Wow, it's been awhile since I've had such an outstanding experience enough to give a five star review! Jerry was so friendly and professional, I brought my car in without an appointment and he was able to get me scheduled the same day. The entire visit was quick and easy and you can tell he likes his job and is good at it too! Highly recommend Orinda Test Only for smog certification and I'll definitely be coming back read more

5 star service! First off, they answered the phone, which can be unheard of. Easily made an appt. for the same day and it went seamlessly. Super friendly and professional for a very good price. I won't be going anywhere else in the future. read more

Quick and informative STAR smog review, locally. Glad to get a same-day weekday appointment STAR-level for my 15-year old Subaru Legacy which had lived through 10 East Coast winters. Testing was turned around in 20 minutes (passed, thankfully), with advice on the elements that may fail in the next two years. Glad to have this service available in Orinda. read more

Fast and clear! Best smog experience if you're looking for professional and no hidden costs! Definitely recommend to all!!

I needed a quick smog check and the other location in Orinda was still closed. So, I went here. The mechanic was having trouble with his equipment and suggested I go somewhere else. I pulled out and was looking at my GPS to figure out my options when he came out and said it was all fixed. Minutes later, I had passed and was ready to go. Not the cheapest but convenient and clean place with a nice mechanic. read more

This was my 3rd smog performed at this station. I normally call the day before to make an appt. Great communication and I receive a text when the car is done. read more

Jerry was exceptional. He went above and beyond providing the best service. He cleaned the exterior of the car and checked all the lights. Making an appointment was super easy too. This is definitely the place to go to for a smog test! read more

Went above and way beyond. Very thorough. Stands out amongst most shop experiences for honesty and reliability. Orinda is lucky to have such a great test shop . Will be back with entire fleet . read more

Wow, will definitely be coming here EVERY TIME for my smog check. Great location, but most importantly Jerry Wong was INCREDIBLE - went over and beyond on basically every aspect, great communicator, cares about cleanliness - just a wonderful experience. Thank you! read more

Jerry Wong was very fast, very thorough and gave great explanations and documentation.

I really needed to get my car smogged, so I relied on Yelp to help steer me (literally! In my car!) in the right direction. The right direction was definitely Orinda Test Only! I parked in the numbered spaces, and within five minutes, my car was completely checked in and second in line. Forty minutes later, I was back on the road, my car was smogged, and I'd gotten a nice walk around downtown Orinda. But that's not the whole story. The whole story is that my technician had an eagle eye, and noticed two really important inconsistencies on my car's registration that could have ended in a nasty, expensive surprise for me. He called me, on time, exactly when he said he would. He wore a mask and gloves, sanitized the interior of my car, as well as my keys, and he cleaned my windshield. He told me about a recall affecting my car, and educated me on how to get it fixed for free. And last but not least, he gave me step-by-step instructions on how to fix my paperwork issues online and in person, same day. And thanks to him, his attention to detail, and his previously-prepared ready-to-go resources, I was able to do just that. It meant a lot to me that he went the extra mile to keep me on the road. He told me he's been doing this since 1989, and he's obviously been caring about his customers at least that long! I'll certainly be returning here in the future. It's important to enter the parking lot from the Bryant Way or Davis Road sides - not from Vashell Way! If you're using GPS directions, they might direct you into the driveway via the wrong way. I added a photo, for reference. Aside from the tricky navigation, it's a really good triple-use pit stop of a place (gas, mini mart, smog testing). read more

Orinda Test Only - Traffic flow in/out of the Orinda Test Only/gas station/minimart driveway. Blue lines are the smog-testing station parking spaces. - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Orinda, California

I had a great experience, fast, friendly and professional. I will definitely return the next time I'm in need of a smog check.

Amazingly fast and thorough smog test. This was my first time in and I'll be back next time. Highly recommended.

Excellent customer service and quick! I was in a horrible hurry and they accommodated me quickly. They also are very communicative on the subsequent DMV process. read more

Friendly, nice and reliable. Jerry explained everything in case the inspection didn't go through DMV and what I should do. My windows were cleaned and all the outside lights were checked. I'd come back again. read more

The owner is terrific. Fast, professional and friendly. He provides excellent service. I am very glad I went to Orinda Test Only.

I can't give enough praise for this operation. We have an older truck, for which we unfortunately sometimes allow its battery to die. When that happens, a number of settings in the catalytic converter system change, causing a failed smog test--but the system reverts to the correct settings after the truck is driven for a while under various conditions (idle, stop and go, freeway etc). To find out whether the system reset has been completed, the operator here uses an instrument to check that (for free) before going forward with the smog test. I suspect some operators would just run the smog test and take the money for a failed test, so I really appreciate how they handle it here. They also are a wonderful combination of friendly, helpful, honest, and super professional--taking the time to run through the process of completing the registration and getting the tags, as well as what to do if there is any snag along the way. He also cleaned the windshield and sanitized the seats and steering wheel, as well as my keys, and he wore a mask during our interactions. read more

What a great guy and a great service clean fast really recommended He even clean your windshield in his spare time only somebody that cares about his business do those things wish you the best good luck read more

I was just there today! So glad I found him. I was able to make an appointment fast and easy. He is very knowledgeable a guides you through every step. Service is excellent! read more

No reason to go to another smog shop. Owner/tech cares about his work and customers. Top notch service would highly recommend

It's getting harder to smog older vehicles, because half the time some of the needed equipment (which is also getting older) is not working. Also most older cars need to be warmed up properly and tested immediately. A lot of places don't care and will just shove your car on the rollers and it might fail even though there is nothing wrong with it. Orinda Test only is amazing. They let you make an appointment time, actually advise you to warm the car up before bringing it in, and get it tested right away. Their equipment is in great shape and their work area is impeccable. Price is reasonable too, and lots of friendly advice on dealing with DMV afterwards. A model for all businesses to follow. read more

5 Stars for Orinda Test, this is the best smog service in the area, and I've been to many. Quick, very courteous, and professional. I came back after 30 minutes and he had even washed my windows and cleaned the car key!! I have a mid-engine car so it's a bit more complicated to smog, and he clearly knew what he was doing. Obviously a team that cares about delivering a quality service. read more

Flexible schedule, quick smog testing. The owner also thoroughly cleaned/disinfected the car (I guess this is new during COVID), also cleaned all the windows which was a pleasant surprise. read more

This was my first visit to the Orinda Test Only Smog Station and it was the best smog test experience ever. The appointment was easy to make, the car was ready within the promised 30 minutes, Jerry went over the results and gave clear instructions about completing the DMV renewal online. He checked my tires and lights, and even cleaned the windows perfectly. It was really a WOW experience. read more

I was expecting that the smog check station would just check the smog and that's it. But they checked all lights and tire pressure and told me what need to be fixed. And he cleaned (sanitized?) the steering wheel, the dashboard, the driver seat, and keys! No wonder everyone likes this place. read more

Super positive experience. Jerry was friendly and thorough, taking the time to give me clear instructions on how to complete the DMV renewal and where to go if I don't receive my renewal in a timely fashion. He let me know my license plate light was out (I had no idea!), filled my tires, and sanitized. Would absolutely go back again! Thanks Jerry!! read more

The manager owner who seems to be the person I interact with is professional and timely. I will continue to go back to a well run business.

We are re-registering our cars and needed to re-up our smog certs - we did this last year and then the pandemic descended, which closed down a lot of DMV activities (including appointments for registering your out of state vehicles). Jerry was great - we called around 8:15 AM and he gave us a same-day, 9 AM appointment. Stellar service, highly recommend! read more

The best. Super knowledgeable... super qualified. I had problems getting my computer to recognize all the systems. He worked with me several times coaching me how to get my car set for the test. This the best smog guy you will ever find. But, always call to make an appointment, if you just show up, its 50/50 he can fit you in. read more

Called and Jerry took me right in at 3pm on Saturday. Smog test was done and car was disinfected COVID style... would recommend highly.

Friendly, professional, and efficient. Went above and beyond, quickly identifying a puncture in my tire and sealing it for me as a courtesy. Meticulous with wiping down everything with sanitizer after. Something seemed strange as I drive off and I finally realized he had CLEANED my window and mirror!!!...I guess they HAD been pretty dirty. Really, above and beyond. Will always go here. read more

I called at 9am on a Saturday and was able to take my car in immediately. The guy who checked my car was super thorough, he even checked the tire pressure and washed all the windows - which were a nice bonus. The best part for me personally was that he wore gloves the whole time, and kept his mask on correctly. During this pandemic, I've taken to wiping down/sanitizing the interior of my car after I've had to take it in for service, for my own peace of mind as well as safety. I was really happy to be notified that they sanitize the car interior themselves here, and I was even around to watch him wipe everything down with rubbing alcohol - even my keys before handing them back. read more

Great, quick, friendly service. I came in with 2 cars to smog, and there were a couple ahead of me. He let me know it would be about "90 minutes" and he was right on with that figure. Luckily within walking distance of this location there are several restaurants (all of downtown Orinda), a Starbucks, and a movie theatre. The only downside is you're going to pay the Orinda premium. $71 (!) $62.75 test + $8.25 certificate. You can get it done MUCH MUCH cheaper. read more

Excellent service at a fair price! I support local businesses whenever possible so I wanted to find a smog test service in the Lamorinda area. Based on the reviews below and recommendations from my husband and a my local repair shop, I selected Orinda Test Only. (BTW, I called two other test facilities for quotes after reading one of the reviews below -- Of these two shops one person hung up on me, and the other shop quoted me a price about $30 higher.) I called Orinda Test Only and was treated professionally and was told I could schedule an appointment or drop in. My service was quick (20 minutes - I scheduled an appt), professional, the same price as quoted, and they also checked my tires and cleaned the windows! The manager gave me the smog test results and and highlighted the necessary information on my DMW notice to complete the registration payment on-line. Excellent! Orinda Test Only goes above and beyond with their service. read more

This is now the only place I'll have my vehicles smog tested. I used to go to whoever was closest to my home, but the service I received here was above and beyond the norm, so they now have my entire household as loyal customers. Here's the longer story: I have an older truck and needed to get it smog tested. Apparently I need to go to a "smog test only" facility since it's older, an '85. I called the "smog test only" shop nearest my house, and they said come on by. I get there and they can't /won't do my truck. They give me some vague explanation that my truck was older and the the necessary equipment was out of order? Fine, I go home and find the 2nd closest place. I call them, they say come on by. Same story, I get there and they can't/won't do it because some mysterious piece of equipment is out of order. I'm getting cranky now, my time is valuable to me. These guys couldn't bother to mention on the phone they can only do newer vehicles? I check my phone for the next closest place, drive in, they can't do it either. WTF? So, I give up and go home. The next day I call Orinda Test Only. Jerry answers the phone, he may be the owner? I ask if he's busy and if I can bring my truck in for a smog test. He takes the initiative to ask what year vehicle I have. When I say an '85 Ford pickup, he informs me that the older vehicles also need an evaporation system test or something like that and that yes he can take care of me and to come on by in ~40 minutes because he had 2 people in front of me. So not only did he take the initiative to ask a key question, he also had all his equipment in order. Something came up and I couldn't come in that day. He called me back before giving my spot to someone else. No attitude that I flaked, he simply didn't want to inconvenience me if I was simply running late. I made it in the following week. He made sure I understood the truck should be fully warmed up, he also checked my tire pressure before putting on the Dyno. This was to give me the best chance of success. My truck passed with no problem, but I appreciate his thoughtfulness and attention to detail. I spoke with Jerry on the phone 3 times before my test, and spoke with him in person before and after my test. I found him to be intelligent, knowledgeable, thoughtful and good communicating with customers. Great job Jerry, you've earned our repeat business. read more

Quick and easy to get an appointment. Friendly and helpful service too. Even explained what would happen after the test

I went yesterday for a smog test and Jerry was very helpful. He not only did the smog test, but cleaned all the windows and checked tire pressure. He also gave helpful tips for registration of my out-of-state vehicle at DMV. read more

So efficient and friendly. And Jerry even checked the tire pressure. Great place!

This is the Best Smog Station, Jerry is terrific and knows so much about the all the necessary details. It was a pleasure doing business with him and I will always recommend him, he never disappoints and knows his business so well and always ready to help. Also very thorough with Covid clean up, I appreciated every thing Thank You !! -Cindy R read more

Was able to get in quickly despite not having appointment. Jerry very courteous. Asked about any allergies to rubbing alcohol. Worked fast and efficiently. Even cleaned windows! When complete quickly explained DMV process, how long it might take, and what to do if did not receive sticker within 30 days. Jerry's service is the way I would want to run a business like his. Great, local, friendly, fast, service. Thank you! read more