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July / August 2012 Newsletter for the local Seattle Section of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
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● M e r c e d e s - B e n z C l u b o f A m e r i c a , S e a t t l e S e c t i o n ●
July 15 th
Fores t Grove Concours Pac i f i c Un ive rs i ty , Fores t Grove , OR.
July 22 n d Rud i Kon iczek ’s Garage To ur
12 :00 noon , Vancouver Is la nd , BC.
August 12 th Seat t le Reg iona l Sho w & Shine 10 :00 am, Moun t lake Ter ra ce
September 8 th Annua l Genera l Mee t ing Emera ld Queen Ca s ino
Cock ta i l s 4 :30 , Meet ing 5 :00 pm, F i fe
September 26 th P ro fo rmance Dr i v ing Scho ol
8 :00 am, Pac i f i c Race wa ys , Ken t
September 28 th — October 3 rd Star fes t 2012 , Phoen ix
October 13 th App le and Wine Tour
Wenatchee
President’s Message ........................................... 2 Officers & Board Members .................................. 2 Rudi Konizcek’s Garage Tour ............................. 3 Next Board Meeting............................................. 4 Welcome New Members ..................................... 4 Featured Member Cars ....................................... 4
Annual General Meeting at EQC ........................ 5 Wenatchee Apple & Wine Tour ........................... 5 Show and Shine 2012 Registration ..................... 5 Mercedes, Merlot and More ................................ 6 Mercedes-Benz Club Membership ...................... 7-8 31st Annual Tulip Rallye Recap ......................... 9 Starfest 2012 ....................................................... 9 Griots Garage Detailing Wrap-up ........................ 10 LeMay Museum Grand Opening ......................... 12 Larson Mercedes-Benz Spring Tune-up ............. 12 Technically Speaking .......................................... 14 Classified Ads ...................................................... 15 Mercedes-Benz Club Membership (cont’d) ........ 15
Vol. XXVI Issue 4
Inside This Issue
JULY • AUGUST 2012
Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Seattle Section The Silver Star is the bi-monthly official publication of the Seattle Section, Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Inc. and is provided solely for the benefit of its members. Opinions, ideas and suggestions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or MBCA. The MBCA Seattle Section editor and board reserves the right to edit, and to refuse any submissions and/or advertising. Permission to reproduce material original to the Silver Star is granted provided proper credit is given.
All articles, pictures, advertising, and classifieds are due by August, 1 2012 for the September / October 2012 issue of the next Silver Star.
To change your newsletter address, or to join MBCA or renew membership, call 1-800-637-2360 or fax to (719) 633-9283. Or mail your information to:
MBCA National Office 1907 Lelaray Street Colorado Springs, CO 80909-2872
This newsletter uses mailing information supplied by the national office; mail all address changes directly to the national office.
From the President’s Desk By Ian Gleadle, Seattle
Section President
Car Shows, road trips
and discovery
adventures with
friends, that’s what
summer in the
Northwest is all about! Mercedes
enthusiasts can find it all just by looking
through our newsletter.
As I write this president’s note, I am
anticipating a great adventure next
Saturday as more than 80 members from
our MBCA and the BMW clubs converge
on Brown and Sara Maloney’s garage
in Sequim for an exceptional tour and
BBQ. Then there is the Forest Grove
Concours in Oregon on July 15th and a
trip to Vancouver Island, BC to visit Rudi
Koniczek’s treasures on July
22nd. Don’t forget to plan on showing
your Mercedes in our Regional Show &
Shine on August 12th too! You’ll find the
registration form on page 5 of this
newsletter. Late summer and early fall
will bring our Annual General Meeting
and Member Appreciation banquet at
the Emerald Queen Hotel & Casino in
Fife on September 8th and a unique
Apple Packing Plant and Wineries
Tour in Wenatchee on October 13th.
You’ll find a great article on membership
benefits in this issue. For the seventh
month in a row, total MBCA membership
is UP to 19,818 PRIMARY members.
Add to that 7,802 ASSOCIATE Members
and the Club now boasts 27,620
TOTAL. Our Seattle area club alone has
578 members, one of the largest of the
85 local MBCA clubs. Your
membership is what gives us the
opportunity to put together activities that
provide Mercedes technical knowledge,
that take us down the roads less
traveled, and, best of all, that build
lasting friendships.
Come join us and see what the Seattle
Mercedes-Benz Club has to offer!
STUTTGART – June 15, 2012: With the
new A-Class, Mercedes-Benz is opening
up a new chapter in the compact
segment: markedly emotive in design,
with powerful engines ranging from 109
to 211 HP, extremely efficient with low
emissions and a best-in-class drag
coefficient of 0.27. At the same time the
new model underlines that for Mercedes-
Benz, safety is not a question of price –
the standard specification includes,
amongst other things, the radar-based
Collision Prevention Assist system.
Prices start at $30,230 for the A 180
BlueEFFICIENCY. The new A-Class is
available in Europe in September and
will debut in the USA in 2013.
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 2
Membership Tony Andrews…………..……………….(253) 272-0358 [email protected]
Membership Ambassador & Sunshine Committee Jerri Bean …….…………....……….......(253) 670-2676 [email protected]
Technical Advisor Jerry Cole………………….…………….(253) 227-0972 [email protected]
MBCA Seattle Section Webmaster Rick Tuttle…………………..…………...(509) 527-1229 [email protected]
Silver Star Newsletter Editor Ian Gleadle....………………..…….…...(360) 926-8041 [email protected]
Silver Star Advertising Barry Wajda....………………...…….….(425) 868-2109 [email protected]
Event Coordinator Open
Silver Star Classifieds [email protected]
Officers
President, Ian Gleadle………….…......(360) 926-8041
Vice President, John DeYoung……….(425) 481-6658
Treasurer, Linda Gleadle…………......(360) 926-8041
Secretary & Past Pres., Jim Houk…..(360) 479-6650 [email protected]
Board of Directors (Expiration Year)
Rick and Patti Tuttle — At Large, Eastern Washington (2012)…...…….....(509) 527-1229 [email protected] & [email protected]
Tony Andrews (2012)………………….(253) 272-0358 [email protected]
Jerry Cole (2013)………………….……(253) 227-0972 [email protected]
Jerri Bean (2013) ………....……….......(253) 670-2676 [email protected]
Northwest Regional Director
Barry Patchett (2014).………………...(250) 246-5329 [email protected]
JULY · AUGUST 2012
shopping centre and an extensive
network of walking trails around Elk
Lake. An overnight in one of the many
downtown Victoria hotels could be fun,
but I recommend the Sidney Pier
Hotel http://sidneypier.com as a more
interesting option. Sidney is a very
walkable little town and a charming
place to spend a relaxing morning.
Driving time to lunch would be about
15-20 minutes.
For the Seattle area attendees, the
best choice to get there is the
Washington State ferry run from
Anacortes to Sydney. The Sunday
morning ferry is at 8:25 am and gets
into Sydney at 11:05 am. Those
wanting to spend the night in the area
can take the Saturday 2:50 pm ferry
and it gets in at 5:00 pm. We will all
return Sunday night on the Sydney to
Anacortes ferry at 5:55 pm. It gets into
Anacortes at 8:30 pm. It is highly
recommended that you make pre–paid
reservation of $38.75 each way for
ferries as they are limited in space and
it’s a summer weekend. Go to
Washington State Ferries web site
“Save A Spot” at http://
business.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/
reservations to complete this.
PAGE 3
Rudi Koniczek’s Garage Tour
By Bob Wilson, Vancouver Island Section
Sunday, July 22 Rudi Koniczek is
hosting MBCA Vancouver Island and
Seattle sections to a tour of his
restoration facility in suburban Victoria.
Like “Aladdin’s Cave”, Rudi’s workshop
will shock and amaze you with the
quality and quantity of its cars, each
undergoing a jewel-like restoration. With
a variety of pre-war MBs and over 100
300SL restorations to its credit as well
as Bugattis, Ferraris, etc., Rudi’s
workshop is a bit of a legend. This is the
only shop I know of in the Victoria area
where customer’s cars routinely arrive
by air. We can expect to see one of 19
aluminum-bodied 300SLs undergoing
assembly, and who knows what else?
We’ll meet for an early lunch at the
Fireside Grill at noon before driving to
Rudi’s in a group. The Fireside Grill is
located at 4509 West Saanich Road,
Saanich BC. As it’s Sunday, we’ll be
dining from their brunch buffet. The
restaurant is located a short distance to
the southwest of the Royal Oak
interchange of the Pat Bay Highway
(Hwy 17) north of Victoria. The event
should be finished by 4:00 pm, in time
for those who’d like to catch the 5:55 pm
ferry from Sydney to return to the
continent.
For spouses and others unexcited by
looking at naked chassis and Mercedes
bodies in various states of undress,
Donelda (my wife) will be leading an
assault on Roberta’s Hats and other
downtown Victoria locations.
Please indicate your registration in
an email to me [email protected].
Let me know you name, address, cell
phone, email and how many for lunch,
how many for downtown tour or for
Rudi’s tour. I will follow up your email
with the directions. Please email the
information back to me before July
11th. There is no registration fee for
this event.
For those coming from out of town the
night before, the closest hotel is the
Howard Johnson’s Victoria http://
www.hojovictoria.ca. It is, however,
close to not much else beside a small
Sunday, July 22nd, 12:00
noon, Saanich, B.C.
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 4
The Seattle Section welcomes all of its
newest members and their cars to the
Mercedes-Benz Club of America these
last three months. We hope that you will
all become active members and be a part
of the activities we plan each month for
your pleasure.
If you ever have any questions or
suggestions please free to call any one of
us on the Board. Thank you for joining
and we’ll look for you at the next club
event!
April. 2012
Aydin Akdeniz, Langley
Torben Mann , Anacortes, 2012
ML350
Joe Basse, Woodinville
James Grisham, Spokane
May. 2012
Howard Lieberman, Mercer Island
Randy Feigner, Kirkland, 2012
R350 4MATIC
David Wilson , Camano Island,
1989 560SEL
Robert Stevens, Richland
Christopher Heg, Seattle, 1969
280SL
Reynis Fafnis, Selah
Roberto Sidoine, Marysville
Sonya Eppig, Snohomish, 2009
E300
Susan & Dave Hummon, Medina,
2009 E350
June, 2012
Eric Yocam, Sammamish, 2010
C300 4MATIC
Jane & Otto Bahn, Seattle
MBCA Board Meetings Coming to a Location Near You!
Your MBCA Board Members invite all
members to attend board meetings! Come
The 2012 MBCA Seattle Section Board
Next MBCA Board Meeting out every other month and enjoy the
camaraderie of your club’s Board
while dining at a great
Arnies in Edmonds
300 Admiral Way
Edmonds, WA. 98020
(425) 771-5688
Welcome New Members
-
restaurant! Dates and times change
as we select restaurants and MB
dealerships in a variety of locations in
Western Washington.
Mark your calendar for the
next MBCA Board Meeting on:
Sunday, July 8th 11:00 am
Directions: Heading north or south on
I-5, take exit 177 for Edmonds and
the Kingston Ferry. Follow signs to
Edmonds City Center on Highway
104. Stay on the main road and
continue on Edmonds Way / Sunset
Avenue. Turn left on W. Dayton St.
and then make a hard right turn on
Admiral Way.
Brown Maloney with his ‘55 300 SL
Gullwing Coupe and ‘57 300 SL
Roadster at LeMay’s Grand
Opening on June 2nd.
Member Featured Cars
JULY · AUGUST 2012
Annual General Meeting at EQC
By Tony Andrews
You’ll want to Save the Date for the
Seattle Section’s Annual General
year, and voting for section board
members. We are working with local
vendors for some great door prizes as
well! The Emerald Queen Hotel &
Casino is just a stone’s throw from the
new LeMay - America’s Car Museum
and just north of Griot’s Garage. With
so much to do in the area, you’ll want
to join us in Fife!
PAGE 5
Regional Seattle Section Show and Shine Registration
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Name (s) _____________________________________ Address _____________________________________________
City, State, Zip _____________________________________ Cell Phone (________) _______________________
Email Address: ________________________________________ Number of BBQ Lunches at $15: _____________
Year and Model of Car(s) to be shown: ($10 for first car and $5 for each additional car)
1.) ___________________________________________ 2.) ________________________________________________
Make checks payable to MBCA Seattle Section by August 8th.
Mail to: MBCA c/o Linda Gleadle, 69 N Sunset Drive, Camano Island, WA. 98282-8607
Meeting and Member Appreciation
event at the Emerald Queen Hotel &
Casino located in Fife. The board has
heard rave reviews about the Emerald
Queen’s hospitality and buffet
meals, and we are in the planning
stages for this year’s event. We will
have cocktails at 4:30, the annual
meeting at 5:00 and dinner at 6:00 pm.
Watch for the registration form in the
September/October newsletter for more
details. We will need a quick turnaround
for your RSVP, so we wanted to send
you this head’s up.
In addition to a great meal with club
members, we’ll be awarding the 5, 10,
15, 20, 25 & 30 year anniversary pins,
honoring our Officer & Member of the
Mark Your Calendars for
Saturday, September 8, 2012
at the Emerald Queen Casino
By Chuck Rix & Geri George
Mark your calendars for a full day of
touring the beautiful Wenatchee valley
with exciting stops along the
way. Wenatchee is famous for its apple
orchards and wine grape fields and you
can’t visit the area without taking time to
enjoy the fruits from the harvest.
Our day will include an apple processing
tour at the Northern Fruit Company,
scenic drives to Saint Laurent Estate
Winery and the Martin-Scott Winery for
Wenatchee Apple and Wine Tour wine tasting and a delicious buffet
dinner. To register, look for the
registration form in the September/
October Silver Star issue.
There are several hotel / motels in
Wenatchee if you would like to stay in
the area longer. Here are a few
suggestions: Comfort Suites at the
Park at 877-820-1818, Best Western
Chieftain Inn at 509-665-8585, and the
Holiday Inn Express at 509-663-
6355.
Feel free to email us at
[email protected] if you have any
questions! wine-tasting and snacks, and then on to
the Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery for
Saturday, October 13th, 2012
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 6
Mercedes, Merlot and More…
By Bob Willits, Seattle Section
Tanya and I met up with our Canadian
hosts at Hope, BC and shortly after, we
headed down the pass to the sun
drenched Okanagan Valley. After our
first stop for wine tasting at Crowsnest
Winery, we headed for Osoyoos to our
hotel with its sandy beach view.
For the next three days, we toured the
best wineries from Penticton down to
Chelan. Just to add to the fun, we
for his excellent planning and warm
welcome. Let’s do it again!!!
staged an economy run for the round trip
to Chelan. Barry Patchett’s E320
covered the 254 mile trip with an
efficiency of 162% EPA 60/40 average.
The highlight of the trip for me was the
Burrowing Owl with its’ intricately carved
ceiling beams, gorgeous valley view and
an incredible lamb dinner that I shall
remember for some time. Eating, drinking
(with moderation) and driving with a
bunch of M-B owners. What could be
better? Best of all, we made some great
new friends. Our thanks to Bob Wilson
The Okanagan Valley Wine
Tour Weekend Recap
Visit Mercedes-Benz of Seattle
www.mbseatt le .com
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 7
Mercedes-Benz Club Membership
By Tony Andrews, Membership
After being asked to write an article about
Mercedes-Benz Club Membership, I was
thinking about who was most likely to
read this article so that I could relay the
information to those folks in an interesting
and informative way. Of course our
current members will be getting a copy of
this article in the Silver Star, but is that
really whom we want to direct this
information too? Or is this information
that we want to get out to the general
population so that they might be more
inclined to become a member?
Well after thinking this through, I believe
the answer is yes, to both questions. We
want to remind our current members
about all of the programs and benefits the
club has to offer when renewing their
membership and we also want to use this
article to attract more members to the
club. After all, a club is only as strong as
magazine or web page. Also did you
know that in 2011, The Star was awarded
17 "best of" medals at the Automotive Hall
of Fame for excellence in writing, design,
production, graphics and photography.
2012 Loyalty Rewards Program (U.S.)
Get $1,000 off the price of your next NEW
Mercedes-Benz. Being and staying a
member of the Mercedes-Benz Club of
America has its privileges. Members of
the Club who have enjoyed 12
consecutive months of membership or
longer without lapse, and who are current
members today qualify. Next is probably
the most used benefit in the MB Club:
Discounts on parts, service &
accessories at participating Mercedes-
Benz Dealers
As a Mercedes-Benz Club of America
member, the presentation of your
membership card may entitle you to 5%,
10% or (up to) 20% off parts, service and
accessories from U.S. and Canadian
Mercedes-Benz dealers. Call your local
Mercedes-Benz dealer in advance to
confirm their participation in the Mercedes
(Continued on page 8)
its membership.
For 2012, membership in the Mercedes-
Benz Club continues to provide things
that we members have come to expect
and some things we might not even
realize exist. Here is a complete run
down of these great benefits:
The Star Magazine
Your membership to the Mercedes-Benz
Club of America includes a subscription to
the National bi-monthly magazine, The
Star. Each issue is packed with in-depth
information including the latest news and
vehicle previews from Mercedes-Benz
USA; details about local and national Club
events; plus articles on restorations, new-
car reviews, road tests, exotic road trips
and so much more. This four-color, 120-
page read is delivered directly to your
home or office every other month and
advertising in The Star's classified section
is free to members. Most car clubs will
charge you for advertising in their
Membership Has Its Privileges
PAGE 8
MB Club Membership (cont’d)
-Benz Club of America dealer discount
program. For the Seattle Section, most
of our providers will offer 10% off both
service and parts.
15% discount on parts from the
Mercedes-Benz Classic Center
Club members receive 15% off hard-to-
find parts from the Mercedes-Benz
Classic Center in Irvine, California. The
Center caters to the needs of classic car
enthusiasts like you with a vast array of
services. From car sales to meticulous
restorations, its manufacturer-trained
technicians offer a wealth of expertise
you won't find anywhere else.
Over 85 Club Sections in the U.S. and
Canada
The Mercedes-Benz Club of America is
the largest group of Mercedes-Benz
enthusiasts in the world. We currently
operate 85 local Sections, or chapters,
to serve our Members. Sections are led
by a group of volunteer Officers
including a President, Vice President,
Secretary and Treasurer. Alongside
Officers are a team of Directors, largely
responsible for local event planning and
(Continued from page 7) execution; newsletter writing and
distribution; development and upkeep of
Section websites; co-marketing with
community business partners ... and
more. As a Mercedes-Benz Club of
America volunteer, participation
possibilities are endless.
Section Newsletters like the Silver Star
are distributed online or through the mail
every other month to inform Members
about upcoming events and activities
and to welcome new Members to the
Club. Most Sections also hold monthly
meetings and offer hands-on driving and
technical events. Social activities of all
styles and tempos are hosted
throughout the year. From barbecues
and winery tours to defensive driving
classes and car care clinics to Sunday
drives and drive-in family movies --each
Section makes it a point to design and
host events that suit the needs and
tastes of every Member.
As a Member, your Section is also your
liaison with local dealers and
independent shops. When possible, the
Section will assist you with obtaining
discounts off parts and service. Since
1956, the gathering of the world's finest
cars and their owners have spawned
the world's best friendships. Call or
email your Section today to schedule a
complimentary meet and greet. Come
learn what we mean by: "More Than a
Car. We're a Community."
Shop, Style & Save at the Club Store
Your Mercedes-Benz says a lot about
you. And so does the merchandise you
can buy from the Mercedes-Benz Club
of America Club Store. Select and
order everything you need to present
your affiliation with the MBCA in
style ... bought and worn by car owners
and brand fans (including celebrities)
from around the world.
From Tri-Mountain outdoor jackets to
polo shirts, golf accessory kits, laptop
carriers, watches, valet key chains and
so much more. You'll find apparel and
accessories for every season, all at
reasonable prices. All merchandise
features the Mercedes-Benz Club of
America name and/or official Club logo.
Merchandise may be purchased
by Mercedes-Benz Club of America
members only. Gift certificates
available, as well.
Refer a Friend Program
Refer a friend to the Mercedes-Benz
Club of America and get one additional
month of Club membership FREE, for
every friend who joins. The more
friends you encourage to enroll, the
more free months you automatically
receive. There's no limit to the number
of free months you can earn.
Forums
Welcome to the Mercedes-Benz Club
of America online forums. Here, you'll
find members en masse who can talk,
guide, answer or listen to your
Mercedes-Benz related questions and
comments. Participation is free to Club
members; limited access to Club
guests. Got something to ask? Get
answers here. I have used the forum
on numerous occasions to troubleshoot
issues and determine if the repair is
something I want to tackle or take into
a professional.
From national events, car shows and
(Continued on page 15)
JULY · AUGUST 2012
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 9
By David Ellis and the Tulip Troopers
For many, many years, Ken and Rosalie
Bottini, Kevin Cobley and other MG Car
Club members have organized and run
the La Conner Tulip Rallye in April of
each year. The Rallye has turned into
one of the most fun-filled and successful
rallyes in our Club’s history. Not only
were members of MG Car Club
Northwest Centre (MGCCNWC) excited
to see the tulip fields and tour the back
roads of the Skagit Valley and Whidbey
Island each year, but many other car
enthusiasts from all over the Pacific
Northwest had heard about it and were
eager to see for themselves what it was
all about.
After 30 years though, Ken, Rosalie, and
Kevin decided they had done their share
and it was time for someone else to lead
the charge. The call went out late last
year. A Tulip Rallye organizational
meeting was going to be held on
September 24, 2011, at the Bottini
residence. It truly was a total team effort.
We all contributed where it was needed.
Everyone was focused on the end goal
and what the final result would look like.
There were no egos involved. I think Jim
Sanders was the first to refer to us as
the “Tulip Troopers.”
As the months passed, everything
seemed to be going smoothly. Our
Rallye start point, the Cascade Mall, was
on board and excited to see us. A quick
session on Google Earth and MapQuest
got the routes ready for Mark and Tony,
and Kurt and Toni to run and verify.
Then, all too soon, before the Saturday
Tulip Rallye, Cascade Mall called,
wanting to move the destination end
31st Annual Tulip Rallye Recap serves four local area distribution
sites.
Enough non-perishable food to
cover the bed of the food bank truck
$250.00 donated to the Padilla Bay
Wildlife Foundation.
$290.00 donated to Kathi Yingling’s
Relay for Life team.
The weather was perfect. The generosity
of everyone involved was
unprecedented. The participation of
fellow car enthusiasts was outstanding.
We had more Club members volunteer
to help than there were things for them
to do. Everything went exceptionally well
and according to plan. I honestly couldn’t
imagine that it could have turned out any
better. A big thank you goes out to all
who participated.
Congratulations to John and Diane
DeYoung who scored 1st in the
Mercedes-Benz club of entries. They
missed 7 questions out of 55 and got
lost the least lost. They received an 8 ½
by 11” wood plaque with this year’s Tulip
Rallye logo on it.
See you next year.
point to the southwest corner of the Mall
parking lot behind the Sears store. The
southwest corner barely had enough
parking for all of us, but we could make it
work. The up side to this last minute
change was that it put us in contact with
the Sears store manager, who had
worked for many years as a sales
representative for Craftsman Tools and
was definitely a car guy. He was
disappointed not to have been involved
in the Rallye from the start, but he was
so thrilled that we were going to be in his
parking lot that he offered to donate
items for our raffle, including “The Pink
Box,” a new line of Craftsman tool boxes
marketed to women to benefit breast
cancer research. After we saw the tool
box, we decided to
sell raffle tickets for
it and donate the
proceeds to Kathi’s
Relay for Life team -
a decision that
everybody felt very
good about.
Here are the happy
final numbers:
267
participating
cars.
38 participating
car clubs (15
with 5-or-more
cars).
$297.00 cash
and checks
donated to Tri-
Parish Food
Bank that
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 10
Griots Garage Detailing Wrap-up
By Jim Houk
We had perfect summer weather in May.
Temperatures broke records across
western Washington and on the drive
home, it was in the low 80’s – perfect
convertible weather. Going from cool
spring weather to summer temperatures
and back to spring in four days; that is
why we all love the Pacific Northwest.
About 40 members were in attendance
and this was the first section event for a
few members. Welcome and look
forward to seeing many of you at future
events.
Two member’s Mercedes were staged in
Griots pristine facility for Guy Devivo
and the staff to demonstrate the
products available to detail our
Mercedes. Roger Brook’s black SL55
and Rob Diegert’s C230 coupe were
selected to demonstrate the “claying”
process. “Clay” is used with Speed
Shine and the process safely removes
and cleans and preps the surface prior
to polishing and waxing the car.
Next, the power polishing techniques
were demonstrated using an electric
random orbit polisher and three
polishing products to remove the tiny
scratches in the hood paint, bringing
the finish back to the original factory
flawless finish.
To protect the polished surface, Best
of Show Wax was applied using the
buffer with a wax applicator pad.
Members had the opportunity to use
the electric buffer to get the feel of
using an electric buffer on the car to
use the polish and wax products.
Many valuable tips and tricks of
detailing were discussed and
demonstrated in maintaining your
Mercedes finish. We should see some
beautifully detailed Mercedes at the
Show & Shine this year.
Many participants won numerous raffle
items donated by Griots and the
section, congratulations to lucky
winners. Most members stocked up
on detailing supplies at the Griots
store. Always great to meet members
attending their first event and renew
old friendships with other members
attending.
Thank you to the hospitality of Griot’s
for hosting the event and educating all
on proper techniques to detail our
Mercedes-Benz.
Detailing Seminar with
Griots Products Recap
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 11
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 12
LeMay Museum Grand Opening the grand opening, the museum is ready
to host conventions, corporate meetings
and events in their 165,000 square foot
museum with its historical rotating
collection taken from Harold LeMay's
private collection of 3,400 cars as well
as spectacular offerings from private
collectors. The museum site also has a
3.5 acre grassy field where the ACM will
host collector car shows such as the
Kirkland Concours, in addition to drive-in
movies and concerts.
For their grand opening, LeMay invited
area car clubs to be part of the first car
show on the field and provided vendors,
By Ian and Linda Gleadle
With the June 2, 2012 Grand Opening of
LeMay, America's Car Museum (ACM),
Tacoma, Washington has become a
point of destination for car enthusiasts
around the world. The MBCA - Seattle
Section is lucky enough and thrilled to
have it in our own back yard. As charter
members of the museum, the Seattle
Section has been supporting the project
and eagerly awaiting the opening.
Members received a sneak peak last
December when ACM opened one of
their museum floors and a banquet room
to host a memorable holiday party. With
a beer garden and a free concert with the
Grammy Award winning band, Asleep at
the Wheel. Just outside the entry to the
museum, there is an area to host
a featured car collection and several
northwest members with Mercedes-Benz
300SL Gullwings and Roadsters were
honored to be showcased at the grand
opening. The LeMay museum
anticipates 425,000 visitors in the coming
year. MBCA - Seattle Section members
who attended the grand opening agree
that the historical collection is worth the
trip and guarantee that the tour will bring
back memories and emotions, will
educate, and will entertain.
Authorized Bosch Service Center
By Jerry Cole
On April 14, service manager Patrick
Hennessey and the staff of skilled
technicians at Larson Mercedes-Benz
hosted a spring tune-up tech session at
their new facility in Fife. Each car's
engine was inspected, then placed on a
lift so we could get a good look at the
side of the car we rarely get to see. I was
treated to a first-hand look at the
transmission leak I didn't know I had. The
Larson Mercedes Spring Tune-Up inexpensive and easy fix. That's what I
wanted to hear! Patrick passed out
stainless Mercedes-Benz coffee mugs to
attendees. Never has drinking hot coffee
been so cool.
The technicians also treated us to a
complete tour, top and bottom of a new
Mercedes SLS AMG. What an amazing
machine. There is absolutely nothing
average about the SLS. If you thought
the top view was radical, you should see
the bottom side. They didn't let me take it
for a spin, which I am sure is a good call
on their part. technician assured me it was an
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 13
For Summer Driving!For Summer Driving!
Get Your Mercedes Ready ...Get Your Mercedes Ready ...
Toll Free: 1-866-MB-GARAGE Phone: 425-462-2090 Fax: 425-462-2092 www.mercedesgarage.com *Not affiliated with Daimler Chrysler “Mercedes-Benz” is a registered trademark of Daimler Chrysler for its goods. The Mercedes Garage, LLC uses the name “Mercedes-Benz” or
“Mercedes” for identification purposes only. The Mercedes Garage, LLC or Mercedesgarage.com have no affiliation with Daimler Chrysler.
Come check us out !
For directions and information visit our web site at
www.mercedesgarage.com
The Mercedes Garage, LLC
13622 NE 20th Street Suite H Bellevue, WA 98005
Call the Garage Today to Set Up an Appointment!
( 4 2 5 ) 4 6 2 - 2 0 9 0
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 14
By David Greenaware, Tire Talk
Zoomy, stove bolt, T-bucket; gearhead
vocabulary is a colorful collection of
terms that’s nearly impossible to
understand for the flatheads out there
who don’t talk the talk. But how many of
us are fluent in “rubberese”? Truth is,
tires speak a language all their own and
the ability to decipher those numbers
and letters branded around the tire
sidewall is equally important.
DOT = The "DOT" marking indicates that
the tire meets or exceeds the U.S.
Department of Transportation's safety
standard for tires.
Manufacturer Plant Code - "CC" =
The first two letters following the DOT
marking are codes to identify the
manufacturer of the tire and the
manufacturing plant.
Tire Size - "9L" = The third and fourth
characters following the DOT marking
are codes representing the tire size.
Brand Characteristics - "YYY = The
final three or four letters are codes
representing other significant
characteristics of the tire as determined
by the manufacturer.
Manufacture Week - "11" = The first
pair of digits identifies the week the tire
was manufactured. In this case, the tire
was manufactured in the 11th week. The
number 01 would indicate the first week
of January, whereas the number 52
would indicate the last week of
December.
Manufacture Year - "05" = The second
pair of digits identifies the year that the
tire was manufactured, in this case
2005.
Treadwear - "520" = The treadwear
rating is a measurement of the tire's
Technically Speaking durability, but not the projected tread life.
It is important to remember that road
surfaces, driving habits, and other factors
determine actual tread life. Each tire
manufacturer independently determines
treadwear through their own tests.
Treadwear is not based on any one
industry or government standard.
Traction - "A" = The traction rating is a
measurement of a tire's ability to stop on
a straight, wet surface under controlled
conditions. It does not indicate the tire's
cornering ability on a wet surface or its
traction on ice or snow. Traction grades
include AA, A, B, and C, with AA being
the highest grade available.
Temperature - "A" = The temperature
rating is a measurement of a tire's
resistance to heat generation under
normal operating conditions at
recommended inflation pressures.
Temperature grades range from A to C,
with A being highest rated and therefore
most resistant to heat generation.
So now you know what that raised
lettering code on your tires means.
How To Read Your Tires’
Sidewalls
JULY · AUGUST 2012 PAGE 15
Please support and thank the advertisers of the Silver Star!
Advertising Rates for 1 Issue / 6 Issues Per Year
Business Card: $30 / $150 Quarter Page: $50 / $250 Half Page: $62.50 / $375 Full Page: $125 / $750
No inference should be made that the advertising in this newsletter implies the approval of
advertisers, products, or services by the Seattle Section, its officers, members or by Mercedes-Benz.
1976 240 D $1,300
4-speed, very clean, starts easily and
runs strong - 30 mpg regardless of
speed. Driver's seat and rear seat
bottom rebuilt using OEM
padding. Good tires, good brakes, good
paint, all instruments and controls work
including the clock, newer radio/CD
player but have the original. No AC or
sunroof. Well taken care of and never
abused. Always parked inside. Contact
Paul in Olympia at (360) 866-4682
evenings or paulhenderson.wa
@gmail.com
Classified Ads
HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD
Ads will run for one issue and can be placed free of charge by MBCA members. Non-club members will be charged $10.00 per ad, $20 with a picture. The next deadline is August 1, 2012.
1984 280SL $13,500
A beautiful car, well maintained and
cared for. All order and purchase
records from original owner. Includes
owner's manual and repair manual.
Has both tops, beautiful paint, the
upholstery has normal gentle wear.
New tires and always professionally
maintained. 111,323 miles. Contact
Pete Walstrom at (360) 331-7932 or
1986 560 SL $11,750
Clean and powerful car, professionally
maintained with 169,000 miles. Hard
and soft tops and winch/pulley for hard
top. Reupholstered seats and new
dashboard. Contact Garrett or Kim at
(206) 629-4331 or kimferreiro
@yahoo.com.
1989 560SL $22,000 One owner car. Desert Taupe w/ Parchment interior. 28,000 miles. Major service just completed. Contact: John DeYoung 425-481-6658 or [email protected].
1998 SL500 Hardtop Free Smoked silver, in perfect condition, never installed after delivery. Contact Jim in Edmonds at (360) 620-6757 or [email protected].
Latest event & ad updates at:
www.mbcaseattle.org
There are three ways to submit an ad:
MAIL: MBCA Seattle Section, P. O. Box 2738 Redmond, WA. 98073-2738
EMAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: Ian Gleadle at (360) 926-8041
Concours -- to driving schools, rallies
and back road barbecues -- we have fun
and festivities for every age, gender and
Mercedes-Benz aficionado in the U.S.
and Canada.
The following testimonials are from a
few of our members in the Seattle
Section who are happy they joined:
...originally, I joined the club to connect
with other people who know that a
Mercedes is more than just a car, it's an
experience. I have found that I really
(Continued from page 8)
MB Club Membership (cont’d) friendships we've developed over the
years are the unexpected reward. - Rick
and Patti Tuttle, Walla Walla, WA
...thirty years of membership has passed
and I look forward to many more. Our
Mercedes-Benz “family” includes new
and old friendships wih all the people we
have met over the years at numerous
club events. One always receives back
in rewards (lasting friendships), as to
what effort you contribute or participate
in club activities. I encourage all to
participate in club activities; will see you
at the next event. - Jim Houk,
Silverdale, WA.
enjoy the social and driving events. I
particularly enjoy the tech-related events,
since it is an opportunity to discuss
Mercedes with those who know them
best. I can't begin to put a value on the
things I have learned and the great
people I have met as a result of club
activities. – Jerry Cole, Lakewood, WA
...we originally joined the club because
we figured it would be a great resource
for learning more about our car. We soon
discovered that the events are a great
way to meet new people and that the
MBCA Seattle Section P.O. Box 2738 Redmond, WA 98073-2738
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
P A I D PERMIT NO. 2358
PORTLAND, OR
Visit MBCA on the web at:
MBCA Seattle Section: www.mbcaseattle.org
MBCA National: www.mbca.org
To the owner of the Mercedes-Benz at:
Silver Star • July / August 2012
