I don't think you should get so hung up on the breed of rabbit you want. When I first decided I wanted a rabbit, I saw mini lops and thought for sure that was what I had to have. A tiny little rabbit with little ears that hang down. I thought it was BY FAR the cutest rabbits ever.
But the thing is, all rabbits are cute, and personality can vary widely between individuals, within a breed too. I couldn't take waiting anymore and I adopted a rabbit from a local shelter who was plain black, had upright ears... and weighed a hefty 10 pounds. Honestly, I kind of thought he was boring, but he was the cutest one at the shelter. He turned out to have rex fur and from then on, petting any other rabbit was a disappointment. I can't imagine owning anything else. And I really, really prefer the extra sturdyness that a bigger rabbit offers.
long story short, the truth is, you think you know what you want, but you probably don't, and even if you turn out to be correct, just because the people who want to sell you a rabbit told you he's a sweet rabbit doesn't mean it's true. By the time you've driven 2 and a half hours away, it will be really hard to go home empty handed... you might find yourself ignoring little things you wouldn't normally, you know?
IMHO, ideally, all first-time rabbit owners would adopt from a shelter. If the first rabbit they pick up doesn't turn out to be ~~THE ONE~~ you can probably exchange. Plus you'll have the support of the shelter behind you in case the people at the rabbitry rub you the wrong way or something. It's not that rabbitries are bad, I think they're great. But I think that you'd be happier if you adopted first. And, it'd probably be cheaper than altering it yourself.
If adopting isn't an option, then IMHO definitely find a place closer. You'd be really glad if you, say, found a friendly rabbitry that is close enough to recommend a near-by vet to you, or show you how to clip his nails if the vet isn't around when you need it done or something. Sorry that turned into such a novel. Just trying to give you some points you might not have considered (=