Traditionally, Desert Stars members have joined other Section members, industry

representatives and classic and collector car experts for dinner following the auctions in

January. For example in the past Bob Yoder arranged for a Tesla to be shown to us,

and we heard about the collector car market place and legislative initiatives affecting

car enthusiasts. This year, the dinner venue will be the Roaring Fork restaurant at 4800

N. Scottsdale Road just north of Goldwater Boulevard. You may recall we had a Star

Night 2.0 Happy Hour at Roaring Fork and it was such a brilliant experience that we

decided to hold the auction dinner there as well. There will be three entree choices, a

starter and dessert, as well as non-alcoholic beverages included in the all-inclusive

price of $55 per person. Make your selection on the reservation form on page 8. There

will be space at the restaurant entrance to display select autos. This should be a great

time so plan to attend the dinner even if you pass on the auction. The event starts at

5:30 PM on Saturday, January 18. Call John and Roberta Phin at 480-272-8851 for

more information and send in your registration form and payment. John and Roberta

will make the arrangements at the Roaring Fork; please do not call the restaurant. We

look forward to seeing you there.

THESTARDUST

Can you believe it is that time of year again?

The weather is not only tolerable but it is

beautiful! This is also the season where the

social calendar fills up quite quickly.

Fortunately we had booked our “usual”

banquet room at Talking Stick Resort

immediately following our successful Holiday

Party last year. We didn’t want to let this

gem of a location slip away. If you haven’t

registered to attend yet this is the time to act!

After dropping off your car with the resorts

complimentary valet you can head down to

2013 Desert Stars Holiday Party

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Holiday Luncheon 1

MB Enthusiasts Dinner 1

President’s Message 2

Star Night 2.0 3

Membership Anniversaries 3

In the Mirror: Havasupai Rallye 4

In the Mirror: Speed Fest 6

Regional Directors Corner 6

Airpark Collision Center Invitation 7

Classifieds 8

Registration Forms 7, 8

Nov-Dec 2013

By Matthew Crawford

D E S E R T S T A R S S E C T I O N | A R I Z O N A

Roaring Fork, Scottsdale

MB Enthusiasts Dinner

Sunday, December 8, 2013 at Noon

Saturday January 18, 2014

Please see Holiday on page 4

our private banquet room. This special room also opens onto the resort’s patio area where we can enjoy the beauty of a December day

in Arizona. If it’s not too cool, we will have tables outside (and heaters if necessary) so we may mingle with club members and enjoy

cocktails before and during the party at the cash bar.

The fun social time we always enjoy starts off with a cash-bar cocktail hour up front and an awards ceremony including membership

anniversary recognitions and Member of the Year award on the back end. In between, the master chefs at Talking Stick Resort prepare

what will surely be a fantastic meal for all to enjoy. You will have your choice of either a gorgonzola herb crusted New York strip steak, or

perhaps the pan seared Dungeness crab cakes are more your thing. If not you will love the portabella mushroom ravioli. Around the

room our holiday décor will delight your eyes while the tunes of the season set the mood.

As mentioned, eligible members will receive anniversary recognition pins for their club membership. These are awarded in five-year

increments. Come applaud our long time members or collect what is yours and feel like a celebrity! See who’s-who…

By John and Roberta Phin

Page 2

TheStarDust

I find this a very exciting time for Mercedes-

Benz and enthusiasts. Mercedes has plans for

11 new models over the next seven years, from

an all-electric B-Class, a new smart model and

a replacement for the SLS AMG supercar.

For 2014, we have the all-new S Class and the

CLA250 arriving in local showrooms, soon to be

followed by AMG versions. The new 2015 C-

Class will debut at the International Auto Show

in Detroit next January.

President’s Message

More Than a Car | We’re a Community℠

By Bud Cloninger

New and old customers have shown their appreciation by setting

company sales records for September 2013 with over 1,062,638 units

delivered world-wide so far this year! Helping to boost sales records this

year was China. One in six cars sold were delivered there, as are nearly

half of all new S-Class sales.

It’s hard to believe that the M-Class is celebrating its 20th birthday, just

as we are about to see the newest model GLA make its debut. That will

bring to four, the number of models in the SUV class for North America.

Now as Mercedes is doing well this year, so are The Desert Stars. With

many great things going on this fall, I am really happy to see many new

members turn out and attend our events. As this continues I believe we

will break some new records of our own!

I invite more new members to just stop by and say hello at any of our

next outings, and I guarantee you will be warmly welcomed. I invite all

members new and old to get off the sofa, and get into their cars and

have some fun!

Hope to see you at an event soon,

September-October 2013 Volume 49 Number 6 ©2013 MBCA Desert Stars Section

TheStarDust Newsletter is published by the MBCA Desert Stars Section bi-monthly. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint original articles is expressly granted to all MBCA Sections.

Newsletter Editor: Matthew Crawford • Email stardustmbca@gmail.com

Contributing Credits for this Issue: Airpark Collision Center Matthew Crawford Debbie Ichiyama John & Roberta Phin Steve Ross Chuck Stanford, Jr. Rich Shulte

Photography Credits for this issue: Bud Cloninger Matthew Crawford John Phin Roberta Phin Chuck Stanford, Jr. Phoenix New Times Roaring Fork Talking Stick Resort Universal Studios

Advertising Manager: Dee Cloninger

For advertising inquiries: • Email deecloninger61@yahoo.com; • Or call 602-330-4884

Website:

www.desertstars.mbca.org

New Members, “Welcome!” August Ron Adams Donald Bodnar Larry Bryson Kim Dolan John Finton Patrice Leone

Desert Stars Section Officers and Board Members

Officers: President: Bud Cloninger (602) 326-6210 Vice President: Debbie Ichiyama (480) 268-9535 Treasurer: Dick Sharp (480) 661-1325 Secretary: Don Burton (480) 832-1504

Directors: Andrew Flynn (602) 574-2414 John Hutchison (480) 473-4887 Debbie Ichiyama (480) 268-9535 Mark Ichiyama (808) 341-2099 John & Roberta Phin (480) 272-8851 Rich Shulte (401) 225-2090 Robert Schmelzer (480) 247-3093 Bob Yoder (480) 998-0194

Chairs: Activities & Events: John & Roberta Phin Membership: Debbie Ichiyama Publicity / Webmaster: Mark Ichiyama News Letter Advertising: Dee Cloninger Newsletter Editor: Matthew Crawford

Fawn Medesha Vincent Muscat Phil Neri Carl Richardson Isabelle Tait

September Xavier Cody Charles Dickens Ina Langley Garvin Malow Thomas Plimpton

Raymond Ramirez

Update your email address with The National Office

Contact Membership Chair, Debbie Ichiyama, at 480-268-9535 or dichiyama@me.com

Page 3 TheStarDust

Rancho Pinot Restaurant - November 22, 2013 at 6:00pm Reminder!! Rancho Pinot Restaurant is a Scottsdale jewel in a town of many restaurants. Chef Robertson has received the 2011 ‘Chef Extraordinaire Award’ of the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame, and the restaurant was recognized by Arizona Highways magazine as a top 25 restaurant of Arizona. This restaurant, located at 6208 N. Scottsdale Rd, has been successful for many years and as is our custom, we will order off the menu with separate checks. Call or email John Phin at 480-272-8851 or jgphin@cox.net by November 15

th to sign up. Please do not call the

restaurant as John will handle the reservation.

Star Night 2.0

By Roberta and John Phin

Rich Schulte is coordinating a Desert Stars group this MBCA trip to Germany in July, 2014. The Club offers these popular trips including guided tours of multiple Mercedes-Benz facilities. Several non-Mercedes venues and are also included. The $2500 fee per person trip is all-inclusive except for airfare. Six nights in a five-star hotel, all breakfasts, lunches, dinners, transportation, admissions, tour guides, and a full-time escort are included. Contact Rich Schulte at (401) 225-2090.

Reminder – MB Germany Trip July 2014

“Chef Robertson has received the

2011 ‘Chef Extraordinaire Award’

from the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame’

Membership Anniversary Recognition

By Debbie Ichiyama

35 YEARS G. Zucchiatti 30 YEARS William Jackson David Neal 25 YEARS Fred Lewis J. Sheridan 20 YEARS Steve Lafleur Holger Martin 15 YEARS Gloria Baughman James Boyle Erika Cramer

Each year we recognize our members in 5-year increments. This year we have some fantastic milestones to pay tribute to.

15 YEARS continued Richard Dykes Douglas Gray Charles Gilhart Phil Hall Zygmunt Kwasnica Sue Larsen Don McConaughey Stanley Spiegel Daniel Thomas Richard Witte 10 YEARS Charles Johnston Charles Moehring Henry Muranko Jeff Smith Dan Withers Richard Zimbardo

5 YEARS Andrew Atwood Donna Bryson Scott Buchanan Brian Clifton Anne Coulter Alexander Curtis Lawrence Foster Andreas Kress Leigh Larson David Lindau Robert Mosley Billy Rhinehart Richard Schulte Brent Smith Richard Sparanese

Reminder – Tech Session November 16

Our annual Tech Session is upon us! Saturday November 16, 2013 join us and learn some important lessons on maintenance and preparation before your next long drive. The session is held at M.B. Motors (2730 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85008) where we will start at 9:00 am. Bud Cloninger @ 602-326-6210.

Page 4

TheStarDust

In the Mirror: Havasupai Rallye

By Chuck Stanford, Jr.

…in that elite list of members on page 3. Come and see who the Member of the Year will be!

As in the past we are also collecting for the ‘Toys for Tots’ foundation. Please bring a toy (or more!) with you for the luncheon. ‘Toys for Tots’ collects and distributes those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community. If you cannot attend, you can still offer a toy! Maybe another member can help you get it to us at the luncheon. Please know only unwrapped toys may be donated.

Meal selections must be made upon registration. The form for this can’t miss-event is on page 7 in this issue of The StarDust. The cost to attend is a mere $45 per person. The party will start at 12 PM, Lunch being served at 1 PM. If you have any questions, please just contact Debbie Ichiyama or Matt Crawford.

You will want to be at Talking Stick on the 8th!

Havasupai Kachinas await their winners

at the dawn of Saturday morning’s

Holiday from page 1

Havasupai 2013 Produced Some Memorable Quotes If you weren’t there, you missed a beautiful trip

Don: “The secret of being a good Rallyemaster is to be as tricky as

you can without being labeled ‘devious’… No one got lost, so I

guess I did OK….”

Ava: “It was so picturesque; I couldn’t believe we had those

beautiful roads all to ourselves!”

Harmon to Chuck: “You owe me big! We counted 76 bugs on our

windshield cutting a path for you!”

Joe: What incredible value; you really negotiated a deal! We’ll

have to get more involved in the Desert Stars!

Brynn, regarding the girls on their own adventure: “I thought the

sun should have been on the right… I guess it was on the left.”

Steve: “I’m so glad I finally made it to Havasupai! I’ve been waiting

for years… We finished fourth. I finally won a Kachina!”

Sandy: “This was our first event ever! It was worth finishing last to

get this cool turtle!”

Roberta: “Excellent event; really great value!”

Bud: “For those who couldn’t come, it was their loss!”

Don: “Don’t kid yourself, the delicious food and the spectacular

venue made the weekend.”

Dee: “I’m not leaving; I’m just going to move in here.”

In the end, Chuck and Ava christened their new SL with a first

place win and took home a Kachina. John and Roberta finished

second, much to their surprise. The pick-up team of Bud Cloninger

and Dick Sharp were an impressive 90-minutes late for lunch, yet

managed to snare a third place finish in the rallye.

Chuck: “Thanks for the memories! Glad you enjoyed it… See you

next year!”

Page 5 TheStarDust

Above: John Phin, Harmon

Cadis and Bud Cloninger

sharing lies at Saturday’s

Awards Banquet.

“Don’t kid yourself,

the delicious food and

the spectacular venue

made the weekend.”

Above: Harmon and

Susan Cadis show off

their Havasupai Award

Right: Rallyemaster Don

Burton tallying up the

results. No bribes were

visible at the time…

Right: Sandy Alston shows

of her trophy

“It was so picturesque;

I couldn’t believe we

had those beautiful

roads all to

ourselves!””

Page 6

TheStarDust

In the Mirror: Speed Fest By John and Roberta Phin

Roberta and John Phin had the pleasure of representing Desert Stars at the Speed Fest on beautiful Coronado Island, San Diego this

September. San Diego Region and Southwest MBCA Director Steve Ross were our hosts. Speed Fest is organized by the Historic

Motor Sports Association for the benefit of military families and their dependents. Interesting to note, there were more black S Class

sedans parked at the drivers’ motor homes and race car transporters in the paddock than there were Mercedes-Benz autos in the car

club corral. However, we did enjoy watching a street-registered 300SL (from Scottsdale) chase down and pass two race-prepared 190

SLs on the track! Other highlights included seeing several generations of Arcieros in competition. One was driving the very same Lotus

entered by Frank Arciero on behalf of one Daniel Sexton Gurney before he became so famous as to nearly be drafted for the office of

U.S. President! The 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911 was also celebrated. The price of admission to the annual Speed Fest is

modest in comparison to other historic sports car racing venues such as Laguna Seca and the Navy puts on a fine show for families in

attendance. We recommend it heartily!

I had the pleasure of attending the California Coast CarFest event hosted by the Long Beach-South Bay Section on September 27 and 28. It was a splendid weekend with the great people of the Mercedes-Benz Club and their one "of a kind" Mercedes-Benz automobiles. There were eighteen “Star Cars” there along with thirty five very nice ladies and gentleman. The Long Beach-South Bay, Las Vegas, Channel Islands, Orange County and San Diego Sections were represented. If memory serves me almost every section won an award except the San Diego section! Perhaps they need a bit more practice. Awards were given for the Rallye, Car Show, Auto Memorabilia and the “Surprise” fun events. The auto memorabilia event consists of a member bringing their Mercedes-Benz historical or other significant items for the attendees to judge. Our event chairman Geoff Bolt was the winner of this event. The surprise fun event was identifying Mercedes-Benz parts, pinning a star on the Mercedes-Benz photo, in the correct position, getting the highest three card poker hand and tossing a ping pong ball into a cup of water from several feet away. Florintino and Marlyn Ortiz of Orange County won this event. Thomas Leeds of Las Vegas won the car show with his 1958 190SL. Rich Leamon and his wife Yvonne won the rally. The Southwest Regional event was started through the efforts of Geoff Bolt, President of the Long Beach-South Bay Section, seven years ago and has been a great success every year. The event has been hosted by the Long Beach-South, Las Vegas, Orange County and San Diego Sections. It is with great regret and sadness that I must report that Geoff Bolt has stepped down as the chair of this event due to his retirement and relocating to the Republic of the Philippine with his family. To say that Geoff will be missed is a gigantic understatement. His departure is leaving a huge gap to fill. If we are to continue with this successful, fun filled event for us MBCA Southwest Region folks, we must have someone step up and take the helm in the next few months. I am ready to assist in any way I can to help ensure that we continue with our Southwest Region event. Please contact me or Geoff with your questions. I and the Southwest Region thank Geoff for his dedication to our club and our Region. In addition we thank Geoff and Gerhard Fehrmann of the Long Beach-South Bay Section for doing ALL the organizing and implementation for the 2013 CarFest event.

Remember; If you are not having fun you ain’t doing it right.

Regional Director’s Corner By Steve Ross, Southwest Region

Right: Steve Ross,

his r107, and our

own John Phin

Page 7 TheStarDust

A breakfast invitation and special word from a favorite club sponsor, Airpark Collision Center:

GOT BUMPER DAMAGE? Long gone are the days when bumpers have to be replaced when damaged. New state of the art technology allows many plastic bumpers to be repaired instead of replaced. Airpark Collision Center owner, says, “Our plastic welder was worth the investment, our customers love it because the repair bill is less expensive and the turnaround time is quicker.” “Serving the north Scottsdale area, we repair a lot of high end vehicles, and part prices are very costly.” “We are fortunate to have very talented technicians that have the experience and knowledge to use this piece of equipment to its fullest capability.” Industry repair data shows that repairing a bumper versus replacing one can save a customer on average 60% and even more on luxury vehicles. Because, bumper repair can be less costly, many people avoid making an insurance claim. In addition, plastic bumper repair is a green option-there is no waste being placed in landfills. Can a plastic bumper crack repair be done every time? The answer to the question is....yes. In just about every situation, a crack can be repaired seamlessly. Cracks are repaired by plastic welding techniques or with structural adhesives-and the paint can be blended to match the color. When the repair occurs in a flat area on the bumper, repairs are less complicated and less expensive. However, when the repairs must be made on curves or around molded areas such as fog lights, it will require additional time and resources. When this happens, the expense must be considered on a case by case basis. Over all, plastic bumper repair seems to be here to stay. In fact, as car manufacturers begin to use more plastic on vehicles to support fuel efficiency, we can only assume this repair method is the wave of the future.

JOIN US FOR BREAKFAST AND A PLASTIC BUMPER REPAIR DEMO ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 2014 at 9:00 AM

AIRPARK COLLISION CENTER 7333 E. BUTHERUS DR., SUITE A-200, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85260

RSVP via email with Desert Stars Activities & Events Chair, John Phin, at jgphin@cox.net Or call John at (480) 272-8851

Holiday Luncheon

Sunday December 8, 2013

Please register by November 30:

Name(s): Number attending:____

Address: City: State/Prov.: Zip:

Email Address: Phone No.:

You must make your meal selection with this registration. Please provide the quantity, per person:

New York Strip Streak ____ Dungeness Crab Cake ____ Vegetarian ____ Call Debbie Ichiyama with any questions at (480) 295-0937

$4500

per person. Credit Card payments available: call Debbie Ichiyama

Or make your check payable to: MBCA Desert Stars; and mail to:

MBCA Desert Stars c/o Debbie Ichiyama 6502 E Evans Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85254

Page 8

TheStarDust

Classifieds:

Registration Forms

1996 E300D Diesel by member Ed Kasmar 480-502-2307

1996 Mercedes Benz E300D Diesel sunroof sedan, brilliant

silver, 165,000 miles, one owner, non-smoker. Car has always

been garaged and is in excellent condition, recent engine

overhaul at 163,000 miles. All service records available Price

$6,250.00.

Breakfast with Airpark Collision Center

Saturday January 4, 2014

Please include the following information in an email or phone call to John Phin :

Name(s): Number attending:____

Address: City: State/Prov.: Zip:

Email Address: Phone No.:

PLEASE RSVP FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT

Contact John Phin at jgphin@cox.net or (480) 272-8851 to R.S.V.P. or if you have any questions.

MB Enthusiasts Dinner

Sunday January 18, 2014

Please mail by January 10:

Name(s): Number attending:____

Address: City: State/Prov.: Zip:

Email Address: Phone No.: Day or Night

You must make your entree selection with this registration. Please provide the quantity, per person:

Rotisserie Chicken with Natural Jus ____ Cedar Planked Salmon with Teriyaki BBQ Glaze ____ Pork Tenderloin with Mexican Sweet Corn ____

For questions call John or Roberta Phin at 480-272-8851 $55

00 per person. Credit Card payments available: call Debbie Ichiyama 480-268-9535

Or make your check payable to: MBCA Desert Stars; and mail to:

MBCA Desert Stars c/o Debbie Ichiyama

6502 E Evans Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85254

Page 9 TheStarDust

7333 E. Butherus Dr. Ste. A-200 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 480-922-3006

AIRPARK COLLISION CENTER is a full service body shop, focusing on high quality repairs and an excellent customer experience. Our repair facility is committed to using the finest products and equipment in the industry. Our PPG water based paint product is not only environmentally friendly but allows for the most accurate color matching. AIRPARK COLLISION CENTER works with all insurance companies and can help you with:

Small scratches to significant collision damage

Bumper repair (Scratches, scuffs, dents, etc)

Key scratches, side mirror damage, tail light replacement

Mechanical repairs (Suspension, A/C work, cooling system repairs)

Paintless dent repair (Hail, door dings, etc)

Window tint

Clear bras

Smoked tail lights

Windshield repair and replacement

Professional automotive detailing

Wheel repair and chrome plating

Lease return repairs (Save thousands before your end of lease inspection)

AIRPARK COLLISION CENTER is a full service, I-CAR CERTIFIED body shop, located near Scottsdale Road and Greenway Road. Visit our homepage to learn more about us. www.airparkcollisioncenter.com

Visit us at: www.desertstars.mbca.org

“Like” us on Facebook DesertStarsMBCA

November 16, 2013 November 22, 2013

December 8, 2013

January 4, 2014 January 18, 2014

February 8, 2014 February 22, 2014

March 16, 2014

Saturday Friday

Sunday

Saturday Saturday

Saturday Saturday

Sunday

SAVE THESE DATES!!!

Tech Session StarNight 2.0 - Rancho Pinot Restaurant

Holiday Party

Airpark Collision - Breakfast and Plastic Part Repair MB Enthusiasts Dinner

Defensive Driving Poker Run

Family Picnic-McCormick RR Park, Scottsdale

T H E ST A RDU S T N O V E M B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Keep your address updated with the MBCA National Business Office at

(800) 637-2360, or online at http://mbca.org