118 NE - My First Beast

[singh890]

Hello Friends today i am sharing my ownership experience for a car which is probably very out dated for most of us. But it was one of the best and toughest cars of its time. People who own a ambassador or a fiat would probably know what i am saying

yes it is the 118 NE we own this vehicle since 2000 and this is a 1996 model. It is pleasure to be a owner to this sedan, what may be the roads....... the hills... mountains , plains. This beast glides everything like a butter. I learned driving on this vehicle and it was so much fun. The stability is so damm awesome that still many cars in today’s market can fail in front of this vehicle.

We bought this car for our farm use (for about 60,000 rupees), to visit our farms and bring stuff relating to that. And this car has served us for 12 years without any trouble except once. We just get the oil change and keep getting the car checked in every 4-5 months. And the FE for this car is about 14-16 kml and it is petrol. The only time we had to put in some money on this car was back in 2002 when I met with an accident and if it was not this car it would have turned into a serious one. A tractor attached with a trolley full of wet sand came at hit us from the left hand side at speed of about 50-60km/hr. The impact was good enough to damage the entire left side starting from the front door. But no one was injured luckily, we were 3 people in the car coming back from school. Well that was the only time we had to spend some money on this car besides that nothing major. But truly that day this car saved our lives.

And as of today it has done around 75000 kms and is still running good and the AC of this car is really powerful and the best part is that it is very spacious and the seating of this car is really comfortable. I have done quite few trips in this car and they were so untiring. It can easily go 90-100 km/hr with AC. Now it's only used for city purposes sometimes.

118 Premier Padmini NE
Following are the technical details for this car

Body: 4 door sedan

Size: 4050 (length) 1610 (width) 1435 (height)mm.

Wheelbase: 2420 mm

Engine: 1.2 Litre Engine

Power: 52.7 PS (52bhp) at 5600 rpm
Torque: 79 Nm at 4000 rpm

Maximum speed:
135 km/hr

 

[P3T3R]

We bought this car for our farm use (for about 60,000 rupees),

That's way too much. These cars were available in Goa for 20-25K at that time.

And the FE for this car is about 14-16 kml and it is petrol.

That's really good.

118 Premier Padmini NE

It's the Premier 118 NE based on the Fiat 124. The Padmini was based on the Fiat Millecento (1100).

Engine: 1.2 Litre Engine

Power: 52.7 PS (52bhp) at 5600 rpm
Torque: 79 Nm at 4000 rpm

This is a Nissan Engine and hence the name NE.

Overall the car is neat. You need to do a good paintjob and some internal and external cosmetics.

 

[ilango[speed thirst]]

That was one good car , it had a edge over other cars at that time.

still there are 118 clubs , i think in Bangalore?

Congrats for the car ! cheers

 

[singh890]

That's way too much. These cars were available in Goa for 20-25K at that time.

Actually the price is not for today it was paid 12 years back and at that time the car was only 4 years old with i guess only 20-25K kms on it. And that price was i guess a good one keeping in mind the condition of the car and again it was Delhi.


That's really good.


It's the Premier 118 NE based on the Fiat 124. The Padmini was based on the Fiat Millecento (1100).


This is a Nissan Engine and hence the name NE.

Yes you are right that time they used Nissan engines for 118 NE

Overall the car is neat. You need to do a good paintjob and some internal and external cosmetics.

Since the car is used in city more now and therefore the paint job is screwed up. Dude driving in moradabad and that to in the inner roads gudluck with that. So we don't bother about small nicks on the exterior.

And i was the one who used to drive it more and since i am in US right now, the car has been just standing in the garage. But now me are thinking of getting a paint job done and few interior changes.

That was one good car , it had a edge over other cars at that time.

still there are 118 clubs , i think in Bangalore?

Congrats for the car ! cheers

Thanks buddy and indeed it was one good car few years back. And its good to know that there are clubs for 118.

 

[Vishwas]

This car has decent sedan looks like the ones in 80s, liked it very much when these were seen around every corner in our city.But today sadly i see them only in rickety old junkyards, get the vehicle painted and restore it to the original shape,will be classy.

 

[Markiv]

A very decent looking sedan of the 90s. An almost lookalike of the russian car lada or something. I do have fond memories of this car as this was my sisters wedding car in 91. Also I had used 94 model sometime in 99 for about an year or so. It had a wonderful supercool ac fitted locally in Bangalore. It was my dads aspirational car in the early 90s when he was driving the premier padmini.

 

[AppU]

singh890,

While reading your 118 review, I'm recollecting all my memories of my First love with 118NE.

I learned driving on this vehicle and it was so much fun.

Even I too learned driving in my 118NE

The stability is so damm awesome that still many cars in today’s market can fail in front of this vehicle.

Yes, I'm agree with this.

We bought this car for our farm use (for about 60,000 rupees),

But, we brought 118NE for 30k and sold it for 20k after using 3years.


I'm posting my 118NE pic here, I hope you don't mind.

 

[singh890]

This car has decent sedan looks like the ones in 80s, liked it very much when these were seen around every corner in our city.But today sadly i see them only in rickety old junkyards, get the vehicle painted and restore it to the original shape,will be classy.

Yes they are very rare to be seen on the roads today. I do love to drive it sometimes when i am back home.

A very decent looking sedan of the 90s. An almost lookalike of the russian car lada or something. I do have fond memories of this car as this was my sisters wedding car in 91. Also I had used 94 model sometime in 99 for about an year or so. It had a wonderful supercool ac fitted locally in Bangalore. It was my dads aspirational car in the early 90s when he was driving the premier padmini.

You are right on the ac part, though i have the stock fitted ac and till today it works so good that within 2 minutes it will cool the car.

singh890,

While reading your 118 review, I'm recollecting all my memories of my First love with 118NE.

That's good to hear as i made atleast some people recall their memories.

Even I too learned driving in my 118NE




Yes, I'm agree with this.



But, we brought 118NE for 30k and sold it for 20k after using 3years.


I'm posting my 118NE pic here, I hope you don't mind.

I am seeing 118 NE for the first time in this color. Looking good.

 

[Prads]

I'm posting my 118NE pic here, I hope you don't mind.

I too have not seen NE in this colour but i do remember one in a darker shade,or is it the pic making the colour look different ? How old is this pic by the way? The tiny fog lights are a nice touch.

 

[Iron Rock]

ahh a 118NE thread, makes me nostalgic, has one of the best gearboxes of that age, will still probably put some more modern cars to shame. Derived from the Russian Lada Riva.

It used to be rust prone..but glad to see this one in decent shape for its age...your running seems very low.

 

[XaerO]

Hey it used to be a hear turner at that point in time. You could restore it well !! If you need any contacts for a restoration job in Moradabad, lemme know.

Since the car is used in city more now and therefore the paint job is screwed up. Dude driving in moradabad and that to in the inner roads gudluck with that. So we don't bother about small nicks on the exterior.

Ohhh I second that, its has improved a lot now, but still if the travel is within city, it would be a news if your car stays scratch proof for a month at a strech !!

 

[Surfer]

Nice review, our neighbor had that 15 years ago, so was always our dream car He use to put LPG cylinder and drive it.

 

[Sam Dinkar]

118NE. Some people say that it had the best gearbox among all Indian car even till date ! I remember the crispy exhaust note on full throttle and the smooth, almost butter like Nissan engine (hence, NE). The car was notorious for catching rust and that is why you rarely get to see one on the roads today, despite the car being in production till the late 1990s.

Take care of your NE singh890 ! It's always good to see an old car soldiering along

 

[singh890]

ahh a 118NE thread, makes me nostalgic, has one of the best gearboxes of that age, will still probably put some more modern cars to shame. Derived from the Russian Lada Riva.

It used to be rust prone..but glad to see this one in decent shape for its age...your running seems very low.

Thats very true Iron Rock the gear box is really good and even after so long it does not stuck in any of the gears. love the feel when i drive it.

And so far we don't have any rust signs on the car. it was actually white but after the accident i got it painted black. Now in the entire city i am the only one who owns a Black NE.

Hey it used to be a hear turner at that point in time. You could restore it well !! If you need any contacts for a restoration job in Moradabad, lemme know.

Ohhh I second that, its has improved a lot now, but still if the travel is within city, it would be a news if your car stays scratch proof for a month at a strech !!

Thanks Xaero, i will definitely let you know if i need some restoration work though we have a very old mechanic who has been looking after our viehicles but still.
And dude imagine driving this big one in city and with all those 2 wheelers and rickshaw wala, it's really difficult to keep it scratch proof.
So now we have relaced the plastic bumpers with the iron bumpers

Nice review, our neighbor had that 15 years ago, so was always our dream car He use to put LPG cylinder and drive it.

We too got the LPG kit fitted in the our car when we bought it. It's really cheap but now we just drive it on petrol since it's not used that much but still have the LPG fitting.

118NE. Some people say that it had the best gearbox among all Indian car even till date ! I remember the crispy exhaust note on full throttle and the smooth, almost butter like Nissan engine (hence, NE). The car was notorious for catching rust and that is why you rarely get to see one on the roads today, despite the car being in production till the late 1990s.

Take care of your NE singh890 ! It's always good to see an old car soldiering along

Yes Sam people are very right about the gear box because it does have a very smooth gear box. I don't know about other NE's but our's does have a really good and still works very great without getting stuck.

And i am planning to get a paint job done again with few interior work but that's gonna happen only when i come back to India.

 

[AppU]

I too have not seen NE in this colour but i do remember one in a darker shade,or is it the pic making the colour look different ?

The car looks little bit brigther due to sun light. I add some more pics of my car by tomorrow.. there you can check the orginal color.

How old is this pic by the way?

That pic was taken on 2005(8yrs old), but car was manufactured in 1994.

The tiny fog lights are a nice touch.

Thanks for those words