Nothing wrrng so far, but the metallic tapping sound after cold startup sounds kind of ominous- better have it checked out.
This is the '03 special edition wagon with the 15" wheels, dual sunroofs. Seating position is a bit low, with no height adjustment. I'm only 5'8", but haven't had this problem in other cars. Power is fairly underwhelming as well. On the other hand, incredibly quiet and rides very smoothly on the highway. All-wheel-drive is terrific, and lets this car go in stuff that will slow down big SUVs. Handls great for a wagon, a relatively heavy one at that. Supposed to be able to tow 2000 lbs, but I'll belive it when I see it. Great value for the price (considerably less than sticker- dealers are dealin'- seem to be a lot of these left on the lots). Overall, I'd buy another Subaru, but would consider the turbocharged Forester just for the extra power.
The noise coming from the engine is known as piston slap. This is due to a flaw in the design of the pistons and cylinders. Search on google for piston slap and you'll come up with a more descriptive analysis of the problem. Insist that the dealer replace the small engine block.
All Subarus, Volkswagen, Lancia and Porsche's with flat-4's do that when cold. deal.
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