My folks had a 1979 Opel Ascona 2.0 when I was about 7. Biggest embarrassment was that it was a hopeless starter when warm. Benefits of hindsight it should have had a replacement carburettor!
Mum would pick me up outside school sometimes and the pantomime of prolonged cranking with the engine failing to catch would commence. When it did catch, it would generally stall several times whilst other kids laughed!
Started fine in dry cold weather, but hopeless on damp mornings, where we’d usually have to walk to school.
Very thirsty too. Four speed ‘box and I recall one time towing the caravan back from a family holiday in a head wind where it didn’t have the grunt to pull fourth gear and managed around 18 mpg for the journey.
Replaced by a 1983 Mazda 626 that had a manual choke which actually worked!
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