Vol. 40 No. 1 Portland Section January/February 2015 Vol. 40 No. 1 Portland Section January/February 2015 Welcome, New Members R. Khaliq, Hillsboro Andrew Beldin, Portland Steve Brugh, Gresham Tim Feerer, Portland Scott Woodruff, Roseburg Car Care Event at Burback Motors, Saturday January 24th Upcoming Events Jan 10th, 10AM Board Meeting, MB of Portland Jan 24th, 9:45AM: Car Care Event, Burback Motors Feb 7th, 3-10PM: First Showing of 2015 MB Models, MB of Portland. See article in this issue. Inside This Issue Annual Gen. Meeting....... 1 President s Message....2 See the 2015 Models....3 Jan. Board Meeting.....4 Red Dress Gala......5 MBCA Europe Trip recap...7 Mercedes GLE....9 2015 Europe Trips...10 Classified Ads......11 Our annual car care event will again take place at Burback Motors. This year we will concentrate on preventive maintenance The presentation will be especially for the lady drivers in the Portland Section. And their Friends! Got a friend you would like to bring along? Please do so. The ladies in attendance will receive a raffle ticket. Drawings will take place throughout the class for gifts that the ladies will receive. (No, they won't be a set of spark plugs, or an air filter, or set of tools.) We want to give advice and training on becoming aware of the importance of maintaining your automobile. How regularly maintaining your car can prevent road service calls, and unscheduled repairs. And having your maintenance take place according to YOUR schedule. Breakfast at Burback's will include coffee, pastries, juices etc. Please call and tell us you will be attending so we can prepare accordingly. Rus 503 720 3637 P.S. Gentlemen members and their friends are welcome also. From Rus Eppler, Portland Section President Next Event: Car Care at Burback Motors Place: Burback Motors, 71 SE Main St., Portland OR 97214 Date: Saturday January 24th, Time: 9:45AM Cost: None Registration: RSVP to Rus Eppler at 503-720-3637
President s Message I'm preparing this message seven days before our December 21. Therefore I report to you the weather was delightful, the walk was brisk with December temperature, and everyone had a great time. The after event dinner at the Horse Brass Pub on 46th and Belmont was also a success with a great turnout as proof. (I guess you could say I am a positivist.) I'm also looking forward to the January event at Burback Motors. Vice President Ron Woodruff and I are working up a special school of show and tell especially for the ladies in attendance. I'm sharing a raffle ticket (for the 2015 Mercedes S550 sedan + $20,000 cash) with a friend...that wants, upon winning, to drive the car for the first five years, and then I get it for the next five. What a deal! I wonder who gets the $20,000 for the first five years. It would be very nice to have a new 2015 Mercedes sedan. Six or seven years ago one of our Portland Section members won an E 320 sedan. Is it too soon for another Portland Section member to win again? I hope not. If I don't win,i think I'll consider buying a new Mercedes and then enjoy the $500 discount that our membership entitles us to. Are you doing business with one or more of our Newsletter advertisers? If so tell them you saw their ad in the Newsletter. All for now, Rus Officers: Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Portland Section President Rus Eppler..503-720-3637 Vice President Ron Woodruff.503-708-8151 ronwoodruff9@gmail.com Secretary/Treasurer Position Open... Board of Directors: (Expiration Year) Stacy Rollins (2013)..503-645-0675 stacy@stacyrollins.com Jerry Sorenson (2013)..541-617-9297 jerrys@q.com Mike Spicer (2014).503-550-1403 mike_p_spicer@hotmail.com Ron Woodruff (2013)..503-708-8151 rbwgroup1@yahoo.com Ellen Theodorson (2015) 503-704-6622 ellentheodorson@yahoo.com Kenneth Holtan (2015) Phone TBD kennethholtan@comcast.net Northwest Regional Director: Barry Patchett.250-246-5329 bmpatchett@shaw.ca Newsletter Editor/Advertising: Allen Stephens (acting).503-708-0397 allen.c.stephens@gmail.com Portland Section Webmaster: Kenneth Holtan.. Phone TBD kennethholtan@comcast.net Membership: Pam Burback..503-236-1737 burbs5@aol.com Historian: Jim Thompson...503-633-2366 jim814817@hotmail.com Past President: Allen Stephens.503-708-0397 allen.c.stephens@gmail.com The Northwestern Star is the official publication of the Portland Section, Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Inc., and is provided solely for the benefit of its members. Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or MBCA, Inc. Have you wondered what a trip to Germany with MBCA would look like? See the story from Portland Section members on page 7. We encourage submissions, articles and photos from our members. Deadline for submissions is the 15th of the month, care of the editor. We reserve the right to edit or refuse submissions and/or advertising. Copyright MBCA Portland Section. All rights reserved. PAGE 2 NORTHWESTERN STAR JAN/FEB 2015
Red Dress Gala: See the new 2015 Mercedes-Benz Models at MB of Portland on Feb 7th Portland Section Members are invited to display their C and S-Class cars at this event. Mercedes-Benz Club membes are invited to see the 2015 Mercedes-Benz models at a special Red Dress gala at Mercedes-Benz of Portland on February 7th. See the latest models from Mercedes-Benz including the S-Class (upper left) and the C-Class (upper right), and the GLA-Class (lower Left). Come see the exciting new features on the 2015 models, and enjoy music, food and drinks in the company of other Mercedes-Benz owners/ When: Sat. Feb. 7th 2015, 5pm- 10pm Where: Mercedes-Benz of Portland. 1605 SW Naito Parkway PDX OR 97201 RSVP with Kris Guico via e-mail at KGuico@Lithia.com. Please RSVP by Jan 31st. See page 5 for the official invite from MB of Portland. This is a Red Dress Gala Event. Dress to Impress! Portland Section Members: Display your C or S class Car at this Event!! Bring your C class, or S class sedan, coupe, convertible, or station wagon, for display in the covered parking area. We invite your participation for this special event to complement the first showing of the 2015 models. We would like you to display your car for the first hour or two of the Mercedes of Portland showing that will last until 10 P. M. Refreshments will be provided courtesy of Mercedes of Portland. We would like to display your automobile (up to 20 cars) in order to show all models from 1953 to the present. Please call and tell us the car you will be bringing for display. And of course see the new Cs and Ss. Call Ron Woodruff to reserve a display parking space 503 708 8151 or ronwoodruff9@gmail.com Please make your reservation by January 31st. Parking for our members and guests will be provided at the dealership, just drive in. JAN/FEB 2015 NORTHWESTERN STAR PAGE 3
Board Meeting Jan 10th The next Portland Section Board Meeting is Saturday, Jan 10th at 10AM at Mercedes-Benz of Portland located at 1605 SW Naito Parkway Portland OR 97201. We invite all members to attend a board meeting to provide suggestions on how we can improve the club and provide ideas for upcoming events. PAGE 4 NORTHWESTERN STAR JAN/FEB 2015
See the 2015 M-B Models - Red Dress Gala Info: JAN/FEB 2015 NORTHWESTERN STAR PAGE 5
Not a Member? Join MBCA today! PAGE 6 NORTHWESTERN STAR JAN/FEB 2015
Member Story: 2014 MBCA Trip to Germany Submitted by Armin & Raylene Bestel, Portland Section This past September we traveled to Stuttgart, Germany where we met 32 other Mercedes Benz of America club members to take part in the 2014 MBCA Trip to Germany. Our adventure began with a welcome dinner on Monday evening, at which time we met our hosts, Jim O'Sullivan-MBCA and Wolfrom Koerner-Mercedes Benz, Germany. The next morning we got on our tour bus at 8:30 sharp to begin the first of 4 very full days of tours, as well as more good food than anyone could possible eat. Day 1: Stickel Pagoda Center, Arthur Bechtel Classic Motors, and the Mercedes Assembly Plant in Sindelfingen. Day 2: Mercedes AMG Kundencenter, Gottlieb Daimler birthplace and museum, and the Mercedes Benz Classic Center. Day 3: Mercedes Benz Museum, and Mercedes Benz Test Track. Day 4: Auto & Technik Museum, and the Carl Benz Auto Museum. Day 5: Was a free day for everyone until we met for our farewell dinner. This trip was better than we had imagined it to be. Our hosts were extremely knowledgeable, and shared a great deal of history and background on what we were about to see, which added to our experience at each of the facilities. We've heard rumors that because of request from those who have taken this trip in the past, that future trips will be expanded to be even better than it was this year. JAN/FEB 2015 NORTHWESTERN STAR PAGE 7
PAGE 8 NORTHWESTERN STAR JAN/FEB 2015
2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe Spotted Testing Mercedes-Benz s rival to the BMW X6 has just been spotted in prototype form testing at the Nürburgring. Our exclusive spy video shows two separate prototypes, one of which is a high-performance AMG variant. The new X6 rival will share its underpinnings with the M- Class. The vehicle was originally thought to carry an M- Class Coupe title but lately there s been rumors that it may be called a GLE-Class Coupe under a new naming strategy at Mercedes-Benz where the M-Class is renamed a GLE-Class to reflect its positioning in the E- Class range of cars. Whatever the case, we already have a fairly good idea as to what the coupe-like crossover will look like thanks to the unveiling of the Concept Coupe SUV at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show. The prototypes appear very similar in both overall profile and in detail to the striking concept. In the powertrain department, expect the more potent offerings from the M-Class to be offered. This means the base trim will likely come with a 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 302 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Above this should sit a mid-range model with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 good for 329 hp and 354 lb-ft, and then will sit the AMG model, most likely with some variation of the Affalterbach tuner s new twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8. A plug-in hybrid variant is also possible. Due to enter production in the U.S. at Mercedes Alabama plant, the new crossover is expected to arrive as a 2016 model along with several other of the German automaker s high-riding models. These will include a new GLK-Class (GLC under the new naming strategy), an updated M-Class (GLE) and an updated GL-Class (GLS). -From www.mbca.org JAN/FEB 2015 NORTHWESTERN STAR PAGE 9
Tour Europe with MBCA in 2015 Planning for the 2015 MBCA Germany Tours is well underway. There will be three tours offered in 2015 and each will offer a unique perspective on German culture and the Mercedes-Benz heritage. Tours are coordinated and led by past national MBCA president Jim O Sullivan and feature: Look for more information in the January/February issue of The Star magazine. It will include travel dates, costs and how to reserve your space. Act quickly, these tours are guaranteed to sell out! Four and five star accommodations Traditional German cuisine VIP access on guided tours and excursions Memories to last a lifetime Much, much more PAGE 10 NORTHWESTERN STAR JAN/FEB 2015
Classified Ads Ads run for one issue and are placed free of charge for MBCA members. Non-club members are charged $10 per ad, $20 with picture. The submission deadline is the 15th of the month. To place an ad contact the Newsletter Editor. 1997 G-Wagen 1982 300CD Coupe 1997 G Wagon. 187k miles. Very nice condition. Newly rebuilt transfer case, new tires, etc. A true "Go anywhere" rig! $26,500 541-231-0385 1982 300CD Coupe, European model. Mercedes rebuilt engine +/- 2years ago (low miles). Many new components, including steering. Over 30k in this rebuild. MB Blue. $6500 541-231-0385 Garage signs - 3 Hardcover coffee table books - 6 Paperback reference books - 2 Miscellaneous Mercedes Items For Sale Model cars two 280SL 1:18, two 280SL 1:43, one 230SL 1:43, one 280SL 1:37, one 280SL Hot Wheels and one 230SL Matchbox. If possible, would like to sell them as a lot. Email stefor@teleport.com for prices and pictures. Please support the advertisers of the Northwestern Star! Advertising Rates for 1 Issue / Multiple insertions receive a 15% discount Business Card size: $12 Quarter Page: $20 Half Page: $33 Full Page: $55 To place an ad contact Allen Stephens: allen.c.stephens@gmail.com or 503-708-0397 JAN/FEB 2015 NORTHWESTERN STAR PAGE 11
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE P A I D Portland, Oregon PERMIT NO. 2358 Portland Section Jan / Feb 2015 Mailing Address: 2900 SW Garden View Ave. Portland, OR 97225 Portland Section Schedule of Events Jan 10th, 10AM: Board Meeting, MB of Portland Jan 24th, 9:45AM: Car Care Event, Burback Motors Feb 7th, 5-10PM: First Showing of 2015 MB Models, MB of Portland. See article in this issue. March 14th, 9AM to 3PM: Do It Yourself Event at MBI Motors. More info in March NW Star. More Events to be scheduled! Follow the Portland Section on Facebook! Visit our web site for the most up-to-date event information: http://portland.mbca.org