A & S Union 76

Have coupon for smog. Tells me it’s double because I have a small truck. Said coupon meant for Hondas and Toyotas. Told him probe fits in same kind of tailpipe as any car. Said that was their option to charge more. Told him I thought their practices were questionable. I left, went to Shell Menlo Park, no up charge, price same as their «coupon price». Keep driving down the road, don’t stop!

The guy with a bald head and mustache who works the smog station at this 76 is incompetent. I got there at 9 am today, first customer in line. He stalled my car three times trying to get it on the platform. From 9am until 10:15 am I saw him fiddling around with tubes under the hood, in the back of the car, and he was never able to get the machine to start the test. Then he came over and told me that my car was too old to pass. When I informed him that 6 months earlier my car passed with a perfect report from this very smog station (A different man helped that day) he said, «Okay, I’ll try.» After a total of 1 and a half hours of watching him fumble with the computers and car, he said «Your car’s RPMs are too high, it won’t pass.» I told him, what does that even mean, my car’s RPMs are too high, it idles at 600 RPMs? I said, I’m leaving, give me my car, don’t even test it. I drove to the Smog station at the Shell Station across from Safeway on El Camino in Menlo Park and it passed the Smog test without a hitch in 20 minutes. Not only that, The mustached/​bald man at the willow road 76 smog station was trying to charge me 120 $ total for the smog/​evac test, and when I went to the shell station on el camino in menlo park, the total smog/​evac test was only 45 $. The bald, mustached man is a liar, incompetent, charges too high, and doesn’t know how to drive a stick shift car. I would recommend taking your car to the shell station on el camino across from Safeway in Menlo Park when you need your car smogged. They’ll only charge you $ 45.

I complained to the manager that there were no squeegees available to clean my windshield; rather than apologize, he blew me off. At least the gas prices are now competitive but I won’t be back.

Thieves. I wish no stars was an option. I asked for $ 35 in cash back and was given $ 33.50. The receipt said nothing about being charged $ 1.50 for the cash back. If they want to charge for that, fine. But they should have charged me $ 36.50 and clearly stated it on the receipt. Beware of Ramani. Here’s how the convo went…
His response to my complaint: «This is my shop, I can do whatever I want.»
Me: «No you can’t if it’s illegal.»
Ramani: «ok then I’ll just take it back»
Me: «You already charged me. You can’t take it back. That’s stealing. I’ll take the $ 33.50 rather than nothing, but you’re a thief.»
Ramani: «I’m a thief? You’re a f’ing thief!»
I think the owner and IRS needs to get on top of this. He’s skimming off of the top and not just stealing from me, but from the owner and from the 76 company. I hope karma comes back to bite him.

I noticed they started hiring much friendlier cashiers. The other day, I was lost, didn’t have a clue where I was, and the cashier was super helpful. He actually took out a map and helped me for a good 10 minutes, and helped me figure out how to get to my destination. Definitely 5 stars for the service!

There’s something particularly awesome about a gas station that has the guts to price themselves $.30 — $ 1.00 /​gallon higher than the nice station one block west. Yes, during the great gas price decrease of 2008 the 76 was charging a buck per gallon more than willow. Highly recommended – With these prices it must be better!

Once again, I wish there was a score lower than a one.
I went to these guys for gas for over a month because they are in my neighborhood (silly sort of personal value eh? patronizing your local businesses?) Most of the time the fellow, who seems to be from India, was nice and courteous.
Recently my brother passed away and I was headed up to Oregon. I went out to get in the car and saw the tire was low from a nail I’d picked up.
I wanted to get on the road, and it still drove OK, so I took it across the street to the 76 station on Willow.
The mechanic was supposed to be on at 9, and it was 9:20.
No mechanic.
I asked the guy if he was supposed to be there and he said the guy must be running late. I was pretty anxious and I asked him if he’d consider calling the guy or seeing if we could find out if he was coming at all.
The guy looks at me and says, «who the f*ck are you?»
I said, «Huh?»
“Who the f*ck are YOU?“
I said, «Holy shit, don’t you recognize me? I’m your customer. I’m your neighbor.»
«Well, what the f*ck should I do for you coming all in here with your bullshit?»
«WHAT?»
I started to argue with him, and I knew I was wasting time. I really needed to get going if I was to be in Portland that day.
«OK,» I said, «See ya.»
I swore, obviously, that I’d never go back– no matter what.
I don’t know if this is a franchise situation– whether this asshole is working for someone or if he’s actually the owner– but I sure intend to find out.
Now another important thing to remember is that GAS is cheaper at EVERY OTHER 76 station than this one.
Twenty cents cheaper.
Their prices are outrageous and the help are a pack of assholes.
Now my review is finished.
F*ck this creep…

Let me preface this review by stating I was ALREADY having a bad day and this review reflects the MECHANIC on site and not the 76 station itself!
A couple of months back I received a ticket for expired vehicle registration. In order to have it signed off I had to smog my car and send in payment. Unbeknownst to me I had to do a «test only» not just a regular smog check. After waiting for 40 minutes at the first smog station the technician came out and told me that I needed a «test only» check, and there was one down the street that opened at 9:00AM.
I made the short journey to Shell and went in to speak with the sales clerk. He said that the mechanic wasn’t in until 9:30AM. Since I had already used an hour of vacation time, I decided to forgo the mission of having my car smogged and drove up to work.
When I arrived my FANTASTIC boss already had a smog appointment scheduled and a hand drawn map ready for me at the place she went for her smog — it really made my day!
So I decide to try again using my lunch hour. I arrive at my scheduled appointment time, 12:30PM, and the mechanic says that he’s backed up and asked if I can wait 30 minutes. I agree and start looking over a magazine.
Little more than 20 minutes pass and I hear a tap on my car and the mechanic telling me he’s ready. He begins the test and I wait in the black leather office chair in the garage. He takes a quick break as the diagnostic is running its course and tells me to fill out the work order. BEING A WOMAN I AM A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE HAVING ANY WORK DONE IN A GARAGE SINCE MANY LIKE TO OVERCHARGE.
After the test is complete and I pass, I take the work order and my $ 10 off coupon that my boss printed from the internet and proceed to pay in the convenience store. The total on the work order is $ 80, and I hand him the $ 10 coupon and $ 80 cash. He takes it and hands me a receipt. I give him a puzzled look and ask for my $ 10 change.
He gives some excuse that he just takes the money and that he can’t give me the change because the total on the bill was $ 80.
YEAH OK I GET IT! BUT I HAVE A COUPON FOR $ 10 OFF!
He tells me that I have to talk to the mechanic because he’s the one who wrote out the work order. OK FINE! I’LL PLAY THAT GAME!
I head back into the garage and inform the guy of the coupon and he gets all hot and bothered that he can’t give me the money back since I didn’t give him the coupon before he started the test. WHAT THE HELL? IF I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PADDED THE PRICE AN EXTRA $ 10 BUCKS MAKING THE COUPON $ 0 OFF!
I KID YOU NOT WE DISCUSSED, BORDERLINE-​ARGUED, THIS ISSUE FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE HE… FINALLY…GAVE ME MY STUPID $ 10 BACK!
After realizing he was in the wrong and needed to rectify the situation so I wouldn’t leave incredibly pissed, he proceeded to ask if the drive from San Jose to Menlo Park was difficult and then requested I didn’t tell anyone about the discrepancy… «SURE» I replied, reassuring him.
BUT I WILL NEVER BE BACK BECAUSE:
1. YOU MADE ME WAIT 30 MINUTES AFTER MY APPOINTMENT TIME
2. YOU DIDN’T WANT TO REDEEM MY COUPON

F**k this place and the asshole who works here.
I went in here to get three bottles of water and a bag of almonds. The guy behind the counter wasn’t too friendly, but at first I wasn’t bothered.
He rings up my total and I hand him my Visa debit card.
He swipes said card and tells me to enter PIN.
I enter it and he says I did it wrong. Must give him back my card to do it again.
He swipes, I re-​enter PIN.
It’s obvious from looking at the screen of the PIN machine that it’s not working.
HOWEVER, he turns to me, with a line of waiting customers behind me, and says:
«Your problem! You have no money in your account! Not my problem!»
Stunned, I inform him that he’s mistaken, and perhaps he can try again. He tosses my card at me and AGAIN says I have no money in my account.
Pissed, I leave.
…And buy three bottles of water and a bag of almonds at the next gas station with the same card (which was not lacking in funds).
Asshole. Take responsibility for your shitty card machine!