[MiniDH]

I think this whole conversation is moot until you've actually driven a MINI. And I think once you do that, your path will become clearer.

 

[MiniDH]

Well, I've got the test drive scheduled for this coming Friday in Greenville, SC! Unfortunately there are no automatic transmissions there for me to drive, but the guy said I could drive the manual or have him drive me around if I didn't feel comfortable driving the stick. I believe I'll give it a try and see how it feels for myself. Thank you all for your advice, some great points have been made!

Another question...if I were to decide to order a MINI Cooper here in the US, is there a set amount you must put down that is standard among the dealerships, or does each individual dealer decide how much it will cost you to reserve?

I think that's up to the individual dealers. I put down $1000 on mine, but when I talked with other dealers before placing my order I think I heard numbers from $500 to $1500.