2nd on testing the compression. My 16v had many of the issues you describe (difficulty starting, erratic idling, occasional stalling, etc.) yet seat of the pants the car seemed ok.

A bad head gasket necessitated head removal this year, and all exhaust valves were bad (not cracked like MTI's, but replaced). With a full head rebuild the car now runs perfectly - smooth idle, starts every time - and the car is clearly much more powerful.

Hopefully this is not your issue - but don't ignore the fact that it well could be.