Bay Area Smog Test Place

[ikarcuaso]

Can anyone suggest a "911-friendly" smog test place that's open on weekends that ideally could do a pre-check prior to the official test, and of course adjust (or let me do it) the fuel/air and/or idle as necessary.

I'd like to do it this weekend, but if you know a good place is only open weekdays, I'm open to that as well. East Bay preferred, but I'll go whereever. Thanks.

[vash]

i try to take my car to valhalla to get a pre adjust. i have heard the prices vary from free to $40. mine was free. he is in layfayette, and there is a friendly dude just up the street that does the smog. he knows to hold the e-brake a bit to get the car underload. then go back to vahalla and he will put it back. dont know about the weekends tho.

are you going "test only"?

[jtkkz]

I know of someone in Fremont

very nice person, I take all my cars there, even when I use to have my '91 C2 and M3

He is open everyday

City Smog (test only smog check station)
510-795-7664

[aigel]

Do you have to go to a "smog test only" station? First Street Livermore Smog is open until early afternoon on Saturdays and they test any car, including 911s. It being a "smog test only" station, they do not work on cars, but they offer a pre-test, if I remember right.

George

[ikarcuaso]

Thanks for the helpful input. Test-only is fine, but I don't mind paying the extra $$$ for a pre-test and adjustment, if necessary. Unfortunately, good 911 shops like Valhalla that do that aren't open on the weekends.

Unless there are other suggestions? TIA.

[gerard vaglio]

Go to S Car Go in San Rafeal. Rob will adjust your car untill it passes. He may even accompany the car to the test station! Speaking from personal experience, if it can pass, it will pass if you leave it with him.

What ever you decide, don't go directly to the smog station. That will put you in the gross polluter catagory and complicate your life for no reason.

[emcon5]

Originally posted by ikarcuaso
Test-only is fine

What they are asking is if "test-only" is required. It seems like a lot of older cars are "randomly" selected to go to test only stations. Mine is, every time.

Tom

[aigel]

Our cars are not randomly selected. If you look at your smog check only vehicle inspection report, under vehicle information, where they list the engien size, etc., you will find:

inspection reason: high emitter profile

There you have it. We are being profiled!

I do not agree that you should always have the car pretested. If you set the mixture and your 02 sensor is reasonably new and the car runs good and doesn't stink obviously from the exhaust, you usually pass. I always have.

George

[aigel]

And yes, the question is if your renewal notice says "SMOG Certification Required at a Test Only Center".

Cheers, George