There's 4 main reasons why a vehicle may have been classified as a repiarable w-off:

1/Extensive structual member and panel damage

This type of damage is not supposed to be classified as a "repiarable w-off", but sometimes can slip through the system with monies(grafts)changing hands between insurance company accessors/staff and panel shops, doesn't happen that often these day's.

In day's of old,if ie:a main rail was bent, you'd heat it up and bend it back to shape, It was dicovered(everybody new anyhow) that this weakend the rail, so it's a "no no" these day's.
Depending on the repiar, it could be "ok",or depending on where it was repiared you could end up with, bad wheel alignment that cant be fixed and is always scrubbing tyres, doors that wont close or water leaks.

Check the doors align and look for uneven tyre wear ect.

2/extensive panel damage: No actual extensive structual damage to the main members(rails, chassis). Simply means all the panels, light's and indicators may have been smashed.

Depending on the repiar's, these can be hard to pick, a sloppy job will have over spray here and there. Running a magnet(with thin paper between paint surface and magnet) along the paint surface will detect where filler(bog)is.

3/ hail damage: After big hail storms it's easier for insurance company's to classify the damaged vehicles as"repairable w/offs becuase if the insurance company's had to fix them, they would have to replace the panels (guards,bonnet,boot) and the turret(roof), but if they throw them in the auctions, any numnuts thats thinks his a panel better will pay good money for the wreck because his gunna just bog everything up and flog it off before the filler starts to fall out.

If you suspect this type of repiar, same as 2/ run a magnet.

4/ Flood damage: Same as 3/ really, easier for insurance company's to off load and the same numnuts just have to dry it out and even go to extremes like placeing the computer modules(later models) in domestic oven's to try and dry them out.

If you suspect this type of repair, check underneath to see if the drain plug's in the floor pan look undisturbed and stick your head under the dash and look at wiring ect and smell for musty odor's.


.............

Given it's a 97 model vehicle, it doesn't take much to write them off, if the previous owner of the vehicle b$tched enough about how their car was going to end up after the repiars, with the prices the insurance company's are pulling at the auctions, they'd rather write it off and have any problems end there.


Hope it all works out well for you