Very nice and efficient truck passed so detailed with his paperwork and clearly explains everything to you. Before during and after . read more

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Thank you Lawrence for handling our smog again, easy to schedule appointment and paperwork done immediately. Always a pleasure doing business with you! read more

Hello! I am writing this review to let you all know that the owner here is so so rude! I happened to be parked in the parking spaces in front of the shop and he came up to my car aggressively asking if I had an appointment. I told him no and that I was waiting to be seen at another shop in the area. He then proceeds to tell me "these parks are my customers only" MIND YOU this is a public space and parking there is NO sign that say smog only parking. I let him know OK and I moved maybe about 10 minutes after that. He stood behind my car and took pictures and I caught him. I asked him did you take a pic of my car and he said sure did rudely and I asked him why and he said for evidence. I asked evidence for what and he said that you wouldn't move your car. I let it slide but then as I went to the other shop I was told he was known for being a complete asshole and I went back and told him to delete the picture off of his phone, it was unnecessary. I think because he has customers he was embarrassed and quickly deleted it out of his phone. However he didn't delete it from his trash. Be aware of this guy! After I went to look at other reviews and other recall this man being a racist and I could honestly feel that energy from him. He told me that I would need to let his landlord know to create a sign for smog only and I told him that's not my problem it's his. I would not recommend going to this guy at all. read more

Prof Smog - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Pinole, California

Makes you pay before even testing it and took more than 45 mins just to tell me I failed, took an hour on one car ahead of me. Do not come here. read more

He was late without an apology. Further, I could've done without the glib "joke" about my mother passing away. I was floored. I'll never go here again. Two stars because his work is probably decent. I could just do without the theatrics. The poor review doesn't have anything to do with the fact that the car did not pass smog. It has not been driven for quite a while, and I didn't think that it would pass. read more

I don't understand what some others here have said negatively. Lawrence is very thorough and runs a very tight ship. He is an endearing person who really takes pride and care of his business and his customers. My wife and I both have been coming here for years. We won't go anywhere else! If your car doesn't pass then sounds like that's not his issue. He is great and the price is fair! read more

This place is a hole in the wall, I have been bringing all my cars and trucks here for smog for a few years now, classical music while you wait, Lawrence is friendly and does the smog very quickly! Just have to make appointment as sometimes it gets busy. Very reasonable price! read more

Def wouldn't do business here.. called to ask if they do retest- if JUST SO HAPPENED MY CAR DOESNT PASS... before I could finish my sentence the guy on the phone yells NOOOO. Like woah... hung up and taking my business elsewhere. Clearly this company is a scam and like to take peoples money. read more

It was an absolutely pleasure conducting business with Lawrence at Prof Smog. Highly recommended. Will be returning for all future Smogs! read more

Prof Smog - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Pinole, California

Thorough and exacting, and tenacious: he stuck with the problem until solved. The first smog place couldn't do it due to a visibility issue with the timing. If you want the BEST, most exhaustive, testing this is your place. I will be using PROF SMOG again, for sure. Anyone with an older vehicle, or one that has had difficulty passing smog in the past, go here. He checks everything; cuts zero corners. He does everything correctly, methodically and by the book. California's environment/air quality thanks you. He also has a clever sense of humor. read more

Wow, talk about a rude experience! So I get an incomplete DMV registration letter in my mail today. Wife and I both drive relatively "newer" cars in general so this is our first time getting a smog check letter. So we're both calling places to see who can get us in the soonest since our registration stickers expire in a couple of weeks. Long story short, I call Prof Smog and says he's by appt. only. Fair enough, he said earliest he can get us in would be 3pm. I know that's going to be a tough since I'm at work and wife picks kids up from school at that time. So I make that appt. thinking I'll take off from work early for it but wife calls and she found another place that is walk-in and $30 cheaper than Prof Smog. So I call him back in literally 5 mins as courtesy to cancel our appt. He answers and says." So you're cancelling your appt.? You're not coming back here ever again!" and hangs up the phone. If you want to go to an overpriced place for a rude experience, this is your place! You have been warned! read more

My car has two "Black lives matter" signs on the windows from a recent protest I attended. I pulled up to the shop for a smog test at 5pm, since online it says they are open until 6:30. The (white) man working there just gave me a dirty look, and when I asked if they were open, he said "no". He then proceeded to explain to me that I am "prejudiced against other races, like the Japanese and Chinese", and became somewhat aggressive in saying "all lives matter". He also approached my car speaking very aggressively while my window was rolled down, without wearing a mask. I felt uncomfortable with his behavior and general demeanor, but he asked for me to pull my car to the side so we could make an appointment. When I did this, he approached my window AGAIN and, rather than talking about the appointment, continued to berate me about the Black lives matter signs, saying "regardless of the data or the evidence Black people are always right I guess". I felt so unsafe that I told him I was leaving, and he just said "yeah". Clearly he did not want my business. This person did not want to service my car because I simply expressed support for Black people. *Really let that sink in for a second*. Yelp is not the platform on which I have typically been engaging with antiracist activism, but it is important to call out instances of racism when we see it. I think it is important to be aware that this establishment is not a safe place for those (like me) who believe that Black lives matter, and I would encourage anyone actively practicing anti-racism not to support this business. read more

seemed nice. definitely on the slower side as it is just him and talkative. i failed 2 times... same truck. turns out, he saw my catalytic converter was hard to read and not so accessible. extra charge for laying down. he tested and failed me not for emission. i was well within range. -wrong group number on cat. dealer, stated twas the same just listed differently for internet/ in person sales coding... i failed anyway. sadly, that cat was on for 8 years already. 3 smogs. all tests/ re-tests cost and a new cat to his likings to coincide with CA Emissions Law with a group number he could read... he finally passed me. 650 for new cat plus his smog fees and laying on ground fees... my truck is still running, 400k miles and he's the only fail i've ever received. another vehicle, 3x fail. test fee, re-test fees... first was eng light. next was computer wasn't run long enough. last was same reason which was 2 weeks later. so i don't drive that much during covid. either way. the commuter is a honda and well maintained. he's the first fail there as well. i went down the street, same day... within an hour and i passed. i shared my dilemma, they laughed and confirmed that the "old bastard"... charges to fail on the and his pass rates are suspiciously low considering he charges for everything including re-tests. i normally don't give negative reviews. i won't either. i also won't recommend this business. he's doing his job but if you see a problem before the test... don't wait and nab the customer and go thru the motions knowing it's a fail wasting their time and taking their money. before moving here, i used the same shops for most everything for trust and integrity. i question this shop business ethics and even his own. following the law of emissions doesn't mean sitting back and launching like a game of huNgry huNgry hippo. kindness, honesty, integrity... will gain business and earn a customer who returns... sorry Lawerence, your loss here. those few bucks earned will not be coming from me aGain. read more

Great service. He's a little older so you can't be in a rush when you go in. And the price is wonderful as well.

This guy is great. Very friendly and knowledgeable. the place is a little eclectic but that's besides the point. Lawrence gets the job done and does it the right way. Second time coming here and glad to see he is still here. Came by as he was closing and he was friendly enough to smog the vehicle. Will keep coming back as long as he is open. read more

This place is a hole in the wall, I have been bringing all my cars and trucks here for smog for a few years now, classical music while you wait, Lawrence is friendly and does the smog very quickly! Just have to make appointment as sometimes it gets busy. Very reasonable price!! read more

Ok. When we lived in Oakland we found a place that we liked clean and pristine and constantly busy. Well to be Frank (don't call me Frank) this place is kind of the opposite. Although busy always a car there, and because we're make an appointment we're taken care of quickly. Now be prepared... the owner has a sense of humor and is very endearing. A lot of times he rides a bike to work! If you want a corporate style shop this isn't for you. If you enjoy real people who care this is the place. read more

Wife took our family early 2000 Saab 93 here for the by annual smog check. The older gentlemen provided great service. He even helped removed all the heavy stuff from the car truck to get proper tire pressure. The attention to details were unexpected and much appreciated. Worth make an appointment have them do your next smog check. read more

Made initial contact via text to see about needing an appointment. Got a reply pretty quickly followed by a phone call to make an appointment for same day. Had to reschedule for later in the day after needing to go in to work; no problem. Got there at my appointment time and was greeted by Lawrence. Nice guy with a quirky sense of humor. He was very pleasant to deal with, unusual this day and age. I passed BTW. Highly recommend read more

DO NOT GO HERE!!!! My daughter brought her first car here for her first smog check. The owner commented to her that the "check engine" light was on, but then proceeded to do the smog check anyway and, of course, the car failed. Unfortunately, I do not drive her car and did not know this light was on or I would have never sent her to have a smog check. Experience has taught me that the car will fail and that repairs must be done first. I spoke with the owner on the phone and asked him why he would test a car with the check engine light on.....full well knowing it was going to fail. Then I found out that he "charges" for a retest.....aha....it all makes sense now! I explained to him that this was my daughter's first time doing this and that good customer service would be to tell the customer that the car has a problem, tell them to go get it fixed first, then come back and I will be happy to test it. He told me that "when I owned my own shop, I could run it this way.....but he does not!" He was extremely rude. He put my daughter back on the phone and I told her that I did not want to give this man my business and that I would make a real quick call to our mechanic to see what he would charge and call her back. After I hung up, he asked my daughter what she was going to do. She said that she was waiting for me to call her right back. He rudely told her to "move her car". She said "forget it....I am not giving you my biz." He said, "Good!" and she left. She called me immediately afterwards, very upset, crying and shaking at the way he had treated her. (She also described him as weird and creepy.) PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not use this shop to get your smog test. In the event it fails, you will be charged again. There are so many shops that do free retests---don't take the chance!!!!! I recommend Smog Check Express at 12440 San Pablo Ave. I told the guy at this shop my daughter's horrible experience at Smog Prof and he gave her $20.00 off....now that's the way to do business!!!!!!!!!! Hats off to them... read more

A tiny bit confusing as to where it is. But I found it. Some say it is 700 and some say it is 730. Regardless, it is on San Pablo near the Public Storage. The service tech (and I think owner) works pretty much alone so his schedule might be a little limiting. . He did a fast and friendly job. I was able to call him an hour or so before and he was could squeeze me in for an appointment. Strangely he has a bunch of art for sale in the garage. Nothing I would ever dream of owning, but that's my deal, not everyone else's. Ohh...he is kinda weird. Not scary, but let's just say interesting...or perhaps eccentric. MAKE SURE AND BRING YOUR CAR'S REGISTRATION RENEWAL SLIP WITH YOU!! read more

Great place to get a smog check, very friendly and reliable, great pricing. I highly recommend this place.

Save yourself time and money and go somewhere else! Most other places have a free re-test policy but this place does not. The owner is DISHONEST! The shop is very unprofessional, cluttered, disorganized and I felt like I was shaken down to purchase a new gas cap at a super inflated price because the owner didn't like the one that my car's manufacturer installed on the car (which was in perfect condition). Obviously this was a sad attempt to make some extra money but I had to purchase the gas cap or he said he would fail my car. I passed but I wish I had gone to a different place and not had to endure being taken advantage of. The owner is a creep looking very hard for reasons to charge customers or fail them to line his own pockets. read more

Came to this smog station 2 years ago for a smog check and Lawrence was nice enough to squeeze me in and did a great job and some dose of friendly conversation, and listening to soothing background music while performing the test. Took my truck again last Saturday for the test (with an appointment this time) and again, as expected, Lawrence was superb, very professional, and with his great sense of humor, you will be entertained while waiting for your smog test service. Definitely, will recommend this place. read more

Don't take you late model car here. Apparently he doesn't know how to do that special test. My 1993 Miata failed because it was idling too low. Took it to my mechanic and he adjusted. Prof Smog failed it yet again. Took it El Sobrante Smog Test Only Center and it passed. read more

no nonsense smog guy. lowest price in the area. I saw a loyalty discount on my bill.

Oh boy smog checks! Everyone loves getting those done right? Such an efficient means of everyone's time right? Riiiiight. Thankfully, Prof Smog makes the entire process as easy and painless as possible. First off, the guy is appointment only. So be sure to make one or else you probably won't get served. He's open on weekends too so it's actually pretty easy to get an appointment. I was able to call up and get an appointment the same day. Service is pretty quick and easy as well. I was in and out in less than 15 minutes. Super easy and it was definitely pretty cheap all things considered. Ended up paying $50 for my smog check, which is definitely better than what some other places are charging for it. The owner himself is very friendly and he's definitely bound to get a few chuckles out of you while you're there. You could call him a little eccentric yes, but aren't we all? Anyways, I'll definitely be coming back here next time I have to get my smog check done. It was easy as eating a whole pie here. read more

Excellent and friendly customer service! Quick and easy process. Star certified! Repeat customer discount. Thank you!

I do not recommend if you have an older car I have a 1998 and did not pass. The worst is that he charges you again for the re-test! Other places are free. Waste of time and money. read more

Have been going here for about 15 years now with 4 different cars now and never had one fail. Reasonable price. Owner is a little quirky and place is dirty but as long as they get the job done I can look past this. read more

Second time coming here and the owner is super friendly, knowledgeable and fast. Affordable prices as well. Loyalty discount so keep that in mind! This place is fast and convenient!!!! read more

I called on 4:00 pm on a Saturday. A man answered the phone. I Asked the man the price for a smog check. He asked me for the make and model and very carefully and specifically provided me with an answer. He said I have an appointment for you at 5:00 pm. I arrived. Smog check was performed promptly. "Congratulations, you passed." I paid. I was done. I don't understand what all the whining is about in some of these negative reviews. I can't understand all these shenanigans. Your car doesn't pass a smog check, and you want to weasel around. Now, now, gentlemen. NOTE: Most other smog business are either closed on Saturdays, or close early. Not Prof Smog. read more

I highly recommend Prof Smog. I have a 1994 Camry that no one seems to want to deal with. I was going to donate my car until I found Lawrence in Prof Smog. He was very patient yet effectively smog checked with my old car. My car passed smog check. Thanks to Lawrence, I can continue to use my work horse vehicle for many years more. read more

Don't lose your time even calling. Terrible service at the phone, the guy who answered hang up on me TWICE after I asked about a service that they were suggested to do on Google sites, he didn't bother even to answer my question. After all I was thankful that this was the only bad experience with them. read more

I've been here twice, and both times I received excellent service. I couldn't quite put my finger on it the first time, but Lawrence looks a lot like the late actor Ed Wynn, who I know from Mary Poppins as the uncle who couldn't stop laughing. Lawrence has a sense of humor too, but more importantly, he is professional and courteous, and he enjoys chatting it up with the customers. He used to sell some artwork on the side, but stopped because it took up too much garage space. Be sure to call in advance to schedule an appointment for the weekday or give a heads-up that you'll be coming in on a Saturday (which is first-come-first-serve). read more

I was at Prof Smog on 5/29/2013. The owner was very polite. I was early for my appointment and he was accommodating as there was no one in front of me. I would go back and support this business. read more

Stay away from here if you have an older vehicle. I brought my 1993 Toyota here which always passed smog before. It failed because the idle was too high and Lawrence did not even try to adjust the idle timing. Accutech in Pinole told me horror stories about this shop. Prof Smog is very quick to fail smog checks. I question his ability and knowledge and I DO NOT recommend this shop ESPECIALLY if you have an older car. read more

Lawrence is the best Star certified smog tester on the planet! He'll pass your car if it deserves to pass.

I would give Lawrence zero stars if I could. He doesn't know what he is doing. First off, he didn't didn't even know how to open the hood of our 2007 Mustang. There were clips on there and my husband had to open it for him. He refused to do a smog check on our car because he thought that there were performance parts installed by us. Everything under that hood was stock and for that particular year for some Mustangs, Shelby kits were added. He started yelling and continuously accused my husband of lying and said that he "wasn't going to lose his license over him or his car".....we wouldn't put anyone in a situation like that in the first place! We will never ever go there for future services or recommend him. Stay far far away if you want some old guy yelling at you for his lack of knowledge and customer service! There are others in the Pinole/El Sobrante area that deserve your money! ***UPDATE: Lawrence decided to respond to my review (literally TWO years later). Like I said in my initial review, he was the one yelling, not my husband. He's still a crazy old guy. We went to FORD who confirmed the Shelby Kit was in fact not modified. Glad to know other people are steering clear of this place and this wack job. read more

I came away pleased. Not overbooked. He's got the latest equipment that allows him to go a little faster without hurrying. I've been to several smog places and this one is where I'm going on the other car. read more