There is one more pro I'd like to add to the N. A. I4 swap. Once you do the conversion, if you would still like to get a little more power, "go-fast-goodies" for these engines are VERY plentiful :) The newest one that comes to mind (at least for the '93 and newer 2.0L's) is a bolt-on supercharger made by Eaton and Neuspeed. Don't get me wrong, I know the SC will be pricey, but You will get AT LEAST VR6 performance without the fittment problems.

When my engine goes, I'm going for the VWoA 2.0L ('93 and newer Golf/Jetta), then if I still feel the need for more power, I'll go for some of the readily available mods (maybe even the aforementioned SC). As far as mechanical inclination goes, I try to do as much work on my own as possible, but I know that there are a lot of things that are better left to professionals. I know that my regular mechanic would be much more inclined to simply ignore the box the engine is wrapped in and treat it like a Golf/Jetta, as opposed to working on a Subie (he specializes in german autos).

Sean B. '90 V'gon, "Happy Bus", soon to be pseudo Wolfy Torrance, CA http://vgonman.vwtrek.com