CEO Sues Dealership Over Luxury Car`s Malfunction

A construction company CEO is suing the Korean dealership of the German super-luxury car Maybach (picture) over a malfunction.

The vehicle is priced at more than 500 million won (430,000 U.S. dollars) in Korea.

The CEO bought the Maybach 57S, Mercedes-Benz’s top luxury model, for 530 million won (460,000 dollars) in February 2007. The car has gained fame in Korea as one preferred by former Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee. Just dozens of them have been sold in the country due to its prohibitive price tag.

The CEO had driven his Maybach without problems for more than two years before a malfunction occurred in July last year. While he was waiting at a red light, the car’s windshield wiper fluid suddenly squirted and indicators on the dashboard turned on. The vehicle later abruptly stalled and the airbag exploded.

Shortly after the incident, he asked the dealership where he bought the car to fix the problem or provide a replacement. Along with Mercedes-Benz Korea, the dealership conducted an investigation and concluded that a short circuit resulting from the installation of the navigation system caused the problem.

The dealership accordingly refused to repair or replace his car, saying, “The problem resulted from the navigation system, not from the car’s own defects. We cannot repair or exchange the car.”

The dealership and the company that installed the navigation system are also blaming each other for the mishap, while the CEO’s Maybach remains parked at a repair shop.

The CEO filed a lawsuit against the dealership yesterday, saying, “When I got the car from the seller, the navigation system had already been installed. The sudden problem must have resulted from the car’s own defects. I believe the seller should exchange the car.”

The dealership said, “No similar cases in other nations have appeared. Since the problem was not caused by the car’s own defects, we will provide a full explanation to the court.”

baltika7@donga.com