'The recent changes in the consumer rights protection legislation are bound to hit the car dealing business quite badly. I think there will definitely spring up plenty of fraudsters who will be taking advantage of the new amendment; that is, they are going to demand discounts, threatening to give the car back otherwise, and in general, people are just going to return more cars back to dealers now,’ says Tatiana Bulavina from the Marketing and Advertising Department of Delta Center (Mercedes Benz’s official Yekaterinburg dealer).

The new amendment to the Consumer Rights Protection Act is to come into force on December 11, 2008. This amendment makes it easier for customers to return or exchange faulty automobiles: one will be allowed to take the car back to store within fifteen days of purchase if the products turns out to be defective. Besides, a customer will also have a chance to return the car if it had to be taken to the car mechanic’s for more than 30 days altogether within one year of purchase. In addition, warranty repairs mustn’t last any longer than 45 days; otherwise the car owner can ask for a compensation.

'In my opinion, the new law is unjustly harsh on the car dealers, and it’s sure to hit our business hard,’ Ms Bulavina says.