Here is my story:

I've had my WRX for about a year and a half now. I love it. I noticed about 3 months after I bought it that I had small spots all over it (including under the spoiler and under where the trunk closes) where the paint was cracking. They are small, round spots... EVERYWHERE! I immediately took it in for service. The service manager @ Matt Slap Subaru, John Pharis, (newark DE) Told me he didn't have authorization for that much $$ and I would have to see the regional manager. Fine, I scheduled an appointment. It was postponed...again..and again...until finally...yesterday...the guy looked at it...A Full year and a half later. Needless to say, he denied me coverage under my warranty citing the elusive "chemical fallout" as the cause of my paint problems. I've already hired an attorney and filed complaints with the Attorney General's office and the BBB.

I want to get more people involved in this. Your paint is covered under the manufacturers warranty! If enough of us make stink about it they will have to listen. If anyone would like to contact me you can do so via my website wrxlinks.com.

I also had trouble on my hood where there were some small spots where the paint had "bubbled off" just like what you are talking about. I took my car to a dealership and there was no problem. They took the car and repainted the hood. I dont know what color your car is but mine is a Silver 02.

i've got an 03wrx and i dont have an bubbling, but if i did i'd be bullish if they didnt repainted it. i do however have a dozen or more very small spots on the frontbumper that were chipped off from small rocks. i'd be more upset if i didnt have to get down on my knees to see them but its pretty lame for a 6month old car. subaru needs to start using better paint and steelscrews. i've stripped one or two to easily. maybe i'll have to go black next time so the spots dont show so bad but if the paint gets much worse i'll have to skip over subaru or have them pay to detail my car once a year. slamsitin@hotmail.com

Black paint doesn't hide it. Got a black 04 wrx in april and have stone (maybe even bug) chips half way up to my hood scoop. The paint looked great when I got it but I knew it was soft after my first wax left swirl marks! I've even got scratches behind each door handle from fingers.

its the same here. the area around my headlights are chiped and peeling

I had bubbling on my hood scoop. Carlsen Subaru in Redwood City, CA had to call SOA to describe the problem, but within an hour they called back and said to repaint the scoop. Carlsen Subaru and Kevin Davidson, the service manager are awesome. Still sucks that it seems to happen though. Definitely a defect.

I have three small chips in the hood area that I touched up. Once I applied several coats of Zaino, the chips stopped. I am not quite ready for a lawsuit but I'll see what happens after the winter here with all the rock salt and sand that will be kicking up.

For what it's worth, my '01 2.5RS did that, but I figured it was tree sap or something. My WRX is fine so far though.

I had a defect in the actual paint under the clear, it was like it had water mixed with the paint when it was sprayed. the dealership has repainted the bumper 3 times and still cant match the color (WRB) I've about had enough and will probably take it too a good body shop and have the dealership pay them. the dealership told me that they use a different color paint to paint the bumpers cause they flex. I almost ripped the guy's head off, but thats a whole other story. flexing of the eurthane has nothing to do with the color of the paint being different from the body. the prep and clear is different, but not the color of the paint.