Interesting read. I especially liked your "cost per mile" idea.

However... when I analyzed the true cost to own using Edmunds.com data, I found that buying new and driving the car until it is 10 years old costs less per year, on average, than buying it 5 years old and replacing it when it turns 10.

Even more interesting, I found that buying at 1 year old, 2 years old, 3 years old, and 4 years old are each more expensive per year on average than buying new, assuming you always replace the car when it turns 10.

If you want to see al the details, read this: https://themakingofamillionaire.com/can-buying-your-next-car-new-actually-save-you-money-6803b8774fe8

As a side note, I'm currently looking at replacing my 10-y.o. Camry with a new Hybrid Camry. The dealer told me that while getting a new one would almost certainly require ordering it and waiting up to 14 weeks (!), buying a late model used version of the same car would actually cost more than the new car, due to the ongoing chip shortage driving used car prices through the roof.