Bought car today, flat battery on way home!

Alibuster01

Just bought a Suzuki Ignis from a dealer on AutoTrader today. The V5C is in the original owners name - not the Dealer's name (he signed and dated it 8/8/13). It has a 12 months MOT with no advisories on it.
I was on my way home and stopped off for a bite to eat. Now the car won't start. Someone at the service station says the battery is flat.
I'm spending the night at the hotel at the service station.
The dealer's wife gave me a receipt, but didn't put his name or address on it. I picked it up at their home (so have their address) and they were selling another car from there at the same time.
The receipt says:
Sold as seen. Trade sale no warranties given or mplied. Sold with all fauts today tomorrow. No refun accepted.
This vehicle (registration) is fit for my purpose.
I think that is what it says - the hand writing is awful.

And then there is my name and address.

I texted the wife, and she said ask someone 2 jump start it 4 u and don't leave ure radio heaters and lights on.

I said I didn't have any of them on. I don't understand it! It's very odd.

Is there anything I can do?

Alibuster01

It's just started, so I've moved it to the hotel car park. I'm going to bed, I'm drained.

Ratboy

Buying from a dealer from their home, means you bought a pup! Apart from the alternator and battery failing, I would suggest further faults to be found.

I beleive this practice is illegal, whatever they have said, for dealers selling privately, so contact Trading standards for advice.

worried_jim

Or maybe it has been sat unused for a while and the battery needs a good charge/run. OP- how long did you drive it before you stopped?

Rapished

As stated a lot of cars on traders yards sit, they get boosted before test drives as there dead, if the alternators not had time on a good run to top up the charge it will just drain,

Also if any battery is left empty it will break down and not hold charge for long, i'd get another good battery even if its borrowed and test the theory,

Buying anything from a business, that's not sold at the business, um that goes against all the years of advice, you don't even know its his house,

He meets you out of an address, sell's you something, then you return to complain, and its not his house, how would you trace him, really common trick for scammers,

Easiest way from now, change battery or leave the car sat running for ages, if its just that, its what 50 quid for a battery and a slap on the wrist for being silly, or an alternator, if it runs, drives, stops, its nothing disasterous.

Rapished

when you try to start it with the flat battery, is it clicking? or when you turn the keys does it turn over and the lights get dimmer on the dash then it all dies? that would be battery, other than that it could be an immobiliser fault, but I'd hope its just the battery, are you with the aa if your still stuck, or get another battery and try it, don't get a booster for yours as its no doubt dead to hold charge

custardy

Does the battery light come on with the key?
Does it go out when the engine ran?
Does it stay off while its running?
If so its likely a battery on its way out or at least needing a good run to charge it

colino

Get it back to Driveway Dave the friendly tax dodger to fix. Ordinarily your symptoms point to a duff alternator, but on the Ignis it could need a good tech to check the wiring instead.

Buzby

The first thing I'd do is spend a little money and buy a new battery. These are classed as consumables, and remove the most common cause for failure.

They didn't promise you a new battery - so get one! (Or join the RAC/AA).

Tilt

What is written on the receipt has no legal status. But you need to establish the actual location of the seller in case you need to use the SOGA at any point.

You say that you bought it via Auto Trader. That would be my first port of call unless everything turns out to be legit.

As others have said, may be just the battery needs a good charge so not exactly a potential big issue at the moment.

Alibuster01

Thanks for your responses. I ran it for three hours (stopping twice), when I stopped the third time it wouldn't start. Between the second and third stop I had the lights on as it was approaching dusk. I actually thought they weren't working as I couldn't see them reflected on the backs of other cars - they were just quite dim I discovered when I stopped.

It's been fine today (no lights). I only had the windscreen wipers on occasionally. The rear windscreen wiper doesn't work.

I'm just going out again now, so will check the various indicator lights. One did flash on at one point - it looked a bit like an engine, but it could have been the battery.