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Mazda3 Canada

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Comments

  • nifty56nifty56 Member Posts: 279
    Try Car Help Canada. They have a web site.
  • barnee61barnee61 Member Posts: 67
    Dealfinder is Bob Prest, I believe (from word of mouth) he's a pretty honest guy....if he can't get you a good deal on the car you want, he'll tell you right up front. He won't charge you $149 if he can't get you a good deal. In any case, it doesn't cost anything to call and talk to him. If you're not comfortable with his service, don't give your CC info.

    I don't have any experience with the "take it or leave it" part of Carcostcanada so can't comment....I've only used their basic costing service (which is great) and then done battle with the dealers myself.

    Whichever service you choose, be sure to post and let everyone know how it goes. As I head full-force into middle age (43), I'm finding my personal time more valuable and my desire to "battle" with the dealer is waning. As I said, I will probably use Dealfinder in June, but if you have a good (or bad) experience with "take it or leave it", be sure to share the juicy bits. ;)

    Barnee
  • speed7speed7 Member Posts: 11
    Yes it sends you an email right away and you can get your report instantly from the website once you sign in.
    It will include the MSRP price and the Dealer Invoice and also includes any rebates the dealer will get from the factory for selling you the car and also shows you if there are any incentive programs available from the factory to the customer.
    These are very powerful things to know...
    You can view a sample invoice on the carcostcanada site and it will break this down for you if you are unsure.
    This way the dealer knows your prepared and he it takes the tension off when you try to work out a price.
    I asked the dealer if Mazda will riemburse me for the costs incurred to use carcostcanada.com as i read somewhere on the net they can do this?
    He said he will look into that for me.
    If anyone has heard this too let me know please?
    Thanks
  • tr20tr20 Member Posts: 76
    Hi, does anyone know what are the differences between the 2005 and 2006 Mazda 3 GT?
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Meade posted all the 2006 features in the Mazda3 (Hatchback) forum; search for post 2067
  • rdsumrdsum Member Posts: 12
    It is interesting to see that you are trying to get a deal on the "hot" Mazda 3. I was told by a dealer in north Calgary that they cannot get enough Mazda 3's. I believed him because there was not one sedan on the lot. They had a few 2005 hatchbacks. I told him I would "wait" for a 2006. He said they cannot get any for awhile. I suggested that Mazda can charge as much as they want if there is short supply. It does not take long for a dealer to develop an "arrogant" attitude once they know that they have a hot product. They had good financing for the remaining 2005's. I said I was not interested because I was paying cash.

    The salesman had not heard of the A/C "problem". However, Calgary has few hot days that really tries out an A/C. The salesman said that they do not compete with the Honda Civic when I suggested that Mazda 3 has more competition with the new 2006 Civic. He said that Mazda is competing with BMW and not Honda.

    A friend of mine just picked up a 2006 Mazda 3 with the larger engine. (It is a very sharp car, no doubt!) He waited about 3 weeks. His salesman told him the short supply was because of a fire in the Mazda factory in Japan. However, the internet only shows a fire back in December in a factory that does not even build the Mazda 3. . . . so much for car salesmen. Pick your rumor and go with it!

    Good luck with your Mazda 3 purchase.
  • mandymusikamandymusika Member Posts: 42
    ok, well i just sent my request for the "take it or leave it" option. i am waiting for car cost canada to call me with whether they think my offer would be accepted.
    i will share when i get more info.

    as far as dealers not having any 06 mazda 3's, i can tell you tehre are alot here in edmonton. i've been to all 3 dealers and they all have tons on their lots. i already have one dealer quoting msrp minus $1000. i dont see any problem with the supply or the "i can sell it for whatever price i want" type of attidute up here. i can't comment on calgary though. i would think they would be comparable markets though.

    i wonder if any of you can comment on some of the features of the mazda 3 sport GT version. Edmunds gives some features that i'm not sure if they are avaible to the consumers in canada. can you guys comment? And let me know if they are standard options then because i can't see any other option on teh mazda 3 sport GT other than the moonroof, leather, heated seats package (also known as the luxury package). maybe they are just standard this year.

    Bose Stereo
    6 CD in dash stereo
    ABS
    climate control

    and does anybody know what the Interior Dash Option is?

    thanks all.
  • bidoubidou Member Posts: 2
    Can someone help me? I am looking to buy a 06 mazda with a sport and power package at a reasonable price. The salesman is giving me $850 cause I am paying cash. He is not willing to go lower. I also don't pay any tax so I am thinking that is why he is not willing to go lower, but that shouldn't affect him or the dealership.

    TARGET $20,000 for a Mazda GS, Manual with Pwr/SPRT Pkg.

    Anyone get a price like this so I can tell him it's been done!?
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    I also don't pay any tax
    How did you manage that? I thought everyone paid GST if not PST+GST.
  • bidoubidou Member Posts: 2
    There are 2 types of cards that you can use in canada and not pay any tax, a diplomat's card or a canadian native status card. I happen to be native. The one thing that the dealer has to do is deliver the vehicle to my reserve, which is an hour away.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Great for you!
  • barnee61barnee61 Member Posts: 67
    Interesting post rdsum. My conclusion after reading it is your salesman is full of you know what. From the supply side of the product, to the BMW comparison, the the AC "What choo talkin' bout Willis? " attitude, etc. My advice would be to see another dealer, or at least another salesman....

    Boy, we could start a forum just dedicated to "car salesman" stories. Hmmm...actually, that's not a bad idea....

    :P
  • speed7speed7 Member Posts: 11
    Thanks,
    We worked out a deal but he only gave me 850 off the car I was shooting for 1000
    or otherwise a remote car starter but he would not budge.
    Attitude is right. The idiot salesman tried to tell me that mazda will only give him one car a month to sell! These cars are in high demand and they cant produce enough cars as they are there hot item right now for sales. I told him I dont understand his concept of one car a month..... he cant be real! I am sure other people are interested in buying a Mazda 3 Sand Mica Car GS Model ..... what does he do then??? The supply cant meet the demand! What gives there??
    I think the guy is full of crap. I cant believe the Mazda dealer told you there was a fire in the factory .... of all the crap outright lies that some of these dealers are capable of!
    How silly!
    They have one or two Mazda GS models about 4 sports models in his lot right now but not the colour that I want.
    I have been waiting since septemeber for my car and looks like I have to wait till end of this month now seeing they sold the other one last month to a quick draw buyer that propably did not ask for any deal on the car. I am unforunate to live in a small town in Northern Ontario and only one Mazda in town. Lucky I like the mazda but if i had the choice would have gone somewhere else to purchase the car. I think I am going to call Mazda down South where my sister lives and see if they would be willing to throw in a remote car starter on top of the deal I am getting here. Maybe that might shake them up alittle bit.
    We will see!
  • mandymusikamandymusika Member Posts: 42
    ok, so i've found out that the mazda 3 sport GT has abs, climate control, bose stereo and 6 cd changer as standard features. now, can anybody tell me what the upgraded interior dash option is? does it make some of the dash metalic? that would be cool!
  • barnee61barnee61 Member Posts: 67
    Mandy...it's been a couple days, what's your experience so far with CCC's "take it or leave it service"? I'm really, really curious...!

    Barnee :confuse:
  • tr20tr20 Member Posts: 76
    does anyone know what is the diff between the 05 and 06 on the GT Sport?
  • ex_tdierex_tdier Member Posts: 277
    I think some are confused with the US. In Canada, one can't get (for free) wholesale (dealer prices) on new vehicles. Dunno why. We also don't have Lemon-Aide laws here too.

    If any Mazda dealer/salesman will NOT acknowledge the A/C issue, go somewhere else. Don't waste your time. Somebody out there is honest and deserves the commission on whatever car you buy.
  • mandymusikamandymusika Member Posts: 42
    ok, so car cost canada called yesterday. there is one dealer in edmonton that will go $300 below msrp. its not the same dealer i was dealing with previously. seems that there is some short supply of the model i am looking for, particularly with the luxury package. the car cost lady told me its because of a recall on the cars. when i told her that i was only aware of hte mazda 5 exhaust recall she went quiet. i think the mazda dealer told her that he would only got $300 below msrp because of this recall so i think the lady was had. anyhow, it seems this supply issue might or might not be a problem not sure if it's crap or not. in either case, i didn't pay anything for her to check as you dont pay the $99 unless they come up with a deal that is acceptable for you. i'm still at odds. i have to sell my 2000 jeep grand cherokee in order to get the mazda 3, mazda wont give me much for my GC and i'm having a hard time selling it privately (damn gas prices!). i can't afford two car payments and the only way i can do it is if mazda adds like $3000 onto the mazda loan so that i can cover two payments for a while while i sell the truck. not sure if they will add that onto the loan. one dealer said no, one said maybe. so i'm stuck and i dont know what to do.
    mandy
  • barnee61barnee61 Member Posts: 67
    I feel your pain. I put my 02 Blazer in the Truck Trader a while back...looking for someone to simply take over the lease payments at $350 per month (all taxes in) with nothing down (a great deal). Not one phone call. Getting rid of a thirsty SUV is tough these days.

    If you can somehow unload the Grand Cherokee, try Dealfinder. I'm sure he can get you a way better deal than $300 below msrp. Geez, you could get that deal on your own! The 3 has been around for a few years now, it shouldn't be in THAT short supply.

    Good luck.
  • mandymusikamandymusika Member Posts: 42
    i agree. i have the jeep at a great price but hte problem is, there are way too many trying to get sold. i'm not too sure what i'm going to do. do you have any experience with tacking on extra to the mazda loan? if i could add $3000 onto it then i could afford double payments for awhile while i sell the jeep, and it would pay for the extra on the jeep loan since i'm selling it for less than what my loan is for.

    i agree on the price. i already got $1000 off msrp so there's no way i'll go through car cost canada for that. i'm still glad i asked though, now i know what they came back with.

    hey, since you had a blazer, did you miss the space going to a mazda 3? i'm worried that i've pampered myself getting used to the space inside the jeep and going to the mazda might be a shock. what's your experience on that? we have golden retriever so she'd be in the back of the mazda, so unless we get a carrier, the cabin room will be all we have. we have one 10 year old.
  • barnee61barnee61 Member Posts: 67
    Why don't you just wait until you find a buyer for the Jeep before taking the plunge and getting the Mazda? No point doing the double payment thing. And as you get into November and December (or especially January), you should be able to get an even better deal on the new car....

    If you really wanted to carry both vehicles, one way to do it would be to put the $3000 and the new Mazda on a line of credit. Then you could pay off what you can afford each month, as long as you meet the minimum payback (usually 2-3% of the amount outstanding). Your interest rate on the line of credit should also be quite a bit lower than on a conventional car loan. But as long as you can wait a bit, I'd sell the Jeep first.

    I don't have a Mazda 3 yet...still have the Blazer until the lease is up next June. So I can't say much on the space issue. It will be fine for me, but I don't have a dog or a 10 year old. You might miss the space....but as long as your dog and your 10 year old like each other's company and don't mind sharing the space in the back seat... ;)
  • mandymusikamandymusika Member Posts: 42
    I'd rather sell the truck first too. My problem is the brakes and tires are needing attention soon and i'd rather not sink that money into it if i'm not keeping it. Its still advertised so i'll pray for a miricle.

    Do you think i'll get a better deal on the mazda later in the year?

    Lol at the backseat comment. The dog would be in the back, hence the need for the hatchback sport version. She wont have as much room as she does on the jeep but she lays down anyway when we're driving so she should have enough space. i will bring her with us to check out hte mazda when we get closer to buying. if it's not big enough i might go to the mazda 6 but i'd rather not. i dont think it has the same "cool" factor lol.

    thanks for your opinions on the matter. i feel like either way i can't win. if i sell the truck i'll probably have to do it at a discount, and if i dont sell it i got to get the brakes and tires done and i'll lose money on the gas issue. we spend about $500/mon on gas right now because of a monthly road trip that is unavoidable and the mazda 3 would cut this in half..

    mandy
  • barnee61barnee61 Member Posts: 67
    Well, right in between the 3 and the 6 you have the 5. Have you considered a Mazda 5? With a dog and a kid, it would seem to be perfect for your needs. It may not be quite as "sexy" as the 3, but it is way cool in its own way. Especially the interior. You can fold the 3rd row of seats completely flat and there'd be plenty of room for Fido. Plus there's a 15L storage bin beneath those seats for your picnic stuff or highway supplies for your monthly commute (where the pooch can't get into it). If you go to the mazda.ca site, to the "Interior" area, you can see a 30 second video that shows all the different seating configurations. It's pretty neat...nothing else on the market like it. And the pricing is great...better than the 3 actually.
  • mandymusikamandymusika Member Posts: 42
    thanks but hubby will NOT get that car. i tried telling him its not a mini van but he doesn't buy it. lol. he says if it has sliding doors its a mini van and he'll never get a mini van. hahaha...thanks all. i think i've decided to fix my jeep and hold off on a mazda until i can afford 2 vehicles.
  • y2jazzy2jazz Member Posts: 8
    I got a set of jobber rim 16 inches from the dealer for the winter , but the bore diameter is 73mm
    Mazda 3 hub size is 67mm, which will give me around 3mm gap around.
    Can anybody help me, if it acceptable to have this gap???? probably the rim will be center by the bolts only....

    Has anybody has their winter tire installed yet?

    thankx
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    I would not use them - the weight of the car should be supported by the hub not the studs. Ask the dealer that gave you these wheels if they will take responsibility if a wheel breaks off and you have an accident - then when they say - no way - tell them you want the correctly wheel for the car.

    If I couldn't find wheels that fit (I know they sold out early last year) I would put the snows on the stock wheels -
  • leoflemingleofleming Member Posts: 2
    I've been reading some of the comments here and it seems the AC on the Mazda3 GS isn't up to snuff. Frankly, I doubt I would have gotten it anyway - $1000 for 2 weeks a year is a lot of money. Anyway, I've noticed on the Mazda website that I can't get the power package unless I get the AC as well. Is this a hard and fast rule, or do you think I can I talk my way out of it with the salesman?
  • barnee61barnee61 Member Posts: 67
    The mazda.ca site shows them as separate options, $1000 for the AC and $895 for the power package. The ones in the dealer's inventory probably all have both, because that's how they've ordered them from the factory. But if you're willing to wait and order what you want, you should be able to get the power package without the AC.

    If the salesman says no, check with the sales manager or see another dealer who is willing to order it this way.
  • y2jazzy2jazz Member Posts: 8
    Thankx, I am looking for steel rim that fit my hub, I have to wait another month to get a rim machined to my hub size......
    my dealer won't exchange them, they do not provide Mazda part-The delear is intalling Toyota Rim Camry -#69415M.

    For any shopper please make sure your hub bore match your spare tire size, which is original Mazda part!!!!!!
  • lsmiles13lsmiles13 Member Posts: 5
    I originally wanted the blue but they couldn't find me one.. (really popular color i guess.) I ended up getting the titanium grey and have no regrets.
  • tr20tr20 Member Posts: 76
    congrats. what year is it?
  • sunnydelightsunnydelight Member Posts: 3
    Hey I live in Alberta and I am looking for an 06 or older mazda 3 sport GT manual aircon and no sunroof. Any ideas of what the best prices Ican get on it. The best over the phone price (-850 cash and -500 new grad) all taxes incl is 24400$. How much lower can I go?
  • sunnydelightsunnydelight Member Posts: 3
    I live in Alberta and am looking for a 04/05/06 (whatever is available) mazda 3 sport GT 5 speed with aircon but no moonroof. Any tips on what is the best price I can go for. I am currently getting the best quote at 24440 (w/o any real hard negotiations at this point). That prices includes all taxes and the rebate for paying cash -850 and grad discount -500. Thanks.
  • sunnydelightsunnydelight Member Posts: 3
    Just one more question. With regards to the rebates, should that really be considerd as gaining ground when trying to get closer to the invoice price. Let's say that the invoice price is $23000 and you get a price of $24500 with your rebates should be happy or should you get a pretty low price and then add on the rebates. Do the rebates cut into the dealers profits or come from the manufacturer?
  • tr20tr20 Member Posts: 76
    Does anyone know when the Mazdaspeed 3 will come out? what are the specs? and how much it will go for?
  • avenueroadavenueroad Member Posts: 10
    Canada's Top Seven Best-Selling Cars
    by Jeremy Cato
    March 7, 2005

    http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jc/compact2.htm

    1. Honda Civic
    2. Toyota Corolla
    3. Mazda3
    4.-5. Pontiac Sunfire/Chevy Cavalier (before Cobalt/Pursuit arrived)
    6. Toyota Echo
    7. Ford Focus

    According to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, entry-level vehicles now account for 39.6 per cent of new car sales in Canada.

    Reasons:
    1. Higher taxes/lower disposable income
    2. Mostly urban population
    3. Higher gas prices
    4. Stronger European influence
    5. Stronger environmental conscience

    Mazda Tribute is a car-based (i.e. fake) SUV that does not have the same appeal to cost- and environment-conscious Canadians as it does in the SUV-crazy US. I can carry almost the same amount of cargo in my Mazda3 hatchback with back seats down, and it looks way better!
  • avenueroadavenueroad Member Posts: 10
    I have a 2004 GS Sport (hatchback). I figured out A/C wasn't blowing in the first notch as soon as I pulled out of the dealer's lot, but it was too late :(

    Can anything be done about it?!! I don't like setting it to 2 all the time - too noisy!
  • avenueroadavenueroad Member Posts: 10
    Mazda3 competes with BMW only in Mazda's marketing brochures and executives wet dreams.. It's true they sometimes call it "poor man's BMW" but that's hardly a compliment ;)

    Its true competition:
    - Honda Civic (old: boring.. new: weird..)
    - Toyota Corolla (just plain boring)
    - in hatchback form: Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe

    Not much competition to tell the truth!!
  • avenueroadavenueroad Member Posts: 10
    I own a 2004 GS Sport (hatchback)... - btw hate that "Sport" designation.. just call it Hatch, dammit!!

    Factory tires are Toyo Proxes 205/55R16 all-season.

    Went to Active Green+Ross looking for winter tires... liked Michelin X-Ice but they were above my budget.

    The shop guy talked me into this weird deal: Get a set of Michelin X-Ice at a different size (215/60R16) on a set of generic steel rims. He claimed it would not be a problem. This size is wider and taller than original factory tires, but goes on the same size rims. Tire diameter is 26.2" vs 24.9" (32.5 mm difference)

    Strangely, they were less expensive than the original size!! ($150 vs $180). Noted they were Q rated vs H for stock tires.. it's slower speed, could this explain the price difference?

    Paid $1,073 for 4 tires + 4 rims + taxes + labour (mount, balance etc.) I have not mounted them yet.

    QUESTIONS:
    1) Will they even fit into wheel wells, if yes, will there be scraping, weird handling etc?
    2) Anybody had any experience with this size difference? Is it safe?

    shop guy promised to replace them if they don't fit... we'll see!
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Factory tires are Toyo Proxes 205/55R16 all-season ... shop guy talked me into this weird deal: Get a set of Michelin X-Ice at a different size (215/60R16) on a set of generic steel rims. He claimed it would not be a problem. This size is wider and taller than original factory tires, but goes on the same size rims ... shop guy promised to replace them if they don't fit

    Moving to fatter (60) tires with steel rims is a good idea for winter driving (and to preserve your alloys). But, increasing the footprint by getting wider (215) tires is not, believe it or not; see below for details. My tire specialist recommended downsizing to 14" from 16" for my Protege5. Not only have they have handled superbly for three winters they are also cheaper and easier to replace. Check your manual for the sizes recommended by Mazda. Finally, make sure that the "promise" is in writing.

    Sometimes, you can save money and improve grip by going "minus one." Say your top of the line sports coupe comes with high-performance tires and wheels in the 16-inch size. A tire or auto dealer can cross-check wheel fitment and you may find that the base model of your car comes with steel wheels in the 15-inch size that are less expensive to buy (same for the tires). How can a narrower tire improve road grip? The rule of thumb from experts is that a narrower tire will cut through rain, snow and slush and bear down on the road better than a wider tire, which will tend to float up and over, losing grip in the process. Source:
    http://www.canadiandriver.com/winter/tires/winter_tires.htm
  • chrisboltchrisbolt Member Posts: 10
    More recent sales numbers: http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/news,view.spy?artid=51525&pg=1
  • avenueroadavenueroad Member Posts: 10
    thanks autonomous, appreciate your advice.
    well I didn't go "minus 1" in rim size; hopefully a few cm difference in tire profile will still work.
    as far as width, my driving will be primarily on plowed roads so shouldn't be too big of a deal. thanks again, the article was informative.
  • ex_tdierex_tdier Member Posts: 277
    Remember, best selling doesn't equate to most reliable, which Mazda3 falls seriously short in.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Remember, best selling doesn't equate to most reliable, which Mazda3 falls seriously short in.
    Since we're "remembering", remember personal opinion is not fact. You're right to point out that best-selling doesn't equate to most reliable; however, your opinion of the Mazda3 does not seem representative. Sources like Consumer Reports rate the Mazda3 as reliable; this rating is based on thousands of reports from their 6 million readers. Reliable does not mean that there are no problems but that overall it is a better choice than an unreliable one. Consumers (whereever they are) show good sense when they make reliable vehicles popular.
  • meligatormeligator Member Posts: 8
    In Winnipeg and am sure frustrated with buying here as my first experience! Only three dealers in the province. I have to decide if I want to pay $24,700 (plus taxes, air and tire tax) for an 05 hatch in black (or $500 more to ship the color I want from vancouver). Nobody here going under MSRP for an 06.
    Should I wait it out? Does Winnipeg suck for bargaining comparatively?

    Also - I'm hearing that winter tires a must for this car? True?
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Only three dealers in the province.
    Yech, that's tough! How many close (under 100km) to Winnipeg? Having so few choices is not good from a negotiating point of view but also poor for servicing (unless you have an alternative such as an independent garage).

    The $500 fee seems unbelievable. Is this the regular freight charge or in addition to it? Just to make sure I understand, if you ordered the car today and it came in a future shipment let's say a month later would the dealer charge you this additional fee? I wonder if the dealer is treating this as a "rush" fee to special order one car by having a driver deliver the car from Vancouver rather than having it shipped with other vehicles by truck. I would not pay such a fee.
  • meligatormeligator Member Posts: 8
    Two dealers are in the city and another about 35 minutes out of town. Yeah, the $500 is an addition! They say they can get me black (second choice) and a couple of other colours without paying it - but I really wanted the titanium. They made it sound like its just what has to happen, no mention of a rush. Without this fee they've gone $500 lower than anyone else here but I figure if I'm paying this much...I dunno anymore! Maybe a 2006 instead?
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    So let's see:

    2005 Mazda3 Sport GT + auto + air + moonroof
    - in titanium = C$25,200 + taxes
    - in black or other = C$24,700 + taxes
    Do the above prices include freight and PDE (dealer prep)?
    Are the above after negotiation for discounts?

    2006 Mazda3 Sport GT + auto + air + moonroof
    - in titanium = what would be the price?

    Since the 2005 is a year old, it has depreciated in value. Typically, cars can depreciate close to 20% in the first year! If you took half of that (10%) as a discount, that would mean that you are looking at somewhere close to C$2500 not C$500. If you think you can manage the negotiation, try going after the car you want (2005 titanium) with no additional delivery and a C$1500 discount, i.e. final price close to $23K. If this is not your style, I would go for the 2006 titanium. You may also want to consider other cars.
  • drivingladydrivinglady Member Posts: 5
    Ok... this might be a bit of an odd question. I need winter floor mats. I went to Canadian Tire (Toronto) and they said they didn't sell any for my '04 Mazda3. I'd prefer to buy generic mats since they are much cheaper than the mazda mats at the dealer. Any suggestions? I can't possibly be the only one who needs to protect my floors so I was surprised that Cdn Tire didnt stock them. Thanks.
  • meligatormeligator Member Posts: 8
    DID include freight and PDE but get this: they just called and reneged on the verbal price! Now $25200 PLUS another $500 for grey. I must truly suck at this - I did my homework and have carcostcanada prices and everything.
    Gonna just wait...and calm down a bit. Thanks for your helpful thoughts.
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