Accutest Smog & Test Only Center

Could not give it a zero star. I walked in — no one at the counter for a long while — Friday morning so it was not busy. Searched for somebody and found the tech — he didn’t acknowledge me-​so I left and went to ‘save on smogs’ a few blocks down Contra Costa. Much better experience. I don’t usually review but was so inclined because of how rude the guy was and the lack of customer service this place has — i think it was more expensive too based on the published rates, but since no one spoke to me — not sure.

Expensive, but fast. I don’t care about attitude. I didn’t have to wait. The service advisor (owner?) filled out the paperwork and quickly printed the work order. Told me 25 minutes. It’s a Saturday and I appreciate not having to wait.

I got there just as the place was opening. As I walked up I asked «How are you?». All I got was a grunt and he walked away. I thought maybe someone else was in the office so I walked in there. Minutes later the same guy peaks his head in and says «it’s gonna be a few minutes». I walk out to wait in my car and I see him take the sign out to the street. So he is leaving a customer standing in front of him so he can take a sign out to get customers? I waited 5 more minutes then left. Reading the rest of these reviews I am glad I did.

Horrible horrible service.
These guys have zero incentive to pass your car first try. They have a horrible policy on retests and super high prices.
The worst part is, that the technicians seem to feel the need to constantly remind you that they «could have failed you», no sir, you cant fail me, you are a technician, the state of California decides if I passed or not.
Smog testing is a necessary evil to keep our state clean, but these guys seem to purposely try to make the entire experience absolute hell.
AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE. There are so many better shops who will actually treat you like a human being and not remind you constantly that you are at their mercy.

I wish I had the option to do NO STAR, this place makes me SICK. The first time i went in this little hipster white kid, who was apparently new did my smog test, it FAILED, but instead of doing his job right and refer me to places to fix it, he tells me that im putting the wrong gas in my car, and tells me to drive it for a week and bring it back, he said he would not charge me to do a Re-​test (but of course) didnt write it down, so i bring it back a week later and a different guy is working, he of course wanted to charge after a minute of arguing i began to walk out the door and he finally offered to call his manager (this is of course after all the arguing) the manager, well, that was a treat, told me that unless the guy wrote down that he would give me a free retest it was not going to happen, and that i cant talk to him like that (when i wasn’t talking to him in any manner less than annoyed. So again I proceeded to walk away, the worker took the phone back and had a «private conversation» he went ahead and said he would do the test for free, and took my car to the back, after about 20 minutes of biting my nails he came back in and said, it failed, when the guy the week before ASSURED ME it WOULD NOT FAIL if i did what he said, WELL the guy now working with me said it was not his business to tell me what to fix and he has no idea why he would. Well buddy, NEITHER DO I! OH, and heres the best part, he charged me $ 20 for «LABOR» NEVER EVER GO THERE please put them out of BUSINESS!
OH! and i forgot i brought in this coupon for 39 $ smog, the first time, and the guy tried to snake me into the 89.99 $ usual smog charge, he immediately dropped price bombs and didnt give me a chance to show my coupon, then he looked at me all disgusted when i gave him the coupon.
AWFUL AWFUL little business.

The one star is because I can’t give them no stars. I got my last smog test from these guys. The guy is not much of a salesman and was not personable at all. Of course I didn’t gothere for chit chat but…
The smog check was the issue. Not only was it expensive, but I found some very borderline activity here. He puts it in the test and goes thru the process. I ask him if he thinks it will pass right when he jumped into the car because it wasn’t running so well lately. He told me «There was no way of telling». So periodically thru the test I ask him «How is the test going?» «Is it going to pass?» He tells me «Can’t tell yet». So once the test is done, he tells me it didn’t pass. I asked about the emissions and what it could be? He said the emissions were fine; that it was the check engine light that was on the dash when you turn the key on! He knew it wouldn’t pass from the start BEFORE he even ran the test and lied to me the whole way thru! I asked him «Why did you run the test if you knew it wouldn’t pass?» (as if I had to ask as he wanted the money). He said «I’m not allowed to tell you that even if I know it won’t pass!» What a scam. What a bunch of horse sh**! I will NEVER, EVER go back to this place again and would encourage everyone to NOT GO HERE. A reputable mechanic will tell you of an obvious issue if there is one. Not to run you thru a pointless test just to pad his pocket. That’s how you get return business. By doing right by your customers. Seems pretty easy to me.
Why are there sooo many cheating mechanics around?! The only times I’ve ever been straight cheated, is by mechanics. Buyer beware!
There are too many places to get a smog check around to take your business and chances dealing with this place. Go to VIP smog just next store. Stay far away from Acutest Smog!
BTW, IM GUESSING THAT THE ONLY POSITIVE REVIEW IS THE OWNER AS HE MAKES REFERENCE TO PREVIOUS REVIEWS AND HAS NO OTHER REVIEWS OR PHOTOS IN HIS PROFILE. EVEN SHODDY WORK WITH HIS FAKE PROFILE AND REVIEW. THE OWNER OBVIOUSLY DIDN’T CARE ENOUGH ABOUT HIS BUSINESS TO CHECK ON HIS HELP. HOW HARD IS IT REALLY?

The new owner is RUDE! Do not go! He doesn’t want the business and it shows.

RUDE and QUESTIONABLE SERVICE
After going to Accutest Smog in Pleasant Hill every other year for years, I’m sad to say that I will NEVER RETURN. I had had great, courteous, prompt service from Li and had made an appointment with him for my bi-​annual smog. When I arrived 2 days later, Li was gone — only to be replaced by an unknowledgeable, rude guy named Gurjeet (he goes by «G»). In fairness, the new employee is from India so part of my experience could be a cultural thing. There is no excuse however for his lack of knowledge and recommendations.
In conducting my smog test, Gurjeet was obviously inexperienced in what to look for on the visual inspection. My car failed smog for the first time ever. I did have repairs made at another shop, but when I returned for my re-​smog, the same rude guy was closing up shop. I had again called beforehand to ask when I should come by. Gurjeet said 6pm. When I said I thought he closed then, he said 6pm was fine. Well, that’s when I showed up and he was shutting the door. When I tried to arrange another time since the shop is far from my home and I only had a week left before cops could pull me over for missing my DMW registration sticker, Gurjeet laughed and said that was «not his problem.»
Because I had paid up front for the first smog test that included a discounted retest, I begrudgingly returned to Accutest the next night. The same rude guy did my test but only after initially refusing to do so because I did not have a copy of my previous receipt — which Gurjeet had not given me! I showed Gurjeet that I had every single one of the papers associated with my smog/​registration except for the receipt which he had not provided. I also told him I had almost called since I had no receipt but figured it would be ok since I had paid by check (my checkbook has carbon copies). Gurjeet finally agreed to redo my smog test for the discounted redo price but maintained his nasty attitude.
The entire retest where my car was running (for the 15mph & 25mph tests) was completed in 1 minute and 28 seconds. My car just barely passed this time. I later learned from a very knowledgeable mechanic that this could have been the reason for my car barely passing the 2^nd time! To make matters worse, when Gurjeet was done, I found my gas gauge stuck on a ¼ tank. I had to do lots of online research to figure out that he should not have done the gas tank test with my key in the ignition. Fortunately, I was able to replace the instrument cluster fuse which fixed Gurjeet’s error.
When I paid for my re-​test afterward, I was nice and tried to make small talk but Gurjeet wasn’t having any of it. Well guy, karma is a «you know what!» Long story short, if you go to Accutest Smog and Gurjeet is there, turn around and run away! I hope the owner realizes what a bad move he made in hiring Gurjeet.

Went back to but there was a new guy doing the smog checks. Not sure if it was sold or not, but when I was quoted a price it was way more than what I usually pay. No way, customer lost.

Don’t go there if you’re a woman alone. The service I received was so rude and borderline scary. I had called the shop previously to going there and I was told that if I didn’t have a coupon, he would give me one when I got there. I told him I’d be there in a ½ hr. I got delayed by a long distance call, so I didn’t arrive till almost an hour later. There was one customer being serviced before me. Inially, the tech seemed appropriate. When it came to my turn, he was very rude when asking for my paperwork. Being relatively new to California, I had forgotten that they need the DMV paperwork, The tech barks, isn’t it in your car? I went out to my car, got the registration, and then he hands me the invoice and tells me to fill it out. He quoted me the price and I said, you said you’d give me a coupon, He then proceeds to tell me angrily that I should have mentioned it and now He’s aready filled out the invoice (about 2 seconds worth of work) he then says again, in an angry manner «you said you’d be here within a half hour» Does the coupon expire if you don;t show up up with an allotted time? He was so angry I almost said, well, I’ll pay the full price, I’m here and I need to get it done. His whole manner was rude and menacing, and if my registration wasn’t expiring in a couple of days I would have left. Perhaps he was angry that I had my 13# dog with me? all he would had to say, is no dogs allowed and I would have waited outside. He tried to be a little nicer at the end of the transaction, but by then, too late. It was fast, I’l lgive ‘em that, but the whole experience was so unpleasant, I was made to feel like I was doing everything wrong, and I don’t need that when I’m spending my hard earned money. P. S. I have a professional degree, and I’m pretty sure I make more than the creep who was treating me so badly. Too many other places to get the same job done, and not be treated like you’re a second class citizen

No frills. Get in. Get out. Just the way a smog test should be.

Fast, easy, and the car passed so I am happy!