2008 Subaru Forester Head Gaskets...HELP!

Too bad some idiot changed your WP and T-belt without replacing the HGs at the same time. But a GOOD mechanic will charge you only $1500-1700 to replace both HGs...inc a new t-belt anyway. Just make sure the heads are sent out to a reputable machine shop for testing before reinstalling...and use a wrench who's done many of these identical repairs. S/he will get the job done correctly in about 8-10 hrs labor, a couple of hundred in parts (inc the triple-layer HGs) and $150 for the machine shop. At the same time just drain and refill the transmission with 3.75 qts ATF. Repeat in a week if the drained fluid is really black. Backing up a bit: how badly are the HGs leaking? Just coolant on the driver's side, or also oil on the passenger side (stinking up once dripping onto the hot cat conv)? If BOTH, then you should bite the bullet. If just a minor coolant leak you may be able to nurse along for weeks/months/year or two if you just get really disciplined and diligent about keeping your radiator full (and the outer expansion tank 3.4 full). But if you overheat even once those HGs will really start leaking badly, forcing the $1.5k repair. And leave the water pump alone...they NEVER fail.

Thank you for the thoughtful response. Yeah, the mechanic who changed the tbelt & wp was going to change another 3k for the HGs and recommended we just skip it so we did. The HGs are leaking a small amount of oil, I'm diligent about checking and topping off fluids and keeping an eye on the temp and RPM and everything has been all fine so far, slight burning oil smell when I drive 30+ min. I'm in San Diego and just got another quote for HGs at $3300...so these prices are getting insane. At this rate, I'm feeling like pushing the car as far as it'll go, checking fluids regularly, and if/when the day comes I may repair or at least have had some months to save up and put a down payment on a new car...or is that totally a stupid and/or dangerous idea? Thank you for your help!

No: you can limp along ad infinitum. Use thicker oil (10w40 or even 15w50 in summer) to quench bleed a bit. Wind at high speed blows the leak's effluent onto the hot cat, smelling up especially on highway offramps and subsequent idling. The quotes you are getting are HALF the going indie rate here in the Northeast!

Use the heavier oil, save up your money and shop around for a good, honest independent Subaru shop. I would go ahead and change the transmission fluid and filter while you keep driving it.