I'm with others who have said these cars are reliable, just keep up on maintenance and don't beat on it until it's up to temp -- not just coolant, but also (and probably more importantly), oil.
With that said, if you're mechanically inclined in the slightest, it's worth it to do your own labor. I learned most of what I know mechanically-speaking from working on a mk4 Golf with the NA 2.0, and I never had any major issues the whole way to 226k miles when I sold the car. If you know how to perform basic maintenance (oil changes, engine and cabin air filter replacement, spark plugs/coilpacks, brakes) you'll be just fine. And if you're not sure, there's a massive community with plenty of DIY information available.
