johna1

We were delighted when our dealer invited us to go for a day away with MB. They have set up a driving experience at the bottom of our North Island overlooking the sea.

We flew as a group, and on arrival were shepherded into two MB mini buses for the 45 minute trip to the venue. When we arrived we were given tea and coffee and muffins while the day was explained to us.

We were split into four groups, with each group cycling round the activities which were: Driving on the track (ABS and Stability control), 4WD (mud plugging in an ML), Skeet shooting, and a quiz.

After the activities we all headed back down to the homestead for a great lunch and some golf shots.

After the lunch the winning team was announced (scored on how we had done on the various activities). Then a helicopter appeared up from below the cliffs in front of us and this was the prize! The winning team (I was lucky to be in it), was choppered back to the city, avoiding the bus ride and getting an extra couple of drinks at the bar.

All in all a wonderful experience, I will try to post some photos, but if anyone is interested, here is the website for the place we went to...

http://www.boomrock.co.nz/index1.html

glojo

Now that is what I call good customer relations. (They must think you are a 'man of means')

I am looking forward to seeing your pictures.

Regards,
John

DWP

... and all I got from MBUSA was a little black blanket with a simulated fringe .... ... though the dealer did send me a bottle of fairly decent local champagne.

BoSoxFan

All I got was two little key fob thingies which have free advertising for the dealer. Still love the car though.

johna1

Here are the cars we used, a C Class Coupe, a Class, and 2 MLs

johna1

This is a picture of the track, you can see the cones that we used for the ABS braking. The whole thing is out miles away on a farm, so it is pretty wierd to find the track stuck out on a paddock on top of a hill!!!

johna1

Because it is the middle of nowhere, they have built this shelter. This is where we did the quiz, and they also had tea and coffee and muffins for us.

johna1

This is the clay pidgeon (trap) shooting, it was a lot of fun...

johna1

After all the activities, we went down the hill to the Restaurant, here we are having a champagne before lunch. This building is a restaurant and kitchen etc, but there is no accomodation here (pity).

johna1

The restaurant, before we started on it!

johna1

The view from the restaurant, this is quite stunning. It is Cook Strait which lies between our North and South islands (you can see the South island in the distance). It is unusual to see it this calm and for the weather in this area to be so perfect. The earlier photos show some mist and even light rain which would be more typical.

On this day the weather just got better and better.

johna1

Me, leaving in the helicopter. I didn't take this picture (obviously), so there is, perhaps, less of the helicopter in the photo than you might expect.

glojo

Hi John,
Like I have said many times. New Zealand is certainly a beautiful country.

On your photograph looking towards South Island, where would Picton be in relation to the view. (I just want to reminisce).

In the photographs showing the vehicles you state there is one C class coupe, one A class and two ML's. I have had my evening medication, but I see a C class saloon and no A class???? Is it my morphine or yours that is playing tricks

Regards,
John

johna1

It was a typo, I meant to say .. a C Class, and missed the C!

Both the C's were C180K's and I was very impressed with how well they went..

paulhu

Why don't a group of us in the United States call the MB dealer in Hawaii and request a tour of the island w/food and drinks served, on the condition that one of us just might purchase a car from that dealership?

norbury

The Boomrock day is, to the best of my knowledge, available only to those who have actually purchased Mercedes-Benz cars in New Zealand.

My wife and I went last year and as well as a great day out the experience was invaluable as we were taught about handling and control using the car's ESP system by highly-skilled rally/race drivers on the test track.