Rumoured lead for the new Nikita. Never seen her in anything, but she seems to have action cred.

Kathy, can't you buy an air filter at an auto parts store (or Target) and put it in yourself?

I say that without knowing what a Civic engine looks like -- maybe the air filter is hard to reach, in which case, having the mechanic replace it is worth the aggravation, IMO.

(When my oxygen sensor was wonky in the Echo, I cleaned the sensor myself andthen reset the software that reads it. Again, I'm not recommending that you do that, necessarily. I did it b/c Dr. Google assured me it would be easy AND fix the problem. Which it was and did.)

t edit

But the brake job is weird, your brake pads are at 80% worn and you need new rotors? That doesn't make sense. Resurfacing, sure, but replacement?

That, too, seems wonky.

I just called back and got an itemized breakdown. I forgot to mention the testing and inspection, which added up to $150, the brakes are $470, the sensor is just under $300, and the cabin air filter is $90.

Here is a video on how to replace the cabin filter on what I believe is your generation of civic;

[link]

No tools involved. The filters are more expensive then I thought though.

If you go this route, just remember you're getting cabin air filters not the air filter. The cabin air filter is not going to be as easy to find, but an auto parts store will probably have one.

the cabin air filter is $90.

Uh, wow. For that much, I'd hit up Auto Zone and put a new one in myself.

I know nothing about fixing cars, and have no place to fix them anyway--the apartment complex has rules about doing car repairs in the lot.

Can you call around and find a different repair place?

the apartment complex has rules about doing car repairs in the lot.

I never thought of putting in a new air filter as a repair. More like refilling the windshield washer fluid. Unless you aren't even allowed to do that in the parking lot, which seems petty but not the weirdest rule an apartment complex has ever made.

And Now We Pause for a Falco Moment

Has two embedded videos, and a picture of his grave (which is awesome!)

From that video, you don't even need to open the hood. I don't think the complex will care. Fixing something and saving money has enormous satisfaction.