So, I went over to the MINI dealer in Mountain View this afternoon to test drive a MINI Cooper. I was a bit nervous. This is the first time I've ever shopped for a car. My last car belonged to my mother for 4 years before it belonged to me - I'd driven it a gazillion times and knew its every quirk and foible before it came into my possession. A 20 minute test drive coupled with a little internet research doesn't really seem like a solid basis for picking a car compared with that.

I also was a bit nervous about running into a high pressure or otherwise obnoxious car sales-person, and wasn't particularly looking forward to that.

Plus, I really don't like driving unfamiliar cars on unfamiliar streets.

So, I was a wee bit nervous when I got to the dealer.

First bit of good news: no obnoxious high-pressure salescritters. Everybody was very friendly and helpful, if a trifle...enthusiastic. For example, the woman at the front desk called the salesman who was going to accompany me on my test drive to let him know that I was there, and then turned to me, beamed, and said, "So, ya gonna buy one?" I was like, "Um, I haven't driven one yet. How do I know?"

So, then my salescritter arrived, and I told him I wanted to drive a Cooper with a stick shift, and we got in a cute little silver number. (I know, it's a MINI, "cute" and "little" are totally redundant in that sentence.) And we did a little loop around, up El Camino Real, and over on 237, and back around. It's a great location for a test drive - I got to put the car through its paces on both city and highway streets in a relatively short space of time.

Overall, the car has a sports car like feel: low slung with a relatively stiff suspension, which I like. Most immediately noticeable was the steering, which was just incredibly responsive and precise feeling. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that the MINI's wheels are positioned pretty much at the extreme outside corners of the car. In the parking lot at the end of the test drive, I misunderstood at first where the salesman wanted me to turn right, and ended up whipping into a pretty sharp right turn, and the ride was smooth and stable all the way.

The engine felt decently powered, though I didn't really get to test it under the conditions where engine power really matters. (On a crowded freeway merge where it becomes suddenly apparent that you're going to be roadkill if you don't double your speed ASAP. I credit my Acura with saving my butt at least once in such a situation.)

My major complaint was that the pedals seemed a bit small and crowded together, but I expect I could get used to that. (One of the tricky things about driving a manual transmission is that every car has a slightly different spatial arrangement of pedals, and my left foot quickly becomes hardwired to find the clutch pedal on my own car. Which means that the first time I drive someone else's manual, I invariably have a moment where I go for the clutch and miss. When I drive an automatic, I just pump my left foot up and down and look foolish.)

And I got the biggest kick out of the extra-huge spedometer, set in the center of the dashboard, and the nice big tachometer that goes where the spedometer would go in a normal car. Was also impressed by a couple of other nice design choices - like how easy it is to flip the rear passenger seats down when you want to use that space for cargo.

I was sorry when the test drive was over. I wanted to drive that car some more.

So, here's the catch...you knew there was going to be a catch, didn't you? The only MINI Cooper with a manual transmission that they have on the lot is the one that I test drove. And even if I wanted that one (which I don't - it's tricked out with about $2500 of options that I don't want), they can't sell it to me, because it's their test drive model. So, if I want a MINI, I'm going to have to order it. And if I order one right now, they'll probably have it for me by the end of April.

April. Waah. Waiting until April imposes a huge cost in either dollars (renting a car for three months? Gah!) or inconvenience (not having reliable access to a car for three months? Gah!) that I think basically puts a car that was at the top of my price range out of my price range. I can try calling the other MINI dealers in the area (there's one in San Francisco), and seeing if they might be getting in something that fits what I want, but I'm not very optimistic. (The basic MINI strategy seems to be to keep very minimal inventory on the lot, and assume that most customers will order their cars. Which is fine, except that they also seem to have a bit of a backlog.)

Ah, well. This is a relief, in a way. Part of me sort of feels dopey about falling in love with the MINI, because it's a love that has to do more with cuteness and attitude and taking really tight corners without breaking a sweat than with getting my butt to work and the grocery store without breaking down too often, which is all a car really needs to do. So, I'll buy a VW or a Honda or something, and it will be fine.

Still, it was a nice automotive fantasy while it lasted.