second Qtr
spring
2010
inside this issue: Member BBQ page
1
Calendar page
2
Spring page
4
Scam page
6
in
Columbia.
of events.
events recap.
alert.
Your new GREEN publication
S TA R THE MBC A C A R O L I N A S
Partial view of the pool at the browne’s. come swim with us at the membership party and bbq on may 22!
The official newslet ter of the mercedes benz club of america, carolinas section
Come One, Come All Free BBQ, Ya’ll! Columbia is the place to be from May 21 - 23rd! Join us for the annual Member’s BBQ and a chance to SEE IN PERSON the NEW SLS AMG GULL WING!!! Come on out for an incredible weekend, full of free
If you plan to attend this portion of the weekend’s
BBQ, awesome cars and plenty of fun! Our annual
festivities, please RSVP to Odette Pedersen at
Membership BBQ will be held in Columbia at the home
Odette@overgaardweb.com. The restaurant is
of Chip and Melissa Browne on May 22nd from Noon
located at 620-A Gervais Street, Columbia SC 29201.
until 6:00pm. There are so many great choices for this
Phone: 803-799-8463. Parking is behind the restaurant
weekend, it’s hard to say what will be the highlight!
- turn beside SCB&T bank, then turn left into parking lot behind Carolina Wings.
The fun begins on Friday night at Gervais and Vine, a wonderful Mediterranean wine and tapas bar in the
On Saturday morning at 9:30am, the staff at Dick Dyer
Vista area of downtown Columbia. Our group will meet
Mercedes Benz is hosting a “What’s New” breakfast for
at 7:30pm to enjoy the fine selection of wines from
us. Ray Pignitor from Dick Dyer M-B will host this gath-
around the globe and sample the many tasty dishes
ering, showcasing the best new vehicles and products
expertly prepared by the staff at Gervais and Vine.
from Mercedes Benz. Continued on page 2
Saluda River at the Browne’s - bring your fishing gear!
Upcoming Events
C heck
out full details at mbcacarolinas . org
Great Wolf Lodge:
Join us on June 19th at the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, NC. Offers an extensive indoor water park that is family friendly. Pre-event dinner on Friday, June 18th. Full details will be sent by email and posted at the club website, www. mbcacarolinas.org.
Annual Dock Party:
Held in July at the lovely home of Henry and Katherine Dunbar in Charleston, this event is a must for members who enjoy a beautiful day on the water. Their Low Country Boil recipe is practically famous! So, be on the lookout for the final date and directions!
Tax Free Shopping:
The first weekend in August, South Carolina gives shoppers a holiday from sales tax. Take advantage of the deals by outlet shopping in Gaffney. Events will be held August 6th - 8th.
Charlotte Auto Fair:
August 26 - 29, Concord, NC. Charlotte Motor Speedway, Car show on 150+ acres with 10,000 vendor spaces. WE’VE BEEN CHALLENGED! The Porsche Club wagers that we can’t bring as many cars as they can. Let’s prove them wrong!
Beach Weekend:
One of the most popular tourist destinations on the East Coast, Myrtle Beach will host the MBCA Carolinas section for a relaxing weekend Sept. 17 - 19. If you need an affordable, quick getaway, this weekend fits the bill!
Sneak Peek of Later Events:
•Winchester, VA: Sept. 24 - 29, 2010 Starfest. Details listed to the right in the ad. •Helen, GA: Oct. 8 - 10, Oktoberfest fall celebration. Enjoy the natural beauty of the season with hands-on pioneer skills exhibits, hayrides through the park, traditional craft vendors, mountain music, and apple cider from a hand-cranked press. •Spartanburg, SC: Oct. 15 - 17, Eurofest at the BMW Zentrum facility.
M ember BBQ W eekend , C ont ’ d The brand new SLS Gull Wing will be available for us to see in person! (See the image below, if you’ve never seen this model before!) Only 456 are made in a calendar year, so they are quite rare. It is an incredible machine; take a look at our section website at www.mbcacarolinas.org and play the thrilling video of Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher (aka “The Stig” from BBC’s Top Gear) as he takes the SLS to the limit. Dick Dyer Mercedes Benz is located at 5825 Two Notch Road, Columbia, SC 29223. Phone: 803-786-8888. Next, make your way over to West Columbia for BBQ on the river! Hot BBQ and all the fixin’s will be provided by member Roy Davis, starting right at Noon. No worries allowed at this event, just come and enjoy yourself! Swim in the salt water pool, fish along the banks of the Saluda
River, walk the nature trail beside the water, or hang out at the tiki hut with a cold drink! And, if you’ve never heard of BYOD - here’s the deal: Bring Your Own Dessert to share. If you make a mean chocolate cake, bring a recipe card to swap with someone
new members
else for a new recipe. If you’re not a cook, no problem, just come and enjoy the sweets.
Andrew Ehasz
Chip and Melissa Browne’s house is located at 1730 McSwain Drive, West Columbia,
James Karl Gaiser III
SC 29169. Phone: 803-312-4051. From I-26, take exit 110, Highway 378. Turn towards Columbia and look for Waffle House very near the intersection with the interstate. Turn
Linda Galphin
Left onto McSwain Drive, right beside Waffle House. Follow McSwain Drive (this road
Madonna & Anthony King
is the frontage road) all the way down until you see the Rivers Edge neighborhood.
Leroy Schultz
Continue on the same road through the neighborhood until you see the YELLOW house with the BLUE ROOF on the right. Walk through the gate and you’re there! The weekend concludes with a goodbye brunch at 10am on Sunday at Cafe Strudel in West Columbia. Southern Living Magazine suggests their “hangover hashbrowns” topped with tomatoes, grilled onions, peppers and cheddar cheese. Cafe Strudel is at 118 State Street, West Columbia, SC 29169. Phone: 803-794-6634. Hotels: Hampton Inn, 1094 Chris Drive, West Columbia, SC 29169. 803-791-8940. Holiday Inn, 110 McSwain Drive, West Columbia, SC 29169. 803-391-4000. Mention Real Estate School of SC to get a discounted rate!
Judith Lane Scott Heyer Billy & Mary Fout Thomas Tyree
welcome! MERCEDES-BENZ PARTS Specialists for 29 YEARS 1955 thru 1990’s Models
Miller’s East 877-226-1870 ext204 1749 Williams Rd., Suite A Monroe, NC 28110 Miller’s West 800-338-7787ext206 17420 Mt. Herrmann, Suite I Fountain Valley, CA 92708 World Wide Shipping
SHOP ON LINE 24/7 at MILLERMBZ.COM
Recap
if you missed an event this spring, find out what happened See photos online at mbcacarolinas.org The Valentine’s Day sweetheart dinner planned for the weekend of February 14th in Charlotte was cancelled because of the very unusual Carolina snowfall. Next, the club offered an opportunity to tool around the Charlotte Auto Fair’s Spring Meet. Held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway during the weekend of April 8 - 11, hundreds and hundreds of cars and car related items were on display and for sale. There’s a companion event held at the same venue in the fall. The Charleston Low Country Rallye took place during the weekend of April 23 - 25. Originally scheduled for a week earlier, this event was a nice tour of Charleston, even if it was such a rainy weekend. Many thanks to the Capriccio Ristorante for hosting a tasty dinner on Friday evening for our membership. Managed by Jacques Bouguyon, Capriccio Ristorante at 1034 Chuck Dawley Boulevard in Mount Pleasant has been a loyal MBCA Carolinas supporter for many years. On Saturday, the small but dedicated group toured the USS Yorktown at Patriot’s Point. The highlight of the tour was the lunch in the C.P.O. Mess. After lunch, members took a leisurely drive through the greater Charleston area, which was planned by the 2009 Member of the Year, Henry Dunbar. The day concluded with dinner at the Water’s Edge restaurant at Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant.
Your new GREEN publication please join our email list ! This issue is the second one in our transition to electronic publishing. As the printing and mailing of this publication is one of the largest expenses of the club and more and more people are comfortable with electronic delivery of mail and documents, we’re working towards having only an e-newsletter by the end of this year. The newsletter is posted on our club website at www. mbcacarolinas.org. Members who provide their email address will be sent a link by email to issuu.com/ themarketingdivision where the newsletter can be read totally online. If you’re not already on the email list, please send your address to info@mbcacarolinas.org.
On Sunday morning, the goodbye brunch was held at the Morgan Creek Grill at the beautiful Isle of Palms.
mbrace: a golden
opportunity
Mercedes Benz USA announced a new service provider for in-vehicle service systems called mbrace. This system replaces the Tele-Aid service previously used by MBUSA. Some older vehicles can be upgraded to mbrace. Call the mbrace response center to find out if your car qualifies: 1-866-990-9007.
Integrate your iPod or iPhone with your car The Mercedes Benz iPod Integration Kit seamlessly integrates your iPod or iPhone into your vehicle’s audio system, allowing you to play your favorite music anywhere. Your iPod will charge while its playing and the controls to your favorite music are easily accessed via the multi-function steering wheel. The iPod integration connector is located in teh glove compartment, and is compatible with most iPod models. Check with your service advisor to see if this kit will fit your model of Mercedes.
Cannon’s
• Specializing in Pre-Owned Mercedes• 2640 Asheville Highway Hendersonville, NC
JERRY CANNON Owner
828-606-7255 Cell 828-692-6541 Office
H & H Auto Service
35 Hunter Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
Proud Members of the MercedesBenz Club of America Since 1983
•Sales and Service of Pre-Owned Mercedes-Benzs •Service by Experts Trained on Mercedes •Great Advice and Helpful Information H&H Auto Body - Check out our website at www.hhautobodyhhi.com
(843) 681-8384 • www.handhautos.com
S TA R THE M B C A C A R O L I N A S
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID COLUMBIA, SC PERMIT #1098
101 Medical Circle Drive West Columbia, SC 29169
Tidbits • useful information Carolinas Section Officers Contact List
Scam Alert
We’ve recently heard from several members who listed cars for sale online that they were emailed from a “buyer” from outside the US who is willing to pay full price. They mail a fake cashier’s check to you and ask you to pay the shipping costs in cash. If the check is no good, you’re out the money for the check plus the shipping. Essentially, your car has been stolen. The best buyer is someone you already know or with whom you have friends in common. Be careful when conducting business online!
PRESIDENT Richard Deiber Huntersville, NC (704) 948-1433 president@mbcacarolinas.org
TREASURER Roy L. Davis Columbia, SC (803) 331-1852 treasurer@mbcacarolinas.org
From the National Business Office: With every email and
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Anthony Santagati Beaufort, SC (843) 522-9444 sandspub@aol.com
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Fred Harris Statesville, NC (704) 902-6253 harrisfred@hotmail.com
be sent electronically (so it must include a valid email address). Please
VICE PRESIDENT Soren Pedersen Waxhaw, NC (980) 722-5651 vicepresident@mbcacarolinas.org
EVENTS CHAIR Odette Sigler-Pedersen Waxhaw, NC (704) 290-2257 odette@overgaardweb.com
SECRETARY Roger Levesque Easley, SC (864) 230-0081 secretary@mbcacarolinas.org
NEWSLETTER EDITOR Melissa Sprouse Browne Columbia, SC (803) 791-3800 info@mbcacarolinas.org
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 send these updates to Geni at geni@mbca.org.
Capriccio Ristorante Make Your Reservation for a Romantic Rendezvous!
10% Discount for MBCA Members!
1034 Chuck Dawley Blvd. Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 (843) 881-5550