When IL Senior Editor Erin Riches and I took a road trip to Central California this past weekend, we stayed at the (low) Quality Inn in Pismo Beach. This ended up being a big mistake as this particular motel seemed to attract nothing but college kids.
So from 10pm to 2am, these kids were running up and down the walkway outside of our motel room on the 2nd floor as their party was going off two doors down from ours. Sometimes they would even bang on our door and run away...
Erin had considered calling the front desk to complain but then decided that they probably wouldn't have cared enough to do anything about it.
Anyway, the next morning we wanted to hit the road early so we got up at 6:30am. Still pissed off about last night, I entertained naughty things I could do to get back at those kids. Leave my leftovers from last night outside their door? Write them a nasty note on motel stationary? Knock on their door and dash? Surely they were sound asleep having partied for most of the night.
And then I heard a car beep outside giving me an idea. I know! I'll hit the panic button on the Mini key fob! That'll wake 'em up! But when I grabbed the Mini key there was no panic button to be found. And the Mini doesn't beep when you unlock or lock it with the key fob (usually a blessing).
I know. I wouldn't have really done it anyway because I wouldn't want to disturb the other motel guests but it would have been nice to even think I had that option.
When I was sitting in the Mini waiting for Erin to come down, I thought about maybe parking in front of room 407 and honking the horn signaling her to come down...but then chickened out.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor
Anyway, the next morning we wanted to hit the road early so we got up at 6:30am. Still pissed off about last night, I entertained naughty things I could do to get back at those kids. Leave my leftovers from last night outside their door? Write them a nasty note on motel stationary? Knock on their door and dash? Surely they were sound asleep having partied for most of the night.
And then I heard a car beep outside giving me an idea. I know! I'll hit the panic button on the Mini key fob! That'll wake 'em up! But when I grabbed the Mini key there was no panic button to be found. And the Mini doesn't beep when you unlock or lock it with the key fob (usually a blessing).
I know. I wouldn't have really done it anyway because I wouldn't want to disturb the other motel guests but it would have been nice to even think I had that option.
When I was sitting in the Mini waiting for Erin to come down, I thought about maybe parking in front of room 407 and honking the horn signaling her to come down...but then chickened out.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor
daytona_500 says:
02:46 PM, 04/22/08
Ugh, I cant stand loud partyers either, I really cant. And Im in the age bracket that you mentioned. You really should have called the front desk, made a huge fuss about it and either demanded that they compensate you or get those kids to shut up.
Lol if I were there, I would have egged their car, if they had one.
tmanz says:
02:50 PM, 04/22/08
It's hard to be mean in a car that makes you smile.
estreka says:
04:57 PM, 04/22/08
Did you two eat at the Spash Café? They have the best clam chowder EVER. And this is coming from a guy who's tried popovers in Maine, clams in Washington state, and lobster bisque in Alaska.
Splash Café is that seafoam blue building down the main stretch with a line of customers wrapped around the building.
brn says:
07:52 PM, 04/22/08
...but I need to panic...
blueguydotcom says:
08:20 AM, 04/23/08
Call the cops next time. Forget the front desk, the police will come over and handle it.
caroscuro says:
10:18 AM, 04/23/08
daytona_500,
That's a good idea. Wish I thought of it then.
tmanz,
Word.
estreka,
We ended up taking most of our meals in SLO, only having breakfast at Goobers on the Beach a couple times. Next time Splash Cafe fer sure.
brn,
I guess Mini owners aren't the panicking types?
blueguydotcom,
For some reason that didn't occur to me. I assumed that was just something you could do while in apartments and homes. But, yeah, that's an option.
cruiserhead1 says:
10:57 AM, 04/23/08
you need the panic button if you're trapped in the car...
one thing never mentioned is that the MINI has electric solenoid doors. We found this out at a test drive.
The battery died as we partially opened the double doors on the clubman rear. Well, now one door was open and could not shut. the other door was half-unlatched so it could not fully shut or open! All other doors could not be opened (the doors were all unlocked w/ the battery failed)
Now I was very uncomfortable with this knowing my fiance would be the primary driver.
In any situation where the battery dies, alternator goes bad or electrical becomes disconnected... you are either trapped in your car, trapped out of your car or unable to lock your car and leave it.
It can turn a relatively minor incident into a real problem.
It was one of the major reasons we passed on the MINI.
ps- if you want entertaining hotels, try the Madonna Inn! wild rooms....
Splash Cafe in Pismo (bread bowl clam chowder is the best) or downtown SLO has some great eats
daytona_500 says:
11:55 AM, 04/23/08
caroscuro,
Which was a good idea, calling the front desk, or the egging?
caroscuro says:
10:51 AM, 04/24/08
daytona_500,
Calling the front desk.... I didn't know which car was theirs. Heh. I kid, I kid.
jazzpants says:
01:32 PM, 04/25/08
I have been looking at both the Clubman and Coupe. Both are about the same. I currently own a 01,VW Jetta GLX VR6 and can get 31mpg on the turnpike going 65mph. I notice that the Mini gets about the same. Has anybody gotten the same or more MPG highway for the S model? Is the S worth 25grand? It looks like people who own them, love them. Any honest thoughts?
mpowerf1 says:
08:42 AM, 04/26/08
Jazzpants, with my 07 Cooper S, I average somewhere between 33-36 mpg on the highway while averaging about 80 mph (with A/C on and such). I could probably get the number close to 40 if I really concentrated and slowed down to around 65.
For reference, I am currently driving exclusively in the city with the A/C on (I live in Phoenix). This means worst case mileage for me and right now I am averaging around 28 mpg. Before things got hot here, though, I could easily average 29, maybe 30 in the city.
jazzpants says:
11:45 AM, 04/28/08
Mpower-
Thanks. Do you have the same "jumping" problems in bumper to bumper traffic that I have read about? It seems odd, a car so thought out, having issues coasting. I dig the car. I am just making sure on some things. Anything that bothers you about the car?
mpowerf1 says:
09:09 AM, 05/ 1/08
No, not at all. The car is a joy in traffic because you have maximum torque available at around 2,000 rpm. It means to you get caught up to faster lanes instantly. It's really a joy in traffic.
The only thing that bothers me about the car are the wheels that I got with the car (16-inch S-winders) but that is soon being replaced thanks to Tire Rack. :D
You should really go for it. It really is a brilliant car. It is well thought out and does everything that you need it to. One recommendation: go for the panoramic sunroof. I use it everyday and makes the car feel a thousand times more roomy inside.