Would purchasing a CX-5 turbo demo model concern you?

The point here is: You never know what people have done to a demo vehicle. :)

That was my point. 200 mi of test drives does not automatically mean the car was beat on. Case in point - Uno's car had 700 miles when he took ownership, and no oil consumption over 50k later.

Again, as others have stated, it's personal preference. If you want to ensure that you get the best example of the car you can, buy it brand new with single-digit mileage. Otherwise, you buy it slightly used and pay less for the car, with the expectation that someone else has driven it before you.
 
That was my point. 200 mi of test drives does not automatically mean the car was beat on. Case in point - Uno's car had 700 miles when he took ownership, and no oil consumption over 50k later.

Again, as others have stated, it's personal preference. If you want to ensure that you get the best example of the car you can, buy it brand new with single-digit mileage. Otherwise, you buy it slightly used and pay less for the car, with the expectation that someone else has driven it before you.
My z06 was like that. 3mi on the odo. I watched them build it. Literally. Arrived somehow to my dealer with a cracked carbon fiber fender. So yeah, lol
 
I've been on hundreds of test drives with customers in Mazda vehicles. Apart from a couple of times in Miatas, absolutely no one has remotely driven any of the vehicles in any way that could be considered "hard."

Also, 200mi isn't a demo vehicle (unless it's currently being driven by a manager). It's either been there a while and had been test driven a lot, or was a dealer trade
 
I've been on hundreds of test drives with customers in Mazda vehicles. Apart from a couple of times in Miatas, absolutely no one has remotely driven any of the vehicles in any way that could be considered "hard."
What about all of the test drives when you were not in the vehicle with the customers?

Even with a salesperson in the car, I've always at least opened it up a few times.
Hell, I've even had several encourage me to drive it hard.
 
What about all of the test drives when you were not in the vehicle with the customers?

Even with a salesperson in the car, I've always at least opened it up a few times.
Hell, I've even had several encourage me to drive it hard.

Opening it up a little isn't considered hard driving and Mazda even encourages it in it's training materials. That's just considered normal driving and the vehicle is built to handle it.

Most places I've worked do not allow a test drive without a salesperson in the car. Sometimes we'd let people take a vehicle overnight though for an extended test drive
 
Funny (and true) story: A guy and his buddy wet to a dealership to test drive a Z06. Before the potential owner got in to test drive the car with the salesman, he yelled at his buddy, "Joe, can you throw me my racing helmet?" The salesman's face turned white until the driver explained that he wanted to make sure he would fit in the car with his helmet on. :D
 
Opening it up a little isn't considered hard driving and Mazda even encourages it in it's training materials. That's just considered normal driving and the vehicle is built to handle it.
Not according to the CX-5 manual break-in procedures...
"avoid full-throttle starts" and "unnecessary hard stops"

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None of us have a shred of data to answer the question of how early hard driving might damage an engine or reduce its lifespan, but it is generally accepted that, within bounds, moderate hard driving of a fully warmed up new engine is beneficial in seating rings and quickly establishing working clearances. I’d rather have an engine that had an aggressive breakin vs one that was idled a bunch, sat in heavy traffic, or had a timid driver and never saw more than 50% throttle.

Of course, if the car has 3 miles rather than 100, then you know and can, to some extent, control how easy/hard 97 miles of its early life went. But the odds are that whether you or strangers drove them, it will be just fine, especially on a mainstream SUV. For a Corvette, Miata, Hellcat, or Cobra, I’d have more concern.

- Mark
 
Not according to the CX-5 manual break-in procedures...
"avoid full-throttle starts" and "unnecessary hard stops"

View attachment 228801

The very first phrase is "no special break-in is necessary". The suggestions listed in bullet points "may add to the performance, economy, and life of the vehicle".

Interpret that however you want to.


I will say that during my first visit to a Mazda dealership, the salesman asked me if I wanted to test drive the 2nd gen CX-9 within the first 15 mins of our conversation. I said sure. The salesman then asked if he could drive it first, then I would be able to drive it. Thought it was odd at first, but whatever.

The salesman proceeded to push the car into a few corners and through a couple of traffic circles to show off how amazing the handling was on a car so large. Some might consider that "abuse", but during the test drive he never once floored the accelerator or stomped on the brakes. When I finally had the chance to drive it, he encouraged me to push it a bit because I was taking it pretty easy. I think I may have accelerated to 3500 rpms and let off. That was more than enough to get a feel for the turbo and the way the car handled.
 
The only one on the lot that meets my needs is a reserve with turbo. It has 200miles. I'm sure the test drivers have driven this turbo quite hard to get the turbo experience. Would this concern you? Having a new motor driven hard.
Just curious, was that you asking the same question over on the Miata forum?
 
When I was looking at a CX5, I personally put about 75-100 miles on one.
Dealer let me take it home overnight one day and again a week later for a few hour city drive because I needed to confirm if seat comfort was an issue (it was and I didn't purchase it).
I'd say I pushed it hard a few times (freeway on-ramps), but I didn't constantly "bounce it off the rev limiter." Most of my drive was just cruising around.

It's hard to say how a vehicle was driven for those 200miles, but as long as it was treated reasonably, there shouldn't be any worry.
 
It's hard to say how a vehicle was driven for those 200miles, but as long as it was treated reasonably, there shouldn't be any worry.
There is absolutely no way of knowing how it was treated/driven, so you can't assume that it was reasonable.

If I'm spending $30K-$40K for a vehicle that I'll be driving for the next 10-14 years, I want it to be as pristine/unadulterated as possible.

Now, if you are someone who gets a new vehicle every few years, then it shouldn't really matter to you.
 
There is absolutely no way of knowing how it was treated/driven, so you can't assume that it was reasonable.

If I'm spending $30K-$40K for a vehicle that I'll be driving for the next 10-14 years, I want it to be as pristine/unadulterated as possible.

Now, if you are someone who gets a new vehicle every few years, then it shouldn't really matter to you.

I understand completely and I didn't mean it that way.
There's no way of knowing how it was treated, but if it was treated reasonably for those couple hundred miles, it would be no different than buying one with 0 miles on it and racking the miles up yourself.

You could say any vehicle with more than 0 miles has had unknown treatment.
 
But much less likely than the one with 200 miles ⋯ ;)

Eh, I think luck matters more. For example, I bought a 2015 that was a rental for 27K miles. Was totally fine until I got some bad fuel, and until I flooded the diff crossing a stream. No oil usage. No oil leaks. No trans leaks. Was fine. Others on here have issues like those and owned it from mile <5.
 
Eh, I think luck matters more.
I don't think so. It is simple math.
A vehicle with 200 miles has 98.5% MORE MILES than one delivered with only 3 miles.
That means a 98.5% greater opportunity for it to be beat up/abused.

Your idea that "luck matters more" is probably why you spend $2500 on extended warranties!
 
I don't think so. It is simple math.
A vehicle with 200 miles has 98.5% MORE MILES than one delivered with only 3 miles.
That means a 98.5% greater opportunity for it to be beat up/abused.

Your idea that "luck matters more" is probably why you spend $2500 on extended warranties!
Because clearly the $2K already billed to/warranty Mazda replacing mirror motors on my car was due to abuse during the 700mi before I got my vehicle. Clearly if t he struts or shocks leak, or if t he AC compressor goes out, or if any issues with the NAV etc. occur it must be due to that abuse. Clearly.
 
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