We had a school re-union on the 16th Nov 2008 and as old friends greeted and hugged one another while inquiring of the well being of each others family, I was not surprised when one of my friends asked me “Hows your BLD?”
The “BLD” he was referring to is my father’s Premier Padmini(Registration BLD 6958). The glossy white colour fiat came into our family in the year 1988 when I was in school and has remained with us ever since. We had another Fiat and Amby earlier, but this BLD 6958 soon became my closest confidant. In the first month itself I convinced my father to install a jet black sun film on the windows to prevent the upholstery from fading. My white fiat looked amazing with jet black windows and soon my friends nicknamed it as the “Smugglers car”.
Going back to my school and college days I clearly remember that I used to personally wash and polish the car on weekends or whenever dad left the car at home. I literally lived in my car whenever I got a chance to do so. After I completed my HSc, my father permitted me to take the car to college. In the early 1990’s driving a fiat was considered cool and I enjoyed playing the role of a driver to my family whenever required.
Years passed by and today in 2009, our fiat has turned 21 years old and is the only surviving Padmini in our residential complex. We have a November 2004 Esteem Vxi but the fiat is still considered very special. I drive the Esteem most of the times but my father uses the fiat regularly. One major problem in driving the Padmini is that the heat becomes unbearable during the day as it does not have an air conditioner but when night sets in and the climate becomes cooler, the Fiat is my first choice. Thus I call it my ‘Night Queen’.
Today, even Fiat taxis are going off the roads. So what makes the Padmini a loved vehicle even though it is a 1960’s model? In my opinion a well maintained fiat resembles a beautiful new bride. The chrome bumpers, wheel caps, door handles, front grille, horn ring on the steering wheel, etc give the Padmini a classy look. The Padmini is not a practical car to own during these times and it is pure nostalgia that prevents many people from selling it. Secondly, in a city like Mumbai where 80% Padmini’s are used as taxis, even the best maintained Padmini won’t fetch you more than 25K in the used car market.
Some of the advantages of the Padmini are as follows:
I personally love the shape of the car.
The exhaust note of the Padmini is awesome, no other Indian car can boast of such a crisp firing.
In a fiat you can see all the 4 corners while driving and thus it is easy to cut through tight spots.
It can seat 6 adults at a time as it has bench seats.
On the road even auto rickshaw drivers keep a safe distance from it.
The spare parts are ultra cheap and it can be serviced at a nominal cost.
The boot though not very spacious is a boon. Installing an additional luggage carrier on the roof helps to carry additonal luggage.
It is a rough n tough car for Mumbai’s potholed roads.
The disadvantages of the Premier Padmini are as follows:
The mileage is on the poorer side as compared to my Esteem.
The engine and all other equipments are of the primitive era.
Braking is poor.
It feels like being baked in an oven while driving during the day time, a lot of engine heat is thrown into the passenger compartment.
Even the best electrician cannot guarantee that all the lights(headlights, flashers, brake lights, number plate lamp, and cabin lamp) will function properly at any given point.
The tinwork needs attention after every monsoon as the car gets corroded easily.
There may be many more disadvantages of the Padmini as compared to any other new generation car but owning and driving a Padmini is not about technology or horse power or 16 bit computers or torque or MPFI or power steering or power windows or even disc brakes. It is about love, passion and sheer nostalgia. Sometimes people tell me that it is more practical to sell off the fiat. But then this car is my childhood sweetheart, even the thought of selling it could be termed as being “unfaithful”.
So the Padmini remains with our family even after 21 years and god willing, it will continue to be with us for a lifetime.