Did you see the photos? It was quite shabby particularly inside, low mileage and a rare colour but needed work to bring it up to scratch. I've been around here long enough and you undoubtably have too to know the general consensus is bodywork over mechanics as the latter is often easier and cheaper to fix/DIY.
I was mainly thinking about that raven for £6k last year, and a black one with a custom leather interior that I almost bought for a little under £5k from an independant on eBay in January, a couple photos here but he sent me a video and it was in great shape with a recent cambelt change. There was also an absolutely mint black one with probably a grand and a half worth of spare parts that was up for £10,000 or there abouts on Autotrader last year but vanished, it then came back at a reduced price of £8k this year and dissapeared pretty sharpish.
No doubt the market is only going one way with the GTI and How Many Left estimates only 514 are still on the road, gone are the days of having a bit of choice at £3.5k for a six speed with mileage in the 80s/90s. I keep an eye out as if a minter comes along at the right price with the right spec I'd swap my current GTI for it, particularly as it no longer has to function as my daily so could be kept mint.