Bradley v. Fagala

25 S.W.2d 255
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 26, 1930
DocketNo. 3363.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 25 S.W.2d 255 (Bradley v. Fagala) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bradley v. Fagala, 25 S.W.2d 255 (Tex. Ct. App. 1930).

Opinion

RANDOLPH, J.

This suit was instituted by Fagala, as plaintiff, against J. M. Bradley, as defehdant. Judgment for plaintiff, and' defendant appeals.

The plaintiff’s petition alleges substantially that on or about the 17th of March, 1927, the defendant, J. M. Bradley, sold him an automobile ; that in selling same the defendant represented to him that the automobile was a first-class one, manufactured and put out by the General Motors Corporation, one of the largest manufacturers of automobiles in America; that said automobile was of sound workmanship, free from defects of every kind, character, and description, and of the best material obtainable, by the most skilled mechanics to be had; that the same was built for speed and endurance; that same was new and in good order, and with ordinary care would give plaintiff perfect service until the same was driven 100,000 miles; that same would travel said distance without any expenses other than ordinary upkeep, and would not need any repairs or attention of any kind up to the making of said distance; that at said time and place defendant also represented 'that he would furnish free of charge to plaintiff, for a term of ninety days, service on said automobile, and that, if any minor defects appeared or any defects of any kind or character caused from the use of bad material or mechanical defects, the same would be cared for and all replacements made by the defendant free of charge, and that said automobile was worth and of the value of $1,145; that at said time he was in the market for an automobile, and, having no knowledge of the mechanical construction of automobiles or machinery, which information at said time was conveyed to the defendant, and relying solely upon the recommendations and representations made by the defendant, and believing them to be true, the plaintiff purchased said automobile, agreeing to pay the sum of $1,145 therefor; that within less than thirty days after the delivery of said automobile, plaintiff discovered that the same was defective and valueless; that the main shaft of the oil pump was short, and by reason thereof the oiling system did not function and that by reason thereof the cam shaft, bearings, and pinions and shaft on the ignition system gave way completely; that the workmanship and material were not free from defects as represented by the defendant, in that one of the main shafts was out of line and the engine not properly constructed, in that the worm drive off the cam shaft was not in line and would not function, the shaft being too short" and would drop down and would thereby cause the cutting of the pinions on the drive gear of the ignition system and the whole engine by virtue thereof was worthless; that said engine was not in good order and would not last until the same had been driven a distance of 100,000 miles, but on account of the defects thereof it was valueless at the time of delivery by the defendant and is and was of no value as an automobile; that it had the appearances of a secondhand car after some of the paint had come off, and was not worth $1,100; that, after discovering said conditions, .the plaintiff took the automobile back to defendant and told him about it, but defendant insisted that it was as represented and again assured and promised plaintiff that he would make good his representations, warranties, and guaranties and insisted that the plaintiff continue to drive the automobile, and plaintiff, having the utmost confidence in defendant, and relying upon said statements, *257 and believing them to be true, kept using the automobile at the earnest solicitation and request of the defendant, which he would not have done had it not been for the repeated promises And representations so made by the defendant; that all representations made to plaintiff by the defendant were material and were false, and were made fraudulently for the purposes of inducing the plaintiff to part with said $360 down payment and for the purposes of obtaining plaintiff’s signature to said sales contract and make the installment payments, and the plaintiff, so relying upon such representations and warranties and believing them to be true, signed said contract and made said payments.

Plaintiff thereupon alleges in said petition the following items of damage; That plaintiff has been compelled to expend for repairs the sum of $200; that, by reason of said promises, representations) etc., he had paid six of the installments on said sales contract, amounting to $392.52; that, by the failure of the car to operate, he was compelled to provide other conveyance and modes of transportation in the sum of $500; and that, by reason of the promises, plaintiff has been damaged by said false and fraudulent representations and failure on the part of defendant to deliver, as promised and agreed, a first-class automobile as represented by him, in the sum of $1,252.52.

The plaintiff then tenders back (to defendant said automobile, and asks that he be reimbursed for his cash payment, for the amounts paid on sales contract, and for his damages, and that said installment contract be canceled and held for naught, and that upon trial plaintiff have Judgment for such damages, interest, and costs of suit and for the rescission. and cancellation of said contract, or, in the alternative, for judgment against the defendant if it be shown that defendant is not in possession of said contract, for other and further relief, in law and in equity.

The defendant filed his second amended original answer and cross-action, consisting of general and special exceptions, general denial, and specially pleaded certain defenses and also his cross-action seeking to recover the balance of purchase money for the car, etc.

Plaintiff, by way of answer to the defendant’s pleading, filed his third supplemental petition, and defendant filed his second supplemental answer.

Trial of the case was had before a jury, and, upon special issues submitted to them, they found: That the automobile in question, when delivered to the plaintiff by the defendant, J. M. Bradley, was not of the same degree of workmanship, material, or adjustment as were other automobiles of this make and model when delivered, as new cars, by dealers to purchasers; that they find from a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant, J. M. Bradley, promised' plaintiff that said car would be by him remedied and repaired to make it as complete as other automobiles of this make and model when delivered as new cars by dealers to purchasers; that the plaintiff believed and relied on the promise or promises of defendant that he would remedy and repair the automobile so as to make it complete as other automobiles of this make and model when delivered as new cars by dealers to purchasers; that plaintiff retained and kept possession of the automobile by reason of the promise or promises of the defendant that he would remedy and repair it so as to make it complete as other automobiles of this make and model, etc.; that the defendant did not repair the ear; that the value of the automobile in controversy at the time it was delivered to defendant as a new ear was $700; that the market value of the car when it was taken into possession by the sheriff under writ of sequestration was $400.

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Related

Texas & P. Ry. Co. v. Presley
127 S.W.2d 914 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1939)
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113 S.W.2d 889 (Texas Supreme Court, 1938)

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Bluebook (online)
25 S.W.2d 255, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bradley-v-fagala-texapp-1930.