克莱斯勒(中国)欺骗中国消费者

China's auto market, the largest in the world, has seen breakneck speed over the past few years, as more and more of the country's growing middle class; park their savings into their first car. But with the rapid rise in sales, many unscrupulous business practices have emerged in the industry.
中国的汽车市场是全球最大的，过去几年，由于越来越多的中产阶级将他们的储蓄投入到他们第一辆车上，中国的汽车市场见证了惊人的增速。但是，随着销售额的快速增长，该行业出现了许多不道德的经营方式。

In January last year, Ms Shi bought a World-Cup version of the Jeep compass at a dealership in Zibo in Shandong Province. The dealership said the sports utility vehicle was imported from the US, and is 30 thousand yuan more expensive than the traditional versions, due to its extra options.
But the GPS system in Ms. Shi's Jeep crashed in less than a week.
去年一月份，释女士在山东省淄博的一间经销公司购买了一辆Jeep指南者世界杯特别版。经销商称，这款运动型多功能车（SUV）是从美国进口的，由于其附加的配件，比传统版贵了3万元。但是，不到一个星期，释女士的Jeep的GPS系统就无法开机了。

Ms. Shi said," The car company wasn't willing to fix the problem for free. They say that I installed the GPS system by myself. I said that’s impossible, it was there when I bought the SUV which they said was from the US."
释女士表示：“汽车公司不愿意免费处理这个问题，他们说我是自己安装GPS系统的。我说不可能，我买这辆SUV的时候他们说它是产自美国。”

Before long, other problems emerged. Ms Shi who video tapped her car being repaired, found out that there was no factory name or address on the GPS system. She immediately sued the car dealership in August.
不久之后，其它问题产生了。释女士的车的视频在维修时被取下来，她发现GPS系统上没有任何厂名厂址。八月份，她马上将汽车经销商告上法庭。

In court, the dealership admitted that the SUV was refitted from its traditional version, and that extra options were a gift to buyers. But Shi stressed that the parts were already installed when the SUV was sold, and that the price was too high.
在法庭上，经销商承认该SUV是由传统版改装的，附加的配件是送给买家的礼物。但是释女士强调，那些部件在她购买这辆SUV时已经安装上了，价格太高了。

Meanwhile, an employee at a car dealership in Beijing explained how the process was handled from the start.
同时，北京一间汽车经销店的一位员工从头到尾解释了这个过程是如何操作的。

He said," That SUV was a refitted one, refitted in China; it's called the World-Cup Special version."
他表示：“那辆SUV是改装版，在中国改装的；它被称为世界杯特别版。”

When was asked Who refitted the version, he answered," Chrysler itself, but they installed domestically made parts."
当被问及是谁改装这个版本的，他回到道：“莱克斯勒汽车，但是他们安装的是国内生产的零部件。”

He explained that the special version was refitted by the dealership with parts supplied by Chrysler China, and is sold 30 thousand yuan higher than the regular models.
他解释道，特别版是经销商用莱克斯勒中国公司提供的零部件给装的，并以高于传统型号3万元的价格卖出去。

Among Jeep buyers, Ms Shi is not the only one to have been cheated.
在Jeep的买家中，释女士并不是唯一一位受欺骗的。

Some even found that options promised by the dealership, not even installed. In order to avoid further negative publicity, Chrysler China asked dealerships to sign confidentiality agreements and settlements with buyers who would receive 5 thousand yuan in compensation.
一些人甚至发现经销商答应给予的配件并没有安装上去。为了防止进一步的负面宣传，莱克斯勒中国要求经销商与买家签订保密协议，获得5千元的赔偿金。

Ms. Zhao, another Jeep owner said," They raised the compensation to ten thousand yuan, and warned us to give up on asking for more money. The after-sale man was rude to us."
Jeep的另一位车主赵女士表示：“他们将赔偿金提高到1万元，并警告我们放弃要求更多的钱。那个售后服务人员对我们很不礼貌。”

According to insiders, the confidential settlements are a common way to deal with disputes in China's auto industry. But are such agreements legal?
据内部人士称，在中国汽车行业中，保密协议是解决纠纷的一种常用方法。但是这样的协议合法吗？

Hu Zhanquan, one lawyer said," The contract is void itself, so it's of no force for the consumers. The buyers can protect their rights by law."
律师Hu Zhanquan称：“协议本身是无效的，所以对消费者而言没有效力。买家可以通过法律途径保护他们的权利。”

Lawyers say that individual car buyers are always at a disadvantage against dealerships when in comes to defending rights. As a result, lawyers are suggesting car buyers take collective action to enforce their rights.
律师表示，当涉及到与经销商的权利捍卫时，私人汽车买家总是处于劣势。因此，律师建议，汽车买家应该共同行动，维护自己的权利。