RR - thanks for the reply.
It's quite possible i'll be going down the second hand route as the car won't do a huge mileage and buying new could be a waste. I once owned a parallel imported MX-5 from new, registered in March 2003, but the warranty began in June 2002 from the Belgian PDI and it was probably built around April 2002 from markings inside. I must admit that I treated the service schedule from the reg date and so the original oil sat in the car for two years from new until the first service in spring 2004. Similarly, brake fluid was changed after three years, not two. In hindsight, I should have had them done earlier, but the same issue could arise on potential imported Golf buy and I'm not sure how much harm, if any, it does.
I don't want to rule out imports because I'm quite fussy on spec. I would like a 5 door DSG with pretty much all the option boxes ticked, though not bothered about satnav. From scouring Autotrader/eBay/Pistonheads/forum ads, those identified (or identifiable) as imports seem to have a generous spec, though many seem to annoyingly omit the Highline display. The value lost on options when secondhand makes used look better value, but harder to find exactly the right car.
I'm tempted at least to have a look at the one not far from me from the 'is this car dodgy' thread from a few days ago. It very much looks like it was built over two years ago though is still not registered. Despite the fact it has barely moved in that time, the VW warranty is likely to have expired. With the concern in the first post, I feel it needs a first service already.
