totaled S4??

[pjrose@servtech.com (Phil & Judy Rose)]

I recently responded to an EPages ad for a '93 S4 (39K miles) that is
offered FS at $28K obo; I asked for more info.

The description of the car is puzzling. The seller claims the vehicle had
been in a "light front-end collision", but when it was reported that the
transmission wouldn't shift and needed to be replaced, the insurance
company declared it a total loss. The seller states he found the car at a
salvage yard and determined that the  transmission problem was caused by a
"bent shift linkage". So he bought it and it has been completely restored
it to "original condition". Claims to be an Audi master mechanic of 15 yrs
experience.

Anyway here's what doesn't seem to add up: How--on a '93 S4--can cost of
"light front end damage" be combined with the cost of a tranny (about $6K
I'm told) and equal a total loss?  I'd assume that the value of the vehicle
at the time of accident would have been about $30K, so wouldn't this "light
front-end damage"  need to be well in excess of $10K??? Anyway, it doesn't
sound like very "light" damage to me. Price doesn't sound very appealing
either.

Phil Rose
'89 100
still looking/waiting/hoping for that perfect '91 200q