MBCA

[J. Huber]

Are most of you all members? I'm not, mostly because A. the nearest local chapter is over an hour away in the city (and I'm a hermit), and B. slipping two online Pagoda memberships past my wife is hard enough!  :?

Just curious if you think its worthwhile. Also, I just went to buy some merchandise and I was denied because I had to be a member!

James
63 230SL

[ja17]

Hello James,

I have been a member since 1973.  It is has a lot to offer if you get involved. Our local MB  dealers offer a discount on parts to members. Our club is also supported by the local dealers with contributions, door prizes, trophies, in shop tech sessions, etc. Our local club has also been able to offer cost free Holiday parties and dinners to the members due to the generousity of our local dealers. We also have driving events with free event insurance and use of timing equipment from the national organization. This summer our regional VP (Frank Cozza and his wife Mary-Alice) will also conduct a cost free "Defensive Driving Instruction" to our local members. Completion of the instruction will qualify each of us for  insurance discounts  on our everyday driving policies on any of our cars. Considering the value of the six anual issues of  "The Star" and other perks, I consider the anual membership dues of $45.00 a real deal.
 When I attended "Starfest" National Event some years back, Mercedes Benz, treated all five hundred participants to a huge seven coarse dinner with drinks, entertainment and gifts free of charge. At the last "Starfest" the AMG semi-trailer pulled up and unloaded a fleet of AMG supecars for the participants to play with on an autocross coarse. I can go on and on.

I guess it boils down to how much you can get involved. If you are interested in the other MB models, "The Star" is probably worth the membership alone.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[mdsalemi]

Hello Hermit Jim,

1)  The Star alone, winner of many national awards, comes out 6 times a year and it alone is worth the price of admission.  Just the advertisements alone from vendors and classifieds alike are worthwhile, but the content is great as well.

2)  Many of the events are actually quite fun--even though you may need to make a weekend out of it once a year.

3)  Many sections have driving events; concours events; and social events.  National events generally have all three, such as Tri-O-Rama, Starfest, Gemuetlekeit, etc.

4)  JA17's wife Mary is President of the Central Ohio section; Bob Possel is an officer of the Memphis section, I'm President of International Stars; Pete Lesler is our DAL, the list goes on and on...there's a lot of 113 owners as members, and a lot of other classic (darn there's that word again) er collectible Mercedes owners who are members as well.

It's up to you.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[keesing]

I joined MBCA at about the same time I joined Pagoda SL Group - 'bout a month or 2 ago... Have most certainly gotten more from here, but envision MBCA being worthwhile as well. Just started out on the wrong foot - they messed up my name on my membership - said they'd fix it and haven't - asked for 2nd window decal and the said NO! and local chapter hasn't responded to my initial email -
oh well, our relationship is young and has no place to go but to get better!

1967 250SL Signal Red
1969 280SL "Tweety Bird Yellow"
1987 260E Charcoal

[rwmastel]

If your only MB is a Pagoda and you wouldn't attend events (car shows, dinners, driving events, etc.), then it might not be worth it.  I joined when I wanted help looking for a Pagoda to buy.  I have since bought my 1994 E420 (just turned 100,000 miles!!), so I've got a couple reasons to be a member.
- I love reading The Star
- I just went to another sections driving event (performance driver training on a race track!)
- I actually started our sections All German Car Show (5th edition coming up in August)
- I like the Holiday Dinner

If you're a self-proclaimed "hermit", that makes it more difficult to justify joining.  Maybe you can find out how many people in your section are more local to your house and you could create an informal "section within a section"?  That would allow all of you "remote" people to be more interactive with each other.

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[ja17]

Hello keesing,
Yes that seems pretty trivaial about the window decal, especially when the MBCA is trying to gain new members. I would find out who your regional VP is and email him if you have any issues. They will go to bat for their members.

The MBCA is currently giving one free additional month of membership for every new member a person signs up!

Different sections have different activity levels. Depending on which section you are in,  activities and events may vary drastically. In some areas the locl dealers do not support the club at all.

Another benefit to members, is the free listing of classified adds in The Star.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[joelj]

Hi Hermit Jim,

I live all the way here in the Philippines and I am a member of the MBCA. I joined since my forst M benz was a w124 and the marque really started to interest me.

I really look forward to the Star Magazine and use my membership to get any discounts I can get from the different suppliers who advertise in the Star. Its also quite interesting to see the classified section . Seeing how much the cars have appreciated or depreciated.

I became a member of the Pagoda SL group in 2005 after I got my 280sl.

I keep both memberships and feel that its money well spent.

cheers,

Joel

[bpossel]

Hello James,

Being a member of the MBCA has many advantages, which have already been pointed out by the others...  The cost of membership can be quickly recouped by being an active member and taking advantage of all the perks that come with the membership.  It sounds like, to me, that the biggest obstacle is your distance from your local club.  I am assuming that the distance you are referring to is the distance to your local presidents house?  I would suggest contacting your local chapter and finding out where they meet.  In Memphis, we meet at several different places each month, depending on the event.  Each month, we hold our regular meetings at local restaurants, and other events are held at various other locations throughout the city.  My point is that some of your local chapters events may be closer than you think?
James, check it out and give your local chapter a "try", maybe give a year and see if you like it....
Bob




bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[Vince Canepa]

Like Joe, we've been members since joining the San Francisco Bay Area Section in 1973.  We have always found value in the membership, from the friends we have made to the advice we have gotten to the events we have attended.  I personally have become bored with the STAR (please don't take offense anyone), but still feel the dues are well worth it.

My wife and I have been (and still are) on the board of the Virginia Section in one position or another since 1997.  I was the newsletter editor from 1997 through 2005.  Getting involved with the leadership has its downsides - it is hard to find voluteers to take your place when you wan t to step down.

MBCA has been slow to respond on some things.  It took a long time for their Technical Forums to get up to speed (they only recently added a dedicated 113 Forum, which of course is getting limited traffic since there are other well established 113 forums).  But it is a volunteer organization and if you get involved and persist through some of the frustrations you will get way more than $45 in value.

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[J. Huber]

Tremendous input as usual. I appreciate it. I think I go with Bob's trial year suggestion. Not sure when, I may wait until I see an MBCA event on the horizon. Thanks all.

Hermit Huber

James
63 230SL

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by J. Huber

I may wait until I see an MBCA event on the horizon.

Local or National?  There is a HUGE event in Las Vegas in August or September this year.  Just prior to that event, MBCA is getting a personal closed tour of the new Classic Center.

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[J. Huber]

Well Rodd. I entertained (wishfully) the thought of meeting the Route 66 crowd as they rolled into California. I believe the Bay Area MBCA is planning to do the same -- this would probably be the mother of all MBCA events for me. Problem is it is a pretty major clip (no Ohio, I know) but still long ways. Car would make it, just not sure if I can swing it. One never knows though...

James
63 230SL

[J. Huber]

Thought I'd cap this one off. Me and my car are official! Got my MBCA sticker today. Thanks again for all the great insight and encouragement.

James
63 230SL

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by J. Huber

Thought I'd cap this one off. Me and my car are official! Got my MBCA sticker today.

I don't recall getting a sticker when joining back in 1999.  Is it a window sticker?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[Naj ✝︎]

James
 

quote:I entertained (wishfully) the thought of meeting the Route 66 crowd as they rolled into California

Hope to see you there   [:p] :mrgreen:    

 

quote:I don't recall getting a sticker when joining back in 1999. Is it a window sticker?

Rodd

The blue one on top of screen

download Attachment:[/b] HTopLift001.JPG
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naj

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by rwmastel

I don't recall getting a sticker when joining back in 1999.  Is it a window sticker?

Come to think if it, I didn't have a Mercedes-Benz at all when I joined.  It may be in a filing cabinet with my original membership packet.

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by J. Huber

Well Rodd. I entertained (wishfully) the thought of meeting the Route 66 crowd as they rolled into California.

Check out the Events forum for two events regarding the MBCA Route 66 Tour.
http://www.sl113.org/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=7

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420