GazetteDecember 2020 EQC400 W220 S-CLASS QUIRKS A ‘JOE BLOGGS’ MERCEDES R230 SL POLLEN FILTER REPLACEMENT THE OFFICIAL MERCEDES-BENZ CLUB FOUNDED 1952 What’s inside... Regulars 4 CLUBINFORMATION 4 CLUBPUBMEETINGS 5 DIARYDATES 5 FORTHCOMINGEVENT 5 INVITATIONSRECEIVED 26 7 NEWS&VIEWS FEATURES 42 Car of the decade 13 YOURLETTERS 24 Rob writes... 44 EQC400 19 CLUBSHOP 48 Cars of the month 26 W220 S-Class quirks... 22 ROSEMARIE’S and a tour of Scotland TECHNICAL CORNER RAMBLINGS 31 From deep in the Archive 51 Spares register 56 REGIONALREPORTS 32 BTCC 52 R230 SL pollen filter 35 A ‘Joe Bloggs’ replacement 81 NEWMEMBERS Mercedes 54 Retro fitting a wiper 81 SPECIALNOTICES 38 F1 news delay unit 39 The car’s the star 84 CARSFORSALE 39 52 35 Gazette Membership benefits First ever Mercedes-Benz Club Members’ website forum Published by The Mercedes-Benz Club – founded 1952 Free subscription to Mercedes-Benz Gazette copy dates Only UK club recognised by Classic magazine February December 11 March January 15 Mercedes-Benz Discounts from parts suppliers Monthly Gazette Discounts from hotels Editorial Office: Chris Bass, Tel: 01483 481836. Technical support 30 Scotgate, Stamford PE9 2YQ Unique archive of photos, brochures E-mail: [email protected] Discounted insurance and technical literature Advertising, Design and Production: Hine Marketing, Club shop Tel: 01452 730770 MercedesBenzClubUK Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton Local, national and international events Gloucestershire GL2 9LN Discounts from many MB dealers themercedesbenzclub/ E-mail: [email protected] Gazette distribution queries: Catherine Barlow, For membership and general enquiries Tel: 01780 482111 (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday) telephone 01780 482111, 0345 6032660 (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday) 30 Scotgate, Stamford PE9 2YQ E-mail: [email protected] or see www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk NEWS&VIEWS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Following the Government’s announcement putting England into a period of lock-down with effect from Thursday November 5, the Annual General Meeting scheduled for Sunday November 29, has been postponed. Under the circumstances that prevail at present the Board does not feel able to plan a meeting with any certainty of date and venue. However, the matter is being kept under review and all possibilities are being explored, an announcement will be made in the January Gazette. Would Members who may wish to be involved in a future AGM please retain their copy of the agenda and accounts book, as all copies were distributed with the November Gazette. If you have any questions please contact me on [email protected] Philip Greaves, Director and Company Secretary MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS To simplify administration and to reduce costs the Club’s Board would like to encourage Members to pay their annual subscriptions by direct debit rather than cheque or standing order. You can set up a direct debit by using the form on the back of the address sheet sent out with your Gazette or by calling the Club Office (01780 482111). With a direct debit, when your membership is due for renewal we write advising you of this, giving you the opportunity to cancel at your bank, or you can call the Club Office and they will stop the collection for you. Your assistance by changing to a direct debit payment will be appreciated and there is an annual discount for payment in this manner. Alternatively your fees can be paid via the Club website (https://mercedes-benz-club.co.uk) or you can phone Catherine Barlow or Mel Sharpe in the office to pay using a debit or credit card The Board of Directors HAVE YOU GOT A STORY FOR THE GAZETTE? At the start of the pandemic there seemed to be some concern that the Gazette might struggle to survive. I am delighted to say that has not been the case – and is not going to be even as we face the ‘second wave’. Thanks must go to our publisher Hine Marketing and the advertisers who have continued to support us, to the Club for stepping in when there was a slight short-fall in ad income and to the designers at Hine – particularly Tony Ruddy who plugged away when things were These badges come with provision for looking their bleakest – and James Morgan. Precision Colour Printing and Cumbria Mailing mounting on a grille. have also soldiered on regardless. Most of all I would like to thank all the Members who have contributed articles. CAR BADGES Fortunately I had quite a back-log when all this started, but the bottom of the in-tray is Car badges are available from the Club coming into sight. Apologies if your article has not yet been published – it will be, but I Shop (www.mercede-benz-club-shop. would like to invite new articles. If you have one please let me know. If it interests you it co.uk or 01278 652340). They are will interest other Members and if you need any help or advice I will be pleased to offer it approximately three inches (76mm) wide ([email protected] or 01483 481836). and come with fittings enabling them to A special delight since the first lock-down started has been regional reports. Many Experience Connectivity. be mounted on most radiator grilles. The Regional Officers have done a brilliant job in finding things other than event previews and cost is £23 excluding post and packing. reports to share with us. If you normally tend not to pay much attention to this section of the Gazette please have a look. There has been a wide range of stories of Members’ cars, their Your Mercedes-Benz could be connected with Mercedes me Adapter. lives and information on the regions themselves. Thank you very much. To find out if your car can be connected, contact your nearest retailer and they’ll Chris Bass, Editor be happy to help and arrange a free-of-charge fitting at a time that suits you. CLUB SHOP standards you would expect from the Mercedes-Benz Club brand. For more information visit www.mercedes-benz.co.uk/adapter There is a slight change in the website domain name, from club-shop to just clubshop (https:// mercedes-benz- clubshop.co.uk) and our e-mail address has changed (sales@ mercedes-benz- clubshop.co.uk) although we will be monitoring the The Club Shop’s new products include this holdall at £25... old one for the foreseeable future. The Club Shop has a new website. Shop We are open manager Donna Butter writes: ‘We are for business but pleased to launch our new Mercedes-Benz due to current ...this fleece at £32... ...and this soft shell jacket at £35. Club Shop. We have a range of new products circumstances with hundreds of gifts and accessories, some items may take 14 to 21 days or if you have any questions please don’t including new Club jackets, fleeces, shirts, delivery. We aim to despatch your product hesitate to contact us via the e-mail address Mercedes-Benz jumpers, body warmers, gifts and Formula as soon as it is available. Thank you for above or telephone 01278 652340.’ The best or nothing. One inspired T-shirts, all made to the highest bearing with us. For more information www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • DECEMBER 2020 • 7 The opinions expressed are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect Club policy. The Editor reserves the right to edit letters if necessary. They should be sent to the editorial office c/o 30 Scotgate, Stamford PE9 2YQ or [email protected] YOURLETTERS Letter of the Month but in doing so reliability suffers. To win a race first you have to finish! As a thank you (and as an incentive for even greater efforts) we like to choose I look at steam engines in museums a letter of the month. Meguiar’s have kindly agreed to sponsor this and the and wonder how long it will be before Member whose letter is selected receives a Wash & Wax car care kit. internal combustion engined vehicles are consigned to the same fate. How long will THE PETROL AGE I have yet to obtain a valid answer. Firstly, it be before it becomes difficult to obtain Dear Chris, throughout the petrol age there has been a fuel to demonstrate these vehicles at parades Much as I dislike the description, I have to ready market for used cars. Many people and shows? How long before all car and admit to being a ‘petrol head’. It did not dawn cannot afford a new car or alternatively prefer motorcycle racing becomes 100 per cent on me that that is what I am until I realised to buy a good used one. I have held a licence electric? The racing machines that I restore that there are no longer any advertisements on since the mid-1950s and I have never bought were designed to burn 105 octane pump television for petrol and diesel cars. We are all a new car. Furthermore I have never regretted petrol. This of course is no longer available. being pressured into buying electric or hybrid buying second hand. My present car is a 1996 To run these bikes we have had to find a vehicles. Furthermore, the sale of petrol, C200 Elegance auto. It has 45,000 proven source of 100 octane Avgas aviation fuel diesel and hybrid cars will end by 2035. miles from new, it is immaculate and rust- which has the added advantage of not being I find it a quite surreal prospect.