I agree with what you say for the most part but will add this. I've never had a 7m motor that ate oil. If anything, I've been suprised at how little oil I've always had to add.
Also, of course a stock 7m is not reliable! Many of them are OVER 20YRS OLD! You deserve to have your motor give if you're trying to run a 20yr old turbo motor like it has 500mi on it that along with the undertorqued heads and you get a lot of problems.
And this powerband the other 'retard' (idiot, glad your gf has more tact than you) is talking about it, makes no sense. So many things affect powerband for one thing. For the other, please explain to me why the powerband is so bad in the 7m? Are we even talking stock for stock or what here?
Fubar, I told you were in trouble before you ever got your car back form that shop. Again, not the motor's fault, but those who built it.
Again, learn to build and maintain it properly and it's a great motor. Simple as that. It's been done far too many times to deny it.