McGinnis v. Wentworth Chevrolet Co.

645 P.2d 543, 57 Or. App. 443, 33 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1315, 1982 Ore. App. LEXIS 2933
CourtCourt of Appeals of Oregon
DecidedMay 26, 1982
DocketA7903-01192, CA A21447
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 645 P.2d 543 (McGinnis v. Wentworth Chevrolet Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McGinnis v. Wentworth Chevrolet Co., 645 P.2d 543, 57 Or. App. 443, 33 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1315, 1982 Ore. App. LEXIS 2933 (Or. Ct. App. 1982).

Opinion

*445 THORNTON, J.

This case arose out of the purchase of an auto by plaintiff from defendant. 1 In her complaint, plaintiff sought to revoke of acceptance of the car. ORS 72.6080. She also sought damages from the defendant dealer for unlawful trade practices and against defendant General Motors for breach of warranty, but these claims are not the basis for this appeal. From the trial court’s granting her revocation of acceptance, plaintiff appeals, contending that she is also entitled to the costs of storing and insuring the car, renting a replacement car and paying interest on a bank loan for the purchase of the car. We find that plaintiff is entitled to recover these expenses and remand to the trial court for a determination of the reasonableness and amount of them.

Plaintiff purchased a 1978 El Camino on July 25, 1978. The purchase price was $5,923, including license and registration fees. The purchase agreement, in part, provided:

“Purchaser agrees that this Order includes all the terms and conditions on both the face and reverse side hereof, that this Order cancels and supersedes any prior agreement and as of the date hereof comprises the complete and exclusive statement of the terms of the agreement relating to the subject matters covered hereby, and that THIS ORDER SHALL NOT BECOME BINDING UNTIL ACCEPTED BY DEALER OR HIS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE. Purchaser expressly agrees that the only warranty given Purchaser is the New Vehicle Warranty of General Motors for new vehicles or, in the case of a used vehicle, the existing manufacturer’s warranty thereon, if any. ED RANDALL CHEVROLET CO. DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. There have been no claims as to the gas mileage of this vehicle and no commitments as to repair work to be done or equipment to be added, except as stated herein. Ed Randall Chevrolet Co. neither assumes nor authorizes any person to assume for it liability in connection with the sale of this vehicle and shall not be *446 liable in contract, tort or otherwise for injuries to persons or property or for consequential damages or commercial losses.”

Before taking possession of the car, plaintiff was told certain defects would be corrected. After driving the car for a short period of time, plaintiff noticed more defects, ranging from cosmetic problems such as chipping paint and scratches to mechanical problems such as the cruise control failing to operate properly and the engine stalling out at intersections. In addition, plaintiff had problems with the car’s air conditioning, acceleration, gas gauge, hood release, leaking doors, tailgate and engine. The trial court described the car as a “lemon.” Plaintiff had the car in for repairs at defendant’s dealership on several occasions within the first three months of ownership.

On November 13, 1978, plaintiffs attorney wrote defendant seeking return of plaintiffs purchase price or providing her another 1978 El Camino. Instead, defendant attempted to make further repairs but was unable to do so satisfactorily. Finally, on January 26, 1979, plaintiff’s attorney wrote defendant reaffirming the November 13, 1978, revocation of acceptance. The January 26 letter stated that plaintiff was retaining possession of the car as security under ORS 72.7110(3) and making plans to store it and rent another car and that such costs would be charged to defendant. After defendant’s continued failure to comply with plaintiffs demand for return of the purchase price, plaintiff filed suit on March 7, 1979. In her claim for revocation of acceptance, plaintiff sought return of the purchase price as well as storage fees, car rental fees, loan fees, interest charges and “other incidental damages.”

At trial, plaintiff testified that she had placed the car in storage in February, 1979, and paid $30 a month for the storage. She testified that while in storage the car was driven by other people on occasion in order to maintain it. She also attempted to introduce evidence of rental car costs incurred, but the trial court rejected the evidence, apparently on the ground that the purchase agreement excluded such costs.

The trial court found that there was a failure of substantial compliance and that plaintiff was entitled to *447 revocation of acceptance. It awarded plaintiff the purchase price of $5,923 less a deduction for use of the car of $1,000, for a total award of $4,923, plus costs and disbursements of $95.80, upon return of the car to defendant. The court denied plaintiffs other expenses but allowed her to make an offer of proof on the storage costs, rental costs, and interest paid on money borrowed to purchase the car. In a further proceeding prior to entry of judgment for the $4,923 sum, plaintiff once again sought to “clarify” the record, contending that she was entitled to the above expenses as well as insurance paid on the car while it was stored and held as security under ORS 72.7110(3). The court again refused to award them.

The sole issue on appeal is whether plaintiff is entitled to any or all of the above expenses incurred as part of her revocation of acceptance. ORS 72.6080. Defendant does not cross-appeal the granting of revocation of acceptance.

Plaintiff had the right, upon her justifiable revocation of acceptance, to cancel the agreement and recover expenses paid to “cover” by procuring substitute goods. ORS 72.7110(l)(a). She also had a security interest in the El Camino for any payments made as well as any reasonable expenses incurred in inspecting, receiving and transporting and for the care and custody of the car. ORS 72.7110(3); see Jorgensen v. Pressnall, 274 Or 285, 291-92, 545 P2d 1382 (1976). It is unclear from a review of the record why the trial court denied the expenses plaintiff had incurred.

Defendant argues that, as to the storage costs of $30 per month, the trial court “could properly have found that plaintiff did not incur any storage costs or that plaintiffs alleged storage costs were unreasonable.” We do not find this argument persuasive. First, the trial court made no such findings. Second, plaintiff testified that she believed she paid $30 per month for storage, and there was no evidence that she in fact did not incur that expense. Third, defendant’s contention that the court could have found that no storage of the car actually took place is unsupported by the record. Over the 26-month period between February, 1979, when the car was placed in *448 storage, and the time of trial in April, 1981, the car was driven approximately 3,000 miles.

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Bluebook (online)
645 P.2d 543, 57 Or. App. 443, 33 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1315, 1982 Ore. App. LEXIS 2933, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcginnis-v-wentworth-chevrolet-co-orctapp-1982.