I bought MrsF a MK2 1.6 about 7 years ago, I chose the 1.6 because it has just the 5 gears and she never gets out of 3rd anyway.......we loved it, it was hers but I drove it just as much, there cannot be anyway you can have so much motoring fun for so little money. Tbh I often preferred it to my motorbike.
Mk1's are going up in value, rapidly for standard unmolested ones, the MK2 's will follow.........I crashed it so intended to get a MK3 but they are too lardy for us, bigger, comfier, far better interior but the charm is just not there. We are now looking for another, age doesn't really matter, rust does, also the roof, budget £500 for new one if it is splitting along the seams. Lowish miles, 1-3 owners FSH and you can't go wrong IMO.