It’s not necessarily bad, just old technology. Before you had computer-controlled ignition timing, they used distributors- it’s a small circular thing about the size of a small bowl with a wire lead on a pole that spins around and hits electrical leads spaced around it to trigger the spark plug ignitions. They are pretty simple but they can wear out.

You aren’t kidding, that thing has a distributor. I haven’t seen that on a car in almost 20 years.