When we moved to San Diego, we needed to get our vehicles' license plates swapped over to California plates. I did a search for smog check in our area, and came up with a handful that were nearby. ... More

When we moved to San Diego, we needed to get our vehicles' license plates swapped over to California plates. I did a search for smog check in our area, and came up with a handful that were nearby. I called around and Thao's Auto Repair had a) a good price and b) did not require an appointment. They told me that I would only have to wait 20 minutes, and even better, I knew there was a coffee place (Urban Grind) where I could wait. Thao's is in a weird location, on a corner of a busy intersection (near Park and University). It can be hard to even find a space in their lot to park, and if you have a large vehicle, you will probably have to navigate through some tight spaces. I wouldn't say that their service is not exactly the friendly either. But what annoyed me the most is that the price that I was quoted on the phone was totally different than the actual price. The woman I spoke to claimed that the quote she gave me was for an older vehicle, but I had told her my exact make/model when I talked to her on the phone. Since I was desperate to have my trips to the DMV over and done with, I still had them do the smog check. However, I will not be going back there for any type of service -- I can only imagine how the prices might magically change for other, larger bills. (Oh well at least my cup of coffee while waiting at Urban Grind was good).
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