2018 Low Mileage CX-5 w/ engine replaced...good deal?

[Avoidin Deer]

The plus about a used Mazda is the CX5's outstanding reliability.

Also new cars suffer steep depreciation especially the first 3 years. Pros/cons to each choice

My experience is that the depreciation is not all that great.

For example, a 2019 Grant Touring AWD lists for $31,445.
>Nationwide, Carmax has (1) with 5,000 miles for $30,000.
>Nationwide, Carmax has (14) with 10,000-20,000 miles for $26,000-$28,000.
I don't see any "Off the lot" hit at all.

Nationwide, they have (4) 2018s under 20,000 miles, for $27,000-$28.000.
Increasing the mileage to 40,000 yields 6 matches and a low price of $25,000.

I did not compare packages on these cars, so that might account for some of this. They are all AWD.

Here's a comparison using those prices and a couple of used car loan rates/terms:

You might be able to get slightly better used rates & terms, and Mazda sometimes has 0% promos, but that’s picking at the fringes.

This is pretty much what I was looking at when shopping in 2018 (although I ended up buying in 2019). Depreciation when looking at low mileage cars just is not there, across Honda/Toyota/Mazda. I was shocked that the "radically drops in value when you drive it off the lot" effect does not exist anymore (Cash For Clunkers residual effect?). Heck, drive it for 20,000 miles and it's not dropped all that much. It almost ends up being a real cheap short-term lease.

So Holding its value+Expensive used cars+Promo interest rates=Easy decision. Of course, I'm grateful that I can afford low mileage/new. Earlier in my life house payments and retirement savings always won the debate. We're all at different places. And even at higher mileage, these are very nice cars.

 

[CX-5um]

New engine doesn't scare me as much as lack of documentation. any reason why engine was replaced?