Adopt-A-Street, Sunday, March 6, 2016

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1 March/April 2016 The Star Letter of the Virginia Section, MBCA Event Reminder Mar 6. Adopt-A-Street Mar Bulbs & Brew Apr 2..Cruise to..fredericksburg Apr 9 Driveway Mechanics In This Issue Page 3...Calendar of Events Page 3-6 Event News/Reports Page 7... Valentine...Brunch Photos Page 8... High Gear Page 10...Masthead Member News Page Classifieds Club Websites National... Virginia Section... sections.mbca.org/virginia Adopt-A-Street, Sunday, March 6, 2016 This will be our first 2016 cleaning up of the portion of Virginia Beach Boulevard near the Mercedes-Benz dealership as part of the Adopt-A- Street Program sponsored by the City of Virginia Beach. Windsor Brabson will lead the clean-up, meeting on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. in the Charles Barker Mercedes-Benz Front Parking Lot. The logistics of the cleanup and the equipment issue will be provided at the meeting. Please contact Windsor L. Brabson at or wlbrab@gmail.com with questions or to volunteer Bulbs and Brew Tour - Saturday March 26, First ever Bulbs and Brew tour. We'll start the day off at the Hermitage Museum & Gardens 7637 North Shore Road Norfolk, VA at 10 A.M. for those that would like to tour the gardens and then at 11 A.M. we'll have a guided tour through the historic Hermitage Museum. The Hermitage Museum & Gardens, formerly home to the Sloane family, is an early 20th century Arts-and-Crafts estate located on the shore of the Lafayette River in Norfolk, Virginia. The Hermitage features a nationally recognized art collection spanning 5,000 years, contemporary exhibition galleries, a Visual Arts Studio, and 12 acres of gardens and grounds that offer art and culture to the community, as envisioned by the Sloanes. The Hermitage is a part of the prestigious Smithsonian Affiliations program. Smithsonian Affiliations was created to share the Smithsonian's collections, exhibitions, scholarship, and programming beyond its own museums, in order to Continued on Page 3

2 Das Stern Blatt Mercedes Customer Commitment Program Loaner car while your vehicle is in for service maintenance or repairs Preferential scheduling for service and collision repairs Express maintenance for convenience Car wash while in for service 24-hour roadside assistance Overnight parts delivery Mercedes-Benz Service Specials Maintenance Special Tire Specials 15 off % Authorized Four Wheel Alignment 2000 off $ Any scheduled maintenance *Excludes Express Oil Change Service. Must have coupon. April Not valid with any other discounts. Expires ExpiresAugust June 30, 30, , (with authorized Mercedes-Benz wheel weights) 1000 off $ *Excludes Diagnostic Charges. Must have coupon Not valid with any other discounts. Expires Expires June30, 30, Expires April August 31, 2015 Complete Detail Our Service Department is open 6 days a week. Regularly $ Now only $ Four Wheel Tire Balancing Gift certificates available. Call for details. 95 with coupon Monday - Friday: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Saturday: 8:00 am to 1:00 pm *Must have coupon. Not valid with any other discounts. Expires ExpiresApril June 30, 30, August 31, Mercedes-Benz Premier Express Service While You Wait Get routine vehicle service maintenance while you wait, without having to make an appointment.* Visit our website where you can shop our new car inventory anytime: MBVaBeach.com Certified Dealer for Sprinter Service Parts Virginia Beach Boulevard Virginia Beach, VA *Actual time may vary based on certain external circumstances. 2

3 Das Stern Blatt CALENDAR OF EVENTS VIRGINIA SECTION, MERCEDES-BENZ CLUB AMERICA Virginia Section Events Jun 4-5 SummerFest at NCCAR Track Contact: Don LaBar Mar 6 Adopt-A-Street Clean-Up Contact: Windsor Brabson MBCA Region & National Events Mar 26 Bulbs & Brew Contact: Dwight Fnini Aug 8 StarFest 2016, Uncasville, CT Apr 2 Cruise to Fredericksburg Contact: Jerry Schonfeld Apr 9 Driveway Mechanics Contact: Jim Villers May 8 Mothers Day Brunch Contact: Tom Dawson May 15 Adopt-A-Street Clean-Up Contact: Windsor Brabson Continued from Page 1 broaden public knowledge of science, history, world culture, and the arts. The Hermitage is the only museum in the Tidewater region to be accepted into this program. For more information go to At noon we'll rally up and take a short drive over to the O'Connor Brewing Company 211 W 24th St, Norfolk, VA for some complimentary samples and a guided tour of the brewery. The O Connor Brewing Co. is a mighty yet humble craft brewery located in an industrial section of Norfolk s Ghent neighborhood/district. Featured Food Truck scheduled for the event: Thai Express. If Thai is not your thing, they also allow outside food (picnic basket, pizza delivery, etc.). Cost for the Hermitage House Tour is $12, Gardens and Grounds Tour $5, (House and Garden Combo Tour $16). Please contact me by sending text message to or an to DwightFinnie@aol.com. Please remember to support our advertisers they support our club and Das Stern Blatt 3

4 Cruising Down a Country Road to Fredericksburg - Saturday, April 2, 2016 We ll arrive at 11:30 a.m. in Fredericksburg for lunch at the Bavarian Chef, After lunch, we ll tour historical Fredericksburg from 1:00 p.m.-2:15 p.m. on Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg Board Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg for a 75-minute trolley tour to see some of Old Town Fredericksburg s most historic sites and streets with a trained, licensed guide. Learn about the many famous and interesting people and events that have taken place since the city was established in If you listen closely, you may even pick up a few amusing and not-so-well known facts about the people and places that you will see along the way! The kind of things you won't learn just walking around on your own. After your tour, you will have a better idea of the local history and the many attractions Fredericksburg has to offer. You will also have a better idea of where you want to start as you go back to visit the many living history museums, homes and businesses of Fredericksburg most famous residents. People like George Washington, Mary Washington, and James Monroe. Places like the Rising Sun Tavern, Fredericksburg's only proper tavern and the former home of Charles Washington, Dr. Hugh Mercer's apothecary shop, Kenmore Plantation and many more. Cost: $16.00, minimum of 20 participants. The Trolley will pick us up at the Bavarian Chef, and drop us off at Visitor Center. If there are less than 20 participants, Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg has a regular tour that leaves at 1:30 from the Visitor Center. Tickets may be purchased in advance on their website or the day of the tour at the Visitor Center. Cost $18.00 per person. Afternoon Tour Options: If interested, there are other historical tours to Rising Sun Tavern, Hugh Mercer Apothecary and the Mary Washington House. Allow 45 minutes. Costumed interpretation. Cost: $4.00 per person (10 person minimum), Regular rate: $5:00 per person. Travel plans are to gather at Tysinger Mercedes- Benz 2712 Magruder Blvd, Hampton, VA at 8:30AM and leave at 9AM sharp. When leaving Tysinger, make a left on Magruder Blvd and then immediately turn right onto Hamton Parkway. Then make a right at the first exit onto int 64 West. Leave int64 at exit255b onto Jefferson Ave. Stay on Jefferson for about 5 miles and make a right onto rt.105 East. A few miles up make a left onto rt.17 North and go over the Coleman Bridge ($2.00 toll). Just after crossing the bridge stay on the right and pull into the parking lot of Colonial Virginia Bank (1553 George Washington Memorial Parkway, Glouster Point, VA) and wait for everyone to catch up. We will also pick up our Yorktown and Williamsburg members who skipped Tysinger. We will stay on rt.17 North not exceeding the speed limits. As we enter Tappahannock, there will be a Sheetz gas station on the right. (1804 Tappahannock Blvd, Tappahannock, VA). Pull into the parking lot for a rest stop and for everyone to catch up. This will be about 1 and a half hours from the start. We will then continue north on rt.17 to Fredericksburg. As we get close to town, watch carefully for the right turn onto rt 17 Business. This road will become Caroline Ave. Our lunch stop will be the Bavarian Chef Restaurant which is in the Amtrak Station on the left. There is a free parking lot on the right across from the station at Caroline and Frederick St. For GPS the restaurant is at 200 Lafayett Blvd, Fredericksburg,VA Lunch is at 11:30AM. We will be 2 blocks from the Visitor's Center at 706 Caroline St. After lunch we have planned a 75 minute private trolly tour of the area with a guide($16/person). We will be picked up at the restaurant at 1:30PM and dropped off at the visitor's center. There are also unique shopping experiences in Old Continued on Page 5 4

5 Town. When you have had enough, you are free to head home on your own. PLEASE contact me early for reservations. The trolly has a max of 32. Your contact for reservations and questions will be Jerry Schonfeld, or by cell or jerryschonfeld@yahoo.com. Also for questions is Tom Dawson or TDawson50@aol.com. Driveway Mechanics Gathering - Saturday Apr 9 This will be the first Driveway Mechanic Gathering of the new year and the opportunity to get out and join fellow club members for coffee, donuts and a little car work. It is now time to begin thinking about your spring car projects that you can bring to the gathering and share with your fellow club members. There is always plenty time for looking into other problems or to just "kick-the-tires". That is the way these sessions work, it is really an open forum for what ever drives in. Mechanic activities will start around 9:30 a.m. We normally finish up by 1:00. For those needing advice on a problem, or needing a bit of encouragement to troubleshoot a problem, come to this event. If you would like to put your project on the schedule or desire information contact Jim Villers at or by at 190SLJim@cox.net. Valentines Day Brunch Report February 7, 2016 What a wonderful morning at the Signature Grill. A chilly morning with a little wind but the sun was bright and the roads were clear for the drive past the Virginia Beach Municipal Center to the Signature Golf course. We were met by club members upon arrival and the group kept growing until the room was Mercedes-Benz & BMW Specialists MERCEDES-BENZ PARTS Complete Maintenance Facility Custom Paint & Body Work Professional Auto Detailing Accepts All Insurance Claims Towing Available STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE ADVERTISER RECOGNITION AWARD 5

6 Das Stern Blatt the wonderful saturated fat. During the Brunch, we were entertained by Frank Cubillo, a terrific entertainer known as Frank Sings Frank as he sung Frank Sinatra s greatest hits and other songs of the era. We were all captivated. The Brunch Attendees with a 2016 Maybach pleasantly filled. It was good to see our car club friends again and to catch up on some of life's events in front of the fire and the warm picture of Arnold Palmer. Our hosts, Bobby & Pat Ross had decorated the room with roses, festive balloons and bags full of tissue paper and sprinkled hearts on the table cloth. The brunch concluded with a drawing of tickets for door prizes. The door prizes were donated by Mercedes of Virginia Beach. We also had a 50/50 drawing with a twist; the two halves of the pot going to different tickets. Of interest, both halves were won by the Freeh family. Lots of good stuff. It was a fun. Please remember to support our advertisers - they support our club and Das Stern Blatt When the brunch was ready, we filled our plates with the normal fare of eggs, bacon, fruit, grits, and a cooked to order omelet which had far too much of 6

7 Valentine s Day Brunch February 7, 2016 Top-L Hosts Pat & Bobby Ross Mid-L Great food Mid-L Frank sings Sinatra L-L Frank charms the women Top-R The dining room M-R Frank in the chorus line Bottom-R Jim Freeh and his Daughter, double winners 7

8 Rivers Inn Drive-N-Dine May 20 Imperfections and idiosyncrasies are endearing. Would we love Marylyn Monroe quite so much if she did not have that damned mole, a gross solecism, on her flawless cheek? The English-speaking people adored King George because of, not despite, his blasted sssstammer. Would the Liberty Bell be our national icon without the crack? I rest my case. Well the same thing applies to motorcars. The largest marque based organization in the country is the Porsche Club of America. As everyone who has driven one well and truly knows, Porsches have always been quirky. Rear weight bias that surpasses Michelle Obama and a swing axle made the 356s from Zuffenhausen positively suicidal and beloved. Try lifting off in a tight corner while driving a 911 and you will get a feel for Porsche heritage and a 360 degree view of the scenery. Porsche aficionados are enamored of their funky cars. They only moan and complain when the company brings out a perfectly sensible SUV or a practical four door saloon. Now anyone familiar with the enthusiast car scene knows that the most fanatical crew are the devotees of English cars. The sun has never set on the British automobile devotee, despite the fact that most of Albion s erstwhile grand marques have gone the way of the raj and the stiff upper lip. There are still MG and Triumph clubs. Even the Bristol and the Armstrong Siddley continue to have a following. These thoroughly decent chaps gather not to extol the virtues of their chosen objects of affection. On the contrary the anglophiles revel in droll stories of Lucas electrical systems and the prince of darkness; of drinking warm beer from Lucas refrigerators. These upper crusty fans of Masoch and the Marquis de Sade exchange twisted stories of exquisite pain and mechanical disaster by the side of the road. Given this unaccountable perversion in the human character, is it any wonder that we in the Mercedes-Benz Club of America are occasionally plagued with modest membership numbers and unimpressive event participation? When is the last time you shared an exciting tale of having been stranded by your Mercedes? Have you ever reveled in the psychotropic sensation of inhaling the smoke of a burning wiring harness? How often have you boasted of the design flaws which give your car character? Need I say more? actually a feather in the cap of Mercedes-Benz the purveyor of fine motorcars. Intelligent well adjusted folks purchase Mercedes automobiles in droves. However, they don t join our club in commensurate numbers because there is no impetus to gather together and commiserate. This conundrum has preoccupied my thoughts for quite some time. I now have arrived at a solution. There are many superannuated, clapped-out vehicles on the used car market which still wear the silver star. These former luxury and sports vehicles surviving from a bygone generation are mere shadows of their former selves. They are rusted and misused, damaged and neglected. Long out of warranty, characterized by outdated technology and yesteryear s styling they have fallen into the hands of young louts, dissolute eccentrics and chronic underachievers who have not had the means to maintain then. While these fine cars were built without planned obsolescence, careless owners have inflicted a cruel toll. The presently tarted up, bondo botched, erstwhile reliable beauties have become a pitiable scourge. Here s my plan for enlivening our club and multiplying its membership. Owners of new Mercedes-Benz characterized by flawless perfection should be encouraged to adopt a fallen starship from the distant past as a humanitarian act of charity. I am not talking about acquiring a concours, trailer queen. I mean buying a used car lot nightmare with sagging doors, bubbles in the paint and blue exhaust smoke; a car which has been cruelly abused by the heedless rabble. Now the new adoptive owners of the old stray thunkers will have mechanical problems with which to contend. There will be adventures with tow truck drivers and heart to heart discussions with parts merchants. They will experience the agony of the failure to start and the occasional ecstasy of the solved electrical problem. In general, there will be the need for a support group; for a shoulder on which to cry; for a source of friendly counsel. Enter the Mercedes-Benz Club of America. This adoption program represents the last, best hope for our gallant car club. We have sought in vane the compelling topic of conversation among the satisfied owners of new and wonderful vehicles. Let us find our camaraderie in the shared chagrin of the used car tinker. So the bane of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America is 8

9 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport Sedan MSRP *$38,950 $399/mo for 36 months * Based on approved credit, $4,553 due at signing, based on a 10,000 miles per year. Tax tags, license fees not included. MERCEDES-BENZ TEAM SALES Keith McCullers Dhruv Barot Terron Grandy FINANCE Miles Burcher Blake Tysinger SERVICE Kim Kelly Tysinger Automotive Family Celebrating over 90 years of service in Hampton Roasds SALES SERVICE MAGRUDER BLVD. HAMPTON, VA TYSINGER.COM 9

10 Virginia Section MBCA Officers PRESIDENT Don LaBar 1274 Christian Court Virginia Beach VICE-PRESIDENT Jerry Schonfeld 5000 Portsmouth Blvd Portsmouth, VA SECRETARY Tom Dawson 125 Brittany Ln Suffolk, VA TREASURER Dwight Finnie 302 Hope Ct Newport News, VA DIRECTORS Bobby Ross Don LaBar Jim Villers Pat Evans COMMITTEES Membership Windsor Brabsom Marketing Peter Spring NEWSLETTER EDITOR Jim Villers 3133 Inlet Road Virginia Beach Eastern Regional Director James Roberts The New Members List could not be accessed from the MBCA database because of a technical error. Members not welcomed in this issue, will be included in the next Stern Blatt. Welcome! It is always our pleasure to meet new members. We encourage you to attend one of our Virginia Section events. Multiple Section Membership Available The MBCA National Business Office is setup so that it is possible for members to have membership in an additional section or sections. The membership cost is $15 per additional section. Members will receive newsletters from additional sections and membership in the additional section(s) must run concurrent with the member s existing membership expiration date. To take advantage of this new benefit contact the National Business Office at the address and phone number to the right. Please remember to support our advertisers - they support our club MBCA Discount Car Rentals MBCA membership can save you money on car rentals via Avis and Hertz discounts. To obtain your discount use MBCA code T for Avis at (800) or MBCA code CDP for Hertz at ( Discounts and special rates are available in the U.S and Canada only. Newsletter Ideas Appreciated Anyone having information or articles that might be of interest to the membership should contact Jim Villers at or by at 190SLJim@cox.net. Membership questions? Gift memberships? Address change? Want to join MBCA? Renewing? All the above and more can be done at Don t want to use the web? Don t have a computer? Call Mailing address: MBCA 1907 LeLaray Street Colorado Springs, CO Please do not send address changes to Das Stern Blatt 10

11 Trading Post Members are invited to submit Trading Post ads at no charge. Photos are $25. All ads must be auto related. Send all personal ads to Jim Villers. Rita Stanley Advertising in the Das Stern Blatt does not imply approval or sanction of products or services by the Virginia Section, MBCA, its members, or MBUSA.Das Stern Blatt is the official newsletter of the Virginia Section of the Mercedes-Benz Club America, Inc. Publication is bimonthly. Copyright 2007 by the Virginia Section, MBCA. Articles may be reprinted in newsletters for members of MBCA, giving credit. Other use without written permission is prohibited. I couldn t resist including this picture of our Snow Frog. Picture taken from our deck after the February snow. Editor Virginia Section Discount Club Ten Percent on Parts & Labor Mercedes-Benz of Virginia Beach Discount on total parts andl abor charges. parts and labor charges. See our ad in this issue Tysinger Mercedes-Benz Hampton, Virginia Discounts are limited to the first $250 of TOTAL parts and labor charges. SENIOR CITIZENS RECEIVE AN UNLIMITED 10% DISCOUNT. See our ad in this issue Ten Percent on Labor Only European Autowerks, Inc Virginia Beach, Virginia Discount limited to first $200 with MBCA card Chuck Cesil & Gary Wheeler Auto Haus Yorktown, Virginia See our ad in this issue Ten Percent on Parts Only Larry s Import Center - Virginia Beach, Virginia See our ad in this issue Advertise Your Business Here in Das Stern Blatt For advertising questions and rates contact: Marketing Director - Peter Spring Printing by House of Printing,Virginia Beach, pspring@me.com 11

12 3133 Inlet Road Virginia Beach, VA FIRST CLASS Virginia Section, MBCA Das Stern Blatt