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car-part.com for used trans pricing and availability. 2013-2017 Outback CVTs are interchangeable even though that database says they are not. I’ve never checked into 2011 comparability but you might have more options than it lists. He’s wise for installing new - saves him and you the headache of used parts issues. And Any aftermarket rebuilt AT for Subarus should be avoided. The glaring omission here is why was he looking and how did he check? ”presumably” - does this mean you just got the car? If so, there’s a good chance you just bought someone else’s problem after they got the same quote and sold it to you. I see this happen all the time. Enough of that Sherlock Holmes talk - back to the omissions: If he checked via the dipstick I wouldn’t consider that a reliable diagnosis. Drain the fluid and check. If it was drained, why was it drained? Or did you have symptoms that promoted looking for issues? Transmissions can have debris in them - the magnetic rings always have built up debris on them over time in the pans. So you’ll need to describe this “shavings”. But yes - “shavings”, in the way I’d use that word is absolutely catastrophic for an AT. That said - I could envision plenty of scenarios where I’d fill it with new fluid and see what happens. As annoying as those are to fill. 2017 CVTs work in 2013s, not sure if they go back to 2011 but that might expand your used options if you need that route

OTA software updates for cars creep me TFO.

They should be serviced. Regardless of what Subaru marketing says. Our recommendation is every 60k miles. Fluid is cheap. Transmissions aren't. Newer model CVT's no longer carry this lifetime fluid recommendation. And they have a suspiciously short maintenance interval for "severe service" - the definition of same being absurdly broad and encompassing such things as "stop and go driving" and "ANY amount of towing". That out of the way, these transmissions are absolute trash. They fail constantly and I wouldn't be surprised if it was reaching end of life at 150k. MANY failed within the extended warranty campaign that Subaru was essentially forced to put them on - 10 years, 100k miles - due to the extremely high failure rates. Metal "shavings" should never be something you see in a healthy transmission. You are going to see some amount of glitter to the fluid - these transmissions still have plenty of wet clutches in them and that clutch material is "semi-metallic" and as it wears it does produce "glitter".... which is different and distinct from "shavings" - which are generally large enough to easily identify individual pieces. GD

Water pump leak, it looks like! 213K The belt looked pretty good from the side covers. We'll see when it's opened up. - Water Pump - T Belt - Idlers - Cam and Crank Seals and the oil pump oring - Valve Cover Gaskets That's what I suggested.