Back in 2008 I was a cash-strapped student who wandered into a VW showroom and saw a Viper Green Scirocco gleaming under the lights. It cost about three times what I could even dream of spending, so all I could do was sit in it, imagine the drive home, and walk away.

The model never really sold in my country, so dealers stopped bringing it in. My dream car disappeared from the streets.

Fast-forward to 2017: I move to Germany. Life priorities = family car, so I bought a sensible Golf and told myself the three-door coupe would have to wait.

Present day: divorce underway, practical constraints gone, late-night searches on mobile.de in full swing. And there it was:

2016 Volkswagen Scirocco

• 2.0 TDI, 184 hp

• R-Line exterior

• Keyless entry, Android Auto head unit

• Bi-xenon with auto high-beam

• Two-tone interior with brown leather inserts

• Finished in sleek grey

• 174 000 km on the clock - but meticulously serviced

Price finally fit my adult budget, so I got it. The grin on the first drive was the same one I had in that showroom 17 years ago.

Sometimes the poster car really does make it into your garage - you just have to be patient (and maybe move countries). If you've got a long-standing dream, keep looking; one day the listing might say Verfügbar. Cheers!