Tell me about it. The speedometer cable came loose, so I never knew how fast I was going. The driver's door latch rusted through so I had to keep it closed with the seatbelt. The driver's seat back broke and was permanently reclined. Then, like your car, the tail lights shorted out and I couldn't locate the problem. When I got stopped for it, I didn't have my license on me, so I got to spend the night in Detroit's 13th precint lockup - my only night in jail (that I can remember).
Ouch!
I did love my Golf, it handled nice and was rather responsive.
It just had issues.. everyone asked me how I could drive it without going insane due to the warning buzzer.
So I'd turn on the stereo to illustrate how.
It finaslly died due to the transmission going, twice.
I'd driven it for thirty thousand miles with a hole the size of a quarter in the differential.
When it finally died, the transmission was replaced, but wasn't done properly.
So it leaked all it's fluid whenever it was running.
So it could be driven three miles, and the transmission would need to be refilled.
After the second transmission fiasco, that car never moved again.
I do miss that car.
But I don't miss the tail lights blwoing out whenever something bumped the tail light assemblies.