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Old 1st June 2023, 11:45   #1
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Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF

Big thanks to Aditya Joshi for sharing this 63-page PDF owner's manual of the Premier Padmini. If you are a Padmini owner (ex or current), it's worth its weight in gold. All 9.57 MB of it. If you aren't a Padmini owner, it's still worth its weight in gold ! Download it & know more about one of the most iconic cars to ever be sold in India.
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File Type: pdf Premier Padmini Owner's Manual.pdf (9.57 MB, 288 views)
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Old 1st June 2023, 13:29   #2
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Re: Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF

This is the car I learned to drive in! Our temperamental Padmini "aunty" was always reluctant to start on cold mornings and had a tendency to throw mechanical hissy fits especially on longer trips.
We replaced it with a Zen as soon as the opportunity came up but I do remember the Padmini with a kind of fondness. It did break down sometimes but always in scenic locations except once on the Odisha-Bihar (now Jharkhand) border in a place which gave me the heebie jeebies.
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Old 1st June 2023, 16:19   #3
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Re: Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF

Surely gold! I wish I had this when we owned the car itself!
Just checking the manual, realised that the car came with 2 carburetor options for 48 & 40 BHP! I am not sure if there were any changes in the engine itself or not. A good looking Fiat/ Padmini will be still a head turner, I am sure.

Thanks GTO and Aditya for sharing it.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy.S View Post
This is the car I learned to drive in! Our temperamental Padmini "aunty" was always reluctant to start on cold mornings and had a tendency to throw mechanical hissy fits especially on longer trips.
We replaced it with a Zen as soon as the opportunity came up but I do remember the Padmini with a kind of fondness. It did break down sometimes but always in scenic locations except once on the Odisha-Bihar (now Jharkhand) border in a place which gave me the heebie jeebies.
This could well have been my post! We also upgraded to a Zen and have lots of bitter sweet memories of our car which was actually a Fiat 1100 Delight; later adopted identically as the Padmini by Premier. It had its own share of breakdowns, even on the highways but we definitely enjoyed the ownership. Just like you, I learnt driving on this car!

Regards,
Saket

Last edited by saket77 : 1st June 2023 at 16:24.
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Old 1st June 2023, 17:03   #4
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Re: Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF

Ah! Fond memories of the first car I drove (that too the one with the steering mounted gear lever!

Interesting point I noticed is that they recommend 10-4 position which I have never heard of before. Does not sound very comfortable or convenient.

Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF-screen.jpg
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Old 1st June 2023, 17:47   #5
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Re: Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF

Thanks for the post, This is going to be stored. I wish i had access to this manual when i had the car with me.

Owned a 1989 model Premier Padmini from 2019 to 2022. This was the only car for all my errands including long drive! Hard to believe right?

I used to drive this Padmini from Bangalore to Mangalore and back at a steady 60 kmph and enjoy the drive. Did the drives for good 3 years before i parted ways with the car to a fellow enthusiast.

I would have still held to the car if i had an additional parking space and since dad was unwell and was living with me, frequent trips to the hospital and native was little tiresome and also maintaining the classic was going little challenging.

These cars are best when the use is very limited and local errands. But strictly a no if you are having this as your only car and also if you have to travel frequently for long distance.

God willing sometime in future i still want to pick one Padmini and a Mahindra CJ500!
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Old 1st June 2023, 18:00   #6
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Re: Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF

This is so amazing. Most of us have owned a Padmini some time or the other in life. Love the attention to detail in every section of the manual along with pictures. Even if you don't own the ca,r it makes for wonderful reading just as you would read a book.

Its also a reminder of how simple things in life were once upon a time.
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Old 2nd June 2023, 02:23   #7
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Re: Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Big thanks to Aditya Joshi for sharing this 63-page PDF owner's manual of the Premier Padmini. If you are a Padmini owner (ex or current), it's worth its weight in gold. All 9.57 MB of it. If you aren't a Padmini owner, it's still worth its weight in gold ! Download it & know more about one of the most iconic cars to ever be sold in India.
I'm PRINTING it tomorrow!!

This was my dad's first car. He bought one back in 1995 because I was born in 1996 (March) and he believed in - "Train them young, cars will be the best addiction they'll ever taste".

Will share with him tomorrow.
Thank you GTO. Love you!
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Old 2nd June 2023, 10:42   #8
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Re: Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF

This is worth its weight in Platinum for me! I had a petrol padmini on which i learnt driving, used it for 6+ years and had to finally let it go due to rusting issues.

I never had a manual at that time, and this one really is going to make me fall in love with my car once again.
BIG THANKS for GTO and Aditiya Joshi for sharing this with us.
I think i have a diesel fiat manual with me, if i do get hold of it i will upload it in this thread whenever i find it.
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Old 5th June 2023, 14:52   #9
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Re: Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF

Thanks for sharing this. Although I was a school going kid when we had this car, I used to fiddle around in the parked car and do what all kids love to do! Still remember every nook and corner of this beauty. Also some forgotten bits came back like the weirdly placed parking brake

By the way did not know then that this was a RWD! Makes me want to drive and drift this one now
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Old 5th June 2023, 17:51   #10
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Re: Premier Padmini - Full Owner's Manual in PDF

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Originally Posted by StarBoard View Post

By the way did not know then that this was a RWD! Makes me want to drive and drift this one now
The car had longitudinal engine mounting, forming a straight path of power delivery through the Crankshaft> Gearbox> Propeller shaft> Differential and then to the rear wheels. Unlike the transverse engine mounting in most modern FWD cars where some cost & weight is saved by skipping the need of propeller shaft and differentials.

Regards,
Saket
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