Volume 46 - Vol 1 | February 2024

View Through The Star

by Rubin Howard, President

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again - 2024 will be MBCA Peachtree’s best year ever. We are going to have another incredible calendar of local events and destination drives. Before you begin to skim this text, I will mention some key words that might peak your interest. Amelia Island MBCA display with dinner, Track day at AMP, Concours cocktail party, awards ceremony, tech sessions, and more. Planning for our Star Summit regional event (October 3rd - 7th) has begun, and we are excited to see this event come to fruition.

I would like to address an email regarding the MBCA National dues increase to $85/year. First of all, I hope that every member of Peachtree sees the inherent value of being a member of MBCA Peachtree. We do our best and are proud to say that we are an enthusiast-run organization that leads with passion first into all of our events, fundraisers, educational experiences, performance driving, and of course the friendships that are built along the way. We are supported by a Board of Directors, numerous volunteers, and backed by a variety of generous sponsors who believe in our abilities. The dues increase was outside of the purview of MBCA Peachtree. This was a decision made by the national MBCA board, with the intention of reinstating member rebates to sections and providing financial stability of the organization. While this is an increase to you as a member, at least a portion of your membership dues are coming directly back into our Section’s treasury. Nationally, the MBCA is revitalizing its website and user experience in order to create a better infrastructure for members. Locally at MBCA Peachtree, we are continuously thinking of ways in which we can add value to our members. I am sharing this information with you, since I believe that transparency is an important value in a non-profit organization such as ours. I see a light at the end of the tunnel; or shall I say I see a shining silver star at the end of the tunnel. READ MORE.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT - DIETMAR SCHMID

Dietmar, also known as Deetz or Didi (in Germany), was born under the Beaver Moon in Orsingen, Germany near the Swiss border. As a child, he was only 1.5 hours from the Mercedes Benz headquarters in Stuttgart. (Hmmm! I wonder if that influenced his adulthood. )

Many of you know Dietmar for the wonderful Pretzels he brings to the Halcyon Cars & Coffees. Even though Dietmar is single, he is blessed with three god children. His family and friends from Germany visit often enough that he sometimes feels like a B&B host.

As a young man, his first job was as a harvester in strawberry fields. At the age of 47, he received and accepted without hesitation an offer to work for three years for a German company at their facility in Gainesville, Georgia. He looked at the offer as a new challenge and adventure. They extended the contract twice before he got a contract and the company sponsored his green card. Dietmar became a permanent resident in 2020. With his Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing and Exports, Dietmar is presently an SAP Consultant and Purchasing Manager. READ MORE

EVENT RUNDOWN

February

2/3 | Cars and Coffee at Halcyon | register | map

2/10 | Mountain Drive | watch for details

2/16 - 18 | Carolinas Charleston "Sprint into the Past" | register | map

March

3/1 - 3/3 | Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance | See Amelia Article

3/2 | MBCA Amelia Island Crap Trap Dinner | register | map

3/2 | Cars and Coffee at Halcyon | register | map

3/9 | Drive to Savoy Museum | register | map

3/23 - 24 | PCA HPDE Barber Motorsports Park | register | map

April

4/6 | Cars and Coffee at Halcyon | register | map

4/6 | Tour the Monastery of the Holy Spirit | register | map

4/13 | Tech Event DC Motorwerks | watch for details

4/20 | Talladega Grand Prix Track Day | register | map

4/25-28 | Low Country Spring Fling | register | Mt Pleasant SC

May

5/4 | Cars and Coffee at Halcyon | register| map

5/11 | Mountain Run | watch for details

5/26 | PCA Autocross | details | map

5/29 | Watkins Glen HPDE | watch for details | map

FULL EVENT SCHEDULE 2024

MEMBERSHIP

Mercedes-Benz Club of America – Peachtree Section keeps organizing a large variety of events members can participate. For this new year, we have again scheduled interesting events throughout the whole year. Please check the event calendar in this Newsletter and register to attend for an upcoming event. Attending club events is the best way to meet members that share your interest in Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

When it becomes time to renew your membership, you can do it online at MBCA.org or you can call the MBCA National Business Office at 719.633.6427 Tues-Thurs 9 am – 3 pm MT to renew over the phone. You can also select an Auto-Renewal to ensure your membership stays active!

THANK YOU RENEWING MEMBERS - Click Here to View List

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Membership Benefits

The Star® Magazine – Your membership of the MBCA includes a subscription to the awarded bi-monthly magazine Star®.
Section Newsletter – Section newsletter, “Stars in Georgia” for the Peachtree Section is published six times a year.
Local, Regional and National Events
Member Rebate Program – If you are planning to purchase or lease a new Mercedes-Benz vehicle, you should consider participating in the MBCA Member Rebate Incentive program.
Discount on Parts, Service & Accessories at Participating Mercedes-Benz dealers
15% Discount on Parts from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center
Club Trips to Germany
Mecum Auctions Discount – Mercedes-Benz Club of America members enjoy a special discount on the Standard Bidder registration at Mecom Auction

Please visit online https://www.mbca.org/member-benefits to see the complete description of the updated benefits.

TECHNICAL DIGEST

Gas in Diesel Tank

Sooner or later, most folks that have both Diesel and gasoline fueled cars will add the wrong fuel to the tank. There are A LOT of online forum posts on this issue, and I just had to face this with our 2008 R320CDI. Fortunately, the car was not started with the 18.95 gallons of gasoline in the tank. We had it towed home then I went to work. The R320 is not a particularly easy car to work on and getting the gas out of the fuel tank posed an interesting challenge.

The first thought might be to siphon the fuel out through the fuel filler. I found that it’s very hard to get even a small diameter hose in there. I was able to get about 2 gallons out this way, but the next day when I tried to insert the tube, I couldn’t get it in. You might also think about going in through the fuel pump access under the back right seat, that is unless you read my previous article about changing the fuel pump – it’s really hard to get in there due to the access panel being essentially glued in with seam filler and the need for a special tool to remove the pump.

Friday March 1st through Sunday March 3

Mercedes-Benz Club of America will be at The Amelia Concours weekend. We have a three-day itinerary with a range of events. Below is an itinerary for the weekend.

Friday, March 1 - “The Amelia Island Kickoff hosted by Classic Motorsports Magazine with Wayne Carini serving as the Grand Marshal. MBCA was personally invited as a featured marque for this event. Click here to register for the The Amelia Island Kickoff

Friday, March 1 - MBCA Social + Dinner at Salt Life Food Shack. Mercedes-Benz Club of America has reserved the upper deck which includes a bar and full food service. Click here to RSVP to Regional Director David Wommer.

Saturday, March 2 - MBCA Dinner at the Crab Trap (4:00 pm) - It is a MBCA tradition to host our Saturday night dinner at the Crab Trap, the evening before The Amelia. The Crab Trap is a seafood mainstay serving peel-&-eat shellfish & fried fare in a historical building. Click here to Register for Dinner at the Crab Trap.

Sunday, March 3 - Amelia Island Concours d' Elegance - Click here for Tickets

Drive to the Savoy Museum - March 9, 2024

Reijo Haarla, Event Planner

Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville, GA is a new facility, a couple of years old, and the museum is one of the nicest in the region.

Registration for this event is FREE. Entry fee of $15 will be paid at the Museum.

We will start at My Mercedes and Bimmer Place in Cumming 4345 Hwy 400 – Cumming, GA at 8:30 am for breakfast and question and answer session. At 10:00 am we will depart for the Savoy Museum located at : 3 Savoy Lane, Cartersville, GA

We will have a guided tour of the Savoy museum starting at NOON.

HPDE at Barber Motorsports Park - March 23-24, 2024

The Alabama Region of the PCA would like to invite you to register for our Driver Education Event (DE) on March 23-24, 2024 at the beautiful Barber Motorsports Park. This is one of the finest facilities in the world, and houses the challenging 2.4 mile road course plus the finest motorcycle museum in the world which also includes vintage Lotus and Porsche race cars.

Cars and Coffee at Halcyon Continues in 2024

Join us for our monthly Cars & Coffee sponsored by RBM’s Mercedes-Benz Experience at Halcyon. Please arrive by 9:30 am, we’ll begin at approximately 10 a.m. when everyone has finished prepping their cars. The Fuel coffee shop is ready to serve up a hot cup of coffee to enjoy while chatting with fellow members.

Here is our upcoming dates:

2/3 | Cars and Coffee at Halcyon - register

3/2 | Cars and Coffee at Halcyon - register

4/6 | Cars and Coffee at Halcyon - register

Tour of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit - April 6, 2024

Geri Whaley-Ewers, Event Planner

Join us for a relaxing and spiritual trip to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers. Our tour with Brother Callistus will entail the following; Monastery Video and Q & A, Museum Tour, Walk to the Abbey Church for Mid-day prayer, lunch at the Abbey Store Café.

Club members will have the opportunity to show their cars in a designated area for the duration of the tour.

HPDE - Talladega Gran Prix Raceway - April 20, 2024

On Saturday April 20^th, we’ll return to Talladega Gran Prix Raceway in Munford Alabama for a One-day High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) co-hosted by Peachtree and Alabama/NW Florida Sections. A wonderful track for novices, only 5 turns in 1.4 miles with minimal elevation changes and wide, smooth runoff areas, but challenging enough to be fun for advanced drivers.

We will provide both classroom and in-car instruction. Only $300. Also offering the Performance Driving Experience (PDE) $100 which includes classroom and highway speed on-track instruction. Sign up now, since we’ll be limiting attendance to only 30 drivers.

Low Country Spring Fling

April 25-28, 2024

Doug Geganto and Michele Stine, Event Planners

There’s so much to do in the Charleston South Carolina and early spring is a fun time to experience the Low Country! Don’t miss enjoying the South Carolina Low Country around the beautiful and historic Charleston area? Here’s a video preview about visiting Charleston: Highlights When Visiting Charleston.

Registration for this will be limited to the first 15 couples (30) who register for the weekend. Don’t delay in signing up. This is due to the maximum seating on the tour two buses (15 each) We will have a waitlist in case of cancellations, But there is no guarantee that there may be any cancellations don’t wait until the last minute to sign up.

Hotel information, weekend schedule, and registration information can be found here Charleston Low Country Spring Fling

Mountain Run - May 11, 2024

Ernie Smallman, Event Planner

Save this date for an enjoyable drive to a few wineries near Cleveland, GA, after a complementary breakfast at D.C. Motor Werks. The wine producer near Dahlonega receive a lot of publicity with the growing number near Cleveland being under the radar.

Pack lunch as you do for mountain drives and expect outdoor seating al fresco dining at the third winery we visit. If you prefer, we have identified a unique nearby local deli in an older home that has soups, sandwiches, and salads to go. We are inquiring about providing a glass of wine with he lunch you bring. Cleveland is not backward compared to Dahlonega, but we did see a sign at the deli that said, "Party like 1975".

HPDE - Watkins Glen

May 29, 2024

Gary Edwards, Event Planner

MBCA will be staging a High-Performance Drivers Education (HPDE) event at the iconic Watkins Glen Road Course in the beautiful Finger Lakes district of New York. Experienced instructors will be on-sight to help you learn to enjoy the magnificent engineering capabilities of your Mercedes-AMG or Mercedes-Benz in a controlled environment. This is what your Mercedes was designed to do.

Make your plans and watch for registration details.

UPDATE ON HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVING

Gary Edwards, MBCA National Performance Driving Chair

Since the last newsletter, I have been asked to chair the MBCA National Performance Driving Committee, so as I mentioned in the last newsletter, I am definitely planning to spend more time on the performance driving program. Unfortunately, nationally in MBCA, we really don’t have a performance driving program. Peachtree, Alabama/NW Florida, and Greater Washington Sections are pretty much the only ones that have run MBCA High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) events in the last few years. I would like to see, at least annually, an MBCA HPDE event within reasonable driving distance of each MBCA member. This will be a challenge.

For Peachtree section, intentions are pretty much unchanged from what I wrote in the last newsletter. We want to have a mix of all types of performance driving, from defensive driving skills (Safe Driver Safe Family, Urban Survival), karting, autocross, and HPDE.

POST EVENTS

Peachtree Holiday Luncheon 2023

December 2, 2024

Ernie Smallman and Patricia Deur, Event Planners

Fifty Peachtree members and guests enjoyed an Irish Holiday Lunch of corn beef and cabbage, broiled salmon, and blacken chicken pasta. Eastern Region Director and Peachtree Section past President

Diana Quin recognized Past President Gary Edwards as the 2023 Regional Officer of the year. Reijo Haarla, Peachtree Section Memfership Chairman, received the Peachtree 2023 Section Member of the Year award.

Ther coveted Partain Award, given in memory of the Section founder Jim Partain, was awarded to Sam Kamber in recognition of his effiorts to automate judging for our Concours events and management of the

annual Concours D-Elegance event.

Otto Cogolin and Alan Smith were the top bidders in the lively auction o ftwo framed Mercedes posters donated by Past President Doug Geganto. Nineteen 2024 calendar that featured select Mercedes-Benz automobiles of Eastern Region members were given as door prizes to attendees.

Many thanks to those who generously in provided toys for Peachtree's contribution to the Marine Corp Toys for Tots Christmas toy drive.

SOCIAL MEDIA

In April of 2020 when the COVID Pandemic hit, the Peachtree Section pivoted to doing technical talks on ZOOM. This is when the MBCA PeachTube YouTube channel was born.

We have been steadily adding more videos as have gone along. Our goal then was to reach 1,000 subscribers. As of the end of December of 2023, MBCA PeachTube hit that goal! We feature videos such as technical sessions, concours judging schools, Rally schools, as well as features from events. If you haven't already subscribed to our channel do so now!

MBCA PeachTube link: MBCA PeachTube

Facebook Group link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mbcapeachtree

Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/mbcapeachtree/following/

Mercedes-Benz USA reports Q4 2023 total sales of 90,014 vehicles

Atlanta – Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported Q4 2023 sales of 72,313 Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz Vans reported Q4 2023 sales of 17,701 units, bringing MBUSA to a total of 90,014 vehicles for the quarter. Sales in the Top-End segment is up 15% for 2023 compared to 2022 with a total of 94,391 units sold. Strong, sustained demand for EVs propelled 2023 EV growth of 248% for a total of 43,202 vehicles.

Do you have an old Android or Apple tablet sitting around that you no longer use?

We can use that older tablet as long as it still works, it is WIFI enabled, and it can hold a charge for several hours. We want them for use in our Concours Judging.

Please email Sam Kamber if you would like to donate a tablet at kambers2590@gmail.com