Ok, you have watched all the TV car programmes, you have tinkered with cars all your life, you have some knowledge of the model your are buying but, it is never that simple. Having bought a replacement vehicle at the weekend, (a cheap one) before setting out I checked the mileage and MOT history, both were clear, the service book was fully stamped, so off to the car itself. First check oil filler cap, clear of sludge, second check on this model clutch, check biting point and and sort of noise on engagement suggesting duff dual mass flywheel, all ok, check colour of exhaust gasses, once again ok, so along with a fully stamped service history book, at this price point and age, all major bases covered.
The drive home was a joy, not one rattle from the running gear, could hardly hear the engine that did not miss a beat so, all is hunky dory when parked up on the drive, short live smugness though, went round the passenger side to put something in the glove compartment, and door was locked, so engaged the button on the remote and door still locked, as was the rear passenger door, so went back to the drivers side, put the key in the lock, locked the door the opened it on the key, passenger side now open ,but found out drivers rear door does not respond to the remote or the key, never seen a car programme suggest you test the functionality of the doors 
To cut a long story short, the electrical problem extends to the start up as well, when I returned to the car yesterday, at start up nothing happened, all the warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, and the immobilizer light flashed two to the dozen, eventually I got it started, but it did this again on Asda Petrol forecourt, good job I was able to push it to the side, so, its off to the auto electrician today, in truth, all the knowledge and advice when buying, can not prepare you for everything.
Agreed, but I would have plugged in my OBD diagnostic code display unit to see what codes came up before considering the purchase. Any seller with nothing to hide wont object. Many things can be masked, but the fault codes remain until fixed. I don’t know what the cost is now but my code reader was a tenner delivered about 2 yrs ago and is worth it’s weight in gold 
For a list of codes on a specific car, check online for the numbers and faults.
Hi LD, I have the readers but not sure an intermittent fuse box fault would generate fault codes, just found this on a Forum.
Hi all,
We’ve had a 2005 Cmax for over three years now, and have been extremely happy with it.
However, today we came out to a completely flat battery, and some really wierd behaviour from the electrics after the Green Flag guy came out to start the engine. The wipers and hazard lights went on intermittently at start up and then at shut down.
We’ve had an electrical expert look at it. He’s identified the problem as water in the fuse box. It’s all cleaned up now, but how do we prevent it happening again? At the moment, it’s got a plastic bag on the fuse box!
Cheers,
Have you recently had it serviced?
Had a larger amount of water/rainfall than normal?
Had a new windscreen?
Had any work at all done to the car?
There are quite a few different ways water can creep in and normally the answer is yes to one of the above…
The car went through a large puddle a few days ago. We had it serviced a while back, but I’m going to check the pollen filter, as that sounds like it’s a common fault:
Cheers,
Or if the windscreen has been replaced the scuttle panel by the wipers can be loose.
This fault cropped up a couple of times at a garage where I was fitting some equipment to a car.
Behind the scuttle panel at the bottom of the windscreen, right back in the corner is a point where 3 or 4 panels join. It has been proven that quite often the seal / weld in the corner fails leaving a small hole … just seal it up with some silicone.
To recap … remove wipers, remove plastic scuttle panel, standing at front of car look in far right corner … this point is almost directly above the fuse box in the passenger footwell.
I have got the same leak in mine … I’ll try and get some photos this week
Any second had car we have had or my son I always insist on an HPI check. well worth the extra £s . It prevented my son from buying one from a private seller that still had a debt against it. Even had Sue’s Honda Civic (an ex demo) from a main dealer to be on the safe side HPI checked
The old adage Caveat emptor, was it a private buy Spitfire .
No, it was trade but because of the year and price, was sold basically as spares or repairs. Been to the auto electrician, the problem is two fold, the first is the control module which is causing the difficult starting £179.00 refurbished and fitted one week off road, the second is the body module, maybe serviceable, if not, £? dependent if re-programming needed.
Looks like its heading for the scrap heap, along with its brother.