Williams v. General Motors Acceptance Corp.

428 S.W.2d 441, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 2302
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 27, 1968
Docket14634
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 428 S.W.2d 441 (Williams v. General Motors Acceptance Corp.) 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
Williams v. General Motors Acceptance Corp., 428 S.W.2d 441, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 2302 (Tex. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

KLINGEMAN, Justice.

General Motors Acceptance Corporation, hereinafter referred to as GMAC, brought suit on a conditional sales contract between Smith Motor Sales, hereinafter referred to as Smith, as seller and R. M. Williams, hereinafter referred to as Williams, as purchaser of a 1965 Chevrolet Diesel Tractor,

*443 which contract was assigned by Smith to GMAC. Williams filed a cross-action against GMAC and a third-party action against Smith for fraud, breach of warranty and rescission. Smith filed a cross-action against Williams for down payment allegedly due it. Trial was to a jury and judgment entered by the trial court for GMAC against Williams in the amount of $9,194.81, interest and cost of suit, and for foreclosure of GMAC’s lien on the tractor. Judgment was also entered in favor of Smith against Williams in the amount of $950.00, and that Williams take nothing on his cross-action against GMAC and his third-party action against Smith.

Williams, by his first five points of error, asserts there is no evidence or insufficient evidence to support the jury’s answers to Special Issues Nos. 2, 7 and 12, and that the jury’s answers to these special issues are against the overwhelming preponderance of the evidence.

Special Issue No. 1 reads as follows: “Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the brochure (Cross-Plaintiff’s Exhibit No. 2) given by Smith Motor Sales to R. M. Williams represented as a fact the following: ‘While it’s a more costly way to build an engine, it’s unbeatable where results really count, and this characterizes every phase of the Detroit Diesel design and manufacturing policy. Though the initial investment is substantial, a Detroit Diesel can pay it back fast in savings on the job, thanks to the superior efficiency, durability, and performance that result from building the highest design, material, and manufacturing standards throughout.’ Answer ‘It did’ or ‘It did not.’ We, the jury, answer: It did.”

Special Issue No. 1 quotes from a brochure containing approximately 16 pages on “1965 CHEVROLET TRUCKS,” given to Williams by a representative of Smith in the negotiations relative to the purchase of the truck, and is taken from page 10 under the heading “2-CYCLE CHEVY-GM-DETROIT DIESEL ENGINES.” The jury found by Special Issue No. 2 that such representation was not false' as to the diesel truck delivered to Williams.

Williams’ contentions that such representation was false are basically founded on his own testimony and that of his shop foreman, Clyde Peek, as to alleged excessive repairs made on such truck in the 90-day period they operated it, and on their testimony that such truck was inoperable 31½ days out of approximately 90 days that Williams had the truck. This testimony is controverted both as to the amount of the repairs and as to the period of time that the truck was inoperable, by testimony of appellees’ witnesses. It is to be noted that Special Issue No. 1 is restricted to representations in regard to the engine alone, and a careful examination of all the testimony as to the amount of repairs shows that the majority of such repairs do not involve the engine itself. Williams and Peek both testified that the engine used excessive oil, that it sprayed oil, and that the engine lugged when it had a 72,000-pound gross load. There was controverting testimony that the amount of oil used was not excessive, that all diesel engines sprayed oil, and that engine lugging was due to the driver’s inexperience. There is no expert testimony that the statements contained in the brochure were false. On the other hand, there was testimony that the statements in such brochure were true. E. L. Smith, merchandising manager for new trucks for the Chevrolet Motor Division, when questioned directly as to the quoted portion of the brochure, testified that such statements were true. He further testified that the two leading types of diesel engines were Cummins and Detroit Diesel. W. B. Crimm, a truck salesman for Smith at the time of the sale and who was referred to by another witness as a highly qualified truck man, when questioned directly as to the brochure, testified that he found no errors in it. There was testimony that such truck when repossessed had a mileage of 25,700 miles and that this was a good use for the period of time it was owned.

*444 It is the province of the trier of the facts to judge the credibility of the witnesses and the weight to he given their testimony, and the jury, after hearing the testimony, found such representation not to be false. After a careful examination of the entire record, it is our opinion that the jury’s answer to Special Issue No. 2 is sufficiently supported by the evidence.

By their answer to Special Issue No. 6, the jury found that the seller represented as a fact to Williams that the diesel truck ordered by Williams could perform the job required by Williams in the operation of his brick plant; and in answer to Special Issue No. 7, the jury found that such representation was not false.

The requirements referred to appear to be based upon Williams’ negotiations relative to the purchase of the truck with a representative of Smith, in which Williams told such representative that he needed a truck in his brick business that could haul a total gross load of 72,000 pounds (which is generally referred to as the GCW rating, being the gross combination weight of the truck and load); that such truck would be used to go to Houston twice a day, would have to go over curbs to be unloaded; and would have to have a brick unloader, so that one man could unload the truck. The representative of Smith, W. B. “Buddy” Crimm, thereafter drew up specifications for such a truck and such specifications were submitted to Williams and were introduced into evidence. The testimony discloses that in order to carry the 72,000-pound gross load, which is the legal limit in Texas, such truck would have to have a tandem axle installed on it, and it is undisputed that such an axle was installed by Fruehauf Trailer Company.

Williams testified that the truck required extensive repairs; that the truck was inoperable for 31½ days out of 90 days; and that it could not carry 72,000 pounds without caving in. This testimony was in part supported by testimony of his plant manager, Peek. This testimony was controverted by a number of appellees’ witnesses on all points. Crimm testified that in his opinion the truck was entirely capable of doing the job, and that it could carry a 72,000-pound gross load. Sid Bowdler, truck manager for Smith, testified that such truck was capable of carrying 72,000 pounds, that it was capable of making the trip to Houston and operating for a man in the brick business. E. L. Smith testified that the truck in question was capable of handling the 72,000-pound maximum load at the speed in the specifications; that said truck could be used to go over curbs, and that it would haul a full load. Peek, Williams’ foreman, testified that the truck did make trips to Houston and it did carry 72,000 pounds, but that when it did it would lug. There was testimony that lugging is due to driver inexperience. Although Williams testified that such truck could not carry 72,000 pounds without caving in, the record shows that the one time when such truck was weighed, the gross weight of the vehicle (GCW) was 73,600 pounds, or 1,600 pounds over the 72,000-pound load requirement.

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Bluebook (online)
428 S.W.2d 441, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 2302, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/williams-v-general-motors-acceptance-corp-texapp-1968.