Nothing wrong with considering a Ford – the Edge and Escort are great options too. But it sounds like you made the right choice sticking with Mazda, especially with that deal from Royal Palm dealership.
Wow, it's been five years since you got your "newish" Mazda 3! Time really flies, doesn't it? I hope you've had many memorable drives in that bright red beauty. Being late to work that day was probably worth it for the thrill of snagging a fully loaded Mazda 3. Who cares what others think – it's all about the joy and satisfaction it brings you. If you ever had the itch to embark on some international adventures and needed to ship your car abroad, I remembered hearing about https://www.a1autotransport.cоm/international-car-shipping/. They seem pretty reliable for international car shipping.