Since Golf TDI's are not permitted to be sold new in CA where I live, what options does one have to obtain one? My VW dealer says I can buy a used
Yep...pretty much any TDI can be brought in when it hits 7500 miles because that's when California considers it "used" enough.
The other thing that maybe you can do is buy one and register it in another state with a friend who lives there, etc. and just drive it to CA and as long as you don't call attention to yourself (don't break any traffic laws and get pulled over) you'll probably be OK. Then when it hits 7500 miles, register it in CA. The only hitch potentially is insurance. If you have an accident in CA and the car is registered as if you lived in, say, Las Vegas, your insurance company might put up a fight on a claim, esp. if it's stolen or whatever because they'd want to know why you "live" (hahah) in Vegas but the car was stolen from somewhere in CA.
You are likely to be able to buy one new in CA soon. The cars are available outside the US and after clean diesel fuel is available in the US then I expect these clean fuel low emissions TDI should be available in the US and CA.
Of course if the US administration and oil companies delay it longer, then we will all have to wait longer.
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