I say Neon. Better build, faster, safer and more refinement than older VWs (although I'm sure some would disagree). Eventhough older VWs tend to run forever they don't do it with a great amount of comfort, speed or without add'l work. My best friend is a VW guru (he has a Scirroco and 3 Rabbits) and agrees that the Neon is the best combo of value and performance.
The Neon aftermarket is getting alot better. Just a few mods (intake, pulley, computer) will put you in the 14's NA and the car really performs at the auto-x. The only things to look out for are headgaskets on pre-99 models. This is a minor/major thing depending on how you look at it (I fixed mine myself). Other than that they are really reliable and parts are super cheap. C