1 Lucky Texan

no chance for the crank to turn backwards if an auto-trans car is bumped when parked.

hmmmm, doesn't seem to be fuel-related. you could try some starting fluid as an additional test coupla not-great suggestions; inspect the large tube from the IACV - maybe it's cracked or partly loose. dunno why it would be worse when cold though. clean the throttle body - check into the SeaFoam can with the nozzle. again, maybe gummy when cold....???? inspect spark plug boots for oil/moisture on those cold mornings? how old are the plug wires? is it dew-y on those cold start events? Crank sensors have sometimes been known to fail at warm temps, maybe yours is flaky at low temps?

OEM all the way or, if not, Japanese manufacture; Aisin waterpump, Mitsuboshi belt, Japanese bearings in the rollers....

I think the discussion at the time was some kind of cap...gas cap or windshield washer res....not sure doesn't mean aftermarket won't step-up, probably just with a poorer quality replacement.

next time it has sat and you feel confident it would 'fail' , don't start directly; cycle from Off to On, wait for a 3-4-5 count, then back to Off, immediately back to On, count, Off - On. 3-4 times and THEN go from Off to Start. That should pressurize the rails if they have lost pressure.

could it be belt noise?

GD says some parts for cars built in the 2000s are NLA.

3 year-old post.

could it be a weak timing belt tensioner?

check the license plate.

checked the cabin air filter?

if you skipped and didn't clash valves in a 2.5L - go buy a lottery ticket!

are you sure about the timing belt? did it stall? hard decisions, especially when you feel like you have an 'investment' in it but, all of us will have to decide when to 'cut and run' someday. I think you could put a 2.2 liter in the car - might find one with less miles than your current engine and the 2.2 is fairly bombproof too. maybe check car-part.com .

they offer different combos of stuff - Mine had a mitsuboshi belt. But, the bearings in the rollers were GMB which some say is only mid-quality. I may accelerate my next service to 75K miles instead of 105. shoulda just got OEM but, I understand folks wanting to save a little money. Too bad Gates seems to be falling in quality. last OEM I ordered, I used a code from https://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/121-subaruonlineparts-com/501795-new-lower-pricing-subaru-gear-codes-vip-s.html?highlight=savings

call around for prices - parts are gonna be $250-$300 +/- $30-$50 for parts alone. depending on source and if you're doing the waterpump , cam/crank seals ,w'ever but it's QUITE likely you have valve damage. best to get OEM or japanese parts; japanese bearings in the rollers, NTN tensioner, Aisin is good for waterpump, Mitsuboshi belt....check ebay and rockauto. I got my wrx kit from ebay mizumo auto I think. do you plan to DIY?

didn't really know where to put this - but stop/start was mentioned earlier in this thread so;

only the 6cyl got the 5EAT, at least stateside I think.

Yeah, it's an OK trans for most of us. It does have a front diff and a wet clutch pack attached so, xtra stuff to fail. Tony, maybe start a new thread with the issues you're experiencing?

if it's def. a one-time thing, get a floor jack from harbor freight or a used one from a pawnshop, when you're done, sell it on craigslist. Think of it as a rental. but I really like having my floor jack. In addition to intended lifting duties, I've used for 'odd' things like lining-up holes for rear shock installation and breaking rear diff fill/drain plugs loose, etc.

not sure on a '11 but, some newer soobs have a periodic fuel tank pressure test they do. Dunno where that system's control is located.

low refrigerant ?

oil cooler?

make sure it isn't a weak TB tensioner. It can mimic knock.

in the past Hella 500s were a popular upgrade in the fog light position. kartboy and maybe others even made a bracket to ease the swap but, I don't think it was too tricky to rig on your own.

Your wife seems well educated, I'm sure she can find something locally worthwhile if there's no legal work; teaching, private tutoring, politics, etc. Perhaps some type of internet advocacy or legal advice...? keep the new puppy's ears trimmed of hair and use some ear cleaner regularly - they are prone to having too much moisture in the ears.