So I'm thinking I might need to do some 'splaining about this recent turn of events and even introduce myself to new peeps.
I bought Speed Buggy in late 1998 when there was still a 6 month waiting list for New Beetles. I won't bore everyone with specifics, but a guy bought Speed new, but didn't like the manual tranny (in those days due to high demand you had to take whatever was delivered to the dealership) so the dealership sold it for him with 3800 miles on the ODO. Speed was the first car I ever bought.
I was very lucky and got one of the really good 98 Beetles. With the exception of a few VERY minor issues, he never needed unscheduled repairs.
Even though my join-date on NB.org says 2005, I've been here for much, much longer.
Speed was my daily driver from December 1998 to sometime in 2004 (or so; might have been 2003) when my partner got a company car. I then drove his MKIII Jetta and Speed spent the winters in the garage under a car cover. Speed was driven only on nice days and around town and to shows in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. In September of 2005 we sold the Jetta and bought a MKV Jetta GLI. I loved the car and Speed seemed a little jealous; he all of a sudden needed repairs, the most expensive being a new clutch. Since we had just purchased a new car, I couldn't spend the money on Speed's repairs. Life comes at you fast and there's bills at home, a new job, and a new house. Speed really was being neglected.
Just last month, after 16 years at his job, my partner had had enough. A large paycheck and a company car couldn't make up for the fact that he worked 60+ hours a week, had to be available almost 24/7 for emergency issues, and most of all, had to kiss the rear of his flamingly incompetent boss who HAD to be addicted to drugs. We talked it over many many nights and he submitted his resignation. Bye bye company car! So now he'll be driving our GLI and the fire was finally lit under my rear to get Speed Buggy back on the road.
He still has some minor issues (the clutch issue being the weirdest) but my little buddy is back on the road. I missed him greatly.