Cant win eh... Just got back from vegas, and the mrs' car wont start. Worst of all, she just taken out the RS !! shock horror, it'll probabally break in transit

Anyways, we've been away for a week, and her car (2.0 16v Mk3 Golf GTI) won't start. It turns to start, but it sounds different to usual, almost as though there is no compression if that makes sense... its difficult to explain, but rather than going "chung,chung,chung" when you turn its more like a single long chung.....

Sorry for the lamo diagnosis, but im totally jet lagged and i think my brain is still on good old vegas

No visible signs of problems under the bonnet aside from the oil being low.. but surely this wouldnt cause the car not to start ?!

I know the car has had a small oil leak for a while now, so the oil being low doesnt surprise me.

Please please please give me some ideas, I really dont have the dollar to get it to a garage if I can help it.

Cheers,

Swanny