SOT: Subaru engines known for being problematic?, Sure seems to go against what I thunk... Options

[horizontally-opposed]

Can you Subie experts weigh in on this? Got a letter from someone blasting Subaru engines as "unreliable" and "problematic" and poorly designed.

He also blasts Subaru and Fuji for ignoring the problems, then tells me to Google "Subaru Problems," which leads me to:

http://subaruproblems.com/

Thoughts? Alarmist? Accurate? Possible, but not likely?

I know a few of us have spent the kind of time on the Subaru boards to know more than I do. I've always heard Subies are quite reliable and my 2003 WRX seemed to be bulletproof, but then I sold it at 30,000 miles and thus lost to the chance to prove it...

Thanks!

pete

[TonyAKAVW]

I had heard that the DOHC (pre 2000 I think) were prone to head gasket leaks. Moreso than the later SOHC version (like what I have). So yes I think there is a known problem with those motors. how widespread I don't know. I bought my engine with 41,000 miles on it and have probably put another 3,000 miles on it since then with no coolant leak problems at all (knock on wood).

As far as Subaru engines in general, I have never heard that they are unreliable. Subaru engines probalby get blown in general more than other makes simply because of the type of people who buy WRXs. The same goes with crashes. There's a reason that the Mitsubishi Evo and the WRX are among the most expensive cars to insure.

-Tony