- Carolinas - Mercedes

MBCA
| CAROLINAS
SECTION
T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E M E R C E D E S B E N Z C LU B O F A M E R I C A , C A R O L I N A S S E C T I O N | 2 N D Q U A R T E R 2 0 1 4
AMELIA ISLAND
CONCOURS ‘D ELEGANCE
SEE PAGE 9
IN THIS ISSUE
President’s Message .......................................... 2
New Member’s .................................................... 3
COCO MAT TOUR
So That’s How They Make Them!................... 4-5
NYC FASHION SHOW
From Hendersonville To NYC!.............................6
MEET & GREET
It Rained In Summerville .............................. 7-8
CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE
The Vestals Go To Amelia....................................9
REYNOLDA
So That’s How The Rich Used To Live!........10-11
TAXI SERVICE
Mercedes: Need A Ride.....................................12
SKYLAND MERCEDES
It Started With Olds.....................................13-14
Events, Events, Events!...............................15-16
News You Can Use..............................................17
THEY STARTED WITH OLDS!
MBCA Raffle..............................................18
Before our Biltmore tour in March 2013, Tony Sellers, Sales Manager of Skyland Mercedes,
hosted our Carolinas Section with refreshments, gifts and a tour of their newly expanded
showroom and service facility. All of the Mercedes dealers in our Section have a history
behind them. This story is about our most Western dealer, who has an excellent reputation
for service, and is the first in an ongoing series about those who sell our brand.
Carolinas Section Dealer Contacts...............19
SEE PAGE 13
OFFICERS
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Richard Deiber
Charlotte, NC
(704) 948 -1433
rdeiber1@gmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT
Rugby Hodgkins
Gastonia, NC
(704) 472-1221
rugwill@bellsouth.net
SECRETARY
Michelle Witt
Simpsonville, SC
(864) 561- 8964
paulnmichelle07@gmail.com
TREASURER
Roy L. Davis
Columbia, SC
(803) 331-1852
royleedavis42@gmail.com
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
Nick Pasquine
EVENTS CHAIR
Nick Pasquine
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Louise Johnson
Brookfield, CT
(203) 885-9168
info@mbcacarolinas.org
Special thanks to Associate member Steve Lawson
and others who submitted photos for this issue.
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
Ads are paid for by the advertisers and are not
automatic endorsements by MBCA Carolinas.
From the National Business Office: See The
Star magazine or go to www.MBCA.org for
a list of National Officers and contacts. You
should review your profile on this website to be
sure your address, e-mail address and phone
number are correct.
2
President’s Message
I
PHOTO BY BILL HOPPER
PRESIDENT
Nicholas Pasquine
Lancaster, SC
(803) 283 - 3144
NickPasq@aol.com
t seems like yesterday that we were in
Aiken for the Annual meeting, and yet
25% of this year is already gone! As I
look at the last 3 months I see that we are at
a record 381 members and are adding almost
10 per month. MBCA Nationally is also
growing, as people, and Mercedes dealers,
see the benefits of Membership. We have a
great, award winning magazine but that alone
is not what sustains our growth. It is getting
involved that spreads the word, and the fun, if you will. I can also tell
you that the diversity of our members is amazing.
That 381 Members converts to over 750 people when you factor
in Associate members. Think about it. Our events have gone from
15-20 people attending to 30-50 people attending. BUT, if just
10% of the Club attended an Event that would be almost 80 people, and
that 10% means that 90% are not. We see it repeatedly that Members
who break the ice and attend their first Club event are the very ones
who come to another. The very purpose of starting our Meet & Greet
events was and is to help you break the ice.
In this issue you will read about the events we have had so far and I
left each of them smiling as I met new faces and heard their comments.
I am well aware that we all have other commitments. Our Club is
geographically widespread necessitating driving distances that Sections in
large metropolitan areas do not have to deal with. We try to move events
around the Section or arrange for discounted hotel accommodations to
help ease your ability to attend. That often means that we need to commit
to a number with the places we visit in advance, and where a large no
refund advance deposit or head count guarantee is required, that blocks us
out as I cannot put the Club’s finances at risk.
If there are reasons you do not attend, I would ask you if you sent in the
survey in the last Newsletter? Have you made your ideas and desires
known? I can assure you they all get read and considered, and I read all of
your e-mails.
In summary, we look forward to meeting you at an upcoming event this
year as we continue to grow, with your help.
Nick Pasquine | nickpasq@aol.com
About MBCA
Established in 1956, MBCA has approximately 20,240 active members and
9251 additional household members in 12 regions which are comprised
of 80+ local sections throughout the United States and Canada. Each
region is administered by a regional director who is responsible for
assisting and inspiring the sections in the region. The regional director
also fosters the formation of new sections, coordinates regional activities
and represents the constituents as a member of the national board of
directors. Hundreds of events are organized by sections, from social
gatherings to tech sessions, from car shows to driving events. Most
sections publish a newsletter of information and events and each section
has its own officers and bylaws.
THE LATEST FOLKS TO JOIN US
We are so pleased to welcome the newest members of the
Mercedes Benz Club of America to the Carolinas Section!
We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new
Members, equally divided between the two States. The
Club should bring you more reasons to enjoy your
Mercedes, some event fun with fellow owners, some
savings, and some new friends.
We encourage you to go to www.MBCA.org, fill in
your profile, check out member benefits, and order
name badges for you and your Associate Member.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions
or comments. I would also like to thank the Mercedes
Dealers and Members for their referrals.
BENEFITS FOR NEW MEMBERS
We thank all of you for joining and thank those members
and the Mercedes dealers who referred some of you to
the benefits of the Club. There are a lot of pluses to be
had from your membership. The Club adds some fun and
friendships to Mercedes ownership and opens up new
avenues of knowledge about the brand at a low 14 cents
per day.
Membership also brings some savings at both the
National level and at your local Mercedes dealership. Go
to www.MBCA.org , log in and register. Then click on the
Membership tab to bring up all of the member benefits.
Even long term members should do this as a refresher
as we tend to forget everything that is available. You will
also note the MB Loyalty discount available for new car
purchase or lease after being a member for 1 year or more.
Check with your local dealer as to what their parts,
service, and boutique discounts are. You simply need to
show your MBCA membership card at time of sale. They
vary from 10 to 15%, or hourly rate special and some of
them run other promotions during the year. Providing a
discount is not only a Club benefit but also gives you an
incentive to use a dealer’s repair expertise and OE parts
for your Mercedes.
To many of us one of the most valuable benefits has been
to develop unexpected friendships and knowledge from
other Mercedes member enthusiasts. But to do that you
have to step up and attend some events. We look forward
to meeting you in person.
3
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
Carl Amoth..........................................Hendersonville, NC
Will Anderson...................................................Denver, NC
Randall Brandon....................................Camdenroads, SC
Robert Davis..................................................Charlotte, NC
Patrick Day......................................................Waxhaw, NC
Bill Edwards...................................................Charlotte, NC
Don Fortner................................................... Salisbury, NC
Gregory Foster...........................................Mooresville, NC
Johann Herbert.................................North Charleston, SC
Dale Hicks..................................................Georgetown, SC
Sergey Kalashnick.........................................Charlotte, NC
Carl Knuth....................................North Myrtle Beach, SC
Jim Love.........................................................Mt. Holly, NC
Jason Lovell....................................................Lexington, SC
Richard Montgomery............................... Blythewood, SC
Chad Odom.................................................. Greenville, SC
Robert Ogilvie...........................................Mt. Pleasant, SC
Tom Raddin...............................................Hilton Head, SC
Larry Sims......................................................Charlotte, NC
Anthony Smeltzer.....................................Mooresville, NC
Kevin Taylor..................................................Charlotte, NC
James Thornton.........................................Mt. Pleasant, SC
Frank Vestal...............................................Mt. Pleasant, SC
Don Wright............................................Biltmore Lake, NC
Josef Zangerle............................................. Bakersville, NC
COCO MAT TOUR
So That’s How They Make
COCO MATS!
I
t was a cold Saturday morning
on January 18th when almost
40 of us descended on the Coco
Mat factory in Ft. Mill, SC. Drew
Pythian, President, met us with
some of the staff. They had set up
a great continental spread for
us from KK donuts–to fruit–to
Starbucks. After we feasted, Drew
gave us a history of the company,
which has had dealings with
Mercedes Corporate as an accessory
provider in Germany and an
advertiser in The Star. He showed
how the traditional Coco Mats are
made along with some of the new
more plush styles being introduced.
He discussed fitment differences,
measurement requirements, what’s
involved in fabrication and showed
us some of the finished products.
I think we were quite surprised so
to see how much manual work
goes into the product.
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
(continued on next page)
4
COCOA MAT TOUR continued
5
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
Before we left some of our Members
ordered a set for themselves. I hate
to admit it, but I remember Coco
Mats in my 1961 VW Beetle. Once
we were done touring, learning, and
asking questions, we headed for
the nearby Waldhorn Restaurant
in Pineville, NC. Gitta and her
husband have quite an operation
there and she hosted our second
German Luncheon. We were given
a private dining area again with
dedicated servers. The food was
excellent and from the pictures
you can see we were having a good
time, except for that 280SE whose
owner and VP was inside having a
good time while he sat in the cold
parking lot. ■
ROGER’S FASHION SHOW TRIP
FROM HENDERSONVILLE TO NEW YORK CITY
Our member of the Year also won tickets from MBUSA to attend their NYC Fashion Show. Here is
their story:
room. The meals at the Plaza were
absolutely fantastic even though the
plan was to visit some of the known
restaurants of NYC, the freezing
weather had made our choice for us.
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
W
e were lucky to win two
tickets to New York City
MB Fashion Show at
Lincoln Center featuring Pamela
Roland. We live in Hendersonville,
NC, so do we fly or drive to the
Big Apple? Having a E350 C4 we
decided, or more correct, I decided,
we would drive. Midge and I arrived
at 6 PM after driving for 12 hours
on Sunday, at the Plaza Hotel. I
wasn’t expecting much of a hotel
room being NYC and all that and I
told Midge repeatedly of such , but
was I wrong. The room was huge
and the bathroom with gold fixtures
was out of this world. The bed was
super soft with pillows to match.
Monday we were going to do the
town, as I used to live there until
2002. The temperature was all of 18
degrees so after a two block walk
we ended up back in our glorious
6
Tuesday came and we hibernated in
our room and hotel until 4:30. Off
we went to the Fashion Show. We
got our tickets and were escorted
to the MB VIP lounge. Drinks and
hors d’oeuvres were served until
show time. Ten minutes before the
scheduled opening we were again
escorted to our front row seats. A
great time was had watching the
people, models and oh yea, the Fall
Collection.
Wednesday came to find me sick.
Either something I ate or a twenty
four hour bug had me in bed for
most of the day. The temperature
had risen to a balmy 23 degrees, so
in the hotel we stayed. The threat
of the storm PAX threatened to hit
Thursday morning. We decided that
we should leave before the storm hit
and I was beginning to feel better.
The tickets to a Broadway show were
forfeited in the view of safety. Get
out of town quick was the prevailing
theme. We left at 5 PM. I forgot
about rush hour and after one hour
we had gone 30 miles, no snow yet.
I figured out that we could beat the
storm by going West and get behind
the storm. After a large and loud
discussion (sic argument) we met
the storm head on. There we were
traveling at a brisk 25 miles an hour.
5 AM arrived and we were parked
in the passing lane of Route 81
South in Virginia along with other
unfortunate souls such as we. After
the three hour delay of cleaning up
the tractor trailer jackknife we were
on our way again.
A 12 hour trip took 18 hours.
Because of the snow, truck spray,
ice and occasional road salt which
hit our car, the Distronics stopped
working nor did the “miles to empty
display” or “blind spot notice.” It
really didn’t matter as top speed was
35 miles an hour push pedal all the
way home.
In summary, the bad news was
getting sick, the freezing cold and
the trip home. The good news
was the Plaza hotel, the Fashion
show and the BEST car I have
ever owned. I felt safer than any
other car previously owned due to
terrific handling and great traction
throughout the trip. ■
Roger and Midge Loewenheim
Member Carolina Section
MEET & GREET
It Rained In
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
SUMMERVILLE
O
ver 30 brave Mercedes
enthusiasts braved the early
morning rain to attend
our Eastern side Meet and Greet
on February 3rd at the Golf Course
Club House at Wescott Plantation in
Summerville, SC. Due to weather we
got a bit of a late start, but after some
Club provided coffee we were soon
in our seats and up to speed.
President Nick Pasquine opened the
event with introductions, list of new
officers, and how our Meet & Greet
events are conducted since this was
a first time for most of the attendees
and some of their invited guests.
We started around the room in the
order of when people signed up for
the event. Our members sure bring a
varied background of experience!
(continued on next page)
7
SUMMERVILLE continued
We heard about their first car
purchases, some in Germany.
Some wives told stories about
not being able to drive a stick,
but they learned quick, especially
on those old diesels!
We heard about restoration
projects, travels, accidents, and
more from each of the members.
We heard how past President
Tony Santagati got involved and
from Henry and Katerine Dunbar
who salvaged the Club years
ago when it was on the brink of
going under.
You had to be there to hear all
the members interesting history
and stories, like how we got up
to seven vehicles!
As lunch went on the noise level
in the room grew considerably. A
new member said to me, “Wow,
two hours ago these people didn’t
even know each other!” That pretty
much sums up the value of these
ongoing Meet & Greet events.
After lunch we talked about some
Club business including incoming
President Nick’s priorities of
growing membership and
promoting dealer relationships.
Think if each of us brought in just
ONE new member, we would be
up to over 740 members. Growth
is important as greater attendance
allows us to negotiate better events
and rates. After the meeting two
invited guests and spouses joined
the Club.
We discussed upcoming events,
and asked for suggestions of
what the members would like
to see. Some are doable, some
will take some time and require
participation just to run them
(like a rally). We discussed the
need to develop some advertising
revenue as other Clubs have
done if we want to build printed
communication and event
subsidies.
As the meeting ended so did the
rain, and with the sun out, we
headed to the parking lot to ogle
other member’s cars, including an
S Class with a wounded mirror.
Needless to say, a good time was
had by all and we look forward
to the event of this type in
Columbia. ■
8
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
At noon, the Wescott started
serving lunch, beginning with
a Tomato basil soup and then
going on to our choice of entrée of
sandwich and side. The portions
were large, the food good, and the
price reasonable. A full bar was
also available and some beers and
wine showed up. Everyone we
heard complimented the meal.
CONCOURS D’ ELEGANCE
THE VESTALS GO TO AMELIA ISLAND
And we have another winner! New member Frank Vestal has just joined the Club and what happens? He
wins special tickets from MBUSA to the Amelia Island Concours! Membership does have it’s privileges.
Here’s his story:
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
T
he weather opened up
and we had a fabulous
show both days. The Cars
& Coffee was an outstanding
effort by everyone involved. Bill
Hopper made every participant
feel special. He was a great host.
We had 42 Mercedes entries on
Saturday morning. The 1909 21
HP Blitzen Benz was a Special
Treat and the center of attention
for the whole 250+ car entrants
on Saturday Morning.
9
The black tie Mercedes Banquet
Saturday night was a total
entertainment package for all
invited. The number of legendary
race drivers, TV personalities
and famous Concours Judges was
mind boggling. My wife was totally
impressed with the quality of the
event and how warm and friendly
the entire Mercedes function
became as the evening progressed.
Elegance and Mercedes Banquet
gave my wife and I an outstanding
Automotive weekend to remember.
Linda reminded me that our next
major car event will be in Monaco
this May, with Prince Rainer as
the Host. Courtesy of Bill Warren,
Bill Hopper and approx. 700+
volunteers; the bar has been raised
as a new challenge for Monaco to
aspire to for sure. ■
Without reservation, the 2014
Amelia Island Concours ‘d
Frank Vestal
REYNOLDA
So That’s How The
RICH USED TO LIVE
It didn’t rain!! It wasn’t cold!!
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
O
ver 30 of us were signed
up for this Mercedes
weekend. As the cars
gathered we realized we had
almost every type represented
from a 1966 Finback to Roger’s
1 day old E350 4Matic Navy Blue
Coupe. We had a CLA, SL’s SLK’s,
E Class, S Class, old sedans and
new sedans. We would have had
an ML but illness kept it away and
unfortunately another member
had a mechanical breakdown.
10
| By Nick Pasquine
We also had attendees from the
Triangle Section.
After getting parked in our
dedicated parking area, Reynolda
House Director Kathleen Hutton
escorted us into one of the
Museum class rooms. She gave
us a short history of Reynolda,
the former home of R J Reynolds,
now owned and operated by
Wake Forest University as a
Historic site. She showed some
photos of the old autos that were
an important part of the lives of
the rich of the time. We then split
up as her staff took us into smaller
separate groups to tour the home.
And what a home it is! The
basement has a shooting range,
a bowling alley, a night club
styled bar, locker rooms, squash
Court, and the floor of the entire
basement is set up for roller
(continued on next page)
REYNOLDA continued
skating! It is connected to a large
indoor swimming pool with a
huge fireplace at the head of the
pool! The walls have large windows
meant to look like portholes.
Despite being from the early 1900’s,
the home has an elevator, but
since we are all health conscious
(?) we followed Kathleen up the
stairs. We viewed the massive and
plush living room with Church
size pipe organ, large dining
room, enclosed porches, servant’s
kitchen and ladies kitchen, office,
and more. There is American
artwork throughout. Upstairs was
a bedroom presentation, more of
the home’s Art, and a look at the
organ’s pipes and mechanicals.
Then up to attic which contains an
amazing collection of apparel and
memorabilia from the era.
From the House some of us headed
out to do some shopping at the
adjoining Reynolda Village and
Gardens, while others headed to the
re-modeled Marriot Courtyard to
check in. We all then met at the new
Fratelli’s Italian Steakhouse. We had
drinks before dinner in our private
dining area and at the bar. President
Nick then did some introductions,
and then the servers started taking
our orders. The excellent salad was
served family style and some of us
admit we had more than one bowl!
Our choices were a 10 oz. Filet
Mignon (cooked perfectly I might
add) a Chilean Sea bass (which a
couple of the gals said was the best
they ever had) , or a bone-in pork
chop that thought it was a veal chop
as it hung over the plate.
Conversation flowed as freely as
the wine, and one of the attendees
won a Commemorative Reynolda
Book as a door prize. Past President
Rick Deiber was also presented
with a Past President pin, a new
name badge along with a MBCA
collectible poster of ML’s for his six
years of Presidential Service. Hope
the frame doesn’t cost him too
much!
After dinner, those staying over
headed back to the Marriot
Courtyard, where we discovered
it had an open bar service, and of
course about 16 of us closed it that
night. The next morning we came
and went from the full breakfast
provided to our Club members and
swapped stories about the previous
day activities, what a find Reynolda
was, the cars, the upcoming Zoo
trip, and future events. ■
11
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
We then visited the attached Art
Museum that has a sizable rotating
collection. At the end, our tour
guides got a well deserved round
of applause. Photos are not allowed
indoors but you can view more of
this home and grounds on their
website – www.reynoldahouse.org.
TAXI RIDE
MERCEDES:
NEED A RIDE?
Submitted by Soren Pederson
Greek taxi driver donates
1976 Mercedes-Benz 240 D
to the Mercedes-Benz
Museum Collection
G
reek taxi driver
Gregorios Sachinidis
from Thessalonica handed
over his 1976 Mercedes Benz
240 D to the Mercedes-Benz
Museum Collection. Mr. Sachinidis
is a multi-kilometer millionaire.
Having covered all of 4.6 million
kilometers, this “Stroke Eight” now
becomes the Mercedes-Benz with
the highest recorded mileage known
to date.
The enormous distance covered by
the world champion is testament
to the proverbial longevity of
Mercedes-Benz cars. In particular,
Mercedes-Benz taxis have been
permanent features of both German
and international urban landscapes.
In Germany, every second taxi is a
Mercedes-Benz.
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
Mr. Sachinidis bought his car in
Germany in 1981 with around
220,000 km on the clock, before
12
Mercedes 240 D donated by Gregorios Sachinidis
driving it back to Thessalonica.
Here it was in service as a taxi 24
hours a day until July 2004. During
this time the owner was able to call
upon the original engine and two
spare units, deploying them on a
rotational basis 11 times in total.
Mr. Sachinidis sent a letter to
Prof. Jürgen Hubbert, Member
of the Board of Management
of DaimlerChrysler AG with
responsibility for the Mercedes
Car Group, thanking him for the
excellent service Mercedes-Benz had
afforded him over the years. Having
received a visit from representatives
of the Mercedes-Benz Museum
Collection, Mr. Sachinidis decided to
hand the car over to the MercedesBenz Museum.
Highlighting the reception the
president of DaimlerChrysler Hellas,
Dr. Alexander Paufler, presented
Mr. Sachinidis with a key for a new
C 200 CDI to be picked up upon his
return to Greece. ■
Source: Text & photos courtesy
DaimlerChrysler
SKYLAND AUTO GROUP
THEY STARTED WITH OLDS
By Stephanie Miller
Pictured from left to right: John Parker,
Marian Shoff and Ed Shoff
S
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
kyland has seen many
changes over the past 78
years: Location, dealers,
manufacturers, and even its name.
But one thing has remained
constant, and that is the desire to
take care of its customers.
Selling only Oldsmobiles, Skyland
began as ‘Skyland Motors’ in
November of 1936, and was
located in downtown Asheville
at 28 Spruce Street. Curtis
Baldwin was the first owner of
the dealership; he chose the name
‘Skyland’ as a shortened version
of the phrase, ‘Land of the Sky,’
a phrase adopted by the city
of Asheville. It was also a very
common nickname for western
North Carolina and originated
13
from the title of the book, ‘Land of
the Sky,’ by Frances Tiernan.
Ed Shoff, who was Mr. Baldwin’s
son-in-law, became sales manager
at Skyland Motors and recalled how
the dealership moved several times
and survived a sluggish post-war
economy. Mr. Baldwin died in
1959 and Ed became the dealer.
The name was soon changed to
Skyland Oldsmobile, and Ed quickly
learned just how stressful running a
dealership could be.
“Two months after I became the
dealer, GM had its longest strike
in history,” Ed said. “It lasted four
months, and we had nothing to sell.
I did not know if we would survive
it. But the Lord took us through it,
and somehow we made it.”
Then there was the fire.
In 1961 Ed received a call in the
middle of the night stating there
was a “pretty bad” fire at the
dealership, and when he stepped
outside his house, he could already
smell the smoke. When he arrived
at the dealership, several new and
used cars were engulfed in flames.
After the fire was extinguished, he
called all his sales managers at
4 a.m. and told them to come in.
“I had everyone bring buckets,
mops and rags. Everyone was
helping to clean the showroom,
wiping down new cars.”
The dealership opened at 8 a.m. that
very day, and many people never
even knew a fire had taken place.
“Ed’s decision to bring Mercedes
into the Skyland line-up was
instrumental in the success we
enjoy today,” John said. Back in
1968, Mercedes was not well known
in America, and adding it to
Skyland was a gutsy move to make.
Advertising paid off, he quickly
learned, and he began to advertise
more on a consistent basis. Soon
Skyland became one of the largest
dealerships in Western North
Carolina.
John had been an Oldsmobile
dealer in South Carolina for 16
years before working at Skyland.
He had known Ed casually, and
they decided to join forces; they
worked together for nine years
until Ed retired in 2000.
The GM strike also taught Ed an
important lesson: To never put
all his eggs in one basket again.
It was this approach that led him
to acquire the Mercedes-Benz car
line in 1968.
That year Skyland Oldsmobile began
selling the Mercedes-Benz New
Generation Models: the 220s, 250s,
280s, and the Mercedes SL Coupe
Roadster, to name a few. They even
sold one Mercedes-Benz 600 that
first year to a local television station
– a model so luxurious it was owned
by celebrities like Coco Channel
and Elizabeth Taylor. “That was the
top-of-the-line model back then,”
Ed recalled.
John Parker, who arrived at Skyland
in October of 1991, looks back on
the decision to sell Mercedes-Benz
as a monumental one.
“ It was that type of move that
has allowed Skyland to prosper
for the last 78 years – and
hopefully at least 78 more,”
John said.
“We were a team,” John said. “I
focused on sales and customer
satisfaction and Ed focused on
dealing with the manufacturers and
the administrative side. It worked
beautifully.” The bond is still strong
between them to this day, he added.
Ed retired in December of 1999.
Shortly thereafter Oldsmobile
went away, and John became
the new owner of Skyland
Automotive. Today it has four
automotive franchises under one
roof: Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler,
Jeep, Dodge and Ram, Mazda,
and Mitsubishi. Skyland employs
90 people and continues to have
close ties to Western North
Carolina. It takes pride in helping
support the Children’s Hospital at
Mission, United Way of Asheville
and Buncombe County, the Irene
Wortham Center and numerous
other worthwhile civic ventures.
There have been many decisions
along the way that have contributed
to Skyland’s success, and acquiring
the right franchise at the right
time has definitely been one of
them. Another addition to the
dealership was made in November
2013 and the first such in North
Carolina. Skyland brought in a full
service Allstate insurance agency
to the showroom of Skyland Auto
Group. This was a great concept
for Skyland, for each time a car
was sold they would have to
transfer insurance coverage for its
customers, John explained. Now
with Allstate, quite often customers
can save enough money to make
a car payment or two, and they
have loved the convenience.
“When I look back at how
long Skyland has been a part
of the Western North Carolina
community, it makes me realize
how important having the right
franchise is to continued success,”
John said. “The automobile industry
can be very uncertain at times.
For instance who would ever
imagine that Oldsmobile would no
longer be in business?” Oldsmobile
had been in existence for 100 years
and at one time it was one of the
most popular cars in America.
People, location and franchises
all play an important role in
the dealership’s success, but
that decision Ed made back in
1968 to acquire Mercedes-Benz
has had the greatest impact of
them all. Thank you Ed! ■
14
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
As James Joyce once said, “Mistakes
are the portals of discovery.” The
GM strike and the fire, while
both very damaging, proved to be
catalysts for shaping the dealership’s
future. It was the fire that prompted
General Motors to send over several
new cars to the dealership – all
of which had air conditioning.
Ed explained that in those days
they sold very few cars with air
conditioning in Asheville, but he
soon realized how popular they
were with customers. He began to
advertise them in the local paper
and sold every last one.
2014 UPCOMING EVENTS
Mark your calendars!
Details will follow in monthly e-mails.
S
ATURDAY, APRIL 12
Our next in a series of Meet & Greet and luncheon
happens on Sat. 4/12 starting at Dick Dyer
Mercedes in Columbia. Details sent previously
and also posted at www.mbcacarolinas.org.
S
UNDAY, MAY 18TH
Per your request, our First Family event takes
place on Sunday 5/18 at the Riverbanks Zoo
and Gardens. Payment is due by 4/23 with a
Club subsidy for Carolinas Section members
only. Overnight accommodations are available
at the neighboring Embassy Suites with a
Club discounted rate, reception and breakfast
included. See previously sent e-mail for all
details and registration form which are also
posted on our website.
S
ATURDAY, JUNE 14TH
Our Annual Dock Party will again be held at the
home of Henry and Katherine Dunbar in North
Charleston from 11 - 3 PM. Cost will again be
$25 pp for the Low Country feast. You won’t
leave hungry! Watch for details and registration
form in an upcoming e-mail. There will be an
award for the Member’s choice car.
S
ATURDAY, JULY 12TH
We will have our first gimmick rally in quite
some time. Current plan is to start at Mercedes
of South Charlotte and wind up with a picnic
at a private location South of Charlotte. Details
will follow, accommodations will be available if
needed.
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
A
UGUST 23RD
The Tarheel Section will again host a Mercedes
show at the Shelton Winery in the Yadkin Valley
of NC, North of Charlotte. Our MBCA Regional
Director is getting involved in this event this year
and promises it will be better than prior years. It
is a relaxing day in a pretty setting and you get
to see about 50 other Mercedes besides your
own. Optional Concours judging will also be held
along with other activities for those who wish to
participate.
15
S
EPTEMBER
Ed Keady at Hendrick’s Mercedes of Charlotte
has been living with road construction on
Independence Blvd. for what no doubt seems
like a decade. However building a brand new
dealership next to the existing one is “diverting
his attention”. In any event, as exhausted as he
will be, he has invited our Carolinas Section
to visit the new facility after it is completed,
hopefully in August. Our September Club visit
date to be announced.
O
CTOBER 17-19
We will again be well represented at the Eurofest
Auto Festival week-end held in Greer, SC at the
BMW plant and surrounding area. You will have
the option of making a week-end out of it with
driving events and tours starting on Friday,
seminars and other activities on Sat., and the
actual event show on Sunday. You can choose to
spend as much as you want or just register your
car to show on Sunday. Admission to just view
the 400+ cars and vendor areas on Sunday is free.
Our Club will again hold a dinner on Saturday
night.
If you like European cars this event is a no brainer.
You will be advised by e-mail as soon as the
Eurofest registration website is posted.
N
OVEMBER
A tour of a certified Mercedes collision center is
being planned in the Charlotte area and we are
awaiting registration information for the Hilton
Head Concours Event.
D
ECEMBER
Our Annual Meeting and Christmas Dinner will
again be held at the award winning historic
Willcox Inn, in Aiken, SC on Dec. 6th.
Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact
President Nick Pasquine or VP Rugby Hogkins.
OTHER EVENTS & INFORMATION
A
PRIL 28TH
Broad River European Classic, Shelby, NC - visit www.broadriveremc.com.
 J UNE RAFFLE
Worth $132,700! A maximum of 6500 tickets can be sold. Deadline for entering the MBCA raffle to win
a 2014 SL550 plus $26,000 in cash is June 3, 2014. You should have received an entry form in the mail.
If not you may get one at www.MBCA.org. After you log in go to the Membership tab. You may also call
800-637-2360.
N
EW PRODUCT
Mercedes Benz had excellent sales for the
year of 2013 and the new CLA has brought
new customers to the showrooms. If
you follow any of the major Automotive
magazines you seeing articles and reviews
regarding the CLA, coming GLA, the new
S Class sedan and coupe in the pipeline,
the 2015 C Class, as well as new variations
of the 2014 E Class. You will hear and see
more about them in some of our upcoming
events at Mercedes dealerships.
Road and Track magazine, as one example,
has had quite a number of articles and test
about new models. In their March issue they
tested the new E Class turbo diesel against
a Prius in a real world driving situation trip.
The Prius averaged a very respectable 40.2.
However the E Class averaged 40.4! You can
find this article at www.roadandtrack.com.
S
UBMISSIONS
•D
o you have an article or story you would
like published in your MBCA Carolinas
Newsletter?
• Do you have a service or product that
you would like to place an ad for?
• Do you have an automotive provider
that you like that would like to advertise
with us?
• Is there a specific Mercedes you are
looking for?
•D
o you have an idea you would like
to present to the local Board for
consideration?
It is your Club so as long as you are a Member
of the Club please feel free to contact me
via NickPasq@aol.com or any of the Officers
shown at the front of this issue.
NOT just a car, a Community.
16
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
Be sure to check out the Events page at www.MBCA.org for events in neighboring Sections that may
be of interest. If you are traveling, you can also preview events in the area you are going to.
MBCA NEWS YOU CAN USE
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DEALER CONTACTS
Mercedes of Charlotte, NC
(704) 535-6400
Ed Keady - General Manager
Mercedes of Northlake, NC
(704) 379-4800
Brain Porta - General Manager
Skyland Mercedes - Asheville, NC
(828) 667 - 5213
Tony Sellers - Sales Manager
Mercedes of So. Charlotte, Pineville, NC
(704) 889 - 4444
Tom Marcham - General Manager
Carlton Mercedes - Greenville, SC
(864) 213 - 8000
Rodney Maddox - Sales Manager
Skyland Mercedes, Asheville, NC. See story on page 13.
DickDyer Mercedes - Columbia, SC
(803) 786 - 8888
Hunt Dyer - General Manager
Myrtle Beach Mercedes - Myrtle Beach, SC
(800) 951- 2463
Josh Bauer - General Manager
Five Star - Florence, SC
(843) 662 - 8711
Teresa Semmler Sales Manager
Baker Motor Company of Charleston, SC
(843) 852 - 4038
Tommy Baker - Owner
Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing at Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance. See story on page 9.
Mercedes Repairs
19
WWW.MBC ACAROLINAS.ORG
Mercedes Benz of Hilton Head
(843) 815 - 0300
Rob Montgomery - Sales Manager