1980 Ford Fiesta L review from UK and Ireland

Nothing much. It almost always started at the first turn of the key. It sometimes took three or four turns in wet weather though.

The one annoying fault was the stalling. This was particularly evident in wet weather too! My wife used to get very upset by this! She maintained that the car did it in a sly sort of way. She would pull up at a junction & comment on how quiet it had gone. The only noise would be the rubbing of the windscreen wipers still playing their merry tune, back & forth across the window. Then she would look down & notice those little square lights on the dashboard. The red one with the battery on it & the orange one with the oil can. She's not a big user of swear words, but that scenario used to lead to a few being used!

These stalling episodes revealed another frustration that comes with all Fords. You have to turn the key back first before attempting to re-start the engine. The first time my wife "stopped" she didn't know this. the car had chosen to stall while she was queued in a busy roundabout too. The car behind nearly drove into us while she desperately battled with the keys.

Apart from the stalling this was the best little car either of us has ever owned.

The acceleration was great from an engine so small.

The reliability was great too. It never let either of us down, always re-starting after the "stalling" episodes.

I'd have another tomorrow if I could find one.