Warch's Back to the Future Astraargh experience!

[warch]

32 minutes ago, JMotor said:

It should barf any air out on its own. Unless there is another issue.

I'm glad this car serving you well and you like it. Astras are good cars. Simple, tough and not too bad looking things either.

Strange to say, but it's almost fun to own something (by today's standards) brutally basic.  No pretence, just car.

What more do you actually need? 

Yeah I’m sure it’ll do that, I thought it would take quite a bit more coolant than it did. 

I can’t see me buying a newish car again for a while (notwithstanding that we own a modern family car). I just love the driver involvement it’s much more visceral, you do feel much more connected to the road. I also spend much more time actually looking where I’m going, there’s nothing else in the cabin to distract you. 

[warch]

Had my first temporary FTP yesterday thanks to flood water. I had driven down a road to go to martial arts at about 10 am then returned via the same road two and a half hours later. Unfortunately the road had flooded in the interval, and I failed to keep my exhaust clear (should have been in 1st not 2nd). 

Happily the road was quite flat so it was dead easy to push the car (c. 850kg) the 40 metres required to clear the water, whereupon it immediately restarted. There were about three flooded sections in the three miles between me and home but I managed these in 1st gear (very tall gearing on this). 

Not really the nicest way to treat a forty year old car to be honest, but it didn't actually cause any damage to the car so apart from wet feet I was none the worse. 

[warch]

Update; managed to do my first 1000miles in this car. I took my old car to the scrapyard on Friday so I’m committed now. 

Also managed to attain 40.2 (actual) mpg in normal driving conditions which is bloody good for any 80s carbed petrol car, especially in this cold weather and bearing in mind how hilly it is where I am. 

There are a few foibles, the heating system is odd, the central vents only blow cold air and the side vents only warm air regardless of what the temperature setting is on. The exhaust needs looking at (slight blow) and the gas struts for the hatch need changing but I’m still happy with it. 
 
Pictured with an impressive road/rail Unimog earlier in the week.