msf

Hello all, I'm new to the message board, but hoping that someone can help us out with a vexing problem. We've got a 1999 Subaru Forester with about 80,000 miles on it. Recently, it has developed a tendency to slip out of fifth gear into neutral when driving on the highway. It doesn't do it all the time, but it frequently happens when I ease off the gas a bit (for example, as I approach another vehicle and have to pause before changing lanes). I'm guessing this is a worn synch roll problem, but when we took it to a mechanic this weekend, he said he'd have to replace the transmission (to the tune of $2500). Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, can you recommend a solution? We don't have $2500, so we're desperate to find a more economical answer. Thanks, MSF