Inspiring story! Glad you are again enjoying your old Golf, and that it has been well cared for.
my own similar story (first half, anyway...) not meaning to hijack your post, apology in advance...
I decided in 2002 that a TDI was right for me. What I "wanted" was a 5-speed wagon. But even in 2002, their popularity and relatively low availability... made them very hard to find. I ended up buying a (new) 2002 Jetta TDI sedan in March 2002, which I still own. During my search which eventually led me to that (this) car, I think I found one actual 2002 jetta wagon 5-speed. It was red with a camel colored interior (Jim Ellis VW in Atlanta)... I wasn't keen on the color, and at any rate by the time I had walked from the (rather large) parking garage where they kept their inventory, and sought someone to look at it... the car had been sold.
Wife and I liked jetta sedan very much, and enjoyed it for about a year. In early 2003, we were out for breakfast one morning and stopped at Royal VW in Birmingham, AL, just kicking tires. Inquired about what TDIs they had on the lot- at the time, only one beetle. But the salesman went and got his list of what vehicles they had on order. (note at that time, I really wasn't looking to buy a TDI because I already had one, and I hadn't mentioned what I might be looking for). Well, they had on order (hadn't even been manufactured yet), two 2003 TDI GLS 5-speed wagons, silver with leather interior. Exactly what I would have wanted... On a whim, I bought one of them. That car was thoroughly enjoyed until late 2005, when I traded it in on a Dodge pickup truck. The TDI wagon had somewhere around 35K miles when I traded it. It was bone stock, and had a hand-held cobra CB radio installed by myself, with "through the window" antenna in the driver's rear quarter window.
Anyway, I have long wondered whatever became of that car. I still have the original window sticker and valet key. (thus, I have the VIN #). I have thought more than once of tracking the car down to learn its fate. Your post might just give me incentive to do that.
Sorry for the long tangent.... hope you (continue to) enjoy your Golf!!
