BMW 330i

Pros

• Have you thought about the BMW 330i? They're reliable, sporty, and Car and Driver got 42 mpg at 75 mph in the rear-wheel drive one.
• Test drove the BMW 330i and liked the drive.
• the b48 in the newer 330i is actually pretty solid, that friend of yours is probably working off 2008-era bmw stereotypes
• 330i is extremely reliable. Preferably use a non dealer for maintenance. Excellent fuel economy too. And a great driving experience.
• Found a couple 2022/2023 330is around the same price with 25-40k miles and I'd rather own one of those by a mile.

Cons

• 330i is good too, I have a 2023 model but it’s more of a sporty chassis and on the stiffer side with the M adaptive suspension.
• I would go with something like the BMW 330i honestly, it fits what you're looking for style wise and the interior is really nice. But at that budget for a used BMW you gotta be careful with maintenance costs, they can add up quick even o...