Zeno v. Ford Motor Co., Inc.

• Citation: 480 F.Supp.2d 825
• Decision Date: 28 March 2007
• Docket Number: No. Civ.A. 05-418.,Civ.A. 05-418.
• Parties: David ZENO, individually, and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiff, v. FORD MOTOR COMPANY, INC., Defendant.
• Court: U.S. District Court — Western District of Pennsylvania

480 F.Supp.2d 825

David ZENO, individually, and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiff, v. FORD MOTOR COMPANY, INC., Defendant.

No. Civ.A. 05-418.

United States District Court, W.D. Pennsylvania.

March 28, 2007.

COPYRIGHT MATERIAL OMITTED

Jeff S. Daniel, Birmingham, AL, Joseph N. Kravec, Jr., Specter, Specter, Evans & Manogue, Pittsburgh, PA, Bruce D. Greenberg, Lite, Depalma, Greenberg & Rivas, Newark, NJ, for Plaintiff.

Nancy R. Winschel, Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C., Pittsburgh, PA, Rebecca S. Bjork, Evelyn L. Becker, O'Melveny & Myers, Washington, DC, Thomas M. Riordan, O'Melveny & Myers LLP, Newport Beach, CA, for Defendant.

MEMORANDUM OPINION

CONTI, District Judge.

In this memorandum opinion, the court considers the motion for summary judgment, (Doc. No. 49), filed by defendant Ford Motor Company, Inc. ("defendant" or "Ford") with respect to the breach of contract claim asserted against defendant by plaintiff David Zeno individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated ("plaintiff' or "Zeno"). The court granted plaintiffs motion for class certification on September 27; 2006, (Doc. No. 82), and certified the above-captioned civil action as a class action pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(a) and 23(b)(3), finding that all of the Rule 23(a) prerequisites for certification were met, that questions of law or fact common to the members of the class predominate over any questions affecting only individual members, and that a class action is superior to other available methods for the fair and efficient adjudication of' the controversy. See FED.R.CIV.P. 23(b)(3).¹

After considering the joint statement of material facts and the respective submissions of the parties, the court will deny defendant's motion for summary judgment with respect to the arguments concerning causation and damages. The court will deny without prejudice defendant's motion for summary judgment with respect to the arguments concerning agency and will permit plaintiff to pursue discovery on this issue as requested in the Rule 56(f) affidavit, for the reasons set forth herein.

Factual Background

The factual background of this case was reviewed in connection with the motion for class certification in order to decide whether the Rule 23 requirements were met and whether this case could proceed as a class action. See September 27, 2006 Order Certifying the Class (Doc. No. 82)("class certification opinion") at 2-19. The parties are familiar with the factual background set forth in the class certification opinion. That factual background overlaps with the factual background reviewed for this opinion and is incorporated in this opinion by reference. As necessary, additional facts relevant to the motion for summary judgment will be addressed.²

A brief recitation of the pertinent facts relevant to defendant's summary judgment motion, however, will frame the background requisite for a determination of the issues raised in the motion for summary judgment. As discussed in the class certification opinion, plaintiff purchased a new Ford F-150 truck in May 2001 from Lake View Ford in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania. Defendant's Joint Concise Statement of Material Facts ("Def.'s S.F.") ¶ 1; Def.'s S.F. Ex. A (purchase agreement — document P0020). Plaintiff and an authorized representative of Lake View Ford signed the purchase agreement related to the sale. Def.'s S.F. Ex. A (purchase agreement). The purchase agreement specified, inter alia, plaintiff's name, address and other details, the vehicle identification number (commonly known as the "VIN") of the vehicle he purchased, insurance information, warranty information, and pricing for the vehicle. Id. It reflected that the "cash price of the vehicle and accessories" was $29,125.00, $500.00 less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price ("MSRP"). Id.; see also Def.'s S.F. Ex. B (window sticker). The purchase agreement did not specify the details of the options included on the vehicle. Id.

At or around the time of the sale, plaintiff received a window sticker corresponding to the vehicle that he purchased. Def.'s S.F. Ex. B (plaintiff's window sticker). The window sticker listed the VIN, the MSRP, the vehicle description, fuel economy information, the standard equipment on the vehicle, and price information for optional equipment included on the vehicle. Id. The window sticker for plaintiffs F-150 truck indicated, among other things, that his vehicle included a Class III Trailer Towing Group option (the "towing option"). Id. The window sticker showed that the total MSRP for plaintiffs F-150 truck was $29,625.00 and that this total MSRP included a MSRP of $350.00 for the towing option. Id. The window sticker did not specify the component parts of the towing option — in particular, it did not specify the type of radiator installed in the vehicle. Id.

Plaintiff produced evidence which indicates that the towing option and another option package that was a component of the towing option, the Heavy Duty Electrical/Cooling Group option (the "cooling option"), were to include, among other things, an upgraded radiator which was 1.42" thick — .40" thicker than the regular radiator. See generally (Doc. No. 82)(class certification opinion) at 1-19; Plaintiff's Counter-Statement of Material Facts ("Pl.'s S.F.") ¶¶ 8-26. This evidence includes, among other things, internal Ford pricing documents, materials distributed by Ford to dealerships, and a report describing communications to Ford from its radiator supplier Visteon Climate Control Systems notifying Ford on September 29, 2000, that all Ford F-150 trucks equipped with the towing option and cooling option built, since August 2, 1999, mistakenly had been built with the "standard radiator" instead of the "upgraded radiator described in the ordering guide," and analyzing the consequences of this information.³

The gravamen of plaintiffs class action complaint alleging breach of contract is the allegation that plaintiff and other members of the class who purchased or leased a 2000 or 2001 model year F-150 truck manufactured by defendant Ford which was supposed to include the towing option or cooling option were charged for the upgraded radiator when they paid for those options but received vehicles that were built with a standard radiator instead.⁴

Defendant's motion for summary judgment raises arguments disputing plaintiff's ability to establish damages, to show causation, and to establish the existence of a contract with Ford. With respect to plaintiffs ability to establish the existence of a contract with Ford, defendant argues that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact concerning plaintiff's inability to show Ford was in contractual privity with plaintiff. Defendant argues that plaintiff cannot show an agency relationship between Ford and Lake View Ford, the dealership where plaintiff purchased his vehicle. Facts relevant to these arguments, including the facts that overlap with the facts set forth in the class certification opinion, will be described in more detail below.

Standard of Review

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(c) provides that summary judgment may be granted if, drawing all inferences in favor of the nonmoving party, "the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law." FED. R.Crv.P. 56(c). A motion for summary judgment will not be defeated by the mere existence of some disputed facts, but will be defeated when there is a genuine issue of material fact. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247-48, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). In determining whether the dispute is genuine, the court's function is not to weigh the evidence or to determine the truth of the matter, but only to determine whether the evidence of record is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party. Id. at 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505. The court may consider any material or evidence that would be admissible or usable at trial in deciding the merits of a motion for summary judgment. Horta v. Sullivan, 4 F.3d 2, 8 (1st Cir.1993) (citing 10A WRIGHT AND MILLER, FEDERAL PRACTICE § 2721); Pollack v. City of Newark, 147 F.Supp. 35, 39 (D.N.J.1956), aff'd, 248 F.2d 543 (3d Cir.1957), cert. denied, 355 U.S. 964, 78 S.Ct. 554, 2 L.Ed.2d 539 (1958) ("[I]n considering a motion for summary judgment, the court is entitled to consider exhibits and other papers that have been identified by affidavit or otherwise made admissible in evidence") (emphasis added) (citations omitted).

The Supreme Court in Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986), held that "where the nonmoving party will bear the burden of proof at trial on a dispositive issue, a summary judgment motion may properly be made in reliance solely on the `pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file.'" Id. at 324, 106 S.Ct. 2548 (quoting FED.R.CIV.P. 56(c)). "Such a motion, whether or not accompanied by affidavits, will be `made and supported as provided in this rule,' and Rule 56(e) therefore requires the nonmoving party to go beyond the pleadings and by her own affidavits, or by the `depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file,' designate `specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.'" Id. (quoting FED.R.Civ.P. 56(c) and (e)). The nonmoving party must prove beyond a "mere scintilla" of evidence that a genuine issue of material fact exists and may not rest on the allegations set forth in its pleadings. See Big Apple BMW v. BMW of N. Am., 974 F.2d 1358, 1363 (3d Cir. 1992).

Discussion

Defendant primarily raises three arguments in favor of its position that the undisputed evidence of record demonstrates that plaintiff cannot establish the...