Premier Padmini - my First Love. Review on Fiat Premier Padmini

We bought our Premier Padmini in 1994 from a auto-dealer who used to bring cars from Nagpur/Pune and sell it to tata Steel employees at Jamshedpur. Since my father got a a promotion and a hike in his vehicle allowance, we could afford to maintain a car now. We bought this shining white piece of vehicle for a whopping Rs. 60,000 (considering it to be 9 years old then). But the dealer charged that amount because he has refurbished the car with fresh upholstery, paint-n-polish, battery and body-massage :-). I remember it used to have one of the best soinding horns enough to make out Maruti 1000 neighbout jealous of its sound. But with time, the car started to develpe a problem with the timing chain noise. We got it repaired for Nuts though they had to bring down the engine for it. After that is used to run like a queen on the roads. The road conditions being goo at Jamshedpur used to be a fest for the car to run and for us to drive. I remember, I used to race it with my cousin's Maruti Zen till late 1999 and used to win a number of times. By 2001, dada lost interest in maintaining it and the mileage had gone down form 9-10 to 7-8 km/l. With rising petrol cost, we had to park the car. We used to use it once in a month or so, when all the family members had to go out and used to run great fully-loaded. By 2004, it turned into a standing body- but mom still gets it cleaned, though the car may never move ahead. But I still love it and get it cleaned regulalry to retain its white color whch has become yellowish.

Gautam Singh

Pune