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Horizon Smog

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Horizon Smog Reviews (5)

Review: I went on July 11, 2014 for a smog check around 4:10pm (as stated on my smog check vehicle inspection report) and the smog tech, [redacted], inspected my car. After the testing, my car passed the emissions test, but failed functional check because my timing was off. On my paper he stated that I failed due to "D392-11 INTAKE MODIFIED (AFTERMARKET)" and "TIMING OUT OF SPECIFICATION." He also scribbled "IMPROPER GEAR WHILE DRIVING GEAR RATIO IS TOO LOW AND REV TOO HIGH." He told me that I need to fix my timing because my car is revving at 1200 rpm. My intake is aftermarket and isn't applicable for my car since the part number he looked up "D-392-11" was for another year of Civic. I might need downsize my tire size because my gear ratios are off. And if I came back with my receipt within 2 weeks I will get a free retest.Today, July 16, 2014, around 2:50-3:00pm. I return for my free retest. When he looked at my car, I told him, "Last time you checked my intake and only checked 1 of the CARB E.O. number, D-392-11. This intake is for my car. You didn't look at the other 2 numbers." I opened my hood and he checked the numbers. He jotted down all three numbers onto the smog check vehicle inspection report I brought back. Then I told him, I got my timing fixed. He gave me a smug look, then he looked down on my intake and saw that I had tape over a hole. He asked about the tape and our discussion went sour when he demanded that I find the plug, and I quote him, "Well find that st." After our argument, he refuse to serve me my free testing. I told him I'm going to report him. I got his technician license number and he took a picture of my intake. While I was leaving, he tried to persuade me to go to another Horizon nearby station by throwing a business card in my car. I refused to want any service from other stations I did not plan on going to and threw it out. He kept harassing me by throwing it in my car another 2 times. After I threw it out and told him I didn't want his card. I left the station.Desired Settlement: I want a refund of $49.75 and another $49.75, totaling up to $99.50 for the amount of another smog testing that I now have to do. I deserve the refund because he refused my free retest. Also, if I fail my visual inspection, then why perform the whole smog testing. I feel this additional $49.75 is for wasting my time and false advertisement. I could have taken it elsewhere and dealt with this issue easier than experiencing this moment with an incompetent person who cannot perform an adequate job.

Review: I went on Saturday May 31st, 2014 to get my car smog'd. I was told that I failed smog because of the following: Vacuum leak at the PCV hose and ignition timing speed failed. I decided to take my car to a shop the same day so that they would be able to fix the issue. I called one shop over the phone and they asked why would they test the ignition timing, when that does not have to be tested. I found a shop near by that I physically took my car into to have the issue resolved. They asked me the same question why was the ignition timing tested and they took a look at my car and found nothing wrong with it. The vacuum lines and the PCV were both fine. They retested my car and it passed with no problem. I was told that I am not the first person who has had this issue with Horizon Smog. Once I called Horizon I gave my number and information to a technician and the manager was suppose to call me back on Monday. This did not happen so I ended up calling them and I was told I should have brought the car back and there is nothing they can do. Once again he took down my information only for me not to hear from the manager another day. Bringing my car back to them was not an option so that they could tell me the something else is wrong when it really isnt? That was a waste of time, money for the smog and gas.Desired Settlement: I would like to be refunded my $29.75 the amount that I paid to have the test done inaccurately. I think that is only fair being that I had to go elsewhere to have my car "fixed" with nothing being wrong with it. Then having to pay $40.00 to have it done correctly.

Business

Response:

A smog is pretty straightforward. We have no incentive in misdiagnosing the car as we are a test only station. We have no control of what other shops advise. The owner cannot override the technician if the procedure is being done correctly following the guidelines of the State of California Law.

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because: it still does not address the fact that time and money was wasted in this matter. My compliant is that I took my car to two different shops to get my car fixed and then they tell me that there was nothing wrong with my car in the first place. Yes I understand that you can not control what other shops tell me but for two different shops to look at the paper work that I received from your establishment and tell me they did not see anything wrong is very questionable to me. The only option that I had was to bring my car back to the shop so that they can take another look. At this point I did not want to bring my car back here because I lost a lot of trust with the way things were handled. Time was wasted, gas was wasted, and money was wasted, I am very upset with how this was handled and I feel that those things are not taken in to consideration.

Business

Response:

Test only smog is straight forward business, we do not repair or up sell stuff on the car. Our job is inspect vehicle

if the techinician feels that the vehicle is not meeting the regulations directed by the state of California, the vehicle will not pass

the smog inspection

Review: Vehicle inaccurately failed smog test and had to be paid for/redone elsewhere. Harassed by owners.

Vehicle passed smog test but failed by technician due to "visual inspection". Reputable smog repair organization called Bureau of Auto Repair to confirm that visual inspection of crack in exhaust manifold not legitimate basis for failed smog check. Vehicle passed again. After not honoring the coupon of $29.95 and quoting $13 for retest, that was unnecessary, I paid $40 for failed test and requested refund due to their error in failing the vehicle. Rude staff member refused refund. Called boss who agreed to mail a check with refund since charged on credit card, "policy" was to not reverse charge. Boss called me back to ask me to return to the shop for immediate refund. I refused. Then bosses' boss called to intimidate me not to write a negative review on Yelp after bad experience. At this point, I am feeling harassed by this "business". Slimy doesn't begin to describe these people.Desired Settlement: Refund of charges ($40.95) + 4 hours compensation @ $15/hour for having to take vehicle to another shop for smog inspection and deal with 4 phone calls from people at Horizon Smog to resolve issue = $100.95

Business

Response:

Business Response

the vehicle failed smog for a crack manifold. the technician has the right the fail the vehicle if the vehicle is polluting the air.He followed the law written in the Book. We have tried to explain it to the customer.there is nothing we can do about it .

Review: I called the Horizon Smog 800 number on 4/24/14 & spoke to someone named Kelly - he took a message for me to give to the owner, [redacted], but no one ever called me back. My complaint is that on 4/9/14 my son took my 1993 Dodge Spirit to be smogged, and the technician told him it could not be smogged because the technician could not find the timing mark; however, the tech guy took $39.95 from him and said he could have a free retest in 15 days. Even my husband, who is a mechanic, did not know exactly what the guy meant. Then on 4/21/14 my son took the car back and told the guy it was a flex-fuel vehicle and would that make any difference, and the guy said no. The next day I called and spoke to the owner, [redacted], who said I needed to find the timing mark myself somehow, by going to a mechanic, etc. He also mentioned the DMV Referee program, so I made an appointment with the DMV referee - my husband took the car to them on 4/23/14 and it passed, no problem, and we only had to pay $8.25 for the certificate (sticker). The DMV referee said it is up to the smog place to research and find the timing mark for each car that comes in. So I want the $39.95 back.Desired Settlement: $39.95 refund check from Horizon Smog payable to Sara R. Mollison, mailed to 445 Colin Kelly Dr., Roseville, CA 95747-6104.

Review: I came across Horizon Smog Station while searching for deals on craigslist. The advertised price for a smog inspection was $29.95, which seemed fairly reasonable so I decided to take my car there. Once I got to the station I was told that there were additional fees that would increase the price to $48.95. I should have known something was wrong at this point, but I went ahead and agreed to have the service done. My car passed the emissions test as well as the functionality test, but the tech, [redacted] told me that the visual test had failed. He said that my dipstick and vacuum line needed to be replaced in order to pass, so he noted these required repairs on my paperwork. I had the repairs done per [redacted]s instructions two days later, and took my car back for a retest. I waited over an hour for [redacted] to look at my car and after popping the hood and pulling off my air hose, he told me that the test would fail. He said that the air pump hose needed to be replaced or the emissions test would fail, and that he "thought he told me that" during my first visit. I asked him how the air pump hose would cause me to fail when there was never an issue with it, and the emissions test had passed just two days before. He had no answer. I had already filled out my retest paperwork and I asked him to void it so that I would have no problems when I returned for the retest. He wrote "void" very faintly on the paper and refused to give me the customer copy. He walked away from me while I was still talking, so I went into the office and asked him to write down what was wrong with my car, as he had done before. He refused to do it and said, "You can write it yourself." I immediately left the shop and went to one that Id been to a couple of times in the past. The tech did a visual inspection before the actual test and told me that everything looked fine. Within 30 minutes I was walking out of the shop with my receipt and registration stickers in hand! My car passed the test without a problem.I understand that it was a busy day and that [redacted] preferred to wait on those who were paying $50+ for a smog test, rather than someone who was paying $8.25 for a retest, but the fact of the matter is I was a customer. I had already paid him $39.95 (minus the retest fee) and I should've been treated with respect. Instead he purposely found a reason not to test me, because he knew that the people in line were first time customers who would be paying full price. I have no proof of this for sure, but I strongly believe that he pulled my air pump hose out intentionally so that he could convince me to have it "fixed" instead of retesting me, giving himself the opportunity to make more money off of someone else. This is terrible business, and I feel that I am entitled to a refund. I have read numerous reviews for this station and while some are fair, there are quite a few others that sound similar to mine. I am convinced that these are normal business practices at Horizon Smog Station, and because of this I will never return. Not only that, I am letting potential customers know what could happen should they choose to do business at this establishment.Desired Settlement: I would like to be refunded the money that I paid to Horizon Smog. There was no reason for my car to fail the test a second time. Literally 30 minutes after leaving this shop and going to different one, my car passed the test without a problem. I have read the other reviews on this particular shop, and I see that I am not the only person that they have done this to.

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Description: Auto Repair & Service

Address: 4625 El Camino Ave Unit B, Sacramento, California, United States, 95821-6761

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www.sacramentosmogstation.com

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