I just checked a currency exchange rate calculator and $30,000 NZ dollar translates to roughly $24,000 US dollars. Which sounds about right for a Mini Cooper S Class. $16,000 doesn't sound anywhere near right. And I have a hard time believing that there would be a nearly 8,000 difference in car price from one country to another.

Anyway, the reason people buy a mini is because it's so damn cute. The older minis are not "so damn cute" but merely, "kinda cute".