Toyota Camry Owners: Meet the Members

kiai · May 2003

From a Honda Civic H/B DX, 5.0 GT Mustang, Full sized Eddie Bauer Bronco, Nissan Pathfinder, and back to a 4.6 GT Mustang.....owning and driving our brand new 4-cylinder Camry is the best thing we have owned. It's quiet, smooth riding, roomy, and better gas mileage. Living on Hawaii, we need a vehicle with good gas mileage.

jmark5 · June 2003

HI ! I recently bought 03 Camry and wanted to install a security system. The dealer quoted $495 for Pursuit alarm (Said he gave me $100 discount). After 2 days since, I felt the price is too high, I decided not to install (though I paid it, I still have to get it installed). When I called the dealer after few days and told him abt my decision, he said he's already placed an order !! and said he could only try to give a store credit. I feel this is very rediculous. Since I know he's talking all nonsense. Also I tried to enquire the price of this type of alarm by calling their parts department and they told me that it would cost $395 including installation.

I would be very thankful if someone can suggest me the best possible way to get my money back insted of store credit since I have not yet installed this alarm yet.

Thanks in advance

Jason

azspyder1 · June 2003

Our local salesman just called to say Toyota WILL NOT make a cloth interior XLE v6 with a moon roof. Despite brochure listing leather as an option, he said they wont make that combination. This is despite fact our present '97 is cloth, moon roof, XLE v6. We hate leather here in Arizona, and hate more paying something for what we dont want. Any ideas on this combination??

cgn49 · August 2003

just bought a 03 Camry LE Phantom Grey; love this car.

black_tulip · September 2003

I have a '99 Camry LE with 168K miles. Not one single unscheduled repair till date. Unbelievable! Gives over 32 miles per gallon and even at this mileage, I still have to look at the tachometer to see if it is running. It is so smooth,quiet and rattle-free that I do not hesitate to take it for long day trips(>600 miles one way). In addition, I have a 86 X 2 miles commute/day(don't ask...bad economy) and I drive it every day. It has become a member of our family and we will never trade it in. Hats off to Toyota!

barnzy · October 2003

My wife recently purchased a new (2003) Camry XLE, 4 cyl. Being from the old school where we believe the more cylinders you have, the smoother running and longer-lasting vehicle you will have, I suggested we consider a V6 (I drive a Mercury V8). After road testing them both, I reluctantly agreed that the 4 seemed as smooth as the 6, and appeared to be ample for both our driving habits. We recently took a thousand mile "spin" and we are both delighted with the car. It is quiet, handles and rides like a dream, and delivers 35+ MPG on the highway. We get a few "Buy America" looks now and then, but the fact is my wife's Camry was made in Kentucky, while my Grand Marquis is out of Canada.

motownusa · October 2003

I have a 92 Camry LE I4 and a 2003 LE V6. Even though the old Camry had only 130 hp it felt adequate at that time. There were no 240 hp Accord or Altima back in 92. But things have changed in last ten years. Now it seems having more power is a badge of honor. So when I decided to buy a new car this year I settled on the V6 Camry. No, it is not the fastest car out there but 210 hp is more than adequate for me since I rarely drive more than 75 mph anyway and don't like drag racing. The overall comfort, refinement and reliability is more important for me.

jiamin · October 2003

I never owned Toyotas but I test drove Camry a few times, wonderful car. One time a friend parked his 4-cylinder Camry (maybe a 96 model) at my house during his vacation. I took a test-drive and found it was nearly as smooth and quiet as its V6 when I floored it. Also when Camry's door was slamed close, the sound was just solid and gave me some confidence how well this thing is built. I bought 96 Maxima mainly because it had a little better performance plus a little more bells and whistles.

brazilgoal · November 2003

This past July I purchased a black Camry SE. I was looking for a manual transmission and found one in AL for only $18,900. That included ABS, mats and five spoke Enkie Alum wheels. Since then I put on a K&N air filter and oil filter, and installed a hyper ground system that I made.

I get very good acceleration and the sports suspension makes it a fun driving car. I recommend it to anyone. My kids and the youth at church really think this old man's car is too cool, (really I'm only 43).

I love "my car."

robvn · December 2003

Bought this car new at the end of 1999. Initial trouble with wheel shimmy above 55MPH. Insisted dealer put Michelin X Ones on and had them balanced elsewhere on a road force balancer, now OK. Car gets 28 MPG the commuting to work mostly on I-95. Added TRD air filter, strut brace & rear sway bar.

Does any one know how many LE V6 5 Speed models were manufactured in model year 2000?

Switched to Mobil 1 at 36K miles.

builder3 · December 2003

This is our third Camry over the years. Though all have been nice, this one is a joy to drive.

It came with Bridgestone R92's. Changed them out at 18000 to the Bridgestone Turanza LSV. They are working quite nice. We get 55 inches of rain a year here in Houston. The tires are rated AA/A with 400 UTOG.

Using Castrol 5W-10 blend with TRD oil filter.

I am thinking of replacing the springs with TRD lowering springs. Have not made up mind yet. I am no youngster but do enjoy having a car respond well.

If anyone has already do so, would appreciate feedback.

Thanks

hyphaefungi · January 2004

Just bought an 04 V6 SE. Picking it up Thursday after the snow.(MA) Took it on the highway for a test drive. I suppose I shouldn't have held the pedal down 2 inches (brought it to 90 with less noise and much quicker than my mom's 97 A6). It certainly drives smoother than my current and soon to be MIA 93' V6 XLE with 192000 miles. Looking forward to using these forums.

themoon77 · January 2004

I just bought my first two Camrys.

89 Wagon V6 charcaol gray
89 Sedan 4-cyl navy blue

I'm sure this forum will be helpful to me considering both my cars have plenty of age and miles on them. Nice to meet all of you!

Steve

Karen_S · March 2004

Consumers' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2004 Survey

califgigi · December 2004

I'm Gigi and live in Calif (Sacramento). I have a '94 Camry and am having the axles replaced today. They are clicking and the repair place says they really need to be done. However, I've heard some cars can go quite a while with clicking axles, so I found this site to try to find out info. Any ideas?

Also, I see the messages posted asking questions, but I don't see the replies. What am I doing wrong?

I'm so glad to have found you all!

Karen_S · December 2004

Welcome to Edmunds forums!

Our message boards at this time are in a linear format rather than threaded. I see you posted your questions in the problem and solution topic. Check back there for any replies.

vppc · December 2004

My name is Alex and I drive a 1998 Toyota Camry LE with the 2.2L cast-iron 4-cylinder engine. It now has 119,000 miles and I am very happy! I traded this car with my mom in July. I formerly had a 2000 Toyota Corolla CE that was a fantastic car. To date, this is all I have done to the car:

Note, no abnormal issues have happened, these are all maintenance/preventative actions done:

1. 105,000 - new front brake pads, tranny drain and fill

2. 109,000 - new battery (still had original)

3. 110,000 - new spark plugs and wires

4. 112,000 - new serpentine belts

5. 118,000 - new fuel filter and PCV valve

As far as routine maintenace goes, I change the oil with Valvoline every 3,000 miles and replace the air filter every 15,000 miles. I rotate my tires every 3,000 miles as well.

The only interior imperfections are the center console latch broke, the rear passenger seat belt doesn't tighten up, and the wood trim on my car has faded in spots, and the driver side window control wood trim has 1/2 of it broken off.

I use this car for pizza delivery and the car proves itself very well. It delivers adequate power for a 4-cylinder, and the car does run smoothly. Keep in mind, I still have my original rotors and rear brake pads and the brakes still perform excellent!

This car is also very SOLID. The 1997-2001 has excellent crash test ratings, as well as bumper ratings.

I drive around 3,000 miles a month and this car I am sure will last me a long time!

Thanks!

- Alex

coastdriver · December 2004

I just spent my hard-earned savings on a new 2005 Camry. I bought the SE model with the V6 engine.

I drove my last Camry for 11 years, with no major problems. I expect the '05 will be just as reliable. According to the owners manual, this new Camry is basically maintenance free. Just change the engine oil and rotate the tires... that's it.

I will post regular updates and comments on my driving impressions and experiences in the Camry SE. Thank you.

peterpan · December 2004

The balls inside bearings are worn out of round. So if stressed, they will make the ticking sound.

If you can put up with the ticking sounds, driving the car will wear the balls even more but will not break anything. However, friction inside the ball bearings is higher which should reduce your fuel economy.

A new axle could be paid for with savings in fuel costs in a few months.

chris198 · January 2005

Bought my LE in 6/04 and presently have 8k on the speedo. I would have preferred the SE version. But didn't realize it came in cloth so I stuck to the LE.Came with several nice options-Upgraded stereo,sunroof, front-side and rear airbags,mag wheels. Since then I've added custom seat covers, remote start,sunroof deflector,mud guards. Next upgrade might be foglights if I can find a nice set to compliment the car.

cpo · January 2005

I consider myself privileged to be among owners of such a quality automobile. I traded my budget-busting GM ute for a '99 LE, 4 cyl. I have to admit, I balked at first, thinking I needed a six, but I found the the four's power proved more than adequate during the test-drive. Was my first time behing the wheel of a Camry and walked away quite impressed; so much so I bought it that night. I only needed to verify the dealer's price on Edmunds TMV and the rest was a no-brainer, given Camry's accolades. It has 72K. No one knew if the timing belt had been changed and am thinking I should anyway. Any thoughts? Anyhow, thanks for having me, it's great to be here!

peterpan · January 2005

The timing belt should last 120K. When it breaks, the engine just stop firing, no damage is done, unlike interfering engines in Honda and Mitsubishi. You can tow the car to a reputable shop to replace the belt.

gt76man · January 2005

I am on my second Camry, '97 XLE, v6, moonroof, power leather seats. Presently has 91k on it. This car is a beauty. I may upgrade when the '07's come out but maybe not.

Previous Camry was an '87 that had 187k on it when it was totaled while parked in front of my house. It was still running excellent and I missed it until I got the '97.

Glendo

jobuddha · May 2005

just thought I'd drop my info in here as well. I have a 94 4cyl with 283,000 miles. Bought it used in 96 for $12500 and had 22000 miles on it and it was the best money I have ever spent. Replaced the transmission at 185,000 miles and no other problems. Change oil and brakes when needed. Only physical damage was getting a headlight broken by some vandals in the neighborhood. Replaced that myself and love this car!!!!

leob1 · May 2005

Hi,

I just leased a 2005 Camry SE with the VVT-I 4cyl and 5sp. It has the sunroof, 3 spoke wheel, rear discs, front strut tower brace, stiffer suspension, spoiler, fog lights, special grill, alloys, blacked out lettering, and curtain side airbags. It seems to meet my needs perfectly. Great value for the money.

I love the long range between fill ups and great mileage. I have cut my gas station visits in half with this car going 450 miles+(mixture of city/hwy) and only needing about 15.5 gallons to fill up again(with the light on). It flies on the frwy and takes the curves nicely too. Such a smooth engine and runs perfectly on reg unleaded. Oh, the 5sp is a blast by the way...maybe 'notchy' to some folks but I cannot complain about the feel. Extremely comfortable drivers seat too.

mdgurl23 · July 2005

Hey all,

I bought my dark gray 2001 LE in May 04 at 51000. Its now at 70000 after a yr and 2 months ( I drive alot!) and it drives wonderful. I love my car, but have one problem. The engine light came on after about a week of first purchasing it, it goes out occassionally for a day or two then comes back on. The performance of my vehicle hasnt changed, I passed emmissions and it hasnt died yet. A friend suggested that if I changed the oil it would go out but it didnt. Any ideas as to why it wont go out? I dont want to keep driving it if it will create damage to my car. Other than that issue, I love my Camry! It's excellent on fuel, handles very well and is pretty fast to me. I havent had to have any major work done except for brakes, tires and an alignment. This is my first Toyota, and I hear its a great car that will last forever. One Toyota owner told me he went 200,000 on oil changes alone. I hope mines last that long.

buyingacamry · July 2005

Hello Karen
I don't know if this is the right place to ask this question, but will give it a try. I'm getting sick of all my friends telling me how good the Camry is so I suppose I might as well buy one. I will probably get a 2006 with a v-6 and the question is about pulling a trailer. I believe it is rated as being able to tow 2000 lbs. I've seen hundreds of Camrys on the road but cannot recall ever seeing one pulling anyting of substance. So my question to all you Camry owners out there is this........How many of you pull trailers and how does the Camry do? I presently have a Ford Taurus and pull a 1600 lb boat easily, but the Ford has to go, so am wondering about the Camry. I have until October to make up my mind. Any thoughts you folks have would be appreciated. Thanks

ezshift5 · July 2005

...just completed a trip to Aspen and back, averaging just under 32 mpg.

..then, I test drove the Accord V-6 6-speed manual.

..and got it for $598 more than the Solara cost OTD 5/2000!! CarsDirect.

..I've been here since 2001..so - more or less - it's time for a change. best, ez

sylveb · August 2005

Hey All...I just my 1999 Toyota Camry LE last night, and I'm so excited! It is my first car (I'm 20) and I felt that I should get the most reliable, safe and fuel efficient car I can find. Found it with the Camry, and with great trunk space to boot! It has 97K miles, and the previous owner treated it very well. What a smooth ride!

One thing though. I want to add a cd changer to the car...but I have no idea where in the trunk to place it. I didn't see any mounts in the trunk, do I have to buy them? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

pav2pav · August 2005

Hello fellow Toyota owners! I'm new to this site so i hope im doing this correctly. I have a question. I have a 1990 Toyota camry stick shift. I just replaced the axle and i lost about a quart of transmission fluid. I cant seem to fine where to add more fluid? Any ideas? It would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! Jeff

daniel17 · August 2005

Hi
I enjoyed your post. Coincidentally, I am very close to buying the exact same car you mentioned. A 99 Camry LE. How much did you pay for it? I'm curious to see what a good rate is.
To answer your question, the car I am looking at does have a cd player in the upper part of the trunk. When you open the trunk, it was placed near the top right side of the truck, from like the ceiling. I guess it could be placed other places as well. The guy said he had it professionally installed a year ago for $500 for a 6 CD changer.
Ok, hope to hear back from you.

Dan

beetledog · August 2005

Hi, I just bought a new 2006 Camry SE 4cyl. with JVC sound, Spoiler, Automatic and Ground effects. It's Silver with a charcoal cloth interior. I'm real excited since this is my first Toyota.

ragdollgirl · September 2005

Hello, all you Camry owners. I'm now in your club -- bought my first Toyota a couple of months ago. It's a red '05 XLE V6 with all options except navigation. Also, to make it stand out from the millions of other Camrys, I had a double custom paint stripe put on, chrome wheel moldings, and a cinnamon roadster top with Toyota emblems on each side. Sharp! The cinnamon top is light tan with a burgundy fleck through it -- very subtle. I've gotten lots of compliments on it. Some people think it's a convertible. Almost 2K miles on it already and so far I love it. My other car is a 12 year old Mercury Grand Marquis with 202K miles that I bought new. The Camry is certainly a change from the Merc, but a lot nicer in many ways. I hope to have it for quite a few years. If I knew how to post a picture, I'd do it.

bildow · September 2005

I have an 05 camry and will soon be changing my first oil for the transmission I see that toyota uses a type iv trans fluid I have found a synthetic fluid from amsoil that says it works in the new camry transmission does anyone know about amsoil fluid and does it work. I also am trying a K&N air filter to help get better gas mileage and put on a flow master muffler I have gotten 3 miles improvement to the gallon so far. I also put a transmission cooler in line with the radiator to help cool down the trans fluid since in California we sit in traffic all day, and I was told by a transmission shop a cooler would help extend the life of the transmission does any know if this is true. I put the trans cooler in my self to save money does the cooler help make the trans last longer. I also about to change my engine oil to synthetic oil using mobil one or amsoil does anyone know if it helps make the engine last longer.

sylveb · September 2005

Hey

Im sorry I havent gotten back to your post...I havent been on the site in a while! You probably have decided whether or not you would buy the car, so I guess this not that helpful, but anyway...I paid 4600 for it. It is in pretty good condition, runs strong and looks great! The going rate from what I hear is about 5500 from a private party, 7900 from a dealer, but of course you can haggle. I got mine from a private party and got a nice deal because I am a poor college student

.

Thanks for the info on the CD Changer. I am saving up and hopefully I can afford one by Christmas or January.

Sorry I am so late, and if you already bought the car, you will not be disappointed. Good luck!

coolguytc · September 2005

Hey guys:

I recently bought a '01 Camry with 44 k on it. This is my 1st camry and hope it would stay with me for many years!

rainyday · October 2005

Hi all,

Just wondering if damage would occur if I start and stop the engine too often? Eg. Go into a milk bar to get some cigie, so the engine is turned off for a minute or two then turned back on again.

haefr · October 2005

I'd consider the risk of nominally premature engine wear from short turn-off, turn-on cycles is trumped by the risk of grandtheft-auto. (Imagine trying to explain to the police and your insurance agent why you left the motor running in an unattended car.)

rainyday · October 2005

Good point!

lmacmil · October 2005

Wear on the engine occurs on a cold start. If you've driven for a mile or so, stop and restart, that's not a problem.

haefr · October 2005

"My windows fog up the minute I turn off the air con. Even when its cold, I have to run the air in conjunction with the heater. Whats the go?"

Hello to "down-under" from "up-over"! (I presume the translation of "What's the go?" to the American idiom is, "What's up with that?".

) Cold weather window fogging isn't unusual at all. The glass areas are subject to constant cooling in cold weather since they're directly exposed to chilled outside air. Glass is a pretty good conductor of heat (or lack thereof). If there's ANY moisture within the cabin, (and there WILL be since our breath is laden with moisture - it's the way our metabolism operates!) The problem is exacerbated further if the outside air is humid or under drizzly and rainy conditions and fresh air is being cycled through the cabin. Ditto if you were caught in the rain and your clothing is wet.) In short, whatever its source, moisture will condense on the coolest surface(s) available - can't be helped. By engaging the A/C compressor, the cabin air is continually dehumidified by directing it to the even colder evaporator coils (just a bit above freezing) which efficiently condense the moisture for ellimination through the heater core/evaporator case drain tube to the ground below. In the American midwest and southeast, particularly noted for VERY humid spring-summer weather, it's common to see a steady stream of condensate dribbling from the heater core/evaporator case drain tube onto the ground under the car while idling on a driveway or parking lot. Your car's A/C-ventilation system is operating properly. But, you might want to test that the drain tube isn't plugged by observing whether there's a drip with the A/C on in humid conditions. If there isn't, clear it with a length of stiff wire. The tube is usually plastic or rubber and extends slightly below bottom of the car near the firewall area. The cooperation of your service shop to use its hydraulic lift makes the job much easier. Please don't crawl under the car if it's only being supported by a tire-change jack. Your first mistake with this arrangement will be your last. (The law of gravity applies even "down-under". . .)

mozzzaaah · October 2005

G'day, I have a 2002 V6 Camry, which I bought in Aug 2002. I am happy with it apart from a couple of minor problems. I live in a country town and do about 25000miles a year, mostly on country roads and a bit on dirt roads. I did it through a salary sacrafice/lease deal through work and the lease runs out in Aug 2006. I don't know whether I will get another one or not. The performance is good, petrol mileage is a bit of a disappointment, but the lack of clearance is a bit hard to come to grips with, especially on our backroads (holed the auto trans sump,125 miles from the nearest town, $1500 later) and the strange handling from a front wheel drive car is not to my liking. Magic carpet ride on good roads though.

My windows fog up the minute I turn off the air con. Even when its cold, I have to run the air in conjunction with the heater. Whats the go? I posted this elsewhere, but can't find it.

cccamry · November 2005

Hello mdgur123 - CCCamry here.
Just joined the forum - just purchased a 2001 Camry LE Oct. 22nd. Now...my engine light is on. Someone told me it was probably me not screwing in the gas cap tight (came on two days after I filled up). It has been two days since I screwed in on tight and the engine light is still on.
What advice did you get from your message? Does it cost a lot to get a diagnosis? Your comments welcomed. I love the car, it runs well, only 9,580 miles when I bought it for $9,500! A great deal - I think - now I'm a bit worried.
Thanks for your help.

haefr · November 2005

Two points (not necessarily in order of importance . . .)

1> when you replace the fuel filler cap, don't go by what "feels" tight; tighten it until it clicks several times, and don't worry about breaking something - there's a built-in ratchet to allow loud clicking that can be heard over traffic din. When you hear the clicking, that's your cue that the cap is really properly tightened.

2> most autoparts chain stores (Pep Boys, Advance Auto, Autozone, etc.) will do a fault code read for you free. It only takes a few moments with the hand-held computer reader that plugs into the dash wiring harness. (You can even buy the things, but they're a rather expensive toy for the infrequent use a car owner is apt to give them.) Armed with the codes you can then decide where you want to take your car for service.

lmacmil · November 2005

Another option is to disconnect the battery for 30 min or so. You will lose your radio presets and the time and also the check engine light. If if comes back on within a day or so, then you probably have a legitimate problem. If not, it was some intermittant fault that didn't re-occur.

shaan · November 2005

Hello,
My name is Shan and i bought a 2001 Camry Solara with 55K miles. Car ran good first time when i drove out of the parking lot of a dealer, but a week later i started hearing rattling noise and wind noise from driver side window. anyone else have this problem? i took it back to the dealer and he assured me that they worked on it, but i don't see a difference.. trunk get flooded during fall because sunroof has tubing that goes through trunk and they were clogged so they cleaned it out.. backlight goes bad almost every other day... I liked it because of reliability because i drive more than 20K a year,b ut i would buy an american over it anytime..

rjh1982 · July 2006

Hey guys. I got my camry back in December of 2000, and it was 500 dollars, it ran great but had 174k miles on it. the owner thought it was gonna wear out. It is now 2006 and the paint needs repainting, a valve cover gasket, and a power steering pressure hose, and a new front seat cover. But something else has me completely puzzled. the engine is loosing power and can not do interstate speeds anymore without the valves shaking like crap, it doesn't have its power, my dad thinks its the timing belt (which has never been replaced) the only major work done to it was a clutch. but the power loss and not able to go fast speeds is really troubling me. I love my camry (even though it has no options except for a/c, not even the dashboard clock is there, just a black piece of plastic to cover the hole from the plant, hehe and no im not kidding) but I love my camry and will never give it up. doing pizza delivery and going from tn to michigan almost every week got those miles up, but the car did get all its minor stuff like oil, plugs, etc done on time, I don't wanna give it up but can someone tell me why the valves shake and the car not able to pull loads, go above 55, and loss of power please! tell me its the timing belt so i can get it fixed, i can't afford to go to toyota dealership in knoxville, they said it would be 400 bucks just to look @ it, Thank you very much p.s. timing belt is original

Ricky :sick:

ray_h1 · July 2006

I find it impossible to believe you have 502K miles on the original timing belt. (502K miles on the engine without a general rebuild is a stretch, too.

) Even if the previous owner replaced the timing belt at its two nominal 60K mile changeout intervals while in his possession, that still translates to a nearly equally unbelievable 382K miles on the current timing belt. In any event the current belt needs changing - NOW, not when it's convenient! Your engine runs poorly because it valves are mistimed due either to stretching, loss of a belt tooth or two, or both. (Given your claimed accumulated miles on this engine, I'm surprised it even runs at all.) You have two choices in the matter:

1> Continue to operate your car as is and wait for the belt to break outright (shouldn't be long, now...). The advantage to this scenario is that the valve noise will cease immediately. The disadvantage of this scenario is that, 1) if you're lucky, the engine won't run until you have a new timing belt installed, or 2), if you're unlucky, moving pistons will slam into stationary open valves and waste the engine. (Picture your mental state when confronted with the rare thrill of seeing a bent, broken connecting rod sticking out of a recently acquired hole in the side of the cylinder block - miles from the safe haven of home in a neigborhood of questionable ethics at 2:00 A.M.)

2> Take the chicken way out and have the timing belt replaced immediately. The advantage to this scenario is that the properly timed engine will have its customary power restored.

ocw · November 2007

hey ppl... i recently bought a toyata camry 2.4 model. when closing the front passenger door, i get a shock almost everytime. not sure whether is it a electric shock or a static shock. any ideas?

leob1 · December 2007

I have had my 05 Camry SE 5sp now for almost 3 yrs and am nearing the end of the lease. I have not seen anything that matches the quality of this car after numerous test drives and visits to new car lots recently. I think the residual price of $11300 is a deal that I cannot pass on. I think Toyota went downhill with the new Camry and I dislike it so much that I would never consider purchasing or leasing one.

I highly recommend the SE package Camry to anyone considering this year and make. It has a lot of goodies that I really began to appreciate over time. I have enjoyed the 2.4 motor (picked it over the V6) and it is very practical for a number of reasons.

Toyota Camry Owners: Meet the Members

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