[Woodz428]

I haven't read the 3rd page of this( probably not all of the second) but our MKIII is 1726, it was delivered in 2002/3. So with that VIN, it is likely close 10 years old. If something failed,although there has been no certainty, it could be that it wasn't maintained/inspected as regularly/well as it should have been.
It is said, often, that these cars are really refined 60s cars and still need that type of attention, they are not Lexii. That is sometimes forgotten.