I've been a repeat customer of "Sacramento Smog, Smog Diagnostic Speacialists" for over 10 years I've taken multiple vehicles there over the years, mostly for smog checks.
A few years ago a flag went up when a 2 year old Honda Accord failed their test. They offer very compeitive prices and an ongoing online coupon for smog and other services. This shop hooks you in that way and builds you into a repeat customer. Once they have your trust they will create problems and hit you with ridiculous diagnostic charges followed by a reasonable repair charge to regain your trust; hence the part in the name "Diagnostic Speacialists". After the smog failed they asked for $180 to diagnose the problem and added that the retest smog price would be full price, no coupon allowed second time around. I left and went to another test facility, as I suspected, the 2 year old Honda Accord passed smog and had no problems whatsoever.
Since I had no problems for so many years with multiple vehicles I decided to give them a second chance. This time my diesel needed a smog test. I called to verify the price before going and spoke to the usual co-owner who usually handles the calls and front counter. I wrote down the quoted price on the printed coupon from the website. When I arrived the next week to get the smog check I noticed a different individual at the counter. Turns out he was the co-owner and brother of the usual person there. I told him I needed a diesel smog check, showed him the coupon and asked him to verify the price I was quoted the week before. He said he didn't know the price??? He said he doesn't usually work the counter and exlained his brother did but he was covering for him while he was out of town. I explained that I soke with his brother the week before and wrote down the prices which included the standard price plus the state certification fee and the deducted coupon price. He refused to look at my paperwork. I explained I had been going there for years with multiple vehicles and pointed out that is brother knew me as a long time repeat customer. He still would not even take a glance at my paperwork. He went out to the shop and asked a mechanic what the smog price.
At this point there was some confusion between them because he stated the price but said the certification was not included; I believe he misunderstood the mechanic, otherwise, the mechanic said it wrong. I could see it was simply an addition error. All the figures he was stating were correct but he stated the total wrong. I tried to explain to him that everything he was quoting was correct except the total was incorrect, it didn't add up the way he stated. I again asked if he could just look at the breakdown I wrote down per what his brother told me over the phone; that it would clear everything up. He refused. At that point he went back out to the mechanic and again asked the mechanic. The mechanic correct himself and admitted "yes, the price includes the certificate"; exactly what I was trying to explain. As the co-owner brother admitted the price was including the certification and I was correct, I stated that's why I asked him to look at my figures which could have made everything much easier on all of us. At that point he handed me back my DMV form and told me to leave. I asked "why, because I was right?" He said, "I don't care, I don't need to do it for you". I asked, "so that's how you treat long term repeat customers?" He said he didn't care and didn't need my business.
Beware of "Sacramento Smog, Smog Diagnostic Speacialists", you WILL have problems there.
Sacsmog.com Reviews
I've been a repeat customer of "Sacramento Smog, Smog Diagnostic Speacialists" for over 10 years I've taken multiple vehicles there over the years, mostly for smog checks.
A few years ago a flag went up when a 2 year old Honda Accord failed their test. They offer very compeitive prices and an ongoing online coupon for smog and other services. This shop hooks you in that way and builds you into a repeat customer. Once they have your trust they will create problems and hit you with ridiculous diagnostic charges followed by a reasonable repair charge to regain your trust; hence the part in the name "Diagnostic Speacialists". After the smog failed they asked for $180 to diagnose the problem and added that the retest smog price would be full price, no coupon allowed second time around. I left and went to another test facility, as I suspected, the 2 year old Honda Accord passed smog and had no problems whatsoever.
Since I had no problems for so many years with multiple vehicles I decided to give them a second chance. This time my diesel needed a smog test. I called to verify the price before going and spoke to the usual co-owner who usually handles the calls and front counter. I wrote down the quoted price on the printed coupon from the website. When I arrived the next week to get the smog check I noticed a different individual at the counter. Turns out he was the co-owner and brother of the usual person there. I told him I needed a diesel smog check, showed him the coupon and asked him to verify the price I was quoted the week before. He said he didn't know the price??? He said he doesn't usually work the counter and exlained his brother did but he was covering for him while he was out of town. I explained that I soke with his brother the week before and wrote down the prices which included the standard price plus the state certification fee and the deducted coupon price. He refused to look at my paperwork. I explained I had been going there for years with multiple vehicles and pointed out that is brother knew me as a long time repeat customer. He still would not even take a glance at my paperwork. He went out to the shop and asked a mechanic what the smog price.
At this point there was some confusion between them because he stated the price but said the certification was not included; I believe he misunderstood the mechanic, otherwise, the mechanic said it wrong. I could see it was simply an addition error. All the figures he was stating were correct but he stated the total wrong. I tried to explain to him that everything he was quoting was correct except the total was incorrect, it didn't add up the way he stated. I again asked if he could just look at the breakdown I wrote down per what his brother told me over the phone; that it would clear everything up. He refused. At that point he went back out to the mechanic and again asked the mechanic. The mechanic correct himself and admitted "yes, the price includes the certificate"; exactly what I was trying to explain. As the co-owner brother admitted the price was including the certification and I was correct, I stated that's why I asked him to look at my figures which could have made everything much easier on all of us. At that point he handed me back my DMV form and told me to leave. I asked "why, because I was right?" He said, "I don't care, I don't need to do it for you". I asked, "so that's how you treat long term repeat customers?" He said he didn't care and didn't need my business.
Beware of "Sacramento Smog, Smog Diagnostic Speacialists", you WILL have problems there.