Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt. Plato's Shadow.
Convertible models cost about $5,000 more than their corresponding two-door models. The base Cooper convertible starts at $25,950, the Cooper S at $29,600, and the John Cooper Works at $35,600. A John Cooper Works Mini with loads of options and features can command a price of over $45,000.
But it's easy to find nice cars that cost much less. Sporty cars such as the base Mini Cooper can cost as little as $5,800 a year to own. Even a quick, refined, and roomy small SUV such as the V6-powered Toyota RAV4 costs as little as $7,800 a year to own.