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Autogeek sponsored Bruno Massel Race Car at Detail Fest

March 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The official Autogeek.net race car will be at Detail Fest this weekend, March 26-27, at Autogeek headquarters in Stuart, Florida. We’re looking forward to seeing Bruno Massel, co-host of TRUCK U on SPEED TV and the head of Bruno Massel Racing. Maybe if we buy dinner, we’ll get to take a few laps in the car!

Bruno started the year off on the right foot by dominating the Pro Import division from start to finish by scoring the win from the pole position. He won with a 4.524 second run at 157.19 at the Palm Beach Shakedown, which was held at the newly renovated Palm Beach International Raceway.

Car Specs:
Body: 2009 Carbon fiber Chevrolet Cobalt
Chassis: Jerry Bickel Pro Stock Chassis modified by Bruno’s Automotive
Engine: Chevrolet ECOtec 2.2L DOHC 4-cylinder built by GM Powertrain in Wixom, MI
Engine block: Production Chevrolet ECOtec aluminum block
Cylinder head: Production cast aluminum ECOtec “SAAB” cylinder head
Power Adder: 76mm Precision Turbo billet turbocharger and intercooler
Fuel management: BigStuff3 ECU system
Fuel system: Aeromotive mechanical pump feeding Alcohol to 3-160lb. injectors per/cylinder
Transmission: Bruno’s BRT Converter drive & Liberty 4-speed clutchless transmission
Shocks: Penske electric nitrogen
Tires: Goodyear
Horsepower: 1400+ @ maximum boost
Weight: Minimum weight 2230lbs.
Performance: 6.86 @ 200 mph in the 1/4mile

Filed Under: Autogeek Detail Fest, PBMA News

Eco Touch Conscious Car Care

March 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Who says car care products can’t be natural? Carnauba wax has been proving for decades that sometimes the best product for your car starts with Mother Nature.

Eco Touch Conscious Car Care

Eco Touch Conscious Car Care is a collection of detailing products made of plant-derived ingredients. Each cleaner contains natural surfactants to clean without hazardous chemicals. Essential fruit oils and, yes, carnauba wax round out the earth-friendly ingredients used to make these products.

But you’ll never know the difference. Try Eco Touch products and you’ll see that you can have a clean, well-kept vehicle without all the petroleum distillates and such. Eco Touch products do a great job; it just so happens that they are environmentally conscious.

All Eco Touch products are safe on your vehicle and safer for you to use. No harsh fumes or skin-irritating chemicals. Isn’t that refreshing?

Learn more about Eco Touch at Autogeek.net.

Filed Under: Car Care Products, New Products Spotlight

DP is now Detailer’s Pro Series

March 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Detailer's Pro Series car care products

Detailer’s Pro Series is the next generation of professional detailing products.

DP, short for Detailer’s Pride, has a new name and a new look. Detailer’s Pro Series was unveiled today at Autogeek.net. With all new labels and updated formulas, Detailer’s Pro Series continues to represent the excellent value and performance that are the hallmarks of this complete line of car care products.

Detailer’s Pro Series is truly designed for the professional detailer in mind. All Detailer’s Pro Series products are designed for speed, effectiveness, and value. Several multi-surface products save users time while delivering outstanding results. Large 32 oz. and gallon bottles encourage bulk savings. Whether you are a professional detailer or a do-it-yourself hobbyist, you’ll find that Detailer’s Pro Series makes your detailing budget go further while still giving you results you can be proud of.

New to Detailer’s Pro Series

Detailer’s Pro Series includes all the same products you’ve enjoyed as DP with updated formulas. To complement our complete detailing collection, we introduce Detailer’s Pro Series Dual Action Odor Eliminator. This innovative air freshener and odor remover eliminates odors two ways: as a quick burst air freshener or as a complete release fogger. A proprietary counteractant agent in the formula breaks down odor at its source to permanently eliminate foul smells.

Detailer’s Pro Series Dual Action Odor Eliminator is available in:
French Vanilla
Just Detailed
Cool Mint Chocolate
Tropical Breeze
Cinnamon Stick
New Leather is coming soon.

Learn more about Detailer’s Pride at Autogeek.net.

Filed Under: Car Care Products, New Products Spotlight

New Meguiars DA microfiber Correction System

March 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 

The DA Microfiber Correction System is comprised of the following:
2 Liquid Components

DA Microfiber Correction Compound – D300
No swirls – guaranteed (keep in mind we’re talking about the fact that this system will not leave buffer swirls like a rotary usually does during compounding)
Super-micro abrasive technology (SMAT) quickly removes moderate defects with a high gloss
No mess, no sling, low dusting for superior clean up
Rich concentrated formula delivers lower cost per car
16 ounce – (D30016)
32 ounce – (D30032)
1 gallon (D30001)

DA Microfiber Finishing Wax – D301

One-pass fast, dust free wipe off
Rich blend of polymers, silicones & carnauba for high gloss protection
Specially formulated to optimize surface after applying DA Microfiber Correction Compound
Designed for use with DA Microfiber Finishing Disc
16 ounce – (D30116)
32 ounce – (D30132)
1 gallon – (D30101)

2 Disc Components

  • Cutting Disc – New microfiber disc technology cuts through moderate surface defects with no swirls – guaranteed
  • Cutting disc optimized for use with DA Correction Compound D300
  • Finishing Disc – New microfiber disc technology refines surface to a high gloss finish
  • Finishing disc optimized for use with DA Finishing Wax D301
  • Engineered foam interface for optimal cutting efficiency and controlled conformability
  • Machine washable

Sizes, pricing, part numbers:

  • DA Microfiber Cutting Disc
    • 3.37″ diameter –  2-pack (DMC3)
    • 5.5″ diameter –  2-pack (DMC5) or  12-pack (DMC5B)
    • 6.25″ diameter – 2-pack (DMC6) or  12-pack (DMC6B)
  • DA Microfiber Finishing Disc
    • 3.37″ diameter – 2-pack (DMF3)
    • 5.5″ diameter – 2-pack (DMF5) or  12-pack (DMF5B)
    • 6.25″ diameter –  2-pack (DMF6) or  12-pack (DMF6B)
Filed Under: New Products Spotlight

Palm Beach Motoring Accessories announces aggressive expansion for 2011

March 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Stuart, FL (February 21 2011) – Palm Beach Motoring Accessories, the parent company of car care retail website Autogeek.net, has entered into an agreement to acquireAutopia-carcare.com from David Ostroff. Autopia-carcare.com is one of eight ecommerce websites now under the PBMA umbrella.

In addition, PBMA has acquired the Detail City forum at detailcity.org from Dwayne McPeeks. Both Autopia-carcare.com and Detailcity.org will continue to operate as separate entities from PBMA and maintain their own personnel. Detail City will become the official forum of Autopia-carcare.com with Autopia being the exclusive sponsor of Detail City. This symbiotic relationship will allow Autopia customers to use Detail City as an additional source of information and reviews on the products found at Autopia-carcare.com.

With PBMA’s acquisition of Autopia-carcare.com, enthusiasts can still shop at the familiar online store, but with a greater selection. “By acquiring AutopiaCar Care and Detail City, we can provide another avenue for enthusiasts to find the products and information they need,” said Bob “Max” McKee, founder and CEO of PBMA. “PBMA is an ever-growing company. Autopia will benefit from PBMA logistics, technology, capital and knowledge, to bringAutopia to its fullest potential.”

 Autopia-carcare.com’s rich history dates back to the 1990s when it was established as the retail arm of its car care forum. The website offers auto detailing products and how-to articles. The articles and the formerly associated forum established Autopia-carcare.com as a popular online store and information resource. Autopia-carcare.com and their forum had a significant impact on the car care industry in the 1990s. According to Max, it is his vision to reinstate Autopia history.

 Max studied the acquisition of Meguiar’s by 3M and he adopted the successful policy used by 3M that allowed Meguiar’s to continue operating as an independent company. According to Max, there is room in the market for multiple websites to operate on different platforms and cater to the needs of different customers. The Autopia and Detail City audience will be different from the Autogeek audience. Therefore Autopia and Detail City will maintain their own identities to continue to serve the needs of their customers and forum members. By allowing Autopia to maintain its autonomy, Max is confident that Autopia will experience the same success Meguiar’s has since joining 3M. Associating Detail City to a revived Autopiawill bring renewed interest to both websites.

 PBMA’s family of websites includes Autogeek.net, Pinnaclewax.com,Diamondite.com, Wolfgangcarcare.com, Bikedepot.net, PBMA’s Amazon.comstore, AutogeekOnline.net, and now Autopia-carcare.com andDetailcity.org. PBMA stocks thousands of car care products on site by more than 80 manufacturers and manufactures its own successful brands: Pinnacle Natural Brilliance, Wolfgang Concours Series, Diamondite, and DP.  The company exports products to customers and distributors in 20 countries. In addition to providing quality products to detailing enthusiasts and professionals worldwide, PBMA websites are a leading source of instructional detailing guides and videos. PBMA will soon be launching Premium Boat Care. 

Autopia Car Care exclusive forum sponsor of DetailCity.org

Autopia Car Care has become the exclusive sponsor of DetailCity.org. Detail City is a open detailing forum and will remain that way. DetailCity.org is a perfect place to find out what is hot in the detailing world and all the help tips and techniques to help you on any detailing project.

Click to visit DetailCity.org

Filed Under: PBMA News

Do I need to use detailing clay?

March 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

If you’re asking yourself this question, most likely you do need to use detailing clay. If your vehicle has never been clayed or hasn’t been clayed in a year or more, it’s time to use detailing clay. If you need more evidence, try the  bag test:

Wash and dry your vehicle, put a plastic sandwich bag over your hand and lightly rub your fingertips over the paint. The plastic bag increases your tactile sensitivity so can feel things you might otherwise miss. If the paint feels gritty or rough, your paint is contaminated.

Vehicles can accumulate industrial fallout, brake dust, rail dust, and other contaminants any time. Maintaining a coat of wax or paint sealant helps protect the paint, but these persistent little particles can still get through the wax barrier. To maintain smooth, silky paint, use detailing clay twice a year. You can clay more often if you have Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay, our ultra fine clay bar.

For more info on detailing clay and clay lubricants, read our Detailing Clay How-To.

Filed Under: Car Care Articles, Car Care Products

Autogeek’s 6th Annual Detail Fest & Car Show

February 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

It’s that time of year again! Autogeek’s 6th Annual Detail Fest is coming up on March 26-27, 2011.

We like to celebrate the arrival of Spring in our own unique way here at Autogeek: by hosting a detailing expo and car show! Every year since 2006 we’ve hosted a gathering of leading manufacturers, enthusiasts and, of course, their cars for a day of education, detailing, and fun.

Detail Fest 2011 is being held on March 26-27 at our Stuart, Florida headquarters. There’s no better way to get your vehicle ready for Spring than to learn from the pros and from fellow hobbyists about the latest techniques and products. Meet your favorite manufacturers and see their products in action. Detail Fest is also a great opportunity to meet fellow forum members face to face and see their handiwork up close.

Detail Fest is open to anyone wanting to walk around and check out the products and demos. For a small registration fee, you can enter your car into our Detail Fest Car Show!

Detail Fest is 9 am -4 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

What’s happening:

  • Autogeek.net is now sponsoring Bruno Massel Racing! Bruno, co-host of TruckU on SPEED TV, will be at Detail Fest with his race car (prototype shown at right). Come check it out!
  • Matt Steele, co-host of TruckU and Trucks Gone Wild, will have monster trucks on display!
  • Fox Sports TV will be filming Detail Fest to make a TV show.
  • World famous Craig Burnett, better known as “Mr. Chemist” in the Mother’s television commercials, will be attending Detail Fest. Craig brings a lifetime of experience in formulating appearance products and humor that only someone surrounded by chemicals for prolonged periods can truly understand and appreciate.
  • The special Max Edition Flex PE14-2-150 polisher serial number 001 will be on display.
  • UPS (our #1 carrier) will display their delivery truck, the NASCAR Flame Package UPS Truck, and the NASCAR UPS #6 racecar!
  • Meet the manufacturers and learn about their products firsthand. Mothers is bringing their big rig again and the 3M Demo Van will be here, too!
  • 3M products
  • Aztec Carpet Extractors
  • Battery Tender
  • Black Wow
  • Covercraft
  • Cyclo
  • DP
  • Diamondite
  • Dodo Juice
  • Dr Color Chip
  • Einszett
  • Flex
  • Griots Garage
  • Grit Guard
  • IAP
  • Lake Country
  • Lexol
  • Meguiars
  • Metro
  • Mothers
  • Optimum
  • P21s
  • Pinnacle
  • Poorboys
  • Premium Finish Care
  • Raggtopp
  • Rejex
  • Menzerna
  • Sonax
  • Wolfgang
  • XMT
  • More to come!
  • Steven Spengler, the VP of Sales at Aztec Products, is bringing an Aztec Hot Rod Extractor valued at $649.99 to auction off to one lucky winner!
  • Blown Away Salon will be giving $10 haircuts and 100% of the proceeds will go to charity. Get a clean new ‘do to go with your flawless vehicle!
  • The Critters – one of the great bands of the 1960s – will be playing their hits plus all your classic favorites live at Detail Fest!
  • Fill up on great food by CK Cafe and Bakery.
  • Our own Mike Phillips, host of Autogeek’s Show Car Garage segments and Autogeek’s What’s in the Garage? TV show, will be here sharing his car care wisdom.
  • Two guest detailers will be flying in from California to share their expertise:
Mike Phillips and Renny DoyleRenny Doyle (shown here with Mike Phillips) is the founder of Detailing Success.com and Attention To Details, Ltd, based at Big Bear Lake, California. Renny is a 28-year veteran of the auto and aviation appearance industries. Renny’s reputation and abilities have drawn the attention of auto and aircraft museums and private collectors alike. Read more about Renny. Jose Joe FernandezJose “Joe” Fernandez is the president and founder of Superior Shine Mobile Auto Detailing in Los Angeles, California. His clients’ vehicles consist of everything from classic, collectible, and exotic cars to RVs, not to mention thousands of daily drivers. Recently Joe was a team leader of the crew that detailed SAM970, America’s first Air Force One. Read more about Joe.

This year, we’re pleased to have two fantastic charities involved with Detail Fest:

Operation Comfort is a support organization for wounded veterans. Mike and Max had the pleasure of meeting the guys participating in Operation Comfort’s Automotivation program last fall while filming for the SPEED channel. We’re excited to bring in three individuals from Operation Comfort to join us for Detail Fest weekend!

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education, and patient services.

All the vendors that will be present at Detail Fest have made donations to these two great organizations! We’ll be raising money at Detail Fest. Thank you to our vendors and to everyone who has contributed to Operation Comfort and LLS. We look forward to seeing you at Detail Fest!

Join us on March 26-27 in beautiful Stuart, Florida for Autogeek’s 6th Annual Detail Fest & Car Show!

The Detail Fest Car Show will be held on Saturday, March 26. Registration is $25 per vehicle.

1st Annual Detail Fest Truck Show!Just Announced! The 1st Annual Detail Fest TRUCK Show will be on Sunday, March 27! The Truck Show is open to all trucks. Registration is $25.

Registration for either show includes:

  • 1 Official Detail Fest 2011 T-shirt (select size below)
  • 1 Autographed Mike Phillips DVD
  • 1 Dash Plaque
  • Special Discount Code valid during Detail Fest weekend
  • Entry into drawing to win a $100 Autogeek.net gift certificate
    (3 winners will be selected!)
  • 10 raffle tickets to be eligible to win more prizes
    Available prizes include: Metro Master Blaster Flex XC3401 Polisher Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer Wolfgang Füzion Carnauba Estate Wax and more raffle prizes to be announced!

Car Show trophys will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in 5 different categories (total of 15 trophies)! Four trophies will be given in the Truck Show.

If you are not entering a vehicle, there is no need to register! Detail Fest is free to attend as a spectator. All registered participants must have a car to show.

Extra T-shirts will be available for purchase.

Travel

Hotel: We have reserved a block of rooms for special rate at a new Courtyard by Marriott less then a mile from us. Please call 1-800-869-3011 ext. 207 or email us for room rate discount information.

HOTEL INFO:
Courtyard by Marriott
7615 SW Lost River Road
Stuart, Florida 34997 USA
Phone: 1-772-781-3344

Airport: West Palm Airport (PBI) is 30 minutes south of us, Orlando (MCO) is about 2 hours north and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) is about an hour and a half south.

We will announce more information on events and travel as it becomes available in our newsletter and on AutogeekOnline.net. If you’re not already a newsletter subscriber, sign up here .
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Filed Under: Autogeek Detail Fest

FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher

January 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The FLEPE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher was developed in Germany and is making its U.S. debut at Autogeek booth #12645 at the 2010 SEMA Show. At Autogeek, we’re very pleased to offer this superior circular polisher to our customers. Our testing in the Show Car Garage has revealed that the FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is lighter, more agile, and easier to control than any other rotary polisher in our arsenal. It’s well adapted for newcomers to the hobby, but it delivers the results that a seasoned pro expects from a rotary machine.

The FLEX PE14-2-150 has an easy-grip ergonomic head.
You can see the FLEX PE 14-2-150 Polisher is shaped to give your hand and wrist a comfortable place to rest during operation.

The FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is built to minimize user fatigue with an ergonomic design and lightweight body. It weighs in at just 5.6 pounds! The front of the polisher is perfectly curved to fit the user’s hand and coated in rubber for superior comfort. The spindle lock mechanism is located behind the hump you see above so you cannot accidentally press it. This is not the heavy, cumbersome polisher of the past. The FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is built to be light, agile, and fast – perfect for professional detailers who spend hours behind a buffer.To make your polishing experience even more pleasant, the FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is quiet. A new combination of planetary and bevel gear provides extreme noise reduction. The gears are hardened stainless steel for excellent durability. Internal gears are quieter than most rotary polishers.
The new gears are quiet and ultra-durable!

The FLEX rotary polisher features optimized air flow.
Large vents and an internal fan provide superior air flow to keep the polisher cool.

A powerful internal fan provides optimized airflow to cool the engine and transmission to prevent heat buildup in the polisher. A cooler running polisher operates more efficiently and is easier to handle.The FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is powerful! It has a 1400 watt motor with a no-load speed range of 600-2100 rpm. It’s capable of high speed compounding, but it also works smoothly when polishing at low speeds. A convenient acceleration switch allows you to start slow and gradually increase speed. Lock the speed for continuous operation.Like all FLEX polishers, the FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher has some sophisticated electronics to help you get the best results. VR electronics include variable speed selection, consistent speed control by tachometer generator, overload protection, restart protection, and temperature monitoring. The speed controls on the FLEX PE 14-2-150 rotary polisher are all within easy reach.
The acceleration trigger, trigger lock, and speed dial are all within easy reach on the FLEX PE14-2-150 Polisher.

The FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher was designed and built in Stuttgart, Germany, just a short distance from the Mercedes Benz plant. It’s no wonder that FLEX consistently produces some of the finest car polishers on the market – they share a hometown with one of the world’s finest automakers.

If you’re new to polishing with a rotary or just looking for a more user-friendly machine, the FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is the perfect choice. Its lightweight, ergonomic design and cool-running, quiet motor will make polishing your vehicle almost as enjoyable as seeing the final results.

Technical Specifications:
Backing plate diameter max 6 inches Tool fixture 5/8 inch
polishing pad diameter max 8 inches Length 15.75 inches
Speed without load 600-2100 rpm Height 4.7 inches
Power input 10 Amp/1400 watt Weight 5.6 lbs.
Power output 800 watt Cord 13 feet

Side handle included.

Made in Germany.

Filed Under: New Products Spotlight

How dirty is too dirty to safely use a rinseless wash to wash my car?

January 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

by Mike Phillips

The question often comes up,

How dirty is too dirty to safely use a rinseless wash to wash my car?

Great question and while every situation will be a little bit different you can safely wash cars, trucks and s.u.v.’s with light dirt accumulation. Vehicles with a heavy dirt accumulation, especially if they are not regularly washed or if there is visible mud caked onto the paint should have the large accumulation of dirt first removed using a pressure washer or a strong spray of water. If you don’t have access to a pressure washer or a a free flowing source of water, (a garden hose hooked up to a water spigot), then most towns have a do-it-yourself car wash that you can use for a modest fee.

Reasons to use a Rinseless Wash
In a perfect world everyone would have access to free flowing water, warm temperatures, no restrictions on when and where they can wash their car etc.

The problem is we don’t live in a perfect world and not everyone has access to free flowing water or has the ability to use free flowing water due to water restrictions.

Here’s a list of some reasons for using a Rinseless Wash….

Areas with government enforced water restrictions
In today’s reality, there are many cities and even entire countries with Government Enforced Water Restrictions. In these places it’s against laws and/or regulations to wash your car with a free flowing source of water.

Geographical areas of drought
In some places there may be no official restrictions against water use but the geographical area itself is experiencing severe drought and self-compliance as well as common sense prevents people from using a free flowing source of water to wash their vehicles.

People who live in Apartments
In some areas if you live in an Apartment, a Condo or a Townhouse, there may be no place to wash your car with a free flowing source of clean water or there may be rules against it that you have agreed to comply with.

Washing in cold winter months
In cold weather, extreme low temperatures can make washing a car with a free flowing source of water dangerous and difficult at best.

Mobile Detailers
Rinseless Washing enables mobile detailers to get their customer?s car clean without having to depend upon a water source on location or the extra hassle of transporting hundreds of gallons of water in their Truck, Van or on a Trailer. Besides that, some areas require mobile detailers to contain and capture their run-off water and this is an added expense, somewhat difficult as well as time consuming.

Anytime you?re traveling
If you doing any long distance traveling, Rinseless Washing enables you to wash your car while in route.

How dirty is too dirty to safely use a rinseless wash?
There are limits as to what you should tackle with a rinseless wash and what you should take to a car wash, below are some examples…

This is light dirt accumulation
This is a good example of a vehicle that can be washed using a rinseless wash.

Image shows truck with light dirt accumulation, suitable for cleaning with a rinseless wash.

This Tundra is a good example of a vehicle that can be cleaned with a rinseless wash.

Heavy dirt accumulation and mud should always be hosed off before washing your vehicle.

Visit Autogeek.net’s Car Wash section for all our traditional car washes, rinseless washes, and waterless washes.

Filed Under: Car Care Articles

Single Stage & Two Stage Paints Explained

January 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Single stage paints include acrylic enamel, acrylic lacquer, and synthetic enamel. Single stage paint is paint (or resin) with pigment added to it. A single stage finish has the color and gloss in one coating. Single stage paints were used up until the 1980s when two-stage paints were introduced.

When detailing single stage paint, paint transfer is common onto the pad or applicator since you’re polishing the pigment layer directly. Color transfer is a good indicator that your vehicle has a single stage finish. Single stage finishes tend to oxidize and fade over time, but you can achieve a dramatic makeover with a compound and a polisher.

Clear coat finishes, or two stage finishes, include a separate pigment layer and clear layer. Clear coat finishes became popular because they retain their glossy look well. However, clear coat finishes do require wax and occasional polishing to keep them looking their best! Clear coats can oxidize just like single stage finishes, so regular paint protection is key. Unlike single stage paint, there’s no color transfer onto the applicator when detailing clear coat paint because you’re not detailing the color coat directly. If you see no color transfer, it’s likely that your vehicle is clear-coated.

Clear coat finishes are on 95% of all vehicles being built today. The vast majority of car care products developed today are suitable for clear coat finishes!? These same products can be used on single stage finishes, too. But, if a product says it’s only for single stage paint, stay away from a clear coat finish!

Regardless of whether your vehicle has single stage or clear coat paint, ALWAYS maintain a coating of wax or paint sealant to preserve its beauty and value.

Filed Under: Car Care Articles, PBMA News
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