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Help! Car failed smog today

So I got online today and checked out reviews for the smog place I went to and oops I should have done that first.
Here are a few for

SMOG DIAGNOSTIC SPECIALISTS

  • Address: 3251 NORTHGATE BLVD, SACRAMENTO, CA 95833-1320
"Ripped me off
by billl4at Citysearch

Do NOT trust these guys. I took my 2004 Mazda 6 in for a smog test. I have never had any problems with this car, so I assumed it would pass with flying colors. They told me that it failed because of high emissions (HC). They claimed in measured 54 at 15 mph and 68 at 25 mph. They charged me $51 and then told me I had to pay and additional $179 for a diagnostic test. I would then have to pay for additional repairs and then get it retested. I could not believe that it failed, so instead of paying them $179 for a "diagnosis", I took it down the street to Quality Tune-up. They ran a smog test and it passed with no problems at all. In fact, the HC measurements were 1 at 15 mph and 1 at 25 mph. How could Smog Diagnostic Specialists test my HC levels at 54 & 68 and the other guys test me at 1 & 1? It seems to me that either Smog Diagnostic Specialists' equipment was faulty or they were trying to rip me off. Either way, save yourself $50 (they won't give you a refund) and take it somewhere else."
"



Do not trust them

by Deni4joyat Citysearch"

"Rip Off
by andy987at Citysearch"

"Discovered work never performed
by Bigwillnowat Citysearch

Will NEVER use this place and do not recommend anyone use this place, they are a ripoff and a SCAM!!!! Had a catalytic converter replaced to pass smog, they passed the smog but did not replace the catalytic converter which cost $600. Now I have to pay twice for an expensive item to get my car registered again. Please beware and go somewhere else even to get the smog certificate."


RUINED MY LIFE COMPLETLEY!
by true2thecrewat Citysearch

I WENT HERE TO DO MY FIRST MAINTENANCE CHECK WITH MY 2002 SUV -BOUGHT IT A YEAR BEFORE. I RECIEVED IT BACK AND MY VALVE SEIZED AND ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO A "FOREIGN OBJECT" THAT WAS DROPPED INTO MY VALVE. SO NOW I NEEDED A COMPLETLEY NEW ENGINE, AND HAD TO PAY FOR THE ENTIRE THING, PULL OUT A LOAN, (THEY TOOK A LITTLE OFF OF THEIR LABOR BUT STILL CHARGED ME 700 FOR LABOR). THEY HAD MY CAR FOR MONTHS AND I LOST MY JOB BECAUSE I SHOW PROPERTY AND HAD NO TRANSPORTATION FOR MUCH LONGER THAN THEY QUOTED. AFTER ENGINE REPLACEMENT I HAD 14 PROBLEMS THAT WERE VERY SIGNIFIGANT AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN ABOUT 12 MORE TIMES. tHEY FIXED A FEW PROBLEMS, BUT WOULD NOT FIX MY HEATER WHICH WAS MY MAIN RESON FOR RETURNING ANOTHER 5 TIMES, ALTHOUGH I PAID ANOTHER 85 FOR THAT! THEY JUST KEPT SAYING TO BRING IT IN AGAIN, AND AGAIN. PAYING THEM OVER AND OVER. aFTER A WHILE I FELT LIKE THEY WERE JUST TAKING MY CAR, CHARGING ME MONEY, AND NOT EVEN LOOKING AT IT- BY THE LAST VISIT. ,,, AND AFTER ALL THAT THEY COULD NEVER TURN OFF MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND THATS WHAT THEY SPECIALIZE IN!!!! I STILL DONT HAVE A WORKING HEATER, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON, MY RPMS GO CRAZY WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK, ETC, ETC, ETC., NOW I PAY 800 IN CAR RELATED BILLS ALONE EACH MONTH AND MY CAR IS CURRENTLY IN ANOTHER SHOP WHERE THEY ARE LAUGHING AT THE WORK DONE AND MY ENTIRE SITUATION WHICH I WILL BE PAYING OFF AT A HIGH INTEREST RATE FOR YEARS. ALL BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAINTENANCE MY CAR AT THE 60,000 MILE MARK. LOST MY JOB AND MY SANITY IN '06 THANKS TO THEIR BUSINESS PRACTICE. AS A CUSTOMER WHO EVEN BOUGHT THEM PIZZA DURING THIS FIASCO I FEEL CHEATED VICTIMIZED, LIED TO, TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, AND ROBBED OF MY HARD EARNED MONEY. PLUS NOW I HAVE THIS STORY THAT PLAYS EACH TIME I GET INTO MY CAR WHILE I AM FREEZING AND THE ONLY WARMTH IS THAT OF THE ORANGE GLOW EMITTING FROM THE DASHBOARD THAT SAYS "CHECK ENGINE. " HOW IRONIC. NICE PEOPLE THOUGH.
"

OOPS
 
So I got online today and checked out reviews for the smog place I went to and oops I should have done that first.
Here are a few for

SMOG DIAGNOSTIC SPECIALISTS

  • Address: 3251 NORTHGATE BLVD, SACRAMENTO, CA 95833-1320
"Ripped me off
by billl4at Citysearch

Do NOT trust these guys. I took my 2004 Mazda 6 in for a smog test. I have never had any problems with this car, so I assumed it would pass with flying colors. They told me that it failed because of high emissions (HC). They claimed in measured 54 at 15 mph and 68 at 25 mph. They charged me $51 and then told me I had to pay and additional $179 for a diagnostic test. I would then have to pay for additional repairs and then get it retested. I could not believe that it failed, so instead of paying them $179 for a "diagnosis", I took it down the street to Quality Tune-up. They ran a smog test and it passed with no problems at all. In fact, the HC measurements were 1 at 15 mph and 1 at 25 mph. How could Smog Diagnostic Specialists test my HC levels at 54 & 68 and the other guys test me at 1 & 1? It seems to me that either Smog Diagnostic Specialists' equipment was faulty or they were trying to rip me off. Either way, save yourself $50 (they won't give you a refund) and take it somewhere else."
"



Do not trust them

by Deni4joyat Citysearch"

"Rip Off
by andy987at Citysearch"

"Discovered work never performed
by Bigwillnowat Citysearch

Will NEVER use this place and do not recommend anyone use this place, they are a ripoff and a SCAM!!!! Had a catalytic converter replaced to pass smog, they passed the smog but did not replace the catalytic converter which cost $600. Now I have to pay twice for an expensive item to get my car registered again. Please beware and go somewhere else even to get the smog certificate."


RUINED MY LIFE COMPLETLEY!
by true2thecrewat Citysearch

I WENT HERE TO DO MY FIRST MAINTENANCE CHECK WITH MY 2002 SUV -BOUGHT IT A YEAR BEFORE. I RECIEVED IT BACK AND MY VALVE SEIZED AND ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO A "FOREIGN OBJECT" THAT WAS DROPPED INTO MY VALVE. SO NOW I NEEDED A COMPLETLEY NEW ENGINE, AND HAD TO PAY FOR THE ENTIRE THING, PULL OUT A LOAN, (THEY TOOK A LITTLE OFF OF THEIR LABOR BUT STILL CHARGED ME 700 FOR LABOR). THEY HAD MY CAR FOR MONTHS AND I LOST MY JOB BECAUSE I SHOW PROPERTY AND HAD NO TRANSPORTATION FOR MUCH LONGER THAN THEY QUOTED. AFTER ENGINE REPLACEMENT I HAD 14 PROBLEMS THAT WERE VERY SIGNIFIGANT AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN ABOUT 12 MORE TIMES. tHEY FIXED A FEW PROBLEMS, BUT WOULD NOT FIX MY HEATER WHICH WAS MY MAIN RESON FOR RETURNING ANOTHER 5 TIMES, ALTHOUGH I PAID ANOTHER 85 FOR THAT! THEY JUST KEPT SAYING TO BRING IT IN AGAIN, AND AGAIN. PAYING THEM OVER AND OVER. aFTER A WHILE I FELT LIKE THEY WERE JUST TAKING MY CAR, CHARGING ME MONEY, AND NOT EVEN LOOKING AT IT- BY THE LAST VISIT. ,,, AND AFTER ALL THAT THEY COULD NEVER TURN OFF MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND THATS WHAT THEY SPECIALIZE IN!!!! I STILL DONT HAVE A WORKING HEATER, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON, MY RPMS GO CRAZY WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK, ETC, ETC, ETC., NOW I PAY 800 IN CAR RELATED BILLS ALONE EACH MONTH AND MY CAR IS CURRENTLY IN ANOTHER SHOP WHERE THEY ARE LAUGHING AT THE WORK DONE AND MY ENTIRE SITUATION WHICH I WILL BE PAYING OFF AT A HIGH INTEREST RATE FOR YEARS. ALL BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAINTENANCE MY CAR AT THE 60,000 MILE MARK. LOST MY JOB AND MY SANITY IN '06 THANKS TO THEIR BUSINESS PRACTICE. AS A CUSTOMER WHO EVEN BOUGHT THEM PIZZA DURING THIS FIASCO I FEEL CHEATED VICTIMIZED, LIED TO, TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, AND ROBBED OF MY HARD EARNED MONEY. PLUS NOW I HAVE THIS STORY THAT PLAYS EACH TIME I GET INTO MY CAR WHILE I AM FREEZING AND THE ONLY WARMTH IS THAT OF THE ORANGE GLOW EMITTING FROM THE DASHBOARD THAT SAYS "CHECK ENGINE. " HOW IRONIC. NICE PEOPLE THOUGH.
"

OOPS

wow:ugh

I was told by a former smog station owner/operator that the required maint on the actual inspection machine is fairly expensive, requiring new filters and recalibration DAILY....and most shops skip it and just wait until they have a steady string of failed test before they service the equipment, and never say a word to the unsuspecting customer.

I tend to believe this, after watching a moron smog-tech:eyerole (oxymoron?) hanging on the top of my hood trying to force the support rod to collapse...instead of actually looking at the thing and seeing that it was'nt a lift, just a safety support with a latch button...and they had the balls to say something to me for running into their shop to stop them from breaking my car....

Private institutions doing gov mandated testing or inspection is a set-up for corruption. If the gov wants a smog test, THEY should be doing the test...not some yaahoo that has good reason ($$$) to fail your car...:mad
 
Car passed easily

Retested smog today at a different shop Natomas Auto Smog that by the way had great reviews online. Ronnie who helped me was the only one there I told him what had happened at the previous shop. He said it didn't sound right them saying $4-500 to get it to pass anyway before he was even done he came out and tells me its going to pass easily. He asked if the other shop warmed up the car first I said no he said car the age of mine has to be warmed up first . The guy at the other shop told me that wasn't nessesary anymore cause state extended the time of the test. BS is all that was...... Hurray If you are in sacramento and need to go to test only center dont forget natomas auto smog in northgate. Ronnie is pretty good and a really nice guy. Also i didnt have to wait at all.
 
All is well that ends well.
 
Retested smog today at a different shop Natomas Auto Smog that by the way had great reviews online. Ronnie who helped me was the only one there I told him what had happened at the previous shop. He said it didn't sound right them saying $4-500 to get it to pass anyway before he was even done he came out and tells me its going to pass easily. He asked if the other shop warmed up the car first I said no he said car the age of mine has to be warmed up first . The guy at the other shop told me that wasn't nessesary anymore cause state extended the time of the test. BS is all that was...... Hurray If you are in sacramento and need to go to test only center dont forget natomas auto smog in northgate. Ronnie is pretty good and a really nice guy. Also i didnt have to wait at all.


Glad to hear you passed :beer
Sorry you didn't get to meet Benny. He is tentatively planning a Vette show at his shop in July. Ya'll come by and say hello!:upthumbs
 

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