A Nostalgic poll : Premier Padmini or Hindustan Ambassador. Which would you choose?

[planet_rocker]

Originally Posted by Thil

Padmini it is..The simplest car yet deliver what is required !..any day I would say the best car to learn Driving

the best car to learn driving and put scratches - not good brother
but perhaps the best car to go out for a drive on a rainy day with the other woman sitting next to you - the roar of the exhaust muting the continuous blabbering by the other woman - i call it life and i love it.

@ dippy - how about your view?

ps: "i did it again" -

[Mpower]

I think the Padmini will win simply because the Amby is still in production and dosent evoke any nostalgia. We dont see many Padminis at all in Bangalore but Mumbaites must be sick of the cabs.

As for me, we've always been an Ambassador growiing up. We tho at least 3. But I always wanted the FIAT (as we called it) because it was more sporty.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

but perhaps the best car to go out for a drive on a rainy day with the other woman sitting next to you - the roar of the exhaust muting the continuous blabbering by the other woman

BTW, Which one was "the" one?

[gd1418]

We come from a family of Landmasters. My grand-dad got a Landmaster as a gift from the Maharaja of Benares in 1959 when yours truly was born..!! Before that he owned a Mercury Ford and a Morris Minor. I wish he had kept all of them; I would have become an antique car dealer.

After the Landmaster that was there with us till 62, we got a Mark I and then a Mark II and my father got a Mark III here in Delhi. I used to love the steel push button that was used to start the Landmaster...he he

I don't like the current HL shape of the Amby; gives it a croked look somehow, like the Matiz.

Love the Amby for sheer size, comfort and robustness. Apart from the Willys this was an all terrain car of its era. Fiat was more feminine. I learnt my driving on Amby.

Half of my friends who owned a fiat used to loose a bet when asked to put reverse gear in the Amby in one go...har har har

Originally Posted by Dippy

We've had a lot of polls for exotics, luxury and other cars of the current era. So I thought of a different poll this time around. Imagine we were still in the pre Maruti era when only Padminis and Ambys ruled the roost. If you had the choice to buy one of these two which would you pick?

The Hindustan Ambassador OR The Premier Padmini

[Aditya]

I learnt driving on a Fiat - still retain the car. But, when I got my licence, I had to take the car which no one wanted to touch in my family - the '78 Amby Mk 3. Covered many, many miles of highway with it. It was very comfortable, always smelt good and had a very smooth petrol engine, which, unless revved hard, was quiet. It used to max out at approximately 100km/h, which, it would take year to achieve. The brakes were pathetic, handbrake never worked and handling was rock n' roll! The engine temperature used to race up to 80C and then stay there forever. All the fittings were horrible and kept coming off, but, all I needed was a screwdriver and a spanner to fix 'em. When it came to toughness, it was virtually indestructible. I loved the Amby deeply and I formed a certain bond with it. So, the Amby will be my choice.

[redline]

premier padmini for me. it was the first car i sat in.

[askicode]

Premier Padmini it is. We owned a 1100 Model and then later upgraded it to a 1980 Model. Clearly one of the best cars available at that point time. It didnt have the gear refinement of the 118NE(which is very smooth). I remember always messing up with the 2nd , 4th and reverse gear which incidentally were hand gears unlike todays cars which have floor gears.
The one feature that bugged me the most was that back seat windows wouldnt roll down completely. As a kid that mattered a lot

[speedzak]

Premier Padmini! Or as it is known here: FIAT!
I love that car. My dad completed 2 rallies in it. And we were apparently born and brought up in that car.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by speedzak

And we were apparently born and brought up in that car.

Born in the car?? Now, that may be a first, Zak.
Just kidding, pal.

[sbasak]

Padmini - of course
It was our first family car and the first car I ever drove (with steering mounted gear shift)!

Simple mechanics, reaonably reliable and frugal with a boot.

Padmini was more agile than Ambassador. After driving Padmini, driving Ambassador (without PAS then) felt like driving a truck

The only drawback of Padmini was low ground clearence - a problem during waterlogged streets at monsoons.

[mansidea]

Who else other than the one & only padmini aunty. (Thats what my friend calls it) ofcourse for its rally nature & sleek design. Looks good too with a slight modd job like a bucket seat, alloys with broad tyres and a momo steering.

[Desert fox]

Ambassador ofcourse! Apart from the reason that my family owned models ranging from landmaster to Nova,i also cite the theme of the thread...Nostalgia!

I carry plenty of fond memories of the car.

[Haque]

Voted for the ambassador ! My Vote goes for nostalgia.!!! Have got fond memories of the long rides in those white gov ambassadors...

[toiingg]

Padmini for me. Although it died on us quite a few times, still like it. Was the car i learnt to drive on.

[planet_rocker]

OFF TOPIC:

@ 1100D - i was talking about ETC. you know how she can eat up your brain. but she too loves the Padmini somehow except during summer. ok - i understand.