Bumping this, just because it’s been a little over a year, and it hasn’t died on me yet. I have had to make minor repairs, but nothing too bad or expensive. Needed to replace an o2 sensor, repair a fuel leak, and replace sway bar links. I did have some issues with it running weird and having a very jumpy idle. Without a cel, and not being able to use vag-com, it was a guessing game, but tinkering with cleaning the MAF and IAC, and doing the previously mentioned repairs, I think I have it fixed. It does leak oil (shocking, I know) and I had already replaced the valve cover gasket, but I think I’m going to have to do it again. There’s some silly electrical issue going on with my dome light, but that’s nothing. Other than that, I’m still super happy about buying this thing. I fucking love it. The only things I think I want to focus on now is either getting a different set of wheels (which I probably won’t because I think the long beaches actually look really good on it) and getting an actual exhaust. Right now is has some poorly fabbed “custom” exhaust on it. Maybe a different clutch, because daily driving a 6 puck clutch is fucking annoying.
This car hasn’t failed me yet. I drove it to ocean city, MD in September. No issues. I went to Erie last month for the Great Lakes GTG. No issues. I think I made out well for the price I paid. 
