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The Queen City Star Third Quarter 2019

Inside this issue

  • Presidents Message
  • New Website!
  • Future Event Previews
  • Membership Update
  • Video: What it takes to support an F1 Team
  • Past Event Reviews
  • Future Alert! The Mercedes-Benz EQS
  • Selling a car on Bring a Trailer
  • Winter is coming: Prepare for it!

A message from Mark Smith

Cincinnati Section President

Do you find yourself asking the question where did the summer go? I am sitting on my porch writing this on Labor day and thinking, it can’t be the end of summary already, but it is. Children are back in school, young adults are back in college and I am sitting here trying to figure out how did I get here. Loose all track of time when I am busy. And when I reflect back on my calendar I see why the end of summer arrived so quickly that I doubted it was real. The club had a nice mix of events this season once again. You will read about some of them in this issue. You will also see that we are NOT going on a fall or winter break! We have something planned or are collaborating with our region or chapters in our region for an event almost every month through the end of the year. I hope your schedules permit you to attend some or all of them. As always you can find our events calendar on the NEW chapter website www.mbcacincy.org. Speaking of our chapter website, you may have noticed that we have been a little slow in updating the website calendar. Unfortunately, we had a hardware failure that corrupted the software that Peter users to maintain the site. Peter took the opportunity to rework the website and upgrade our software as part of the recovery. The board appreciates everyone’s understanding and patience while the recovery and upgrade was performed.

As I often do in these newsletter notes to the chapter I am again begging. We still need someone to take on the dealer liaison position and I really would like someone to step forward to be a backup to Peter for managing our website. If you have interest in either position send me an email at mbcacincinnati@gmail.com. Peter and I would be happy to chat with you about either position and we can be quite flexible in how much time would be required. Both positions are very important to the success of the chapter - I know you enjoy our events, how about giving a little back to the chapter :) please!

Looking forward to seeing everyone at a future event.

Mark Smith: Cincinnati Section President

We have upgraded our digital footprint again!

New website now up and running

As a Section that has always been a leader in technology within the MBCA, we have again made strides to stand out and be on the forefront of digital technology. To do this much work went into upgrading our already great website, into a complete digital package that we can use moving forward for years. We now have a new website with a new address. www.mbcacincy.org !

Peter Emslander, who has always been a big proponent in our sections digital footprint has been at it again! He has done the research and came up with a solution that will streamline the webmasters workflow, create a one stop shop for members, and find a way to update our website from any computer, anywhere.

So what's new?

The biggest improvement members will see deals with our event calendar, and RSVPs for those events. Members will also see a more improved Gallery page, with ability to download High-Resolution photos right to their phone or computer!

Events Page

On the main event page, you will be able to see all upcoming events the section has, as well as any regional events, or national events.

When you click the event, you will not be able to see all the details, of the event, and even RSVP for the event. IN the Past, we would have to re-direct you to a good form, or Square payment webpage. Now it is all contained in the website, and you can RSVP, or pay for multiple events at a time with the use of a section shopping cart.

If the event is Free, but we need you to RSVP, you will just go through the process of adding the event to your cart, and then checking out. However events that have a $0 cost will not require any credit card information. You will however have to enter your name and email address (something you already provide to us for each RSVP).

Events that have a cost will be paid for through the same process, however you will need to input a credit card number for your purchase.

The main reason for this switch is the safety and security of your personal information. Now that we have everything in one secure place, there is less risk of something going wrong.

Photo Gallery

We have also revamped th Photo Gallery page. While we are still loading pictures, to the site, and uploading the gallery pages, you can see a preview behind this text block.

Each block will have a featured picture, event title, and a See Gallery link. Clicking this link will open a window where you can view all pictures, and download whichever ones you want.

This is an improvement as the last website wouldn't allow you to download the full resolution image.

Please take a minute to look through the new website, and if you have any feedback let us know.

Upcoming Events

French Lick Regional Event

October 11-13

Please join your fellow Central Region club members as we enjoy an extended weekend together in and around the French Lick, Indiana area.

French Lick Springs is a classic American hotel, established in 1845, with the current spa wing built in 1901. With its most recent extensive updates, it now seamlessly blends its fascinating history with modern amenities and services.Family-friendly activities and facilities make this an ideal destination for celebrations or relaxing getaways. French Lick has something everyone can enjoy; whether it’s golf, spa, hiking, biking, swimming, or shopping.

We are planning some very enjoyable activities, including a driving tour of the area, breakfast and tour at the West Baden Hotel, and dinners together on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Lodging at the historic French Lick Resort is regularly $304/night + tax at this time of the year, but our rate for the two days/nights is $129/night + tax. We had a 40-room block, which is presently completely booked.

We also have some rooms available at the adjacent West Baden Springs Hotel though.

Please contact Rick Siefert (rick.siefert@att.net or 314-435-1903) for further information and for the reservation phone number and booking information.

MBCA | Cincinnati Show and Shine

October 19th at 4PM

Join us again this year at Sharon Woods at the Great Meadows Shelter for an afternoon with some of your friends.

We will again be showing off our Mercedes, having an early dinner, and passing out awards.

See the event page for a map of the shelter location. when you arrive at the entrance just tell the staff you are here for the Mercedes Benz Club, they will let you in without paying the daily fee.

We look forward to having you join us again, this is a free event, so please RSVP below, so we know how many people to expect!

Section Holiday Party

December 7th

We will once again be having a section holiday party. This year we will be returning to Ivy Hills Country Club.

We will arrive at 5p and have a happy hour from 5p-6p.

We will then have a great Buffet Dinner, and hand out Section Awards.

We are still working on finalizing the Menu, but we will make sure you all have plenty of time to RSVP. Make sure you keep December 7th OPEN!

Everything an F1 Teams needs to go racing at a Grand Prix

Membership Update

Membership and participation is what powers the Club, we invite you to come out to our events, make new friends, and continue enjoying the benefits of Membership. If there is anything we can ever do to make your experience better, please send us an email at the button below.

The Board of the Cincinnati Section of MBCA would like to welcome the following new members to the Section! We hope to see you at one of our next events!

  • Jerry Abele
  • Adam Boettcher
  • Joel Janousek
  • Karl Laube
  • James Nikaidoh
  • Robert Ringgenberg
  • Glenn Talley

We would also like to thank the following members who renewed their membership:

  • Monte Anderson
  • Edward Besse
  • Matt Bierma
  • William Brandt
  • Michael Cardwell
  • Robert Carroll
  • Michael Devanney
  • Bill Duning
  • Jerry Fasse
  • Dave Fuersich
  • Timothy Gitzinger
  • Ed Hermes
  • Mark Huelsebusch
  • Janis Lucas
  • John Lundberg
  • David McClure
  • Paul Meyer
  • Charles Moore
  • Charles Powers
  • William Shula
  • Steven Sprovach
  • Jeff Renner
  • Kerwyn Robertson
  • Ilija Rokvic
  • Steve Rosenzweig
  • Jerry Schlatter
  • Andrew Schmitt
  • John Sheehan
  • Henry Stephens
  • Frank Svet
  • Bill Taylor
  • Ben Wells
  • Barry Williams
  • E.J. Winter

Event Reviews

Bourbon Tour

The chapter once again visited part of the Bourbon trail in Kentucky. The trail is large enough that even though this is our 3rd event on the trail, we were able to include no duplicates from prior years.

We focused on destinations that were south of Lexington near a very small town called Lebanon. This year we had a long weekend for the event from Friday June 14th to Sunday June 16th, but kept the design of the event flexible enough that attendees could participate in all 3 days or just part of the long weekend.

We mixed it up a little this year by including a visit to a barrel cooperage called Kentucky Cooperage to see how the bourbon barrels are made. It was a very up close and personal tour that included watching barrels come off the line as they are charred and basically on fire as they roll off the line - it was quite amazing to see. We were happy to have cool weather as I am sure the shop floor can get quite hot with all the heat from the barrels and fire! After the cooperage tour we had lunch in the country at a lovely winery called Jesters. The food and wine were nice and the views of the rolling hills were just lovely, it was a great way to rest after our drive to the first destination and to cool down after touring the cooperage.

After lunch we had some free time to relax back at our hotel before heading out to dinner at the local country club in Lebanon.

On Saturday morning we caravanned to Makers Mark for a tour. The distillery is located away from town and consisted of quite a few lovely historic buildings in addition to several modern structures.Of course, those that were interested were treated to a tasting of the various bourbons and also time in the gift shop. If you bought a bottle of bourbon you could even get it wax sealed and stamped with your initials.

After Makers Mark we traveled to Wilderness Trail distillery for a tour. This distillery is relatively new so it was interesting to see a more modern approach and facility. They even had a “distillery mascot” cat that followed our tour around and was quite social. After Wilderness trail we went back to the hotel for a short break and then headed down the street to Limestone Branch distillery for a short tour and a dinner on their front porch.

The docent was quite animated and provided much information about the long line of family members in the business. On Sunday we caravanned to a wonderful restaurant called Kutz Restaurant in Bardstown and had what I would consider dinner (at least I did!). The weekend had a great balance of venues and a nice mix of scenery and roads and the weather was just perfect. A big special thanks to Lauren Wallace for organizing a fun event!

Airstream Plant Tour

Jackson Center, OH – June 1, 2019

At 10:00am on June 1st, a group of 28 MBCA Cincinnati Section Members met in the LongHorn Steakhouse parking lot at the north end of Dayton along I-75. A convoy of 15 cars traveled north on I-75 to the Jackson Center exit.

Following a short drive into town, we arrived at the Airstream Factory. We were directed to a parking lot reserved for our Club. We were met by Tim Garner, one of the senior managers at the facility, and his associate Mark.

After introductions all around, we were led to the Mercedes Benz Motorhome assembly area. It was interesting to see how, step by step, raw Mercedes Sprinter chassis are transformed into beautiful, luxurious motor coaches. We learned that each RV is custom made to the buyer’s specifications and that a high percentage are used at luxury coaches for traveling and not as “camping” vehicles.

Next up was a tour of the travel trailer assembly operation. This facility was in a much larger factory as the volume of trailers in much higher than motor coaches. We were shown the assembly process from start to finish. It is easy to see why Airstream has such a good reputation for trailers that are light weight and last forever.

At the end of the plant tour, Airstream provided a buffet lunch for all. When lunch was over, Tim presented each of us with a “coffee table” book entitled “Wanderlust, Airstream at 75”. The book is elegantly produced and has the full history of Airstream from 1935.

We thanked our hosts for a wonderful experience and departed on a scenic drive home.

Defensive Driving and Autocross

June 27th 2019

On July 27th, 17 members and 6 volunteers took to the track! Well really it was a parking lot at Northern Kentucky University, but for some it might as well have been a technical race course. The section was hosting the MBCA’s Safe Drivers, Safe Families event! The event was easily broken into three parts; a classroom session, a 4 obstacle driver improvement course, and autocross.

Our teachers for the day? None other than the STIG (really Jason Burton, national driving skills chair) and the Section’s own Peter Emslander. During the hour long classroom session Jason went through what we would encounter on the course and how we should navigate each obstacle to become better drivers. He also discussed tire contact patches, only having your car do one thing at a time, and gave helpful hints on how to properly setup your car. There was some light humor during the teaching, and a few poor attempts to get the crowd to laugh and have some fun.

From the classroom, we did a full LeMans start to our cars, adjusted seats and mirrors like instructed, and then drove slowly to the start line. From there Peter and Jason gave each driver 1 on 1 instruction through the 4 stations, making sure to give positive feedback, while also challenging the driver to push themselves out of their comfort zone. This is the only way to really simulate emergency maneuvers so when something happens in real life, so it becomes a natural reaction. Because practice makes perfect, each driver went through the 4 stations a minimum of 3 times. By the end, all the drivers were comfortable enough with their cars they stayed for the autocross!

Speaking of the autocross, Jason did a hell of a job using the whole parking lot for us to continue to hone our race car, hmm, I mean driving skills. Each driver took turns navigating the course, trying to improve on their previous time. While we tried to keep the autocross low key, we have to brag that Terry Patee has the quickest time of the day!

This was truly a fun event, where everyone was able to take something that will help them be a better driver! If you missed it, we hope you join us next time, and on that bombshell….. We’ll see you next time!

INDY 500 Section Show and Shine

August 4th 2019

By Nancy Rece

It was nearly a perfect summer day for the Indy 500 Section Show and Shine.

It was held at a new location this year at the American Legion Post #155 in Carmel, IN, which turned out to be great!

There were 30 members in attendance, including Cincinnati Section members. The food was awesome and plentiful. Two very cool model cars were raffled off and the winning number missed mine by 1.

Thanks to Sara and Ken Koehler for taking over and hosting a great event.

Mini Concours & Louisville Bats Game hosted by Bluegrass Stars Section

August 15th, 2019

By Nancy Rece

It was a gorgeous day on Thursday, 8/15/19 for a mini concours and a baseball game in Louisville. Until the re-tread of a semi tire slammed into my new 2019 E 450. OMG the damage it did! But I digress. There were 24 people attending, including Bluegrass Stars and Cincinnati Section members plus 2 student science fair winners and their parents. We were seated in the covered patio in right field, which included soft drinks and a great buffet. It was also $2 beer night. Temperature and humidity were low and there was a nice breeze.

There was a lot of great conversation and several questions about the damage to my car! Fortunately, the car was drivable and we appreciate everyone’s concern for our safety. Unfortunately, the Louisville Bats lost 7-4. Still, it was a great night. Thanks to Larry Gettleman for setting it up.

THIS IS THE MERCEDES EQS - THE FUTURE OF THE S-CLASS

By Alessandro Renesis

Mercedes-Benz teased the EQS concept a few days ago by releasing a cryptic teaser image and now, the actual car has finally been unveiled in Frankfurt.

Mercedes began utilizing the EQ nomenclature with the EQC 400, their first all-electric vehicle, and they called this the EQS because it is the all-electric forefather of luxury saloon of tomorrow.

The company calls this “a trailblazer for the entire Mercedes-Benz EQ family” and, more importantly, they maintain that while the EQS comes equipped with Level 3 autonomy, you’re still going to able to enjoy driving it.

It is powered by an electric powertrain making 470 bhp and 560 lb-ft of torque, good enough for a 0-60 time of just 4.5 seconds. The claimed, WLTP range is 400 miles and, according to Mercedes, owners will be able to achieve an 80 % charge in 20 minutes.

Obviously, this being a concept car, a lot of what you see here won’t actually be used in the production car. There are numerous screens, as expected, and the headlining is made with recycled bottles and ocean waste, and so is the dashboard. The leather is faux as well.

At the front, there are 188 individual LED lights at the back, the tailgate is made of 229 star-shaped lights. The 24-inch wheels are definitely going to go, too.

The EQS is not going to replace the S-Class for now, maybe not ever, because even though this concept car will eventually spawn an actual production vehicle, this is still, first and foremost, a technical exercise to show what Mercedes can do. Which is a lot.

Selling a car on Bring a Trailer

By Don Birdsall

I had a 1987 560SL in beautiful condition. The car was pristine when I bought it and I worked hard to keep it pristine and all original. After fixing the cruise control, the A/C system, and a new blower fan, everything on the car worked.

Four years later, I was not using the car often and decided it was too nice a car to just sit, so I decided to sell it and let someone else enjoy it. You don’t just sell your classic car at the local used car lot, so I had to decide how to attract a buyer that knew what he was looking at and would pay top dollar for such a fine car.

I watched several on-line listings and auctions. BringATrailer.com seemed to handle a lot of Mercedes and Porches with good selling prices obtained.

I completed the on-line registration forms and paid the seller’s fee ($99). I then uploaded 59 photos of all parts of the car. The car was posted on the site and the auction lasted from March 21st to March 28th. I learned the bidders and spectators are very knowledgeable about Mercedes R107 roadsters. The bidding started slow, but the questions just kept coming. More pictures of specific areas were requested and I was asked to add 3 videos – one of a cold start of the engine, one of a drive going through gear changes as the car accelerated, and one showing the accessories working.

On March 27th, one of the bidders said he was in Dayton and wanted to come see the car. I welcomed him to see it. He came and drove the car and was impressed. He posted a glowing report of how nice the car was. His comments were a big help.

The bidding remained quiet through the week. The auction was to end at 6:00pm on March 28th. This was a “no reserve” auction and I was getting afraid that I would have to buy back the car because the bids were too low.

Bring A Trailer’s policy is that as the end of the auction time approaches, each new bid extends the time 2 minutes so other bids can get in.

At 5:00pm, I still wasn’t happy with the bids – then it happened! From 5:00 until 6:00 there were 33 bids! The bids were jumping $100 per bid, then they started jumping $500 per bid, and at the end they were jumping $1000 to $1500 per bid. Because of the 2 minute extension rule, the final bid didn’t come in until 6:20pm.

The bid flurry was so exciting that I was exhausted when the final bid was made. So in one hour, I went from being sorely disappointed to being extremely happy with the selling price obtained.

The buyer (a Doctor in Albany, NY) wired me the money the next day and had a transporter pick up the car a week later.

Everything worked as advertised. I would not be reluctant to sell another car on the site.

Preparing for Winter Driving – How to Drive in Snow and Ice

Courtesy of Safe motorist.com

The three key elements to safe winter driving are:

  • Stay alert;
  • Slow down; and
  • Stay in control

It is best to winterize your vehicle before winter strikes. Schedule a maintenance check-up for the vehicle’s tires and tire pressure, battery, belts and hoses, radiator, oil, lights, brakes, exhaust system, heater/defroster, wipers and ignition system .Keep your gas tank sufficiently full – at least half a tank is recommended. Depending upon where you drive, you may consider using winter tires or tire chains.

Winter driving conditions such as rain, snow, and ice dramatically affect the braking distance of a vehicle. The driver’s capability to complete a smooth and safe stop is severely limited due to reduced tire traction. In order to stop safely, the vehicle’s wheels must maintain traction by remaining on contact with the road surface while rolling, referred to as “rolling traction.” When handling slippery winter roads, the keys to safety are slower speeds, gentler stops and turns, and increased following distances. It is recommended that drivers reduce their speed to half the posted speed limit or less under snowy road conditions.

Tire pressure usually lowers itself in winter and raises itself in summer. Under-inflated tires can cause a car to react more slowly to steering. Every time the outside temperature drops ten degrees, the air pressure inside your tires goes down about one or two PSI. Tires lose air normally through the process of permeation. Drivers should check their tire pressures frequently during cold weather, adding enough air to keep them at recommended levels of inflation at all times.

Unlike salt, sand does not melt and therefore helps by providing traction on slippery surfaces. Sand is often used when temperatures are too low for salt to be effective or at higher temperatures for immediate traction, particularly on hills, curves, bridges, intersections and on snow-packed roads.

Caution must be used when snowplows are on the roadways as snowplows and salt and sand trucks travel much slower than regular traffic. Passing a snowplow can be extremely dangerous as sight lines and visibility near a working snowplow are severely restricted by blowing snow.

Roads are typically cooler in shady areas and drivers may encounter another extremely dangerous element known as “black ice.” Always slow down your vehicle when you see shady areas under these types of conditions.

Here are some safe-driving tips that will help you when roads are slick with ice or snow:

  • Get the feel of the road by starting out slowly and testing your steering control and braking ability. Avoid spinning your tires when you start by gently pressing your gas pedal until the car starts to roll. Start slowing down at least three times sooner than you normally would when turning or stopping.
  • Equip your vehicle with chains or snow tires. Chains are by far the most effective, and they should be used where ice and snow remain on the roadway. Remember that snow tires will slide on ice or packed snow so keep your distance.
  • Reduce your speed to correspond with conditions. There is no such thing as a “safe” speed range at which you may drive on snow or ice. You must be extremely cautious until you are able to determine how much traction you can expect from your tires.
  • When stopping, avoid sudden movements of the steering wheel and pump the brake gently. Avoid locking of brakes on glazed ice as it will cause a loss of steering and control. Every city block and every mile of highway may be different, depending upon sun or shade and the surface of the roadway. (Check your vehicle owner’s manual, if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes, you may apply steady pressure to the brake pedal.)
  • Maintain a safe interval between you and the car ahead of you according to the conditions of the pavement. Many needless rear-end crashes occur on icy streets because drivers forget to leave stopping space.
  • Keep your vehicle in the best possible driving condition. The lights, tires, brakes, windshield wipers, defroster, and radiator are especially important for winter driving.
  • Keep your windows clear. Don’t start driving until the windows are defrosted and clean - even if you’re only going a short distance.
  • Watch for danger or slippery spots ahead. Ice may remain on bridges even though the rest of the road is clear. Snow and ice also stick longer in shaded areas.

Correctly operating windshield wipers and defrosters are essential to safety while driving in snow and ice conditions. Properly maintained windshield wipers are a must; there are also special blades available that are better equipped to assist in the removal of snow from the windshield. Defroster effectiveness is essential in the initial clearing of snow and ice from the windshield – and in some instances the rear window when a vehicle is so equipped – and should be checked well in advance of need. In certain cases, a change of the vehicle thermostat will restore appropriate heat to the defroster system.

Created By
Peter Emslander
Appreciate

Credits:

Created with images by Capri23auto - "mercedes slk auto" • Marvin Ronsdorf - "untitled image" • Octavian Catană - "untitled image" Please also Credit Taillight Photography and David Edwards.