A PENSIONER says he has been left £1,000 out of pocket in a dispute with a garage - despite winning his case in the small claims court.

John Alderson took his nine-year-old Saab 9-3 to The Saab Centre in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, in the summer to fix an engine fault.

The 88-year-old, from Richmond, North Yorkshire, had recently bought the car from an elderly driver in Northallerton after being impressed by its low mileage, good condition and MOT history.

But he was shocked to find the car needed expensive work to replace corroded brake pipes, discs and pads, as well as repairs to the suspension.

Mr Alderson, who worked in motorway construction, claimed the total bill came in at £1,850 - which was £50 more than he paid for the car.

Upset with the unexpected bill, he turned to his friend David Stephenson, a former mechanic and MOT tester who is studying law.

Mr Stephenson accompanied Mr Alderson to the garage where they examined parts that had been removed from the car and disputed the need to have them replaced.

Mr Stephenson said: “None of the parts replaced were mentioned in the advisory notes of the car’s last MOT.

“The car did less than 2,000 miles some years. Mr Alderson bought it because it was in exceptional condition.”

Unhappy with the size of the bill, Mr Alderson lodged a case with the small claims court.

He was delighted when he received a letter telling him that, as the Saab Centre had not responded to the claim, the court had found in his favour.

In a judgement at the the County Court Money Claims Centre in Salford, Greater Manchester on Thursday, November 27, the Saab Centre was ordered to pay £1,000 plus £80 costs.

But Mr Alderson's joy turned to despair when he discovered that the car dealer, on Gurney Way, in Aycliffe Business Park, had gone out of business a month earlier.

As an unsecured creditor Mr Alderson now fears he will never get his money back.

Last night he said: “I feel terrible about it all.”

A new car company is now operating from the old Saab Centre premises. Thomas Gordon Watson, a former director of the Saab Centre, is listed in Companies House records as a director of the new firm.

Mr Watson, 55, of Heighington, near Newton Aycliffe, declined to comment when contacted by The Northern Echo.