I almost had a mk2 golf gti from freecycle, 1 owner 16000 miles kept in a garage most its life and had to go due to the guy moving away within the week but i was too late :(
My k10 went through alot of oil with no visable signs too, and it had a new head skimmed and all new gaskets, so what ed is saying could very well be true ( usualy he is always right :) )