[V12|V12]

They are more difficult to set up, the front covers leak easily, and the materials they are made of break easily.

1) I can't speak for RIO's, but I've had my Via 1300 for well over a
year now and I've NEVER; had a leak, Breakage or any other material hardware issue.

2) No offense, but you'd (not You) have to be a damn fool not to be able to apply some grease on 2 nylon nipples, then attach tubing and then clamp... It's pretty much fool proof? What is so difficult about using Via, Rio... Danner, Eheim etc... They all work with the SAME setup 1) inspect, 2) Clean, 3) Attach, 4) Inspect again, 5) RUN. Seems like theres a little bias going on about VIA's...

They are also hotter than other pumps and LOUD.

1) The heat issue, yes I'll agree with that steadily, but as you and other "guru's" have pointed out, that it's negilable heat at that.

2)Loudness, eh, compared to the other "good" pumps, yes, but compared to the usual HD spinning, fans, fans, and how's about another --FAN, you can't hear them... regarding the Via 1300; that noise is an anti-clog scheme, which I hope anyone who would even consider water cooling, could do a simple glue-mod and it's just as, if not more quiet than the "mighty" eheim everyone coo's over.

Finally... COST! Least for me and the other DYI'ers, watercooling is supposed to not only be effective, but almost even more important, CHEAP! My Via was a "loafty $22" over a year back, you nor anyone else will find a pump that is MORE powerful, quiet (see "glue-mod") for the MONEY. And again that reliability issue, I think you're just going along with the crowd. I've had mine for a while, running 24/7 and have taken my system apart tons of times and never once had a "problem" with MY Via 1300... Again no offense intended, with all the "you's" in there.