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Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy

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Comments

  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    (like me) for years. It's like the old gum erasers, and it takes surface impurities off the paint after washing, before you wax. You can trult feel the difference with your fingers.

    It keeps you from waxing over impurities, so you don't get a crud buildup and less than stellar paint.
  • kpp14kpp14 Member Posts: 62
    Hi people. I'm posting from Vancouver Island and have not driven my Envoy for over a week. Hardly any Envoys out here. Took a trip in the interior of BC (Rockies) in a minivan....and that my friends was pretty sad. I'll bet my truck would leap and bound over those 11,000 footers. Long grades that go forever! Probably would use that grunty mid to high range torque without gearing down.
    My other car is a white 2002 Protege 5 (when the lawn is cut its my sons). He used a clay bar from Maquires (sp) to remove a red gritty type of "fallout" that the dealer couldn't take off (actually they did a half*&ss job).This stuff is great! It lifted everything stuck to the paint. Then he put two coats of the goldclass wax. They also have low luster vinyl and leather cleaners for the interior that donot look greasy.
  • mdeymdey Member Posts: 90
    I thought I would post a report on having the transmission serviced on my 02 LS. At 35,000 miles the fluid started to have a slight burnt smell to it. I had the dealer perform the flush and replace process. According to the invoice, they used 16 quarts of Dexron III. Price was $190, which I thought was a little steep. To drop the pan and replace the filter would have been in the $125 range. I didn't notice any change in performance, but I also have never had a transmission rebuilt because I have them serviced regularly. Call it preventive maintenance.
  • tblazedtblazed Member Posts: 945
    "$190, which I thought was a little steep. To drop the pan and replace the filter would have been in the $125 range.."

    Is that $190 PLUS another $125 to drop the pan and replace the filter? Or an $125 plus an additional $65 for the additional trans oil?

    Do you fall into the "severe duty" catagory? It's supposed to last longer than 35K. So GM claims anyway.
  • seifordseiford Member Posts: 68
    Has anyone had success dealing with the Better Business Bureau Arbitration process?

    We're frustrated that GM cannot fix the stutter/hiccup at idle on our '03 Envoy. The Customer Assistance Center folks admit that they have others complaining of this problem (like the brand new '03 loaner I had) but they don't have a fix.

    So they upped our tranny warranty to 100,000 miles (5 years) and consider the problem resolved. I don't think that's acceptable. $40k truck that is embarrassing to give people rides in.

    The GM Customer Assistance folks actually told us that the only thing we can do now is to escalate it to the BBB. Has anyone tried this approach?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Has anyone had success dealing with the Better Business Bureau Arbitration process?

    I don't have any experience with the arbitration process but B3 was VERY helpful in a dispute I had with a large computer company. The company had been footdragging on an issue and out of frustration I finally called B3. 24 hours later the problem was fixed! Apparently, the company was sensitive to having its name on file.

    I'm a little apprehensive, however, about a company that invites you to go to the B3.

    tidester, host
  • gam2gam2 Member Posts: 316
    The BBB was a complete, worthless, waste of time for me. They did absolutely nothing for me. My vehicle had been out of service 30 days (27 according to the GM rep at the hearing) yet they would not let me discuss the problems that kept the vehicle out of service because they had been fixed. Then they had the nerve to tell me in their written decision the vehicle had been out of service only 21 days, even less than GM admitted to in the hearing! I was completely blown away. GM eventually did the right thing, but the BBB was a joke. Do it only if you have to.

    GAM
  • kudronkudron Member Posts: 32
    tblazed,

    Can you tell us how much the Borla exhaust cost? Where did you get it from? Can you provide some pictures of the install procedure?

    Enquiring minds want to know...
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    on the BBB issue - about 80% of my GM cases have been through the BBB process. Think about it - our lawfirm wouldn't have the case if the BBB had ruled in the owner's favor.

    What most people don't know is that each city's local BBB is signed up with all the local dealers as a mediator. The dealers pay the BBB fees to mediate consumer issues. It's only human nature to rule for the person who is paying you, and last time I checked, most of us have never donated to the BBB...

    My PT is in suit (lemon law) right now - I didn't bother with the BBB because I've seen over 1800 cases in 2 years that went through the BBB and ended up against the vehicle owner.
  • pepper50pepper50 Member Posts: 195
    Keep reading about this "clay bar"- would someone that has used this elaborate please? Just can't imagine what would seem like an abrasive material being used on clear coat. But I have never seen it so any users want to comment?

    I've used a clay bar on a couple cars in the past. It's sort of like Silly Putty, but a little firmer. It does work well. You'll see it pick up grit and leave a smoother finish. You don't have to clay very often; maybe every year or so. But you can do some touch-up claying if you notice some hard to remove deposits. Here's the technique I learned and used: 1) First I washed the car with Dawn detergent. This gets rid of all the old wax buildup, grease, etc. 2) When you use the clay bar you have to keep a small area well-lubricated with the accompanying spray that should come with the clay. YOu don't need to use very much pressure on the clay bar; the lubricant lets it glide over the surface. You knead the bar frequently so any grit is incorporated and not exposed and dragged across the paint. If you drop the clay bar on the ground, you'll probably have to throw that piece away. To save money, I cut my clay bar in 3 pieces and save the other two pieces in plastic wrap and a jar for another time. The directions will tell you how to use the clay; short straight strokes. 3) After claying, then I washed with car shampoo to remove the clay residue. 4) Then I applied a coat of polymer including the painted wheels; some people choose wax instead of polymer. 5) Sometimes I put some Blitz car wax on top of the polymer. (I usually apply the polymer yearly and Blitz in between). BTW, one of the best things I've found for streak-free drying my vehicle after a wash is the Absorber towel, which I got at WalMart; it's amazing and you'll never go back to a chamois. I also treat the dash and plastic with 303 Aerospace Protectant, and I also use it on the rubber mouldings/weatherstripping to keep those soft. Finally, I use a leather conditioner-cleaner on the steering wheel wrap (I don't have leather seats).
  • tblazedtblazed Member Posts: 945
    "Then I applied a coat of polymer.." What brand? I have been using Meguiar's "Quick Detailer" which is a simple spray-on wipe off product I "think" is basically a polymer compound of some sort. Helps keep the painted surface lubricated with a slick coating.
  • tblazedtblazed Member Posts: 945
    kudron the going price seems to be in the $765-800 range delivered. Not sure I should promote an individual seller in this forum but email me for the specifics if a Google search for "borla trailblazer" doesn't work for you. Will have pictures available in a few weeks after it gets here and I get it installed. If I had any extra funds left i would go to the local dyno place and have before and after runs done. To do that however would cost over $100 and I am not that curious.
  • lubaseballlubaseball Member Posts: 3
    tblazed - saw your pic on #10757 - I've got the same thing. I'm about to put in my 3rd bulb in a month. Is there a quick fix?
  • tblazedtblazed Member Posts: 945
    I put a tiny dab of dielectric silicone grease on the contacts where they touch the wire bulb contacts, made sure the contacts in the socket are clean and not eaten up, scraped off a little corrosion from a couple, and sprung them inwards a little to maintain tighter contact. Haven't had any more problems so far. If you take it to the dealer they might replace the bulb holder socket [non-permissible content removed]'y. But so far so good. Most of the damage was to the cheapo bulb wire contacts themselves.
  • ficussficuss Member Posts: 541
    lubaseball, the only fix for the problem tblazed presented is to replace the bulb socket. The pitting is caused by a bad connection within the socket, namely at the point of contact with the bulb contacts. Look at the socket contacts, they will be pitted as bad as the bulb contacts. Have GM change the sockets and your problem will go away.

    Frank
  • lubaseballlubaseball Member Posts: 3
    tblazed - saw your pic on #10757 - I've got the same thing. I'm about to put in my 3rd bulb in a month. Is there a quick fix?
  • tblazedtblazed Member Posts: 945
    "Have GM change the sockets ..they will be pitted as bad as the bulb contacts....and your problem will go away." Go away until they fail again. If they don't put something on the contacts it's only a matter of time IMO.

    Yes of course get new sockets if they are damaged. Mine weren't. The socket contacts were in surprizingly good condition. Just a little corrosion pitting looking stuff on the actual socket contacts. I have macro close-up pics of the sockets themselves. And a year and a half of warranty to go, too.
     
    A friend that has a '97 Chevy Z-71 truck has had the same bulb contact problem since the 1st year he owned it. Seems to be a common problem on a lot of vehicles that use that same style of bulb. I was suggesting a way to prevent failure in the future by adding a small amount of dielectric grease at the contact points. Similar to the suggestion in this month's Techlink concerning electrical connectors and contact failure.
  • trailbluetrailblue Member Posts: 4
    I have a TB/LT with manik brushguard,siderails,taillight guards. rear bumper guard by waag. Hella Blackmagic lights,silverstar headlights blubs. I also add the headlight washer kit to it. Vent visors and bugshield by weathertech,Clifford security system,w/backup battery.

      So far 15100 miles and no problems as of yet(knock on wood).
    I enjoy it alot. Just wish there was more aftermarket items for it. Helwig sway states that they will make a sway bar kit for the triples when then get more request for it. Same with JBA headers.
  • prijayprijay Member Posts: 26
    Provided below is a description of the problems i have had with the A/C. My final attempt to get the a/c repaired under lemon law was last week, but i am sorry to report that the problem still exists (they replaced the low pressure switch again)i just got of the phone with GM and the customer service rep said that i will have to go through BBB for arbitration. I have read a couple of posts and they don't have anything good to say about BBB. I would like to know if there is any other avenues that i can take to resolve my dispute besides going through BBB.

    My a/c has never worked right since i bought the vehicle in August 2002 (Trailblazer EXT, LT, with automatic temperature control). I have been back to the dealer a total of 6 times out of which 2 times they said the a/c was running per GM specs, but the other four times they did the following: 1. New Compressor 2.Software update 3. Low pressure switch replace 4. Low pressure switch replace. The a/c still does not function well, on a hot day it will start blowing cold for a minute and then warm air and it takes forever to cool.

    After my 6th attempt i filled out the paper work for lemon law and mailed it to GM. The lady from GM called me today and the has set up a final appointment with the dealer for fixing the a/c on Tuesday 6/17/03. Will keep you posted as to what happens,if they fix it fine if not they will have to buy my TB back.
  • wxman4wxman4 Member Posts: 53
    If you don't want to wait on Hellwig sway bars check out www.hotchkis.net. They have a kit for the triplets. It is a rear bar only with new bushings for the front. There claim is that is all that is needed. Haven't tried yet. The Hotchkis set up was great on a Durango.
  • aldan93aldan93 Member Posts: 202
    Well my wednesday trip to the dealer was interesting brought it in for four problems they fixed none of them!!!!!!! The LOW pressure switch I need for the AC is on National BACK ORDER!!!! Thats just great!! ITS fun driving on vacation with no AC and temps in the 90's!!!!! Selling in the spring, this is it, this will be trip number 9-10 coming up!!!! back to the dealer 6 month old vehicle!!! This sucks!
  • ltz2003ltz2003 Member Posts: 24
    ALDAN93 I had a low pressure switch installed today. I ordered the switch myself because they did not know what to do i had to tell them. The switch was ordered on monday and they got it tuesday.Now my air works fine i just hope it lasts. Sorry but i must have got the last one on earth.Or they may not be telling you the truth. Good luck
  • 2yearleaseonly2yearleaseonly Member Posts: 107
    From what I can see on Edmunds regarding next years models, it looks like the locking differential is no longer being offered as an option. I sure hope its a typo, since an Envoy with a "locker" is one mean and aggressive bear in the snow. Any one out there who plans on "ordering" a triplet, its well worth the few hundred bucks, assuming its still available. It makes your 2 wheel drive into a 3 wheel drive. The difference is both striking and remarkable.

    P.S.
    No vibration from the gas pedal now that its warm. I cant wait for winter for it to come back.
  • pepper50pepper50 Member Posts: 195
    tblazed, the polymer I use is called Meguiar's #20 Polymer Sealant. It is easy to apply like a liquid wax with an applicator, dries like a wax, then easy to buff off. It's a longer lasting protection than you get with the spray-ons like Quick Detailer. Quick Detailer, if I remember correctly, is more for touch-ups between wax jobs. It's probably similar to the Meguiar's Final Inspection I use occasionally, sometimes to clean up bird droppings, which it removes easily and leaves a glossy finish. Dealers use similar products to get rid of all the fingerprints in the showroom each day.
  • mdeymdey Member Posts: 90
    $190 to do the flush system for transmission service OR $125 to drop the pan and replace the screen and refill. I chose the flush system. The OE screen is still in there.
  • tblazedtblazed Member Posts: 945
    "It makes your 2 wheel drive into a 3 wheel drive. The difference is both striking and remarkable."

    Or, I think of it as keeping my 2WD from becoming a 1WD. No "G80" option? Maybe they made it standard. I doubt that though. I had to drive 200 mi to get mine with the G80, gear ratio, and other options I wanted but a surprizing number I looked at in '02 in dealer stock had the G80 option. I think it is very important to have in a vehicle with any decent power. Makes taking off from a stop on a slightly uphill wet street across 6 lanes of traffic much easier.
  • gam2gam2 Member Posts: 316
    Check out Edmunds current pricing/options for a 2003 Envoy. The locker is not there. Does not show up as standard equipment either. Does show up on a 2003 Trailblazer though....

    I agree, having the locker is great. I did not need 4WD in many case last winter.

    GAM
  • aldan93aldan93 Member Posts: 202
    The locker/ limited slip rear are options, the the same rear end goes in all three trips. Trust me!!! you just have to order it!
  • aldan93aldan93 Member Posts: 202
    Where did you order the switch from?? is it easy to replace?
  • nuyorkahnuyorkah Member Posts: 100
    "The LOW pressure switch I need for the AC is on National BACK ORDER!!!! "

    PN# 89040362 Pressure Cycling Switch is NOT on back order. They are straight up lying if they told you that. There are over 25000 of these switches in one warehouse alone. I'm surprised that they didn't have the switch in there own stock considering how many different trucks this TSB applies too. If there is another Chevy dealership in your area I say lose this one. If you want to pay for it and do it yourself just call another GM Dealerships Parts Dept. give them the PN# and check availability. It should take you a whole 5 mins to do the install. Just remove old switch install new one, no evacuation of the A/C system is needed. Just remember you may have another problem with your A/C system and the switch might not fix the problem and you will NOT be able to return it for a refund.
  • tblazedtblazed Member Posts: 945
    Did you find any specifics on the Hotchkis product? When I looked their web site seemed rather limited, like no links to any additional info. Wonder if they will sell just the front bushing parts but the price seems within reason for the whole kit. I emailed them so maybe Monday will hear back.

    BTW my old original low side cycling switch continues to work, and worked great for over 5 hours continuously last weekend. I have never had mine quit cooling or that switch quit cycling after the system gets cooled down. So like Nuyorkah said, it might not fix the particular problem you are having. The issue I have is the High side cutting out after startup in the hot afternoon. I can pretty much keep the compressor on, not cutting off, if I let the system cool for a min or so with the fan on 1 and definitely in Recirculate. Those with insufficient cooling after everything gets stabilized, make sure you are in Recirculate. Too bad they don't incorporate a slow blower fan speed ramp-up like my Dad's old '79 Caddy did. It would gradually increase the fan speed up to your setting, as the evaporator would get cool and not blast you with hot air in the face. Old-tech. My home a/c sort of does the same thing the old Caddy did- precools the evaporator before the fan turns on to get the coils cold quicker and not blast hot humid air into the house.
  • wxman4wxman4 Member Posts: 53
    I originally inquired to see if the Hotchkis bar was good for the extend models as well, I have an EXT. The reply follows; about all I know.

    ""I believe the bars will work on the EXT. We found that the vehicle only needed a rear upgrade and we include new bushings in the front. What engineering believes GM did was designed it with such a soft front spring, that they needed to over compensate with the huge front bar they installed. That combination left it with a lot of under steer, where it feels like the front end is pushing out towards the curb in turns. The addition of our rear bar will balance it out. We may also have a lowering kit available in the future also.
    Thanks,
    Mark""

    Good Luck
    Wxman
  • 2yearleaseonly2yearleaseonly Member Posts: 107
    My question was, will it be offered in the 2004 models? Edmunds says no and the GMC site wont switch to the 2004 models until they are well on their way to clearing out the 2003 models.

    And Tblazed...I would have driven 200 miles to find an Envoy with the G80 as well. My dealer sold me the Envoy that was on the lot at 400 below invoice,(BEFORE REBATES!) to entice me to give up the G80. It was the end of last year and GM had a big big contest to push up their market share for the year. I had talked to him right from the get go, no locker, no deal! Every man has their price, and for 400 below invoice Ill even lease it with the over priced Onstar.
  • ltz2003ltz2003 Member Posts: 24
    I didnt install the switch it was a warranty thing. When the parts guy ordered it he said they had a ton of them. I ordered mine in new castle pa.All dealers are close to being the same. I know people at this dealership and they know me. But they dont know to much maby they should read edmunds because i had to tell them what it needed to fix it and show them the print out of the problem.If i have anymore problems i will do the same thing so i know it will be fixed .
  • brunopuntzjonebrunopuntzjone Member Posts: 22
    Since the end of the month was coming up I jumped and got a 2003 Trailblazer LTZ.

    I was on the GMS plan and had the GM card. Got a few other discounts with it. Pretty much "fully loaded". Only option it didn't have was traction control, Bose system, and XM radio)

    MSRP $36,495
    Invoice $33,000
    TMV $33,400

    Mine before
    tax $25,300

    Figured $11,200 off MSRP wasn't shabby :)

    It's at another dealership and should be in Monday or Tuesday. I hope there won't be a ton of problems as it seems most people seem to find this vehicle problematic.

    Guess I'll get a speaker upgrade and a XM thing put in in a couple of weeks. Is the 6 disc changer and LTZ package have any better speakers than the base LS?
  • fomjr1fomjr1 Member Posts: 1
    03 LT 2WD/TB has had AC problems for 5 months. Dealer has put in two new switches and compressor. Now they say it is operating in spec. Does anyone know what the specs are?

    It did work for a few days but when the temp goes into the high 80's it just doesn't seem to do the job. Air temp coming out of vent is 58-64. Recirculate helps some. Auto climate control I thought was supposed to be good?
  • ron_mron_m Member Posts: 186
    I believe that someone posted a message here a while back that GM was dropping the LTZ model from the TrailBlazer line in 04'. Can anyone confirm this? If they do, what model/trim package will GM use to replace the LTZ in regards to the standard options that it offered?

    Ron M.
  • aldan93aldan93 Member Posts: 202
    Well first I would like to tell you guys that I have figured out why sometimes my MPG is 15-16 versus 19 MPG 50/50 high/city.

    #1 I used to fill up at Sunoco, they use 10% Ethanol always got 15-16 MPG

    Started using Mobil, I have been getting a consistent 19MPG

    Stay away from the ethanol blends it kills your MPG.

    I did fill up at Sunoco once in between just to see if I was nuts, Nope 17mpg.

    So take it for what its worth! food for thought!
  • rad225rad225 Member Posts: 15
    I had my noisy tach fixed at the dealer, they had the TB overnight to allow the dash to cool off. In the morning they could clearly hear the noise. It took them a while to find the fix, according to the service advisor, when they called GM tech support, the were advised that the problem was rare. It is being tracked by GM in the "confidential" category of Trailblazer problems. Not enough tachs have failed to become a TSB.

    The fix is to replace the entire instrument panel cluster. They installed a rebuild unit, it works fine. The tach noise is now limited to engine start up, which IS normal. Thanks to everyone for their replies, the information from this chat room helped cut through the BS when I returned to the dealer.

    By the way, my loaner car was a rental Xterra, what a piece of junk, my kidneys are still recovering from the poor ride.

    Thanks again,
    Rick
  • elevatorguyelevatorguy Member Posts: 87
    Can you break down the numbers for us? How many GM points did you have? Sounds like the deal of the century. Congrats!

    Elevatorguy
  • elevatorguyelevatorguy Member Posts: 87
    Anyone here using the California Water Board or any similar squeegee product to dry their triplet instead of a chamois or towel? They look like a real timesaver. They claim the blade is surgical grade silicone and won't harm the finish. Anyone notice any scratches? Also, when washing and waxing, how is everyone reaching the roof? Do you use a small step ladder or what?

    Thanks,
    Todd
  • canddmeyercanddmeyer Member Posts: 410
    It took me 28 years to figure this out, but use the same thing a car wash does-AIR. A leaf blower works fantastic & saves on laundry too. Just pat down the remaining water beads with a chamois or towel & you're done! However, take into account I only recommend this if you're on a sloping surface where there is no standing water from your car wash to avoid electrocution.
  • cparise1cparise1 Member Posts: 109
    I have been using a silicon blade, purchased at Shopko for about $12, almost since buying my '02 Envoy XL SLT in May of '02. Its not totally effective and requires going around the truck at least twice. Even then, you've got to use a damp towel to completely remove all the water spots. I started using the silicon blade to avoid making swirl marks or scratching the paint. When I use the damp towel I don't go in a circular motion as if rubbing, I just use a straight line swipe. Guess I am a little fanatical but I also bought an exterior, interior, rust protection, and sound deadening package called "The Protector" at truck purchase time. No need to wax is the claim and so far I agree, the finish is like a mirror and beads water like its just been waxed. And no swirl marks under close scrutiny either--so I must be doing something right! Also, I use car wash soap specially formulated for car's, not Dawn. Do you know dish detergent is so strong they use it to break up ocean oil spills? And look what it does to your hands in the house! Ouch!
    Happy Motoring,
    Chris
  • cparise1cparise1 Member Posts: 109
    I like the leaf blower idea, I just haven't tried it yet. With a vehicle this big it is a fantastic idea.
    Chris
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    and I use compressed air....same thing many detail shops use. Gets all the water out of crevices and hiding spots like under mirrors, inside trim channels, etc.
  • elevatorguyelevatorguy Member Posts: 87
    Good idea on the compressor. Do you use a real portbale compressor that you can run air tools from or are you using a very small portable that guys use for airbrushing and filling up basketballs and inflatable toys? Do you have an adapter that "fans" out the air or do you use the regular fine point nozzle?

    Thanks,
    Todd
  • brunopuntzjonebrunopuntzjone Member Posts: 22
    Breakdown was like this:

      $31,925 GMS Price
     <$ 3,000> Rebate
     <$ 500> Cash to dealer
     <$ 250> GM Employee Incentive
     <$ 695> On Star credit
     <$ 2,173> GM Card (original black card)
    -----------
      $25,307

    I may still have another $250 coming as GM Bonus Cash, he is having to check. It was sent with my GM Card earnings. It may be the same as the employee incentive though.

    The GMS rebate was $3,750, the first 3 items. In Texas there is a Texas truck rebate on trucks and SUVs. It's $500. That may be the only thing I did not get that I might have been able to. I pushed it a few times and the guy got annoyed, I was at a heck of a deal already so let it go after about the 3rd time.

    It may not have been combinable with the GMS price, but I can live with the $500 loss over a few years :)

    Luckily I checked the Cheverolet webpage a few days before and noticed the $695 off if you get an 03 TB with On Star. It's included on the LTZ. Didn't think they would take it, but sure enough they took my printout of the page and said ok. Said they didn't even know about it.

    Pays to do your research.
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    I use a 110 volt, 15 gallon unit with an air hose and a trigger nozzle (fine spray, about a 1/8" hole). With 120 psi, you don't need a fan nozzle - the pinpoint works great, and is easier to hit cracks and crevices.
  • tblazedtblazed Member Posts: 945
    would be to get an aftermarket Eaton unit and have it installed at any competent 4WD shop. I had a limited-slip put in my '88 S-10 due to its tendency to spin the r-rear tire on any road surface the slightest bit wet with the torque of the 4.3 V6 it has, and the whole turn key deal was just under $500.
  • tblazedtblazed Member Posts: 945
    A friend's daughter has decided she needs a Trailblazer, so we were looking. Had not read anyone else mention they charge $50 extra for the 3.73 or 4.10 ratios now? That was always a no extra charge choice. Also that the rear window defogger is now a $190 option? Even my LS with the 1SC pkg. came with that. Anyway she's discouraged now. I guess they figure MOST people or prospective buyers won't notice the decontenting. I advised her to look for a good low mile, clean late '01 mfg'd 2002 to get the decontented goodies, the engine warranty extension, and where to look for the date.
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