i was in a very similar situation 9 months ago. Looking at certified 3 series in the 25-30k range — except down south, x-drive is just an unnecessary expense. The 330i is a 2017 model and only available brand new, but its essentially the same as the '14-'15 328i that I test drove. Also test drove the f30 320i, x1, 235i and several '11-'12 e90s. I really did not like the way the 320 and x1 drove, very 'buzzy' and the 8-speed auto likes to shift alot. they both did not feel like a bmw. Too soft, too jerky, over boosted steering, too much plastic inside — They were 'quick' — but felt more like economy cars. The 328i was not much different, though the engine and transmission were much smoother, the interior still has too much of the shiny silver plastic. The 2 series was too small. Loved how it handled and fast, but so little passenger or cargo room.

I fell in love with a '12 335i M-sport in blue, but it was under takata recall and the condition was qustionable. Lots of paint chipped from TX highway use. I opted for a '11 335i sport package garage queen with really low miles - less than most of the certified f30s I was test driving. The steering, firm ride, raspy exhaust and ridiculous torque curve did it for me. If I had the budget, I would def. go for the '17 340i, but the '11-'12 e90 n55 combo was a perfect fit for what I was looking for.