In Re Jenkins

215 B.R. 689, 1997 Bankr. LEXIS 2079, 1997 WL 787162
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Texas
DecidedSeptember 17, 1997
Docket19-30761
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 215 B.R. 689 (In Re Jenkins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Jenkins, 215 B.R. 689, 1997 Bankr. LEXIS 2079, 1997 WL 787162 (Tex. 1997).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

STEVEN A. FELSENTHAL, Bankruptcy Judge.

Red Bird Ford, Inc., moves the court to lift the automatic stay for lack of adequate protection. 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(1). Chester Jenkins, the debtor, opposes the motion. The court conducted a preliminary hearing on the motion on July 3,1997, and a final hearing on July 31,1997. The debtor filed his amended brief on August 15,1997.

A motion to lift the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362 constitutes a core matter over which this court has jurisdiction to enter a final order. 28 U.S.C. §§ 157(b)(2)(G) and 1334. This order contains the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law as required by Bankruptcy Rules 7052 and 9014.

Red Bird Ford holds a perfected vendor’s first lien in Jenkins’ 1988 Mercury Sable automobile. Jenkins originally asserted that the vehicle had a value of $1,455.00. Red Bird Ford contends the value should be $4,000.00. With an inadequate value, Red Bird Ford maintains that Jenkins has failed to provide adequate protection.

This dispute requires that this court apply the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Associates Commercial Corp. v. Rash, — U.S. -, 117 S.Ct. 1879, 138 L.Ed.2dl48 (1997). The Court held in Rash that to determine the value of collateral for purposes of 11 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(5)(B), the bankruptcy court must find “the price a willing buyer in the debtor’s trade, business, or situation would pay to obtain like property from a willing seller.” — U.S. at -, 117 S.Ct. at 1884. The standard for determining value for a Chapter 13 plan “cram down” is not necessarily the same standard for determining adequate protection prior to plan confirmation. But, for this dispute, the parties agree that the value of this particular vehicle will not change between petition date and confirmation date. The court, accordingly, applies the willing buyer, willing seller test, since Jenkins proposes to retain and use the vehicle. — U.S. at -, 117 S.Ct. at 1886.

Louis R. McKernan, the president of Red Bird Ford, testified that he could sell the vehicle for $4,395.00. McKernan, who has 44 years in the automobile sales business, and who buys 100 to 150 vehicles per month, testified that he could purchase the vehicle at auction for about $1,200.00. He would then price the vehicle at $4,995.00. But, he recognized that the vehicle would need about $600.00 of repairs. Red Bird Ford then reasoned that it would net $4,395.00, before commissions and other costs of sales. In its prayer for relief, it requested a $4,000.00 value. The court infers from this request that the difference accounts for commissions and other costs of sales, which the Supreme Court intimates should be considered by the court. Rash, — U.S. at - n. 6, 117 S.Ct. at 1886 n. 6.

Bernard A. Siegal, an automotive technician and appraiser, testified that the vehicle should be valued at $1,700.00. For a 1988 Mercury Sable four door, 3.0 litre, V-6 in fair condition, which is Jenkins’ model, the NADA Official Older Used Car Guide lists a retail price of $2,480.00, after deducting $820.00 for high mileage. Siegal surveyed the Dallas area marketplace, including advertisements in the Dallas Morning News, and also surveyed internet listings for the Southwest United States. He concluded that the $2,480.00 value was close to the middle of currently offered 1988 Sables in similar condition. He further testified that the repairs would cost about $780.00, resulting in a value of $1,700.00. He agreed with McKernan that the vehicle could be purchased at auction for $1,200.00.

*691 Jenkins testified that he could not pay cash for the vehicle. MeKernan explained that because the dealer had to arrange financing, the dealer would command a significant risk premium over the NADA value. Siegal agreed, but characterized the premium as “soaking” the consumer. McKer-nan and Siegal both testified that the NADA system presumes the buyer’s ability to pay; that is, presumes a cash sale. This court understands Rash to also make that presumption. To have a “willing seller,” a “willing buyer” must be an able buyer. Under the Rash standard, the marketplace transaction of a sale by a willing seller to a willing buyer presumes the buyer pays the seller. It does not presume that the seller also acts as a lending institution or a financing broker. The standard presumes the seller acts only as a seller. Accordingly, in valuing the vehicle, the court does not consider the risk premium imposed by a dealer who must also arrange financing for the buyer.

The Rash standard contemplates that the court consider adjustments for values the debtor does not receive when he retains the vehicle, such as warranties, inventory storage, and reconditioning. Rash, — U.S. at -- n. 6, 117 S.Ct. at 1886 n. 6. In this case, the vehicle has excessive mileage for a vehicle of its age. Because excessive mileage presupposes future repair costs above the norm for a vehicle of that age, the willing buyer would expect a price adjustment. The NADA valuation manual instructs that the retail price be adjusted for this factor. Sie-gal testified that adjustment results in a value of $2,480.00, although MeKernan testified he factored in the mileage in his price.

This case also contains the issue of reconditioning. The NADA instructions direct that an appropriate deduction be made for reconditioning costs incurred to put the vehicle in saleable condition. MeKernan testified that the dealer could make the repairs for $600.00. Siegal testified the debtor would spend about $780.00 making the repairs. Thus the seller would spend between $600.00 to $780.00 to put the vehicle in saleable condition.

Both MeKernan and Siegal testified that the vehicle could be purchased at auction for $1,200.00. The seller would then recondition the vehicle for $600.00 to $780.00. The seller would have a cost of about $1,800.00. The willing seller would not sell at cost. The willing seller would expect a profit.

Siegal testified that cash sales in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex resulted in a mid-range price for a high mileage 1988 Mercury Sable of $2,480.00. MeKernan concurred that he would sell the vehicle for cash at that price.

Siegal testified that the repair costs should be deducted from the purchase price. But the repairs must be made to put the vehicle in saleable condition. The seller must incur those costs. Those costs must be added to the seller’s cost in acquiring the vehicle. In this ease, that would put the seller’s costs at $1,800.00. Under Siegal’s approach, reducing the price by the amount of the repair costs, making the price $1,700.00, would result in no profit, and hence, no willing seller.

The value of the $2,480.00 results in a profit over the seller’s costs of $1,800.00. The buyer is presumed to be an able buyer. The seller would then be a willing seller at that price.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
215 B.R. 689, 1997 Bankr. LEXIS 2079, 1997 WL 787162, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-jenkins-txnb-1997.