Swap H6 into 2013 Outback?

[CFreeborn]

Title pretty much says it. I've got a 2013 with a 2.5. Great car, but underpowered for what I need to do (pull trailer, etc) Is it feasible to swap an H6 from the same era into it, or just sell and get a 6 model? We've owned the 2.5 since new, maintained meticulously 55k on the clock CVT trans. That has to be worth something.

TIA

[GeneralDisorder]

No. 

The H6 is also now discontinued. 

Sell it and buy a truck. Don't torture a Subaru CVT with towing. 

GD

[idosubaru]

No can do. 

Have to completely gut the entire car, swap engine and trans and plan on loosing lots of functionality unless you’re up for 40 hours of week working on this for 6 months.

[Numbchux]

Possible? Yes.

Feasible? Probably not. Maybe if you were given a free complete H6 car that couldn't be titled, and didn't mind spending a couple hundred hours of your life in the garage. You could swap everything into your shell. But that's pretty much what needs to happen. The electronics all talk to each other, and unless you can make CAN communication modules, you're not going to separate them.

 

Generally, makes a whole lot more sense to just buy a used H6 one and sell yours.

[CFreeborn]

As figured. Thanks - just needed to scratch the "what if " itch. Lord knows I've got plenty of projects on my hands already with vintage Porsche projects. The other plan is to sell the OB, & our Acura RSX, buy a van or truck and a new Crosstrek as the town / road car.

Many thanks for talking me off the ledge.  So who wants to buy a one owner fanatically maintained '13 OB? Red, 55k miles, located in the PNW (Portland).

[idosubaru]

21 minutes ago, CFreeborn said:

As figured. Thanks - just needed to scratch the "what if " itch. Lord knows I've got plenty of projects on my hands already with vintage Porsche projects. The other plan is to sell the OB, & our Acura RSX, buy a van or truck and a new Crosstrek as the town / road car.

Many thanks for talking me off the ledge.  So who wants to buy a one owner fanatically maintained '13 OB? Red, 55k miles, located in the PNW (Portland).

You're in the PNW, prices are so high on something that new that an internet deal is rarely worth anyone's time. 

I tow all the time with Subaru's, almost exclusively with H6's, including way over the tow limits. They're not up to tow overlimits and a dedicated vehicles makes more sense if that's the case.  But they're fine for general small trailer/load towing, be more generous on that gas pedal, they're just not going to kill it on the long mountain grades.  If you're towing with a CVT, change that fluid every 30k. 

[CFreeborn]

2 hours ago, idosubaru said:

You're in the PNW, prices are so high on something that new that an internet deal is rarely worth anyone's time. 

I tow all the time with Subaru's, almost exclusively with H6's, including way over the tow limits. They're not up to tow overlimits and a dedicated vehicles makes more sense if that's the case.  But they're fine for general small trailer/load towing, be more generous on that gas pedal, they're just not going to kill it on the long mountain grades.  If you're towing with a CVT, change that fluid every 30k. 

Thx. It's due for a CVT fluid change. Towing is mostly small trailers - 1500 lb max, but occasionally a box trailer with a furniture delivery that can get up to 2500lbs, but that's rare. 

We're going to sit tight for a while, see where the market for my work (custom furniture) and cars goes. I flat tow my race car (1800 lbs) but not more than 25 miles. When next season starts (if it ever does) I'll pull the trigger on something bigger. 

The OB has been a great car. Will be a shame to see it go, but the CrossTrek looks good too - better town car and my wife can drive it too. In these parts it's wise to have at least one AWD vehicle in the garage.