Clutch issue that doesn't match the others.
 

I have a 2007 non-s Mini. I have 68,000 miles on the car and understand that it may be time for a clutch replacement. I have driven standard tranny's since I first started driving and usually get a lot of miles on the clutch before replacing. Yesterday I was driving on the freeway, not going crazy, just with the flow of traffic. When I exited the freeway and began my normal downshift routine, the car would not go back in to 4th smoothly. The next time I pressed the clutch the car did not disengage and the clutch seemed to have a LOT of back pressure. I pulled in to a parking lot and called auto club but they were of no help as I was beyond my 7 mile tow. I found that I could get the car started in 3rd gear and was able to nurse the car home running a variety of red lights I might add. The car runs fine once it gets going, with no slipping or burning smell from the clutch. Sometimes the pedal has the back pressure and sometimes it does not. There is no leakage and no apparent physical damage that I can see...Oh, and with the car off I can go through all of the gears...Any suggestions or thoughts?

throwout bearing going south? after all, they are plastic.

That's my guess as well as there are no other signs...Ya think that'll be as expensive as the whole thing? Easy, Hard?