BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Many businesses will spend years building up their name.

Ed Elliot spent 23 years building up the name and reputation of his automotive repair shop on Chester Avenue, but now he's forced to change its name.

"We don't advertise at all. It's just word of mouth," Elliot said about his business. "I started off with nothing and now I got four employees. If you didn't do good business it would fail and go to the wayside."

But about six months ago, a wrench was thrown in the works. Elliot was contacted by American Honda Motor Co.

"(Honda) told us that we could not have Honda in our business name, and if I didn't come to their agreements, they would sue me," said Elliot.

So after 23 years the repair shop is getting a new name, Eddie's Automotive. The change has Elliot rebuilding his business from the ground up.

It may not seem like a name change would have a big impact on business, but it has. Elliot says a lot of callers hang up when they hear the new name.

It may be discouraging, but Elliot is a true businessman and says he'll keep working hard to bring the customers back.

"If you let it stress you out, you get old fast," laughed Elliot.

Eyewitness News contacted American Honda Motor Co. about requiring Elliot to change his business's name and it issued this statement:

"We were happy to resolve this matter amicably. The service shop is not in any way affiliated with Honda or Acura. The law is clear that a company has the right to protect its brand, and that a service shop cannot use or imitate a manufacturer's trademark or name without authorization. We asked the shop owner to stop using our company's name, and he agreed to do so. There was no litigation involved."