Tague v. Autobarn Motors, Ltd.

394 Ill. App. 3d 268
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 17, 2009
DocketNo. 1-07-1220
StatusPublished

This text of 394 Ill. App. 3d 268 (Tague v. Autobarn Motors, Ltd.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tague v. Autobarn Motors, Ltd., 394 Ill. App. 3d 268 (Ill. Ct. App. 2009).

Opinion

JUSTICE CUNNINGHAM

delivered the opinion of the court:

Benjamin Tague (plaintiff), appeals from an order of the circuit court of Cook County which dismissed with prejudice the breach of implied warranty of merchantability claims against Autobarn Motors, Ltd. (Autobarn), and Ford Motor Co. (Ford) under section 2 — 619 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Code) (735 ILCS 5/2 — 619 (West 2004)). On appeal, the plaintiff alleges that (1) the trial court erred in dismissing the implied warranty of merchantability claim against Ford; (2) the trial court erred in dismissing the implied warranty of merchantability and revocation claims against Autobarn; and (3) the trial court erred in granting Ford an extension of time in which to file responses to the plaintiffs requests to admit. For the following reasons, we affirm.

BACKGROUND

On May 27, 2004, the plaintiff purchased a 2001 Ford Mustang from Autobarn, a car dealership in Mount Prospect, Illinois. The purchase contract between the plaintiff and Autobarn contained a disclaimer of warranties and indicated that the vehicle was being sold “as is.” Although the vehicle was pre-owned, it was still covered by Ford’s 2001 “New Vehicle Limited Warranty,” which provided bumper-to-bumper coverage for 3 years from the original purchase date (September 7, 2001) or 36,000 miles, whichever occurred earlier. On the date of plaintiffs purchase of the vehicle, the odometer read 19,776 miles. On that same date, the plaintiff also purchased an extended service contract for the vehicle. The extended service contract provided coverage for 4 years or 48,000 miles, whichever occurred first. The extended service contract was offered by Fidelity Warranty Services, Inc. (Fidelity), a service contractor and sold to the plaintiff through Autobarn.

The following January 2005, the vehicle experienced engine problems. At the time, the vehicle’s odometer read 34,018 miles. Pursuant to the plaintiffs extended service contract with Fidelity, on January 4, 2005, the plaintiff was authorized to take his vehicle to Carmax Auto for service. The Carmax technician concluded that there was no oil in the vehicle’s engine and the absence of oil immobilized the engine, causing it to lock up. On January 27, 2005, Fidelity authorized the plaintiff to take the vehicle to Transmission Express for a second opinion. The technician at Transmission Express concluded that the engine failure was due to improper removal and installation of the oil filter, which caused a sudden loss of oil and damaged several parts of the engine. It was disclosed that the plaintiff changed the oil in the vehicle himself. The technician recommended that the engine assembly be replaced. Fidelity denied the plaintiff’s claim to have the vehicle repaired.

On February 18, 2005, the plaintiff, on his own initiative, took the vehicle to American Technical Inspections to get an additional opinion on the damage to the vehicle. The American Technical technician opined that the vehicle was defective and unmerchantable at the time of manufacture and sale. The technician also opined that the extended warranty claim should not have been denied by Fidelity. The plaintiff then attempted to revoke his acceptance of the vehicle. On April 11, 2005, through his attorney, and pursuant to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty — Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act (Act) (15 U.S.C. §2310(d) (2000)), the plaintiff sent a letter addressed to Ford, Auto-barn and Fidelity confirming his revocation of acceptance. By that letter, the plaintiff sought a complete reversal of the purchase transaction. The plaintiff requested a return of his down payment and all payments made to date under the finance contract, a “buyback” of the car, and the cancellation of all of the sales and finance contracts. None of the defendants agreed to return any money to the plaintiff.

On June 29, 2005, the plaintiff filed a three-count complaint in the circuit court of Cook County, pursuant to the Act, alleging breach of implied warranty against Autobarn and Ford (count I), wrongful revocation of acceptance against Autobarn (count II), and breach of service contract against Fidelity (count III).

In response to the plaintiffs complaint, Fidelity filed an answer and an affirmative defense. Fidelity acknowledged that it had a written extended service contract with the plaintiff and asserted that the failure of the vehicle was due in whole or part to the plaintiffs actions, in incorrectly installing an oil filter and driving the car without oil, thereby excluding coverage. Autobarn filed a motion to dismiss counts I and II of the plaintiffs complaint, arguing that the complaint did not allege a cause of action against Autobarn, failed to state a claim upon which relief could be granted, and was barred by an affirmative defense.

Autobarn argued that the plaintiffs extended service contract was with Fidelity and not Autobarn. As such, counts I and II of the plaintiffs complaint were misdirected against Autobarn. Autobarn additionally argued that the plaintiff failed to allege well-pled facts to support his assertion of breach of implied warranty and revocation. Ford filed a motion to dismiss plaintiffs complaint alleging that the breach of implied warranty claim refers to the Ford warranty that expired prior to the occurrence of the alleged defect. Ford argued that because the limited warranty had already expired, the plaintiff s assertion of breach of implied warranties directed against Ford, had also expired.

On September 1, 2005, the plaintiff filed requests to admit directed to Fidelity and Ford. The trial court granted additional time to answer the plaintiffs requests to admit.

At a hearing on January 18, 2006, by written order, the trial court dismissed with prejudice counts I and II of the complaint against Autobarn. The trial court denied Ford’s motion to dismiss,1 but gave Ford leave to file an amended motion. The trial court also denied the plaintiff’s motions to deem certain facts admitted against Ford and Fidelity. During that hearing, the plaintiff made an oral motion pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 304(a) (155 Ill. 2d R. 304(a)), for a finding as to Autobarn’s dismissal with prejudice, for purposes of appeal. The trial court deferred ruling on the plaintiffs oral motion until the disposition of Ford’s amended motion to dismiss.

On January 27, 2006, the plaintiff filed the following: (1) motion to reconsider Autobarn’s motion to dismiss the plaintiffs complaint, (2) motion to reconsider the plaintiffs motions to deem admitted, and (3) motion to set a trial date. In the plaintiffs motion to reconsider the court’s ruling on Autobarn’s motion to dismiss his complaint, the plaintiff alleged that Autobarn was an obligor under the extended service contract, that there was no full and conspicuous disclosure language in the contract, and that he was not provided a “Buyers Guide” during the transaction as required by law. In the plaintiff’s motion to reconsider the court’s ruling on his motions to deem admitted, the plaintiff alleged that he never received notice of Ford’s motion for extension of time in which to respond to his request to admit. Ford’s motion to extend time was sent via facsimile on September 28, 2005.

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Bluebook (online)
394 Ill. App. 3d 268, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tague-v-autobarn-motors-ltd-illappct-2009.