Half that $40k would also buy an E46 M3, which would be a whole lot more fun that the Lexus or Mazda.

For the whole $40k you may be able to find an early Porsche 997 (like an '05) with little if any noticeable wear.

Mazda are fantastic cars. Would recommend.

What you say is pretty much true, except I think you're a bit harsh on the BMWs - maybe you just saw some bad examples? But societal pressure for visible evidence of success being what it is, it doesn't really matter how good the Mazda 3 is - people will pay for the BMW. And to be fair, BMWs are really good cars. There's a premium but it's not a total rip-off.

Ask a girl sometime whether she'd rather date a man who drives a BMW, or a Mazda 3. That's all the information you need right there.