Opinion ID: 1027586
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: .Count Two.(Breach of Implied Warranties)

Text: In addition to his express warranty claims, Robinson alleges that Honda and Michelin breached the implied warranty of merchantability because their co-dependent products failed to meet the minimum standard of durability established by other automobile tires. Br. Appellant 15. Under MD.CODE ANN., COM: LAW I § 2-314(1), a warranty of merchantability is implied in the sale of goods by a merchant who deals in goods of that kind. To be merchantable, goods must [p]ass without objection in the trade under the contract description and must be fit for the ordinary purpose for which such goods are used. MD.CODE ANN., COM. LAW I § 2-314(2). Whether a good is merchantable also depends in part on usage of trade. MD.CODE ANN., COM. LAW I § 2-314(3). This definition of merchantability incorporates trade quality standards and the consumer's reasonable expectations into the concept of merchantability. Yong Cha Hong v. Marriott Corp., 656 F.Supp. 445, 449 (D.Md. 1987). In the case of automobiles, the implied warranty of merchantability not only warrants that the automobile will operate effectively, but that it will provide reasonably safe transportation. Lloyd v. Gen. Motors Corp., 397 Md. 108, 916 A.2d 257, 285-86 (2007) (citations omitted). Robinson contends that the alleged 18,000 mile tread life of Michelin PAX System tires does not conform to the standard of merchantability present in the automobile industry. [4] Although Robinson points to tires with a tread life of thirty-five or forty thousand miles as support for his claim, this comparison is too imprecise. Many different types of tires exist, each with a different purpose, a different design, and a different duration. Passenger tires, touring tires, high performance tires, all terrain tires, and mud tires are all categories of automobile and light truck tires commonly driven on American roads. When purchasing a specialized type of tire, consumers often choose to forego the longer tread life of standard passenger tires for special features such as increased grip or handling, a smoother ride, a lower profile, better aesthetics, or increased traction. The same possible trade-off exists in the present case. Like performance tires that provide better handling, Michelin PAX System tires provide a benefitincreased safetyat the cost of potentially shorter tread life. As in the case of performance tires, the merchantability of Michelin PAX System tires cannot be determined by a comparison to standard passenger tires. Instead, the merchantability of Michelin PAX System tires must be determined by examining whether these tires would pass without objection in the trade as run-flat tires. When viewed in this light, Robinson's expectation that his run-flat tires would last as long as standard passenger tires is as unreasonable as expecting run-flat tires to have the same handling characteristics as performance tires. Robinson's claim fails because he has not alleged that his Michelin PAX System tires have a shorter tread life than other run-flat tires, and this is the proper standard of comparison. To hold otherwise would require all automobile tires to last as long as the standard passenger tire and would elevate durability above all other considerations in the manufacture and design of tires. This procrustean standard would severely limit the ability of tire and automobile manufacturers to create the specialized tires that consumers may desire. The purchaser of a set of tiresand not the courtsshould be given the power to decide what balance of durability, performance, special features, and safety is best suited to his needs. If Robinson desired tires with the same tread life as standard passenger tires, he could have purchased a minivan wearing standard passenger tires.