The Star of the Ozarks - March/April 2009 - Mercedes

MBCA Ozark Section Newsletter
Local Events
Regional Events
Articles of Interest
March/April 2009
The Star of the Ozarks
MARCH EVENT
APRIL EVENT
Event: Member Appreciation Day
Barbeque and pot luck at the home of Vern and
Oleatha Sutter in Bella Vista, AR. We’ll have
burgers and brats on the grill, baked beans and
accessories. Please bring hors d’oeuvres, salad or
dessert.
Date: March 14, Time: 5 pm for cocktails.
Program: Mercedes-Benz talk and fun and games.
Dress casual and wear your name tags.
Event: Detailing Clinic at 3 pm
Location: Robin & Kathy Retzlaff’s
3485 Roma Dr
Springdale, AR 72762
Date: Saturday, April 18
Program: Steve Litscher, former editor of Guru
Reports, will show us all the tricks of detailing our
cars. Dinner afterwards
Let Robin or Kathy know you’re planning to attend.
rkretzlaff@cox.net or 479-248-1442
Directions: Northbound I-540/Hwy 71 get off at
exit 98 in Bella Vista. Turn left (West on Hwy 340)
and go 4.4 miles to a stop sign. Continue through
the stop sign for 0.7 miles. Turn right at Evanton
and go up the hill for 0.3 miles. Turn right on
Sterling, and follow around 0.3 miles to Kintyre
Lane. Kintyre is just past Renfrew. Sutter house is
first on the left. #3 Kintyre Lane.
See map on page 5.
Idea: Meet at Sugar Creek shopping center at 4:30
and car-pool or follow Porfirio to the Sutter’s
house. Parking at the house can be a challenge (no
shoulders – 4 in the driveway).
Reservations by Thursday March 12. Call Vern
Sutter at 479-855-6854 or email benzz99@cox.net.
The Ozark Section is looking for
someone with website experience to
take over the duties of our website.
Call or e-mail Robin Retzlaff at 479248-1442 or email rkretzlaff@cox.net
Eagle Watch/Tour
On January 24, 2009, Porfirio Gutierrez
and Tanny Jones gathered 15 brave souls
wrapped in heavy coats, gloves and
scarves to seek American Bald Eagles.
The eagles have a winter roost west of
Hiwasse and in the past have been seen in
the hundreds. Unfortunately, although we
searched the sky with binoculars and
frozen fingers only a few flew into the
trees. Gathering at Las Fajitas for a
delicious warm meal and wonderful
camaraderie made it all worth while!
Page 2
March/April 2009
The Star of the Ozarks
Who’s Who
Welcome New Members
Ozark Section MBCA, Inc.
P.O. Box 3537
Bella Vista, AR 72715
Officers
Charles Lawson, Prescott, AR
President
Robin Retzlaff
Vice-President
Tamanda Khanga
Secretary
David Jones
Treasurer
Kathy Menold
Regional
Director
Charles L. Boyd
New members and prospective members are always
welcome at our events. Members – Bring a guest.
479.248.1442
rkretzlaff@cox.net
479.290.6033
Tamanda.Khanga@tyson.com
479.756.6943
joneshafer@sbcglobal.net
479.756.6798
menold1@cox.net
580.255.4040
cl.boyd@sbcglobal.net
Directors and Committee Chairs
Membership Chair
Porfirio Guterriz
Events Chair
Newsletter Editor
Tamanda Khanga
Vern Sutter
Advertising Chair
Vern Sutter
Technical Chair
Director
Director
Director
Hospitality Chair
Roger Shuler
Kathy Retzlaff
Joel Menold
Don Baker
Monika McCurdy
479-876-1645
pgtj2006@yahoo.com
Tamanda.Khanga@tyson.com
479.855.6854
benzz99@cox.net
479.855.6854
benzz99@cox.net
479.521.8383
479.248.1442
479-756-6798
479-203-0900
479.925.2170
MBCA Ozark Section Newsletter – published every two months, is the official
newsletter of the Ozark Section of the Mercedes-Benz Club or America.
Opinions – Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily
those of either MBCA or the Ozark Section. Neither MBCA nor the Ozark
Section endorses products or services but may, as part of our informational
activities, allow them to be cited in articles and notices.
Trademarks – The trade names and trademarks “Mercedes-Benz”,
“Mercedes”, and the three-pointed start in a circle are owned by DBAG and
are authorized for use by its licensees which include MBCA, exclusively.
Reprints – Reprints of any original material herein is permissible with the
proper attribution (source, including date of issue).
Advertising – We welcome advertisers whose subject matter is relevant to
MBCA or of interest to members of the Ozark Section. Advertising runs for
one year (six issues) starting with the March /April issue. MBCA members
may place a classified ad for free providing that that ad is Mercedes specific.
No inference should be made that products or services advertised herein have
the approval of the editors of MBCA/Ozark Section
Articles and Submissions – Copy should be typed and emailed to the editor
by the 10th of the month prior to the next issue. Example, submissions for the
July/August issue should arrive to the editor by June 10th. The editor reserves
the right to edit any material; submissions of any materials constitutes
permission to edit and publish that material. No authentication is implied by
the editor of MBCA..
For Sale
1991 350 SDL Beautiful Mercedes, silver/grey,
ready to go, everything works 253K
2005 E55 AMG Brilliant Silver, loaded 48K
Call Robin Retzlaff at 479-248-1442 or email at
rkretzlaff@cox.net for information on these two
beauties.
Share-the-Ride
With fuel prices high there may be opportunities to
share a ride to our events. If you want a contact in
your area please call Rob Retzlaff 479-248-1442 or
Vern Sutter 479-855-6854 to find a member that
would share the ride.
Special Note:
You may access the Star of the Ozarks
Newsletter by going to www.mbca.org/ozark/
and click on the tab marked “NEWSLETTER”.
Notify the newsletter editor if you would be
unable to receive it by email or in that format or
prefer not to.
Tulsa International Auto Show
March 19 to March 22
Location: Quick Trip Center at the Tulsa Fair
Grounds. Contact Bruce Smith at 918-296-3732 for
more details.
HOSPITALITY The Ozark Section has a
Hospitality Host. She is Monika McCurdy. Anyone
aware of a member in need, has sickness or is
hospitalized should call Monika at 479-925-2170.
Also send Monika your birthdates and anniversary
date to receive recognition from the Ozark Section!
Email monikamccurdy@yahoo.com
Page 3
March/April 2009
The Star of the Ozarks
2009
SCHEDULE
OF
EVENTS
Ozark Section MBCA
Date
Sat., Mar. 14
Sat. Apr. 18
Sat. May 9
Event
Social/Dinner
Technical
Vehicle Detailing
Dealership Tour
Sat. Jun 20
Track time
Location
Bella Vista, AR
Retzlaff’s
Springdale, AR
Fletcher Mercedes
Joplin, MO
Hallett
MotorSpeedway
West of Tulsa, OK
Contact
Vern Sutter
Robin Retzlaff
Phone
479-855-6854
479-248-1442
TBA
Roger Shuler
479-521-8383
Regional (South Central)
April 11
July
Technical Seminar
Tri-Section Picnic
Oklahoma City, OK
Tulsa, OK
Ed Hoag
Bruce Smith
See page 4
918-296-3732
National
May 2-3
Date: TBA
StarTech 2009
International Rally
Indianapolis, IN
Hamilton, New Zealand
www.startech2009.org
National Business Office
800-637-2360
Clip this page and put it on your refrigerator.
OZARK SECTION BOARD of DIRECTORS
Your board of directors is working on several items that will affect the way our Section operates. The
directors meet every 3 months to plan activities and make operational rules. The last meeting was December
10. The next meeting will be Wednesday, March 11 at 6:30 pm., location: Joel and Kathy Menolds home.
In addition to the event planning a Guide for Section Leaders is being prepared. All members are welcome at
the board meetings. Call the President, Robin Retzlaff for directions to the place of the meeting. Future
Board of Director’s Meetings will be held on June 10, September 9 and December 9.
Page 4
March/April 2009
The Star of the Ozarks
NEW COALITION AIMS TO PROMOTE DIESEL CARS
Chrissie
Automotive
Thompson
News
BorgWarner Inc. and Robert Bosch LLC have founded the U.S. Coalition for Advanced Diesel Cars as an
attempt to promote the fuel efficiency and environmental friendliness of clean diesel cars.
The coalition, organized last week, hopes to encourage government officials to promote multiple solutions to
issues of fuel economy and emissions, Jeffrey Breneman, the coalition's executive director, said in a
statement. Clean diesel vehicles often provide better fuel economy and torque than gasoline cars, the
statement said.
"Some public policies are steering consumers, and the auto industry as a whole, into specific technologies,"
Breneman said.
Automakers with clean diesel offerings, usually German companies, have complained that gasoline is
undertaxed compared with diesel fuel. The average gallon of U.S. diesel costs $2.37 today, compared with
$1.88 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. Federal taxes
account for 24.4 cents of that cost for diesel and 18.4 cents for gasoline, according to the American
Petroleum Institute, a trade organization of oil and natural-gas companies.
Federal tax credits like the one available on Volkswagen's Jetta TDI clean diesel sedan aren't enough, Stefan
Jacoby, Volkswagen Group of America CEO, said last month at the Detroit auto show. He supports raising
fuel taxes -- to levels similar to those seen in Europe, or four to six times higher than U.S. levels.
"You have to encourage consumers to buy these products," Jacoby said.
The Jetta TDI, this year's Green Car Journal Green Car of the Year, gets 41 mpg highway fuel economy,
better than several hybrid competitors. The sticker price of $21,990 is cheaper than most hybrids.
Robert Bosch LLC is the U.S. subsidiary of Germany's Robert Bosch GmbH, the top global parts supplier to
automakers. Bosch supplies common-rail fuel injectors for diesel engines.
BorgWarner, of suburban Detroit, produces turbochargers, which are used on most of today's advanced
diesels. BorgWarner ranks No. 30 on the Automotive News list of top 100 global suppliers with worldwide
sales to automakers of $5.33 billion in 2007.
Page 5
March/April 2009
The Star of the Ozarks
Charles Boyd speaks to the Ozark Section
The Ozark Section invited our Regional Director, Charles Boyd and his
wife, Fran, to speak at our January 10th event. We had 14 members
attending at the Jones Center for Families in Springdale. Following a
wonderful pot luck dinner, Mr. Boyd talked to us about the agenda that
was on the table at the Fall National Board Meeting. Some of the high
lights of the evening were discussion about the Loyalty Rewards
Program, the Presidents meeting on April 30th, the Spring National Board
meeting on May 1st,
Startech on May 2nd and 3rd
and membership recruitment. If you have been an MBCA
member for at least one year, and purchase a new or used
Mercedes from a qualifying dealer, you are entitled to a gift
card valued at up to $1500.00. This card can be used at any
Mercedes dealership towards service, parts or merchandise.
He also spoke on membership recruitment. If each of us
recruits only one new member, our section would double in
size! This is not rocket science math but if you don’t think that
you can make a difference, that one person that you happen to
visit with at the
gas station about
his Mercedes might be your contribution to the Ozark Section.
One does not sound like much but it is twice as many as you!
Start with one but do not stop there. Always promote your
Ozark Section and the MBCA. The majority of Mercedes Benz
owners do not realize that there is a club out there just for them!
The other thing that we can’t forget is that you do not have to
own a Mercedes to be in the Ozark Section. We are about fun
and friends and promoting our marque but we won’t keep
anyone from joining
because they do not have
a Mercedes! We will win them over once they see the quality of our
cars. Charles concluded his program by telling us about some of his
experiences in restoring automobiles. He has restored many beautiful
cars but the story that touched us all the most was how he met two
brothers that did not have much of anything but a lot of talent. He
nurtured that talent, taught them how to be good businessmen and has
become an adopted father to those two men who now have a very
successful restoration business. It is too bad that there are not more
people like the Boyd’s that take time to care about those in need.
Charles also brought some very nice gifts for our trivia quiz. Kathy Retzlaff awarded Joel Menold a very
beautiful Mercedes Pen for making the top score in the trivia quiz. Way to go, Joel and thank you Charles
and Fran for making our event a very enjoyable time!
Page 6
March/April 2009
The Star of the Ozarks
Shuler Autohaus Draws Crowd!
At least once each year Roger & Cindy Shuler and their family and staff draw a crowd of enthusiastic
Mercedes Benz owners to their shop for a high powered tech session. This one was no exception as there
were 23 members in attendance to learn how our cars work and what to look for when they don’t. If anyone
knows the answers, it is Roger Shuler and his staff and if Roger has any
questions, he asks his father Frank who was in the business before Roger.
Between Frank Shuler and his son, Roger, there are many years of
Mercedes Benz experience. The main topic that Roger covered was the
common question of “why is it
more expensive to have my car
serviced at a dealership than at
Joe’s Lube Joint down the
street”.
We were shown
different oil filters, fuel filters
and air filters. The ones that Shuler Autohaus uses are designed to
work with our cars and the inferior ones might fit but do not do the
job that our cars engines need. Our engines are built to very high
tolerances and if dirt is allowed to stay in the oil or fuel or if dirt is
passing through our air filters, our cars will fail us when we need them the most. When is that, you ask?
Each and every time we turn the key is when we need our cars the most, right? That is why we need the
experts to service our cars. Do you think that the employees at Joe’s Lube Joint will perform any checks
under your car while the oil is draining out---if they drain the oil out? Do you ever wonder? Well, you don’t
have to if you have the specialists at Shuler’s
do the work. Roger’s daughter, Christie put a
car up on the rack and showed us first hand all
the service points that she checks while
changing the oil. She looks for leaks from the
engine to the rear axle, checks tire pressures
and if one is low looks for the reason, checks
brake pad and rotor wear, windshield wiper
blade condition and of course all fluid levels.
This all takes more time and effort and you
get a major benefit called “PEACE OF
MIND” knowing your car is ready for the
road! The Ozark Section would like to thank
Rick & Patti Siefert from the Gateway Section in St. Louis for contributing door prizes from their section.
Rick was the president of that section for 6 years and now is the newsletter editor and is on the National
Leadership Committee. Roger and his staff not only hosted this event but his daughter, Misty, presented
each of us with the proper oil filter for our vehicle! Call Misty and schedule your next appointment to have
your service work done right! Thanks for another great event, Roger, family and staff at Shuler Autohaus!
The Ozark Section and Mercedes owners all over the state are fortunate you are here taking care of our cars!
After Roger’s presentation, we crossed the street to Hot Rod Mike’s Bar & Grille for a wonderful lunch. The
owners, Mike and Christina Gall, surprised all the ladies with a beautiful red rose for Valentine’s Day!
Thanks, Mike and Christina for the perfect finishing touch to another great Ozark event!
Page 7
March/April 2009
The Star of the Ozarks
Technical Seminar
Sat., April 11, Oklahoma City
Mercedes-Benz Club of America’s National Technical Director, George Murphy, will be in Oklahoma City
Saturday, April 11, to conduct an all-day Technical Seminar on a variety of MB subjects. Members from
Neighboring Sections are invited to attend. There will also be Q & A opportunities. Mercedes-Benz of
Oklahoma City, 1225 North Broadway, down town OKC is providing the meeting facilities and Central
Oklahoma Section is organizing the event. A Prepaid Registration Fee of $20 per attendee includes lunch.
Workshop topics and class times will be provided after March 1 to all registrants and will also be posted on
Central Oklahoma Section’s Website, at www.mbca-okc.org. Send your Name, Address, Section affiliation
and check (payable to MBCA Central OK Section) to: Edward Hoag, 6012 Chestnut Court, Edmond, OK
73025-2537.
ADVERTISING IN THE NEWSLETTER
Members and their friends are encouraged to advertise in the Newsletter – Star of the Ozarks. The newsletter
is on the web at www.mbca.org/ozark and gets about 2,000 hits per month. Average publication is 70 in each
of the odd numbered months. Call any of the board members listed on page 2 or contact the editor – Vern
Sutter at benzz99@cox.net.
RATES:
Calling-card size - $60.00 per year
¼ page - $120.00 per year
½ page - $240.00 per year
Full page - $350.00 per year
Price of one-time ads may be negotiated with the newsletter editor.
Page 8
March/April 2009
The Star of the Ozarks
Ozark Section MBCA, Inc.
P.O. Box 3537
Bella Vista, AR 72715-3537
Change of Address?
Contact:
Mercedes-Benz Club of America
800.637.2360
MBCA Membership Application
Please enroll me as a member of the Mercedes-Benz Club of
America for the following term:
U.S. and possessions
Name
One year - $45
Two years - $87
Three years $127
Make check payable to MBCA; U.S. funds only please.
Associate Member (spouse or dependent)
VISA
Two years - $67
MasterCard
Three years - $98
Address
Account Number
City
State
Zip
Signature
Home Phone
Exp. date
Date
Business Phone
Active member’s signature & member number if sponsored
E-mail address - ___________________________
Occupation
Mercedes-Benz vehicle(s) now owned (model and year)
1)
2)
3)
Interests
Driving Events
Car Shows
Social Events
Car Care
Technical
The Star
Membership dues include six issues of The Star magazine
yearly. Send application to address below.
Or use our toll-free number to enroll by phone:
1.800.637.2360
For office use only:
Date Processed
MPD
MBCA, 1907 Lelaray St, Colorado Springs, CO 80909
719.633.6427, 8AM to 5 PM (Mountain Time)