Death of an Audi 200 TQW?

[Calliope <calliope3@starpower.net>]

I fear the worst. My wife left my 90 TQW IA Stage I without the parking
brake on,
and it went downhill about half a block before hitting a tree.
Thankfully, no one was hurt.

There are scrapes in the pearlescent white paint in each of the four
panels on the left hand side. The tree- a big oak- put about a one foot
deep dent right in the middle of the back: destroyed the bumper cover,
the bumper, the supports and the fiber/plastic spare tire carrier that
forms the bottom of the trunk area.  The rear lid is totally toast, bent
almost beyond recognition. I don't think there is any structural damage
to the body itself, but I'll look again in the morning when there is
more light.

I could take it down to the "do it right" body shop Monday, they will
only use original Audi parts and they do some of the best work in the DC
area. I'll bet we are talking $4k, and that is close enough that the
insurance co will be inclined to total it - I've heard that if the work
is around 30% of the retail value, thats what they are likely to do.

A quick search of the web and it seems like the retail value is -on a
good day- $10K.

Maybe it is also feasible, to do the junkyard thing, and get the
required parts for the rear area and put it together, then find someone
else to shoot the paint- that won't deal with the scrapes on the side,
however...and I don't have the time for another major project, either.

Opinions, suggestions, commiserations, gratefully accepted.

Tom F.
90 200 TQW