Best cars for £3,000 or less

If you’re on a relatively tight budget for your next used car, there’s no need to worry. You can find plenty of quality second-hand buys for £3,000 or less. 

We’ve tracked down a range of options for this price range, covering all sorts of models ranging from apractical MPV to a drop-top sports car. It just goes to show that if you’re willing to search the second-hand car market thoroughly, there’s every chance you’ll find a bargain set of wheels that will meet or even exceed your requirements.

As with all used cars, a thorough inspection and test drive are highly recommended before you part with any cash. A clean service history, meanwhile, will go a long way to determining whether or not the car is in good working order.

Honda Civic (Mk8)

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• Price new: £22,430  
• Price now: £2,500
• Powertrain: 1.8-litre 4-cylinder petrol, FWD  
• Power: 138bhp  
• 0-62mph: 8.9 seconds

After seven generations of the Honda Civic looking a little dull, the Mk8 car was something of a revelation. It retained all the engineering excellence and reliability, but added radical styling that still cuts a dash today.

If you don’t need to worry about emission zones, then the 2.2-litre i-CDTi is smooth and economical, but it's rare to find one with a low mileage. Instead we’d seek out a petrol-powered model. The legendary Type R hot hatch is out of our price range but the Si models have some of the same sporty styling, which means the street cred is partly retained, if that matters to you.

At the bottom of the range is the 98bhp 1.4-litre, which isn’t the fastest  but has lower insurance groupings of 13E, making it more affordable for new  or young drivers. The big step up is to the 138bhp 1.8-litre VTEC in group 21E; if insurance isn’t so much of a worry, this is the one we’d choose.

See our used Honda Civic deals

MG TF

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• Price new: £19,995  
• Price now: £2,000
• Powertrain: 1.8-litre 4-cylinder petrol, RWD
• Power: 158bhp  
• 0-62mph: 6.9 seconds

It might not feel like it yet, but spring is just around the corner and demand for soft-tops will soon pick up – along with their values. It means now is the perfect time to grab a bargain.

The MG TF isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and there are plenty of tatty examples out there. But the mid-engined format and low seating position give driving the TF a sense of a occasion. Around £2,000 will buy you a usable example with less than 80,000 miles and plenty of history. By now, the weak head gasket will have been changed on most TFs, but make sure it has by insisting on seeing the bill for the work.

Cars with interesting colour and trim combinations are worth more, while the 160 has better brakes to go with the boost in performance.

Nissan Qashqai (Mk1 facelift)

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• Price new: £19,445
• Price now: £2,500
• Powertrain: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder petrol, FWD
• Power: 115bhp  
• 0-62mph: 11.9 seconds

The Nissan Qashqai’s success took the industry by surprise – buyers loved the combination of SUV style and practicality with hatchback running costs. The earliest cars are now getting on for 18 years old and are well into banger territory, but the facelifted model looks and feels far more modern and most still cost around £2,500.

The majority will be higher-spec trim levels, with the N-Connecta and Tekna being the best sellers. These have built-in sat-nav and reversing cameras, which was rare at the time.

The Renault-sourced diesel engines offer great economy, but you’ll need to be wary of low-emission zones. The 1.6-litre petrol with a manual gearbox has a better reputation for reliability.

See our used Nissan Qashqai deals

Toyota Yaris (Mk2)

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• Price new: £11,672  
• Price now: £2,000
• Powertrain: 1.3-litre 4-cylinder petrol, FWD
• Power: 85bhp  
• 0-62mph: 11.5 seconds

Ask most MoT testers what they would recommend as a great ‘banger’ and they will inevitably suggest a Toyota Yaris. Even with minimal maintenance, the tiny Toyota has a reputation for indestructibility, but it is also easy to drive and practical.

The Mk1 Yaris will be even cheaper and is worth considering if you don’t mind the old-school technology. But we would stretch to a Mk2 model that has more interior space and air-con. Between £2,000 and £3,000 will buy one with comfortably under 100,000 miles, but we’d steer clear of the clunky MMT automated manual transmission. The diesels are incredibly economical but aren't as reliable as the petrol models.

See our used Toyota Yaris Deals

Vauxhall Meriva (Mk2)

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• Price new: £19,670
• Price now: £2,750
• Powertrain: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol, FWD
• Power: 118bhp  
• 0-62mph: 11.3 seconds

While mini-MPVs used to be considered the next big thing, they are now a little unfashionable. Don’t mind that? Walk this way.

First-generation Vauxhall Merivas are available for less than £1,000, but the post-2014 car doesn’t cost much more. Its stand-out feature is a back-hinged set-up for the rear doors, which makes loading kids much easier. Plus, with a rear bench that slides, you can choose between legroom or extra boot space. The rear seats can be pulled apart to create more elbow room, too.

The 99bhp 1.4-litre petrol feels underpowered, so we’d choose the 118bhp turbo as the best compromise between cost and performance. The 1.6-litre CDTi diesels are strong, too.

See our used Vauxhall Meriva deals

Volkswagen up!

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• Price new: £9,275
• Price now: £2,995
• Powertrain: 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol, FWD
• Power: 59bhp 
• 0-62mph: 14.4 seconds

The Volkswagen up! had a massive 12-year production run, which means there are plenty to choose from on the used market. But they are in strong demand, which keeps prices high.

Part of the reason for this popularity is the allure of the VW badge, which also means the up! is marginally more expensive than the SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo, which are identical under the skin. The up! is also remarkably spacious inside and the interior looks smart.

It costs buttons to run, too. The 1.0-litre 59bhp version is in the lowest insurance group – 1E – and VED road tax is £32 a year on most models. Add in 60mpg fuel economy and there are very few ways of getting around for less.

See our used Volkswagen up! deals

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