An Al Ain court has ordered a woman and her husband to jointly pay Dh32,506 to a car repair workshop, ruling that the amount represents the outstanding balance for engine modification works carried out on a vehicle owned by the woman.
In its decision, the court said the claimant failed to present technical evidence proving that the agreed work had not been completed.
Court records show the case began when the woman filed a lawsuit against the workshop, demanding Dh46,100 plus legal interest, the return of the car engine and its components, or compensation valued at Dh125,960.
She also sought Dh100,000 in material and moral damages, in addition to court fees and lawyers’ costs, and asked that the workshop owner and his son be held jointly liable.
The woman claimed she had handed over her vehicle to the workshop for engine modifications and mechanical work, with a representative transferring a total of Dh46,100 to cover the job after parts reportedly arrived from the manufacturer.
She alleged that due to limited space, the car body was removed while the engine and its accessories remained at the workshop, but the work was never completed and the engine and parts were not returned.
The workshop owner and his son denied the claims and filed a counterclaim, arguing that the woman was not a party to the original contract. They sought Dh32,506 as the remaining balance and Dh10,000 in compensation for non-payment.
The court relied on the findings of a court-appointed engineering expert, who determined that the engine had undergone professional, high-level modifications using imported parts, in line with the parties’ agreement.
The expert found that the defendants had submitted invoices for spare parts and machining work, while the claimant failed to provide technical proof of non-performance.
The report also rejected claims that the engine was not original, describing them as unsupported. It found that the woman’s husband had paid Dh45,100 in instalments, leaving an unpaid balance of Dh32,506, and concluded that the breach stemmed from non-payment and delays in collecting the engine rather than any failure by the workshop.
The court dismissed the original lawsuit and ordered the couple to pay Dh32,506, along with Dh3,000 in compensation, court fees, and Dh300 in legal expenses.
