If someone is financing with interest a depreciating asset such as a vehicle, it is a double hit on ROI. Mathematically it never makes sense to purchase (especially financing) a quickly depreciating asset unless the need or IT factor outweights than the $$. If the the OP would enjoy at 2016 or even a higher mileage 2013 as much as brand new, then easy decision to make, save the rest of the $$ for other fun/necessary things. If the joy of owning brand new outweights the depreciation, then that road seems to be there too. I was in the same boat and bought a 2013 with 50K miles with no financing and never looked back.
While I get your point, knee jerk reactions like this can actually cost you a lot. It is one thing to finance a car because you can't afford it, and pay interest from your monthly paycheck. It is a whole other thing, when you have the cash to purchase a vehicle like you did, when the investment opportunity for your cash could vastly outweigh the cost of financing, especially in today's market.
The average investment ROR from 1923 (the year of the S&P's inception) through 2016 is
12.25%.
For me, since 2009, my ROR is closer to 19% per year on the stock market, and closer to 25% on real estate. I financed my 2020 4Runner at 1.9% and my 2016 Land Cruiser at 2.9%. If I took out investment cash to pay for them, based on averages, I'd lose a lot of money.
How much? Based on an 11% stock market rate of return, and a weighted 2.5% on my car loans, I'd lose right around $25,000 in investment income by paying for my cars in cash. That 25,000 invested for 25 years will give me an end balance of $215,000.
Now, over a 5 year blip, the return could be lower or higher than 11%, but if you spend your lifetime with this investment planning structure in mind, the savings will come to fruition based on past performance.
The other benefit I have is I continue to put 15% into investments, and maximize my Roth 401(k) regardless of what I spend on vehicles, etc. If I want something that would put my savings under that threshold, I don't buy it.
When I get closer to retiring, and start investing in lower return funds, then I'll reevaluate. Same goes if the interest rates on loans skyrocket.