Skip advert
Advertisement
Features

Three car garage: £30k for a Mercedes E-Class, Abarth 595 and Dacia Duster

There's £30,000 to spend, and three parking spaces to fill. We take a look into the depths of the Auto Express used car classifieds to see what we can discover?

Three-car garage for under £30,000

A budget of £30,000 isn’t enough to get you into a base BMW 1 Series these days, but scour the used car classifieds on Auto Express and you’ll find a host of excellent options. With this £30k in mind, I wanted a big estate car to cover miles with ease, a fun B-road blaster for the weekend and something that I wouldn’t mind my dogs getting all muddy… 

Mercedes E-Class Estate – £12,990 

Mercedes E-Class Estate - tracking

To the untrained eye, this 2017 E-Class Estate looks like it’d cost the bulk of our £30k budget by itself. AMG Line trim comes standard on the E-Class, and its five-spoke alloy wheels and sporty bodykit still look fantastic eight years on. It looks the part inside, too, with plenty of quality materials throughout, although the central screen looks comically small against the current car’s gigantic ‘Superscreen’ layout. The E 220 d’s 2.0-litre diesel engine also provides a great combination of torque and efficiency – this big German estate can chomp up those motorway miles with ease.

Advertisement - Article continues below

If this Mercedes E-Class Estate was snatched up too quickly for you, check out hundreds of listings of practical estate cars available now from Auto Express’s network of trusted dealers. 

Abarth 595 - £6,995

Something that is less well suited to motorway driving is the Abarth 595. It’s a perfect complement to the Mercedes estate, however, because on the days where you want to tackle some twisty roads, the Abarth will show you a great time. If Ferrari had ever decided to make a supermini-sized hot hatch, it might have resembled the 595. It’s the right colour, slightly impractical and makes some fruity noises – what’s not to love? 

If this Abarth has already found its new home, click here to find more used Abarths available through Auto Express.

Dacia Duster - £9,995

Dacia Duster - front cornering

If you’re worried about your driveway looking a bit flash at this point, let us guide you in the direction of the humble Dacia Duster. It’s the newest car of the bunch, but you wouldn’t know it when you’re inside it. Still, if you’re not a fan of modern touchscreens, the chunky physical switches and buttons inside will feel like a breath of fresh air. That’s really all part of the Duster charm as a rough-and-ready family SUV that will surprise you with its off-road ability.

If this Dacia Duster has already found its new home, take a look at these budget SUVs available through Auto Express.

Head to the Auto Express used car search page and let us know which cars you’d park in your £30k three-car garage in the comments section below…

Skip advert
Advertisement
Senior news reporter

A keen petrol-head, Alastair Crooks has a degree in journalism and worked as a car salesman for a variety of manufacturers before joining Auto Express in Spring 2019 as a Content Editor. Now, as our senior news reporter, his daily duties involve tracking down the latest news and writing reviews.

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Most reliable cars to buy - the cars you can trust in 2025
Most reliable cars 2025 - header image

Most reliable cars to buy - the cars you can trust in 2025

How do you judge a new car’s reliability before buying it? Our Driver Power survey is the answer…
Best cars & vans
1 Jul 2025
Dacia Duster Journey Hybrid long-term test: the family SUV that can do it all
Dacia Duster Journey Hybrid long-term - family with the Dacia

Dacia Duster Journey Hybrid long-term test: the family SUV that can do it all

Second report: our SUV is perfect for family-friendly adventures
Long-term tests
27 Jun 2025
Used Abarth 500 (2009-2024) buyer’s guide: fast and fun if you can find the right one
Used Abarth 595 - front

Used Abarth 500 (2009-2024) buyer’s guide: fast and fun if you can find the right one

A full used buyer’s guide on the Abarth 500 that was on sale in the UK between 2009 and 2024
Used car tests
24 Jun 2025
Best SUVs to buy 2025
Best SUVs - header image

Best SUVs to buy 2025

There are plenty of great SUVs to choose from, so we’ve picked out the very best
Best cars & vans
9 Jun 2025

Most Popular

Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports
MST Ford Escort - front 3/4

Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports

While not officially Fords, the MST Mk1 and Mk2 Sports should drive as sharply as they look
News
7 Jul 2025
New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range
MG IM5 - Goodwood front

New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range

The all-electric IM5 brings new technology and design to the MG line-up
News
10 Jul 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Skoda Octavia vRS is the consummate all-rounder and only £255 a month!
Skoda Octavia vRS - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: Skoda Octavia vRS is the consummate all-rounder and only £255 a month!

A three-time Auto Express Family Car of the Year winner, paired with Golf GTI power, is our Deal of the Day for 6 July
News
6 Jul 2025