub with live
entertainment in the New Antler Village.
Continued on page 4
W W W . M B C A C A R O L I N A S . O R G
CONTENT
2
President’s Message
3
New Member Roster & Benefits
4 - 5
Biltmore Tour Wrap-Up
6 - 7
Calendar of Events
8
Raffle Details
10
Tell MB Your Story
PRESIDENT
Richard Deiber
Huntersville, NC
(704) 948-1433
[email protected]
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Anthony Santagati
Beaufort, SC
(843) 522-9444
[email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT
Nick Pasquine
Lancaster, SC
[email protected]
SECRETARY
Position Vacant
TREASURER
Roy L. Davis
Columbia, SC
(803) 331-1852
[email protected]
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
Position Vacant
EVENTS CHAIR
Nick Pasquine
Lancaster, SC
[email protected]
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Melissa Sprouse Browne
Columbia, SC
(803) 791-3800
[email protected]
From the National Business Office: With
every email and address update that we receive
at the NBO, we will send a 10% off coupon for
one item in the Club Store. One coupon per
member will be sent electronically (so it must
2
include
a valid email address). Please send these
updates to Geni at [email protected].
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Who’s
Ready?
We’re three months into the new year and there is already
plenty on the agenda for the Carolinas Section. We have a
great slate of regular events coming your way, as well as a
regional meeting in April at Northlake Mercedes Benz.
We’ve had a lot of fun lately, so don’t just read about the
activities, come out and be a part of your club.
One of the strongest benefits of membership is the Loyalty
Reward Program. This program is undergoing a change that
takes effect April 1st. As a member in good standing, you
will be able to take $500 off a new 2013 or 2014 Mercedes
Benz and combine that discount with a second MBUSA
dealer incentive. In some case, you may actually save more
than $1,000 when you combine discounts. The national
business office sent an email regarding this change very
recently. If you didn’t receive the email, please contact the
national office to update your email address. Send changes
to [email protected].
As an FYI, Hendrick Motors of Charlotte will still match the
$500 contribution from MBCA.
If you have an interest in being a more active member, we
are still in need of a new president, secretary, membership
chairman and newsletter editor. Please contact me for
details. Enjoy Spring in your Mercedes!
About MBCA
Established in 1956, MBCA has approximately 20,240 active members and 9251 additional
household members in 12 regions which are comprised of 80+ local sections throughout the
United States and Canada. Each region is adminstered by a regional director who is responsible
for assisting and inspiring the sections in the region. The regional director also fosters the formation of new sections, coordinates regional activities and represents the constituents as a member
of the national board of directors. Hundreds of events are organized by sections, from social
gatherings to tech sessions, from car shows to driving events. Most sections publish a newsletter
of information and events and each section has its own officers and bylaws.
s
?
THE LATEST FOLKS TO JOIN US
We are so pleased to welcome the newest members
of the Mercedes Benz Club of America to the
Carolinas Section!
Matthew Hunter
SC
Charles Pedergraft Charlotte
NC
Michael Patterson Charlotte
NC
Charles Jessopp
Hilton Head
SC
Gerald Crossman
Mint Hill
NC
Glen McFadden
Charlotte
NC
Paul WittSimpsonvilleSC
Carl DelvecchioHamerSC
Marc C.CorneliusNC
Alan PhillipsBurnsvilleNC
Michael Krause
Greenville
SC
Richard HayesAikenSC
Pedro Campuzano Mooresville
NC
BENEFITS FOR NEW
MEMBERS
There’s a lot of good
to be had from your
membership!
In addition to all of
the cool things you get
from National, such as
the loyalty discount you
receive on the purchase
of a new Merceds Benz,
your very own Carolinas
Section offers special
benefits, too!
First, as a new
member, please feel free
to attend an event at
no charge. For activities
that include travel or
dinner, those expenses
will still remain the
responsiblity of the
member. But any cost
charged by the club
to participate will be
waived for your first
outing.
Second, your club
officers have made
some amazing
arrangements with
dealers in our territory
to offer discounts above
and beyond the normal
extended to a club
member.
At Hendrick Motors of
Charlotte, MB of South
Charlotte and Mercedes
Benz of Myrtle Beach,
members receive a
fifteen percent discount
on parts. AND, both
dealerships generously
offer a reduced hourly
labor rate of $99, which
represents a savings of
thirty percent over the
standard rate!
Finally, a chance
to meet with fellow
enthusiasts may provide
benefits you never
expected. One chance
conversation might
lead you to that one
piece of information
you needed; for
example, several of
our members are very
knowledgeable about
parts and may be may
be able to point you to
a resource you never
knew existed for that
one part you needed.
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W W W . M B C A C A R O L I N A S . O R G
Goose Creek
BILTMORE TOUR & SKYLAND MERCEDES
Continued from page 1
W W W . M B C A C A R O L I N A S . O R G
And, of course, some
of us wound up at the
bar later, discussing
world problems and
Mercedes late into the
night.
Sunday, after a much
needed rest, found
members at breakfast
at the Inn and then
enjoying coffee in the
vast lobby lounge
while talking about
Saturday’s activities,
their plans for the day,
additional tours and of
course, Mercedes.
Thanks very much to
the wonderful staff
at Skyland Mercedes
Benz for their great
hospitality.
It is dealer participation
4
in our area that
makes it so much
more enjoyable
and interesting
to be a Mercedes
Benz owner. Your
contributions are
valuable to our club!
W W W . M B C A C A R O L I N A S . O R G
5
2013 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
APRIL
•Eastern Region Leadership Workshop, April 6, Charlotte, NC. This will be the first time in a
number of years that MBCA leaders within this region have had the opportunity to come together to focus
on how the club is run. Mercedes Benz of Northlake is hosting this workshop, which will be an all day, interactive event. Section leadership and all members are welcome to attend. A special MBCA rate has been set
up at the Comfort Suites Northlake, 7315 Smith Corners Blvd, Charlotte of $80 per night, reserve by calling
704-598-0478. Come in on Friday, so you’re ready to start at 9am on Saturday. RSVP to Bill Hopper,
[email protected].
W W W . M B C A C A R O L I N A S . O R G
•Spring Auto Fair, April 4-7, Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Charlotte, NC. Charlotte AutoFair
Spring Meet April 4-7, 2013 includes the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) National Car Show
on Saturday April 6, 2013. 10,000 Vendor Spaces chock full of Restoration Parts & Cars For Sale in the BlueOrange-Green-Red Fields! Plus more than 1,600 Vehicles For Sale in the Car Corral on the Track Oval - All
this happens Thursday to Sunday. In addition, more than 50 other Car Clubs display their vehicles on Saturday & Sunday. www.charlotte-autofair.com.
•Members Event, April 20, Northlake Mercedes Benz, Charlotte, NC. Car show and more.
Contact Rick Deiber for details, [email protected].
MAY
•Pinehurst Concours, May 3-5, Pinehurst, NC. The first ever Concours show competition at Pinehurst Resort will feature a staging of 118 prestigious cars, some valued at more than $2 million. General
admission and VIP tickets are now available. www.pinehurstconcours.com.
•StarTech 2013, May 18-22, Alabama. Registration is now open for StarTech 2013, running May
18-22 in sun-kissed Alabama. Save up to $45 if you register by March 15th. Rick Deiber, Carolinas Section
president, has already reserved his room. Join him and have a great time. MB factory tours, a special event
with the NASA Rocket Facility in Huntsville on Saturday, parade laps on the Barber Track and seminars at
the MBUSI Training Center, next to the factory. Check out startech2013.org.
JUNE
•Annual Dock Party, June 15, Charleston, SC. This event is a can’t miss! Hosted by the gracious
Henry and Katherine Dunbar, enjoy Low Country Boil, adult beverages and more on their lovely dock, right
on the waterway. Contact Henry Dunbar, [email protected].
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AUGUST
•Shelton Vineyards, August 24, 286 Cabernet Lane, Dobson, NC. In addition to the Mercedes
Benz car show, Shelton Vineyards will be celebrating their 13th anniversary on this date with an Italian Affair
on the Patio. www.sheltonvineyards.com.
OCTOBER
•EURO Auto Festival, October 17 - 21, Greer, South Carolina. The amazing venue - the grounds
of the BMW Manufacturing Facility in Upstate, South Carolina. This show is a lot of fun and includes workshops, rallyes through the countryside, hot laps on the test track and of course the car show on Saturday.
www.euroautofestival.com.
W W W . M B C A C A R O L I N A S . O R G
NOVEMBER
•CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE & CAR CLUB JAMBOREE, October 25 - November 3, Hilton
Head, South Carolina.
The annual car show in Hilton Head has a BIG change this year! The venue will be adjacent to the Westin host
hotel and no longer at Honey Horn! No more dusty cars! Look for additional info on this event in the
next issue and plan to join us the first week of November. Events are moving to the Port Royal Golf Club.
DECEMBER
•Annual Christmas Party, Location TBD.
We’ll have a fun end of the year get together, planned just for you. Information will be sent when it’s available.
CLASSIC MERCEDES MAG
The new issue of Classic Mercedes
is bulging with features that will
appeal those who love Mercedes
classics from the 1950s to the
1990s. The cover car, a beautiful
280SE 3.5 Coupe, is arguably the
most stately Mercedes coupe ever,
and we describe and drive the car
that was the final and most powerful model in the 1961 to 1971 W111
coupe range.
We also have the full and fascinating history of AMG, the Mercedes
tuner that was started in 1967
and which changed the face of
performance cars, among other
things being responsible for the
celebrated V8 powered AMG
Hammer, which we drive. We also
take a close look at the first ‘official’
Mercedes AMG cars, launched in
the early 1990s.
Issue three of Classic
Mercedes brings two new items:
reports from around the world on
club members’ activities, and your
letters. After all, it is the magazine
for true enthusiasts of the German
marque.
If you can’t find Classic Mercedes at
your local store, then you can order
Classic Mercedes on the website
($12.50 inc. air mail) or subscribe
for just $40.
For more information go to www.
classicmercedesmagazine.com 7
($105,500 MSRP)
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Plus $2Mine a Mercedes”
Spring Raffle
W W W . M B C A C A R O L I N A S . O R G
In the “Make
Start Here
• OneGrandPrize—A2013Mercedes-BenzSL550plus$26,000cash
• OpentoMBCAMembersONLY;18yearsofageandolder
• CostperRaffleticketis$50US.Nolimittonumberofticketsyou
canpurchase
Purchase Tickets Today
• Aminimumof4,500ticketsMUSTBESOLDtoawardtheGrandPrize.
Prizeof$105,500USwillbeawardedintheformofachecktoanauthorized
Mercedes-BenzDealershipofwinner’schoice(wherewinnerwillshop
forhis/hervehicle).Anadditionalcheck,intheamountof$26,000,
willbeawardedaspartialFederalwithholding.
Mail:Checkyourmailboxforanofficialmail-inorderform
Click: www.mbca.org/raffleforcompleterulesand
credit/debitcardpurchaseinstructions
Call: 800.637.2360weekdays,8am-5pmMtnTime
• Iffewerthan4,500ticketsaresold,theGrandPrizewillbeone-half(50%)of
thegrossRaffleticketsales—lessFederalwithholdingof25%,oratleast
$25,000(lesswithholding)—whicheverisgreater.
Deadline
LastdaytopurchaseticketsisJune10,2013.GrandPrizeticketwillbe
randomlyselectedonJune20,2013.Winnerwillbeannouncedon
mbca.organdintheJuly/August2013issueofTheStar®
VehiclefeaturedinthisadisrepresentativeONLY.Oddsofwinningdependentontotalnumberofticketssold.TicketbuyersandGrandPrize
winnerMUSTbeacurrentMemberofMBCAattimeofpurchaseanddayofprizedrawing.Membersmayattendlivedrawing(notrequiredto
enterorwin).100%ofnetRaffleproceedsshallbedevotedexclusivelytothelawfulpurposesofMBCAInternationalStarsSection.
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MoreThanaCar.We’reaCommunity.SM
One Day. Four Marques. Hundreds of Legends.
Celebrate Them Here.
LEGENDS OF THE
2013
AUTOBAHN
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary
W W W . M B C A C A R O L I N A S . O R G
• Music • Beer Garden • Food Tents
• Local Media • All-Day Fun!
of Mercedes-Benz Pagoda and 600 Models
Hosted by the Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, BMW and Audi Car Clubs of America
Hundreds of vehicles on display for viewing
& judging — enter your Mercedes of ANY age
or model for a chance to win an award!
All models and ages in clean condition welcome. Register
your vehicle by July 31 at www.motorsportreg.com. Scroll
to “August 16” then to “MBCA – Legends of the Autobahn.”
New Venue
Pasadera Country Club
Monterey, CA
Friday, August 16, 2013
9am-3pm
1969 Grand 600 SWB
1965 230 SL Pagoda
For details & information, go to www.legendsoftheautobahn.org and click on the MBCA logo
or “Mercedes-Benz.” Or contact Laura Simonds at 650.592.7613 | [email protected]
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MBCA Fast Facts
By Lisa A. Juhl, Director of Marketing
Every Mercedes-Benz Driver Has a Story — MBUSA Wants
to Know Yours
This edition of Fast Facts is a bit different than previous issues. That’s because there is an ‘all call’ for MBCA Member stories.
As we all know, MBCA isn’t held together simply by the car we drive — it is the unique experiences we’ve had with and in our
vehicles that count most.
W W W . M B C A C A R O L I N A S . O R G
Mercedes-Benz USA has a new feature on its Facebook page called “Owner Stories.” Owner Stories features photos and video
of Mercedes-Benz owners and their cars; and the special stories that go with them.
Go to https://www.facebook.com/mercedesbenzusa/app_370473163028210
Here, you’ll find dozens of stories already submitted by MBCA Members; including Matias Bombal, Vice President of the
Sacramento Section and Keith Morgan, Member of the Greater Washington Section.
New stories are featured every month. Submit yours, along with a photo or video and YOU could be
MBUSA’s next featured Owner!
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