Even taking 10% inflation into account, that is a ludicrous price, especially given it's not even close to the spanner wrestling match as the transverse 4 pots.
Welcome to Audi ownership I guess.
It's just German cars in general isn't it. A mate of mine had the engine blow in his M135i recently. Bought it from new, 40k miles old, completely stock. BMW basically said screw you, £20K for a new engine, thanks. And oh, that'll be a £1500 fee (not disclosed at the time) for taking your busted engine out and inspecting it on top.
And the best bit is the engine let go due to a known design flaw with all the petrol & diesel straight sixes (sh*t main/big end bearings and sh*t oil control to them) but they were still like, yeah, bugger off mate. Not even the faintest hint of a goodwill gesture.
Anyway, slightly OT but, baaaaaah, screw German cars. I'm buying a Dacia Duster