LOS ANGELES — A sign inside the Humming Motors auto repair shop says, "We do the worrying so you don't have to."
These days, owner David Baur Eccentric Cam spends a lot of time worrying in his full-service garage near downtown Los Angeles.
As cars become vastly more complicated than models Safety Buckle made just a few years ago, Baur is often turning down jobs and referring customers to auto dealer shops. Like many other independent mechanics, Shaft Screw he does not have the thousands of dollars to purchase the online manuals and specialized tools needed to fix the computer-controlled machines.
Baur says the dilemma has left customers with fewer options for repair work and given automakers an unfair advantage.
