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Pantsmaster Bill posted:Tell me it's a terrible idea to buy this: http://pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2410305.htm Like the man said, slow. Also, at 150k on an M44, timing chain/rollers/guides may well be hosed, and that's a pain in the bum. IF those are real schnitzel rimzzz, you could sell them on ebay and make out OK on the deal. Sell the body kit and it could pay for itself.
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Jan 26, 2011 18:23
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Can someone learn me about 335s? Considering one to replace the Lotus. What to watch out for, how hard to mod, etc. I've heard horror stories about the fuel pump; what about other maintainence? Finally what's with the crazy price differences? I see people asking $31k for a 2007, and see dealers asking $22k for what looks like a clean car: http://tinyurl.com/4nhhdzk
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Jan 26, 2011 21:56
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Saw the E31. Pics      It is overwintering in a heated hanger next to his airplane. The interior was in exceptional condition. The photos really don't do it justice. I didn't see a single crack or rip. The only noises in the cabin at speed were just from the leather seats against the plastic. I really didn't hear anything jarring, clunking or rattling. The car drove very well. Pulled VERY strongly and very quiet, even @ 160KPH. Everything seemed to work and the owner told me that he wasn't aware of anything not working. Tool kit in the back was complete. Only knock I can give it, and it is potentially a biggie is that after he mentioned the shifting of the auto. When putting it in sport mode in particular the upshifts stiff. It was VERY solid and no slips, but seemed too solid. The guy is a BMW fanatic and he does think it seems harsher than he would like it to be. In preparation of rebuilding the transmission he bought a rebuild kit (not sure what is included in those) but said he'd include it with the car. That said, I do not think the transmission is ready to fall out by any stretch. Only other knocks were some very, very minor dents. Something like 3 but it's borderline nitpicky. I've seen more dents on 1 year old cars. The car is drat straight. It could use paint but it isn't awful by any stretch. It does have 2 alternators and I can't even imagine pulling the one on the bottom right of the motor. gently caress me that V12 is big. So what say you homos? The biggest concern I have is the transmission but I might even be over exaggerating it's "stiffness" It kind of reminded me of what a TH350 shifts like, not a BMW. That's really about it.
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Jan 26, 2011 23:05
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slidebite posted:Saw the E31. Pics Looks like the passenger side headlight bucket could use a bit of adjustment. Kind of fiddly, but not hard to do. I've never seen a chromed oil filler cap on an E31...maybe the owner chrominated it with that spray-on stuff, or it's aftermarket? The 5 speed auto in my car is harsh on sport mode as well, and even bangs a little in "economy" mode, but hasn't poo poo the bed yet. I wouldn't worry about it too much. That said though, I'd keep an eye on it and start saving a rainy day fund for if / when it blows. The reality is, sooner or later something's gonna break, and you're gonna have to pay for it. The car is 20 years old. The only other thing I can think of is that it may be a bit difficult to track down E31 parts in North America that are specific to the J-spec models (although there are probably only a handful that fall into this category). All of that said, it looks like it was well kept and maintained properly. I'd go for it. 
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Jan 27, 2011 00:50
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Black88GTA posted:Looks like the passenger side headlight bucket could use a bit of adjustment. Kind of fiddly, but not hard to do. I've never seen a chromed oil filler cap on an E31...maybe the owner chrominated it with that spray-on stuff, or it's aftermarket? Well, it's a J-Spec car so I suspect it was put on back over there. The current owner wouldn't have been the type to do it. I remembered he said there was one thing which was finicky, and that's the rear window shade. He said it sometimes jammed, but he never used it anyhow so it doesn't sound like a big loss. I'm going to sleep on it.. got a couple other things rolling around my hollow head but I certainly do like it. Maintenance just scares me more than anything.
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Jan 27, 2011 06:38
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slidebite posted:That's the oil filler off to the side? I didn't know that. Well, technically that's not where you fill the oil...that is what the cap in the front center of the engine is for. That's actually the oil filter housing. You undo that shiny cap, and the filter is just an open element that you pull out from the top. I honestly don't know why all cars don't have this system, it's fantastic. So much cleaner and easier than breaking your arm in 3 places to reach a sideways-mounted filter that will inevitably spill oil everywhere as you remove it from underneath. It's also very nice for taking Blackstone samples, or if you want to replace the filter without changing the oil at the same time. You can also visually inspect the element with every oil change to see what it's picking up without having to cut the housing off first. I can't speak on the sun blind thing, as my car doesn't have one. Black88GTA fucked around with this message at 07:25 on Jan 27, 2011 |
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Jan 27, 2011 07:16
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Why did they have to make those things auto only? I would be dieing right now for an E31 with a 5-speed manual. They are so badass looking and poo poo, V12....
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Jan 27, 2011 14:41
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You can get a factory 6 speed 850, they're just very rare.
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Jan 27, 2011 15:08
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MOOMIN.EXE posted:You can get a factory 6 speed 850, they're just very rare. Sounds like that prices me out of it, not that I could afford one anyway.
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Jan 27, 2011 16:16
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I would say go for it, but then again E31s are some of my favorite cars of all time.
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Jan 27, 2011 16:52
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Is it me or does it look like the rear tail lights are melting?
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Jan 28, 2011 00:20
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destructo posted:Is it me or does it look like the rear tail lights are melting?  I'm toying with the idea of another car that I have a line on 928 So, in other words, I still haven't made up my friggen mind.  Also, GTA, thanks for the words on the auto. I'm not overly concerned but you're observations back up my thoughts too.
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Jan 28, 2011 01:33
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Battery runs down too readily I have a 1988 325i. The battery runs down very readily. When I bought it 14 months ago, if I didn't use it at least once every three days, the battery would go flat. In August 2010 I bought a new battery, the "high-end" model out of the store's choice of low/medium/high. Had to leave suddenly for 3 weeks over Christmas, didn't have time to unplug it, came back, and found the battery was completely dead. I charged it using a slow trickle-charger, but it died again after another 4-day gap. What's up with this? My other car, a 1998 Honda Accord, doesn't run out of battery this fast. I know that each time the battery discharges it drastically shortens the battery's life. What should I do? (For now, I bought a switch that the guy at the shop said to install between the negative terminal and the chassis. This'll give me a slightly easier way to cut off the battery entirely when I'm not using it.)
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Jan 28, 2011 06:12
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ljw1004 posted:Battery runs down too readily Get a cheap digital multimeter from Harbor Freight or somewhere. Pull fuses one at a time with everything turned off and probe between the terminals for current. If you find anything that's drawing more than like a couple milliamps while turned off, you probably found what circuit the short is in if there is one.
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Jan 28, 2011 07:59
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slidebite posted:
Hey Slidebite, I have a an old XJ6 I think you might like! 
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Jan 28, 2011 10:24
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M3 touring rumors emerge. http://www.bimmerfile.com/2011/01/27/bmw-m3-sportwagon-being-considered/ Add xDrive and there’s the car of my dreams. eames fucked around with this message at 12:48 on Jan 28, 2011 |
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Jan 28, 2011 12:45
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Hah, either an 850 or a 928, I hope its a S4! (I also love 928s)
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Jan 28, 2011 15:22
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I wonder if the M3/M5 will ever leave RWD.
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Jan 28, 2011 17:42
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I'd be totally cool with an awd M5 but I feel like the M3 should remain RWD.
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Jan 28, 2011 17:52
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kimbo305 posted:I wonder if the M3/M5 will ever leave RWD. Probably not, what I think we will see is a move towards turbos (as good as confirmed for the next M5), a focus on lighter weight and more high-tech transmission/differential solutions.
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Jan 28, 2011 18:00
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ljw1004 posted:I have a 1988 325i. The battery runs down very readily. When I bought it 14 months ago, if I didn't use it at least once every three days, the battery would go flat.
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Jan 28, 2011 18:34
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SuperDucky posted:[1988 325i battery runs out really quickly] I had to look up the word ("cabriolet = soft top convertible" apparently) -- but yes, it's a cabriolet.
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Jan 28, 2011 18:56
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Anyone know about getting a rim repaired? I ended up getting the e30 posted a page back and it comes with a set of ASA 16" wheels which I would like to put on in the summer. But one of the rims is bent a bit, the guy I bought it from asked someone he knew if he could hammer it out but he said it would need to be sent in to ASA to get fixed. Is there anyway to do this on your own? If not is there somewhere I can send this rim to get it fixed?
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Jan 29, 2011 20:39
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Repairing rims is a divisive topic. A respectable shop would charge $100-200 for fixing a minor bend.
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Jan 29, 2011 21:01
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Watching the 24 Hours of Daytona; that 1-Series M Coupe pace car makes a pretty nice sound...way better than the stock 135. Makes me wonder how long I could subsist on dog food alone.
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Jan 29, 2011 22:40
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Whoa, I hope you buy that E31. Would be awesome to hear some more about owning it. I'd read a blog of yours about that car.Dyscrasia posted:Why did they have to make those things auto only? I would be dieing right now for an E31 with a 5-speed manual. They are so badass looking and poo poo, V12.... US market thing, you could get almost all of the E31s in Europe with manual.
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Jan 30, 2011 02:16
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It's very unlikely I'm buying that car. Chatting on an E31 board there is some concern over that transmission, and truth be told, I really don't feel like dropping that thing... and the 928 needed far more work than was alluded too (gently caress I hate that, be honest man). HOWEVER, all is not necessarily lost and it might be a good thing. I have a line on another *single owner* since new 850 (senior citizen lady now), approximately the same mileage, with a complete dealer service history since delivery for approximately the same price to boot. It has been checked out by an 850 guru and it's supposed to be tits. I hope to know more in the next day or two.
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Jan 30, 2011 06:04
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Popete posted:Anyone know about getting a rim repaired? I ended up getting the e30 posted a page back and it comes with a set of ASA 16" wheels which I would like to put on in the summer. But one of the rims is bent a bit, the guy I bought it from asked someone he knew if he could hammer it out but he said it would need to be sent in to ASA to get fixed. Is there anyway to do this on your own? If not is there somewhere I can send this rim to get it fixed? I got one of my stock rims repaired, same thing, slight bend in one wheel. Found the guys that do repairs for the local stealerships, dropped it off, paid $100, looks perfect now. I made sure to research the local places, reputation is everything, and that's what I went by.
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Jan 30, 2011 11:28
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Saga posted:....More of a US thing, but I'm sure there's a UK equivalent of Blackstone Labs. Just a note for UK AI peeps but Blackstone will ship sample kits to the UK if you ask nicely, however I haven’t attempted to send mine back yet, should be fun trying to sneak it through the post office :/
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Jan 30, 2011 21:46
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The E34 has been fed a much needed meal of suspension parts. If you look closely you can see that one of the old sway bar links was bent. No idea how that happened. Just a wonderful two afternoons doing this. No drama at all. Everything came off and the new parts went on easily. An E34 with refreshed suspension feels absolutely amazing. What a wonderful mix of handling and comfort. Two remaining problems: - I'm still getting regular vibration at around 120km/h. Every time I put new suspension parts on it seems to move the speed at which it happens up. It started at 80km/h and now its at 120km/h. At this point its either the struts / mounts, thrust arms, or wheels. The thrust arms are only half a year old and I'm not getting the shimmy on braking. - Intermittently when I turn the wheel lock to lock quickly I'm getting the oddest noise. It sounds like someone very quickly scraping a rake against aluminum siding. I feel like its coming from the front strut mounts but those are only about a year old. It seems to happen most when the car is cold and goes away after some driving.
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Jan 30, 2011 23:51
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8ender posted:Two remaining problems: For #1 I think we'll need a full accounting of what has been replaced; the thrust and control arm bushings (front and rear!) are an obvious culprit, followed by balanced wheels (road-force balanced, not the lovely job they do at your local discount tire store). For #2, it's likely the spring twisting against the tophat/spring cup. Try spraying some penetrating lube up there and giving it a few lock-to-locks.
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Jan 31, 2011 06:32
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Sterndotstern posted:For #1 I think we'll need a full accounting of what has been replaced; the thrust and control arm bushings (front and rear!) are an obvious culprit, followed by balanced wheels (road-force balanced, not the lovely job they do at your local discount tire store). When I got the car it had some bad shakes at around 80-100km/h. When it was safetied the mechanic noticed the right front control arm had some play. Replaced that, and seeing that the other arm was around the same age replaced the other as well this past weekend. Everything else is in the picture. Now that you mention it I think the shakes were nearly gone after I replace that control arm and when I was still on the summer tires. I'm on the winters now and these are some new BMW stock rims I picked up locally. Might be the rims or tires. Sterndotstern posted:For #2, it's likely the spring twisting against the tophat/spring cup. Try spraying some penetrating lube up there and giving it a few lock-to-locks. Thanks for the advice, I'm going to try this out and I'll let you know. It really does seem like a cold weather thing, I never remember it happening earlier in the summer. Its been pretty cold lately.
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Jan 31, 2011 08:06
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8ender posted:- I'm still getting regular vibration at around 120km/h. Every time I put new suspension parts on it seems to move the speed at which it happens up. It started at 80km/h and now its at 120km/h. At this point its either the struts / mounts, thrust arms, or wheels. The thrust arms are only half a year old and I'm not getting the shimmy on braking. Me too  Early on after I bought it (1½ years ago), it developed the typical ~80 km/h shimmy. Replaced the upper control arms, problem went away, but came back shortly there after. Spent a lot of money trying other stuff: upper control arms, lower control arms, rear dog bones, front stabilizer links, two different sets of tires and three different sets of wheels, both front wheel bearings, brand new brakes and pads all around. Nothing worked, then I looked at the upper control arms again, and found out that they hadn't been properly installed - bummer. The threads on the large bolts were busted (I think I used nuts with the wrong thread), so they weren't held in place properly. Swapped those, and the problem was fixed, only now I had a different ~120 km/h shimmy instead, woohoo! This shimmy is different in the sense that it kinda rattles the whole car, and seems to be coming from below/the back, and not through the steering wheel. It's most noticable on new asphalt, it is heavily enhanced by turning left/right (although I can't turn that much since I can only provoke it at 100+ km/h), and kinda sounds like a helicopter's rotor blades. A deep, muffled knocking sound. I'm basically down to this: Diff, guibo+center bearing, or the rear wheel bearing(s). I'll be swapping the wheel bearings when the weather gets a little better, then I'm probably going to do the guibo+center bearing, and then the diff as a final effort. It's so strange how it isn't load-dependent at all, and how it symmetrically gets louder when I sway left/right while driving fast. The E34 is great, but screw its endless sources of vibration. Pilsner fucked around with this message at 18:30 on Jan 31, 2011 |
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Jan 31, 2011 18:28
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-...sQ5fAccessories Does anybody know how good or how terrible these headlights are? My stock heads are getting all sorts of yellow and gross, and the bulb that died today gives me an excuse to get some nicer stuff in there. I don't want to look like a super riceman and at the same time I don't want to spend $500+ on nice lights. Am I out to lunch here or what?
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Feb 1, 2011 02:28
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Just picked up my second E30, a 1990 bronzit 325is. Initial plans are to pick up a set of snow tires, powdercoat or polish the factory basketweaves, and get a hold of some "is" front and rear spoilers.
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Feb 1, 2011 03:08
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GOATSE SOUP posted:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-...sQ5fAccessories DEPO is a well-known, but not top-notch headlight company...production is taiwan or china. You could try looking for some ZKW's on bimmerforums, they are pretty affordable used and have glass lenses instead of DEPO's plastic (they used to be plastic, pretty sure they are still. ZKW's will fit better and have better adjusters than DEPO's. Yerok posted:Just picked up my second E30, a 1990 bronzit 325is. Initial plans are to pick up a set of snow tires, powdercoat or polish the factory basketweaves, and get a hold of some "is" front and rear spoilers. Repaint it something not-bronzit 
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Feb 1, 2011 03:16
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BraveUlysses posted:Repaint it something not-bronzit I think I'm keeping the bronzit for a while; it should look better with the right rims, blacking out the chrome trim, and a black is lip and spoiler. I do, however, have some satin black paint I was going to use on a previous car. I don't know how terrible it would look but I'm considering it. EDIT: Sport seat question: what locks the seats reclining mechanism in place? Is it the gas shocks? Yerok fucked around with this message at 05:41 on Feb 1, 2011 |
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Feb 1, 2011 03:26
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BraveUlysses posted:DEPO is a well-known, but not top-notch headlight company...production is taiwan or china. DEPOs are fine and are what people who don't want to spend $500 on ZKWs buy. The new DEPOs have glass lenses. If you don't care about angel eyes DDM Tuning sells e36 DEPO lights for $99. They have the best price, but can be slow to ship. http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/E36-DEPO-Euro-Projector-Headlight-HID-Kit-Included
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Feb 1, 2011 06:01
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Yerok posted:blacking out the chrome trim, If you do this could you post about it? I'm interested in doing the same on my E34 but it looks tricky. I'd love to see how it looks on another BMW from the same era.
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Feb 1, 2011 07:35
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8ender posted:If you do this could you post about it? I'm interested in doing the same on my E34 but it looks tricky. I'd love to see how it looks on another BMW from the same era. There's lots of people who do this, and it always looks crap, particularly when people paint the kidneys black. If you want a blacker look, you can get the shadowline trim package (black instead of chrome around the side windows).
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Feb 1, 2011 08:52
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