My '97 Civic was overheating when it idled for 5 minutes or more. There was a $90 diagnostic fee, but considering they worked on the car for @ 2 hours, I considered the cost reasonable. They found the radiator fluid was low even though the coolant overflow tank was filled properly. They replaced a kinked hose in the overflow tank. More importantly, they tested the fuel and found early indications of a possible head gasket leak.
The car also had a worn suspension part, but since it was not yet a critical repair, they recommended I not have that fixed until we could determine more about the coolant / possible head gasket issue. Since the car has 200,000+ miles on it, if the engine issue turns out to be serious, it might be time to junk the car, so the suspension repair could be pointless.
I appreciate their honest overall assessment of my car.
more