Royal Lincoln-Mercury Sales v. Wallace

415 So. 2d 1024, 33 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1262, 1982 Miss. LEXIS 1937
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedMay 5, 1982
Docket53084
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 415 So. 2d 1024 (Royal Lincoln-Mercury Sales v. Wallace) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Royal Lincoln-Mercury Sales v. Wallace, 415 So. 2d 1024, 33 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1262, 1982 Miss. LEXIS 1937 (Mich. 1982).

Opinion

415 So.2d 1024 (1982)

ROYAL LINCOLN-MERCURY SALES, INC., et al
v.
Melvin WALLACE.

No. 53084.

Supreme Court of Mississippi.

May 5, 1982.
Rehearing Denied July 14, 1982.

*1025 Watkins & Eager, Robert H. Pedersen, Hassell H. Whitworth, Jackson, for appellants.

Graves, Terry & Sheely, Jerry O. Terry, Gulfport, for appellee.

Before PATTERSON, C.J., and ROY NOBLE LEE and HAWKINS, JJ.

PATTERSON, Chief Justice, for the Court:

Melvin Wallace, the purchaser of a new Continental automobile, brought suit against Royal Lincoln-Mercury Sales, Inc., (Royal) and Ford Motor Company (Ford) for breach of an implied warranty of fitness and for breach of an express warranty of fitness by Ford. Additionally, there was charged a violation by both Royal and Ford of 15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq. From a jury verdict of $13,812.50 for damages and a court award of $2,162.50 for attorneys fees in favor of the plaintiff, both Royal and Ford appeal.

Although there are numerous assignments of error for reversal by both defendants they were reduced to the following on oral argument:

1. Does the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq., apply to this case?

2. Does the implied warranty of fitness, Miss. Code Ann. § 75-2-315 have present application?

3. Did the plaintiff effectively revoke acceptance of the vehicle as to both Royal and Ford?

4. Can Wallace recover the purchase price of the automobile from Ford?

On July 7, 1978, Melvin Wallace, appellee, purchased a new 1978 Lincoln Continental automobile from Royal Lincoln-Mercury Sales, Inc., of Gulfport for $13,812.00. Royal delivered a manufacturer's new car limited warranty from Ford to Wallace along with the car. Afterwards, there began an unusual series of events leading to this suit.

The first of numerous troubles occurred approximately two weeks after the automobile's purchase when the engine hesitated, the chrome rattled and the vinyl roof peeled. The car was driven to Royal for repair and after four days was returned to Wallace and according to him, the engine still hesitated and the chrome still rattled.

Thereafter Wallace and his wife made a trip from Gulfport to Nashville, Tennessee, and while near Mobile, Alabama, the car's air conditioning failed and although it was repaired by a Lincoln dealer in Nashville, it again failed on the return trip to Gulfport. Moreover, the car used approximately three quarts of oil during the trip.

The car was again taken to Royal for repairs. The complaints were the problems with the air conditioning, loose chrome, arm rests not being sewn, paint fading, oil leakage, and a wire protruding through the upholstery on one of the seats. Later, after being assured the problems had been corrected, *1026 the car was returned to Wallace who discovered it still leaked oil and that the air conditioning had failed again. Royal then replaced the compressor in the air conditioner.

When the car was four months old with approximately 2,200 miles on it, Mr. Loovis, a Ford factory representative, came from New Orleans, to Royal in Gulfport to assess the problems Wallace was experiencing with his automobile. At this time Wallace, his wife, Loovis, a service manager at Royal, and Mr. Fargason, the President of Royal inspected the car. Wallace advised them the oil was still leaking and that the valve cover gasket installed by Royal had not stopped the leakage. He reported the vinyl top continued to peel and that the glue previously applied by Royal had not corrected the problem. After the inspection the parties gathered in Fargason's office to discuss the difficulties with the car.

Loovis, the factory representative, offered to install a short block in the engine, repair the vinyl roof, and the loose chrome as well as repaint where needed. Wallace refused stating that he wanted everything replaced, a new car, or his money returned, adding that he did not want a repaired automobile. Fargason refused to return Wallace's money because he thought the car could be repaired. Wallace then offered his car plus $500 for a new one but this offer was declined. Wallace next offered to trade "sticker price" for "sticker price" for a new car but this suggestion was also refused. Wallace then advised he would have to contact an attorney whereupon Fargason replied that he would see him in court.

Wallace retained possession of the car and when the starter failed in September 1978, he had it towed to Royal at his own expense for repair. Fargason again offered to install the short block but Wallace refused permitting only the repair to the starter. Thereafter Wallace moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where difficulties with the automobile continued. Mainly, the leakage of oil and the air conditioner again malfunctioning. Wallace later moved to Florida where the car was taken to a Lincoln dealer in Fort Walton Beach who advised him to take the car back to Royal. He did so and according to Wallace, Fargason refused to trade or make satisfaction on the car.

On March 15, 1979, the car was again taken to the Lincoln dealer in Fort Walton Beach who was informed of all the previous problems he had with the car and additionally, that the electrical system was failing. These complaints led to the installation of a new valve cover gasket in the engine, the dealer ordered a new vinyl top and gained authority to repaint the entire car and install new rocker panel moldings. At this time the car had approximately 11,000 miles on it. After the parts arrived at the dealership in Florida, Wallace was unavailable so the repairs could not be made. During the interim Wallace had returned to Mississippi, parked the car permanently, and filed suit against Royal and Ford asking the court to make a determination as to the proper disposition of the car.

Without contradiction, all of the warranty repair work performed on the automobile was done at no charge to Wallace and all work offered to be done would not have cost him anything.

I. DOES THE MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY ACT APPLY IN THIS CASE?

Ford and Royal agree that under the facts and in the context of the issues on appeal, the right of action created by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act for breach of implied and express warranties is co-extensive with the right of action created by Mississippi Uniform Commercial Code. They further agree that though the act does not create any new implied warranties, but merely incorporates and enforces existing state implied warranty law, the act nevertheless, creates a new federal cause of action for the breach of warranties. Thus an alleged breach of an implied warranty or of an express written warranty can be the basis of two separate and distinct claims. A claim can be asserted that a breach of *1027 warranty violated the applicable sections of the state's Uniform Commercial Code or a claim can be made that the same breach gives rise to a cause of action under the federal act. The elements of proof are the same whether the claim is made under the act or under state law. The issue now in contention under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is the award of attorneys fees which is authorized by the act under certain conditions but which is not authorized by the Uniform Commercial Code.

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Bluebook (online)
415 So. 2d 1024, 33 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1262, 1982 Miss. LEXIS 1937, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/royal-lincoln-mercury-sales-v-wallace-miss-1982.