I am on my second Skymaster. The rear engine does run a bit warmer on the ground than the front engine, but, when flying, I have found it no different than the front engine.
From my experience, and I heard the same things you have, I have not found the rear engine to have any shorter life than the
the front engine. I am now 400 hours over TBO on both engines with my P337G. When I had my 337F, It likewise went several hundred hours over TBO. It depends how you treat and operate the engines that will determine the life of it.
I bet the people that told you that the rear engine does not make TBO have never owned or even been in a Skymaster.
Jerry
