Best Smogging Experience Ever. Here's why. 1. Easily scheduled a prompt appointment over the phone. 2. Got lost on my way but Bill contacted me and helped me find my way there. 3. Only costed me 35$ 4. Bill was super nice and fast (whole thing only took 30 minutes) 5. Free wifi and coffee! #Recommend read more

What could possibly go wrong with getting a smog check? Apparently, if you go there in 2018, you will be hit with all manner of hidden charges. The manager John (fairly young, with glasses) was really abrasive from the beginning. First it was all about having an appointment, or if I called, or how I heard about the place. I was told they were very busy (it was empty) ... you know the feeling when you realize any answer you give will be the wrong one? He then suddenly grabbed the coupon from my hands, crumpled it up and put it in his pocket. I asked 6 times what the price was going to be and he kept refusing to quote a price until I drove in. After driving the car in, I was quoted at least double of what I expected to pay for what is a 2-min test, and they were going to charge for things that are not applicable to my vehicle. If you want to avoid that feeling of being inside a business that uses shady practices and false advertising, or random reasons to charge you more and make you wait, do yourself a favor and go elsewhere. If you have a special offer for that place, don't bother wasting your time -- they won't honor it, or will make you wait until you cave in to whatever they want you to pay. Note: these places tend to change hands a lot. I have been there a couple of times before, and the gentleman that ran the place is not there any more. The interaction I describe in this review was with a crew I hadn't seen there in years past, so they must be the new owners/operators -- John ("manager") and Tony (tech?). BTW, my car passed as always at another local smog shop, for a total of $26, and barely 5 min including all paperwork, payment, etc. read more

Called this business at 12 and was able to be seen 15 minutes later! Where else does that happen NO WHERE. Was in and out before I new it and was on my way. Ask for Bill he is very nice and made my visit very pleasant. He understands what Great Service is and goes the extra mile to make sure you get it. I would highly recommend this business to anyone looking for great service. read more

1 Berkeley Star Smog - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Berkeley, California

Update. Changing my review from 1 star to 3. The owner called me and apologize for the wait. He explain that's not how he does business and wanted to make things right by giving me a refund for the service. I told him his phone call meant more to me than getting my money back and we left things at that First review: This place is slow. My car is an '06 and it took an hour to get my car smogged. I dont think the kid knows whats hes doing ... read more

I fully agree with Bruce that you should stay away from this shop. I went in with a couponof $16 smog. Waited 10 minutes until he finished the other car. He had me drove in the tiny shop with my car's engine on and both front windows down, then asked me to sit in the side room to 'discuss' about the price. I have a 2010 CRV which is a small SUV quite new for smog check. He wanted $30 in addition to the coupon price because it's a SUV, and he'd do a favor to knock a few dollars, waive the Star fees, transfer fees, ... all the nonsense listed on his paper. I actually did my home work before and told him I am sure other shops had $25 for SUV which will be less then $35 incl. the certificate. He wanted to see the proof. In retrospect I should have told him I'd go home to get the proof and bye. Anyway, I was tired by that time so whatever. In the end almost $50 out the door. Bottom line, I don't think that this is an honest shop. If you come with a car for smog he might still say he needs to add this fee that fee. Even if you know what the market price is and what fees are required and what not, and bargain a low price with this guy, I am not sure if he'd do something with the test, or even your car. Stay away! read more

Make sure you ask about the Yelp promo or else they will try to stick you with a $80 special. I was a Friday PM walk-in, but there were only two cars in the garage. Didn't see busy so I got in with ease. Car was done in under just 30 minutes so I was quickly in and out and on my way. read more

First time getting a smog check in Berkeley. One of the few places in Berkeley that's open on Sundays which was a huge plus. They set me up for an appointment earlier than their posted business hours which was great also. Came in, dropped my car off, paid the $24.95 price that I mentioned I saw on Yelp (includes a few other fees so comes out to just about $35.00), had a burrito down the street, and within 30 minutes my car passed and was good to go! Quick, easy, painless. Thanks guys! read more

Bill is THE MAN. Youre obviously here because you are trying to find a smog place. This is the place. He gets it done. Tip: Give him a call ahead of time. read more

The worst smog check place I had ever been to. The Russian guy at first claimed that he would still give me a good deal after I presented the coupon for $19.99, and ended up paying him $59.99. He smog tested my car twice . First time he said the ignition timing is off and that my aftermarket air flow system is tampered with. I fixed the timing by putting back the original OEM air flow system and had him inspect it the second time. This time everything passed and he came back with the visual failure "tampered" of the PVC hose. It took me many times to make "appointment" and he now said I can't do inspection and this guy first started testing my car on December 18th and now he give me excuses he can no longer inspect my car. He kept telling me he is very busy. Avoid this Russian guy at all costs, he gives a bad stereotype of "scamming Russians." read more

I called ahead to see if there was an opening to smog my SUV. The gentleman who answered the phone, Bill, asked me a few basic questions, confirmed that the Yelp deal ($24.99) being advertised was available, and told me to come to the shop within 10-15 minutes if I wanted to get in immediately. I showed up and was greeted by Bill. He had me fill out the paper work, and told me that he did not understand that my vehicle was an SUV while talking to me over the phone--that the deal on Yelp was for cars only--but that he would work with me to get the price as close as possible to the advertised one. After going over some fees on a checklist that he said he could eliminate, he quoted me $42.99 including the certificate fee (of $8.25)... so around $34.75 for the test (~$10 more than the deal I had gone in for, which is 40% more but still a decent price to get a truck smogged in CA). I had run into the trucks and SUV's costs more issue before, and Bill's explanation and overall communication led to my happily accepting the situation. I left him the keys, and went for a 25 min walk around the area. Upon returning, Bill indicated that my SUV had passed, and he had filed the results with the state (and that my vehicle was good to go). While ringing me up, he apologized for the overage (SUV) fee, but reiterated that he had offered the best deal he could, and gave me a coupon for a future smog testing. I'm going to say I actually was good with the experience. Bill was friendly and helpful, I got what I needed to have done without waiting, and all costs were detailed/described up front. Based on my experiences today, I would return in the future if my truck needs to be smogged again. read more

This is a family run business and they were very courteous and nice to work with. My smog check took less than half an hour but the wait was 20 minutes longer than I expected even though I had an appointment. Once in, it was fine. read more

Best smog experience ever and best deal ever with Yelp coupon. The super friendly smog dudes let me know as soon as I pulled up where to park and handed me the clipboard to get started while still in my car. I was offered chocolate and water while waiting not at all a long time considering I showed up at 2:15pm on a busy Saturday. Really excellent cheerful customer service made me feel good about what's otherwise a chore! I'll be back in 2 years 1 Berkeley Star, for another smog cert! Another 5 star experience at Berkeley 1 Star Smog. Tip: if it's around a holiday weekend call first to make an appointment, make sure they'll be open for you! read more

Great place to get a car smogged. I scored a $24.95 coupon (+$15 for the certificate) by checking in on Yelp. I showed up without an appointment but they were able to accommodate me. There was one other person ahead of me but the wait was pretty short. From arrival to checkout was about 30 minutes read more

In and out fast service. Use some of the coupons they have on their website.

Newman was wonderful, insitefull and above all honest! Thanks for the smog I will definetly be back! read more

1 Berkeley Star Smog - just by chance they happened to do porsche's and didnt charge me extra - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Stay away from "1 Berkeley Star Smog". They will waste literally hours of your time, charge more than other shops, and for some reason seem unable to pass a car that passes easily at another shop without any changes at all. I was on time for my appointment. By a full two hours later, the tech had worked on one car that was already there and two others that came in after me, could not get my car to pass the NOX part of the "star designated" pre-2000 vehicle test, and charged me $69.95 for the failed test. He told me to get my car fixed and come back for a retest for only $39.95! Thanks, but no thanks. I made an appointment with "Berkeley Smog Test Only Center" the next day, and did nothing to the car. It passed easily. The tech there charged me $59.95, including the DMV certification, and took only about 20 minutes. read more

Stopped in about smog check. These guys are awesome. Super helpful, welcoming, great customer service. Clean shop, and they were very clear about the reason I was seeing some codes pop up and what I needed to do to clear the codes and pass smog. A+++ read more

In and out in 20 minutes. Nice crew and great prices. A really smooth experience overall.

Fast, friendly, and a straightforward transaction. Only took about 15 mins. Thank you!

This guy, Hassan, was a real class act. First of all, he didn't think the car would pass the exam based on his preliminary observations and advised that I just go ahead and take it to a mechanic rather than paying for a failed smog test. After talking with him for a few minutes, he decided to try a few things out (all of which he clearly explained), had me do some light work on the vehicle and did a quick thorough job when I got back. His ideas worked too; the car passed! Nice guy, very clear about what he's doing and very straightforward about the business aspects of the transaction. I'll go back for sure next time I need a smog inspection read more

About as painless as smogging your car could ever be. Scheduled an appointment less than an hour from calling. The owner is super friendly and gave me a great price. Said it would take 30 min and he was spot on. Perfect amount of time to grab a beer at lane splitters down the street. Definitely recommend this place! read more

Was here in May. Steve was super helpful, quick, efficient and thorough with the smog check. Also, they have snacks! He was also kind enough to answer my other auto related questions and to give me some tips. read more

These guys were great! Got my car done quicky, which is just what I needed. However, the real above and beyond service happened when I left my wallet there. The technician called me right away and I said I would be able to get back until about 20 mins after they closed. He was kind enough to stay late so I could get it. Thanks so much, I will definitely be coming back! read more

as many other reviews have noted, these guys bait and switch. I used a Groupon good for any car newer than 2000. No mention of any extra fees beyond the normal $8 certificate. They then added a premium for the Star certification...even though they are Star certified, they made no mention of any additional fees in the Groupon. The total charge was more than the regular price quoted by a closer shop, which specifically quoted a $29 fee "with no extra star charges". These guys asked many times "how much did you pay for the groupon?". Why should that matter? Find an honest shop that will give you an up-front quote. I'm going to complain to Groupon. read more

Used a Groupon for a good deal. Failed to first smog test but the retest was for free.

I have gone here consistently since my original post, using the ValPak coupon each time. They have a pattern of up-charging because the coupon does not cover vehicles older than 2000 or Star Smog vehicles. The up-charging has gotten higher and higher such that I will not be going back. I have not seen Numan there and his brother and nephew seem to be running the shop. They try to be nice by checking in with you while you are waiting, but really guys, just get the cars smog checked! They seem to be running around and not focusing on what their customers came to get done. read more

This place is totally unethical. I was going to buy a Groupon for their smog check so called asking what the additional cost would be for the state certificate (which was not specified on their Groupon offer, unlike all the other smog check offers). I spoke with someone who tried to talk me out of buying their Groupon by offering me a discounted rate, but wouldn't match the deal I could get on Groupon. He then told me that they were "really backed up for Groupons" and if I purchased their Groupon they wouldn't be able to schedule my smog check for 7 weeks. Seven weeks?!?!?! That's ridiculous! I'm so glad I didn't purchase their Groupon offer and am very wary of this business as they're clearly unethical and unprofessional. read more

I came here from a coupon I received in the mail. I also was helped by Bill. He was extremely professional and helpful. My smog check failed the the first few times and he did rechecks/tests free of charge. Today 4/10 (I initially went in on 2/28), my car was finally ready and passed the smog check. Bill was aware of the time frame with submitting to the DMV and assured me it would not be an issue as he provided me with a receipt, along with a confirmation number and certification showing the car had passed so that I wouldn't run into any issues. I really appreciate his professionalism and work ethic. I was tempted to put 4 stars (but kept 5 stars due to Bill's professionalism and work ethic) because I had made an appointment to return on a Sunday morning first thing and when I arrived, the shop was closed. I called the office number and someone said they would be on their way. This was not Bill that I made the appointment with or the person that arrived on Sunday. However, the gentleman that did arrive moments later did the check and also informed me to come back. Service was consistent which I appreciated. read more

If you live near Berkeley than this is the place to go. The price is one of the lowest in town, the facility is very clean, efficient and Numan (owner/operator) is very honest and friendly. When I went there in January, my 2001 BMW X5 failed and after talking with Numan a while he ran his computer to give me the fail codes, for free! Every place in the bay area would charge at least $180 for my car, some up to $295, just to give you the codes. I just went back to Numan today. I received the same good price and I passed! Moral of the story is: there is never a line, you can't beat the price or service and on top of that the Owner is a really good guy. read more

I just got my car smogged there - I called, was given an appointment, and Bill recognized and greeted me. The car didn't pass the first time, but it was close, he ran the test 5 times and it passed the fifth. He really went above and beyond. And he matched the best price I could find! Highly recommended. read more

Very convenient! He fit me in within the hour. Very helpful! He showed me how the variation in my ignition timing would guarantee test failure. Very fair! Even though he still had to charge me for the full test, he significantly reduced the fee in consideration of needing to come back to retake the test (my timing belt was stretched out and overdue for replacement). read more

Friendly maybe, but make no mistake, they know how to - and absultely will - extract the maximum amount from you based on how much they think they can get away with by looking at you. They start with the ridiculous price of $79.95 for a "smog check" (wtaf?) so even as they rip you off they can point at the board and say, "But we give you discount, like we do in mother Russia". And for frack sake do NOT use a Groupon at this place. It's a complete illegal bait and switch. They know very well how to work this scam and get paid extra. They ask to see the Voucher on your phone when you tell them you have a Groupon and they'll extract the voucher number (seemed legit when they were doing it, even though I've never had any other business do this) as they indicate how much the smog check will be. In my case, I purchased a $22 groupon for a smog check for a tiny-ass 2009 car (passed), which is reasonable. They told me the smog check would be $25, so I assumed my car was a little more for some reason, I wasn't going to argue a few dollars - I'm doing this on my lunch hour, so no time to argue. Well, they didn't REDUCE the cost of the smog check by the value of the voucher. The number they give you is what they charge in ADDITION to the voucher. Nice huh? And its because of "more transmission fee" or "extra SUV tax" or "you have blue car, not red car fee" or some other weird-ass made-up reason. And good luck NOT poking the redeem groupon button since this guy redeemed it for you while his worker bee smog checked your car, so you won't even be able to ask Groupon for a refund since it's conveniently not within their policy to refund redeemed vouchers (BTW, plan on spending a good 30 - 45 minutes trying to figure out how to get help from Groupon. They've completely hidden their contact info). Even if you plea with Groupon and tell them you didn't redeem the voucher, that 1 Berkeley Smog underhandedly redeemed it for themselves, they don't give a flying crappaccino. So this here smogging comrade loves loves LOVES groupons because he gets paid twice! Oh, and forget about reporting him to the BBB. They're very easily paid off to squelch any complaints that may arise. As a consumer, you've just been had, having just paid $45+ for a $18 smog check. Sucker. Respond to their "cheap" advertised price, and they WILL bait and switch you. Somehow. Some way. Just read around the other fake "Really friend service! I like!" reviews both on Yelp and Groupon and you'll see what I mean. So the only reason to use this place is to see how a true master con-artist works. Because, this is where and how it's done baby. Live and learn. (BTW, if you do go, pay special attention how he quickly and masterfully tells you not to worry about this and that charge, and "waives" them for you, and then writes a number at the top before asking you to sign. Hey why not, he's friendly AND on "your side"). Hopefully I will have just saved you $30 - $50. I wish I had been able to read my review before I fell for this scam so I could have driven a half mile down the road for an honest rock-solid $20 smog check. read more

The men that work there are very sweet, great customer service and fit us in in an earlier appointment. Got the job done fast. Will use them again!! read more

I've been coming here for years everytime my car needs to be smogged. Fast,professional and they have coupons on their website to save you a few dollars. I suggest that you come on a weekday so you won't have to wait too long also make an appointment if possible to save yourself some time. read more

When I arrived they wanted to tack on an additional $20-25 "certification fee" to the smog check fee which was already for $20. I think it is deceptive advertising since other smog check places don't have this $25 fee and they probably count on people not second guessing it most of the time. When I complained the owner said I could go elsewhere and rudely ripped up the form. The facility was not well taken care of- there is a sign hanging by a chain over the entrance to the garage that could easily fall onto your car. read more

I took my BMW here to get smog check done. My car did not pass the smog check due to check engine light. My plan was get the smog check done and sell the car. These guys recommend to get vehicle retirement plan from state of California and I have applied online and I end up selling my car to State. Great recommendation... I had no idea state has this plan. Good company to get a smog check. Very friendly service. read more

These guys are the best: best prices, best quality and fantastic service! I really can't say enough positive things about them. My car was having trouble with its drive cycle, and they were not able to perform a smog check because the monitors were not functioning properly. I drove the car for many miles, and they retested it over and over until it finally worked. And they never charge me anymore than they did for the initial test. I would come back here anytime to get my smog check in the future. read more

No one likes seeing the "SMOG Certification Required" notice on their registration renewal notice, but Bill at 1 Berkeley Start Smog makes the process as seamless as possible. He is friendly, quick and efficient and I'd recommend calling him next time you need your vehicle tested. If you call ahead, he can schedule you and reduce your waiting time as well. read more

This place is great! Super friendly, and will work with you to tell you what you need. I failed my first test due to replacing my O2 sensor, brought it back after following their advice and passed. Found these guys on Groupon, but works better if you don't buy it and talk to Bill. When you need a smog check that is start certified, this is where you should go! read more

Bill was fantastic. He got me in under short notice, honored my Groupon rate, and even made sure I was warm while sitting in the waiting room. He was professional and quick. Much appreciated!!! read more