buy the beemer. i would.
....oooo who am i kidding! buy a golf! get either a 16v or 8v, whichever one has the best bodywork(i.e. lack of rust)
both have their bonuses, 16v great for motorways and fast overall speed, 8v good for town and beating all those scooters off the line. both reletivly cheap to fix, and spares are readily available, although 8v spares seem to be more frequently available. but having said that, you see alot mroe 16v engines up for sale as a complete lump... so good arguments for both sides really.
like i say, make sure its a solid example.
i own an 8v golf mk2. but i also own a 20v mk2 golf. and have driven 16v's. buy a fiat.