Sunnyvale Auto Registration

(I have posted this review on Yelp, but Yelp made my review only visible to myself even though I set the review as public. I hope it may help someone to avoid the unpleasant experience I have got.) I went to this station last weekend (12-14-2013). I found this station by google search, and they have 24.95 coupon. There were two guys work there. After I gave they the key, one of the guy opened the hook, did a quick check, than closed the hook. And then drove my car to do the smog test. After about 20 minutes, and test was done. They told me my car failed the test. At first, I thought some emission test failed. But in fact they told me it is because the PCV of the air intake system has been modified. All other tests are passed without problem. They concluded the PCV is modified is because the connection of one pipe is taped. (I taped the connection as a precaution several months ago when I found the connection is kind of loose. But my car works total ok without the tape.) The tape is not the point of interest here however. The point is, the guy had already checked the PCV when he opened the hook, before he drove my car for the testing. Any honest man will info me that the test will fail if the pipe is taped. Then I could either remove the tape, or have the pipe replaced, and then I would be happy to return there to do the test. However, the guy still took my car to test, even though he had already determined to fail my car's test before the doing test. Just in order to get the testing fee out of me. I removed the tape, and asked him test my car again. And they told me that me need to pay another same amount fee! I left and will find a station that will perform second test for free if the first test failed. I ended up paying $34.95 ($24.95 coupon +$10 STAR station fee), and wasted 30 minutes for nothing. The money wasted is not the main thing makes me feel unpleasant, the experience of being tricked is. Hope my review can help one person avoid being tricked by this test station, then it is worthy for me to write down my experience here, as I will never go back this place again.

Apr 12, 2022 · huang lin

I wish I read the reviews before going to this place. I can confirm the other bad reviews. He gave me the bait and switch as well, charging me $15 more than he quoted me over the phone. I went ahead since I was already there, having made the drive after the phone call. He literally spent less than 2 minutes with my car, came back asked for my payment and after he took it he said I failed and would not issue me a smog cert until I fixed my car. I ask why he failed me and he said it was because there was some duct tape on my air manifold. I said that take I could take it off, cause I didnt know you could not have duct tape there, I only had it there for extra measure, and car runs fine without. Then he said I would have to pay another test fee for a retest. He barely spent 2 minutes with my car. At this point, I knew he was a scammer, trying to scam people. Save your time and money and go to a well reviewed shop. btw my car passed easily at another shop

Dec 16, 2014 · Michael Huh

Confirming other bad reviews. Went here for convenience near home, figure smog check is usually a routine, trivial process. Besides bait-and-switching the online discount price citing car model year (1999 even though the coupon cites 1995 as the threshold), they subsequently failed the smog test citing the car computer wasn't in ready mode for testing (I had just replaced the battery earlier in the morning). They graciously offered to have me come back later and pay *another* $30 to retest. If the car computer was not ready for testing, than they should not have proceeded with the test at all as it. Instead they ran through the motions of the test, not only wasting $60 of my money on their pointless labor, but also wasting my time sitting there for them to do the test that they knew they would not pass before even starting. Extremely shady and unprofessional.

Nov 20, 2014 · Jonathan Chen

They did a fast 30 minute smog check and adjusted my tire pressures for me when they noticed that my tire pressure was low. The guy doing the smog check is super nice- excellent fast and friendly customer service.

Nov 17, 2012 · Tanya Balfour

Excellent service Mark was so helpful I recommend this place to everyone 5 star in my book and I'm picky about where I take my car awesome service no doubt!!!!

Aug 12, 2014 · Stephanie