For a VR6 - find out when the timing chains were last replaced - in fact - try to find a vehicle from a private owner with a full (or nearly full) service history - it's worth it's weight in gold (shows that the person took care of their vehicle and kept the records).
Then there's rust - look EVERYWHERE - poke, prod, lift carpets (in the hatch), look in the spare tire well.
Take a refrigerator magnet (plastic) with you - try sticking it on quarter panels and fenders - if it doesn't stick there's bondo under that paint - just walk away (especially if the current owner denies rust or accident repair).
If you're really interested, set up an appointment at a dealership or an indie VW shop - pay 'em the 50 bucks to evaluate the car, have them hook it up and read the codes stored in the ECU, make sure the CEL bulb hasn't been pulled to hide a problem. If the current owner objects - walk away.
Get a carfax report - you'd be amazed at what you can learn from 'em.
I'd give a critical eye towards modifications - sometimes they can indicate hard use / abuse - not always - but hey - if someone set the car up with short springs and a bunch of performance mods chances are they drove the car hard -
with the engine running, take a misting bottle (like a windex bottle) with water in it - spray it at the coil pack - there shouldn't be any stumbling or hesitation.
Look at the condition of the engine compartment - plug wires should be nice and supple, there shouldn't be obvious oil or coolant leaks. No emissions stuff should be disconnected or removed -
If you're planning on a long term relationship with the car you probably want to find one as close to stock as possible, low mileage - be ready to invest in normal wear parts (suspension components like ball joints, tie-rod ends, struts, strut bearings, brakes) but you shouldn't be stuck installing a new gearbox or replacing timing chains and stuff from the getgo.
If you look at every car like a potential crime scene (just searching for a something wrong, a reason to not buy it) you'll eventually find the right car.
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