John H. Rodgers wrote (in part)...
...we here seem to have been stuck with a vehicle with an extrodinarily
bad engine ......the Wasserboxer...

"Extraordinarily bad engine"?  I, for one, am very much down with the
motor in my '86 Syncro.  Just rebuilt it about a year ago, and if I need
to drop a couple thousand dollars every 10 years on an engine that
powers the best vehicle I've ever owned, then so what?  The thing starts
right up, pulls strong, sounds good, idles fine, cruises on the highway
smooth and quiet, puts out lots of heat front and rear, goes anywhere in
any kind of weather on any kind of road, holds lots of people and skis
and boards and bikes and gear, etc, etc.  Sure, I'm best friends with my
mechanic and he can probably buy lots of beer on what I pay him each
year, but the reality is the amount of cash I spend annually on my
Syncro doesn't come close to how much I could be spending on a new
vehicle.  My insurance is cheap and chicks dig it, as well.  Stop me.
Anyway, I got in trouble a few weeks ago when someone started harshing
the wasserboxer, but if I wanted a Chevy-powered vehicle, I'd buy a
Safari AWD (no, thanks).  If I wanted a Suburu-powered vehicle, I'd buy
another Legacy wagon.  One of the best cars I've ever owned, but it
ain't no Vanagon.  Later!