Soooo... I drove over to the Toyota dealership to get my oil changed this morning. If you read the other thread you know that I ended up deciding to buy the oil from the dealer for $7.00 per quart. I pulled my car into the garage entrance and the gentleman came up and asked me why I was there. I told him that I wanted to get my car's first oil change and that I wanted 0W-20 oil.

"Do we have that?" he asked.

I explained how I had called about it, but he seemed really unsure, so I decided to ask the service writer guy inside. He said they don't usuallly just have it, so he'd have to check with the parts department. A few minutes later he returned and said they don't have 0W-20, but they have 0W-30 and that's "the same thing". Umm, no, it's NOT the same thing. It's also not what is recommended for my car. He actually asked me if that's what it says on my oil cap. I told him that's what it says in the manual. Do not try to pull crap on me just because I am female. I RTFM, buddy. He goes back to the parts department and they apparently tell him that they can order some, but there's no guarantee it will arrive before they close the service department for the day at 2pm.

I get a little testy. I mean, you understand I CALLED THEM to inquire about this. I was told that they had it. I was told I could pay $7.00 per quart for it. I was also told I couldn't make an appointment on a Saturday, but could just drive over and wait for the car and it would be about an hour. PLUS WHICH, I was told when I bought the car that I got lifetime free oil changes. I don't have such a big, huge problem with paying for the oil if it's not what's included with the free lifetime oil changes, but this whole run-around was not making me happy. He gave me the card of the Service Manager and said I should call him on Monday.

So, feeling very annoyed I left and called my husband via "dial by number" to relay the whole story to him. We started talking about our plans for next Saturday, which would be the next time I could take the car in for its oil change I was reminded that we already have plans and can't just go sit around the dealership for an unknown amount of time waiting for my oil to be changed.

He suggested that I stop at Wal-Mart to see if they actually got anymore 0W-20 since the day he was there. He knows how I feel about Wal-Mart. I reminded him that Exxon Mobile said NAPA stores carry it, so while I was driving and talking to him he looked up the location of the nearest NAPA store.

I drove down there and they were open, and had a whole case of 0W-20 on the shelf and their price was $5.19 per quart, which is LOWER than Wal-Mart here. I bought the oil and drove back to the dealership where I inquired about having my oil changed and how long it would take. Under the circumstances they offered to sort of rush me through and intead of 60-90 minutes I got my oil changed in a mere 35 minutes.

While I was waiting I went out and said hello to the Inventory Manager who preferenced my car and got me my Jasper Pearl, still the only one SOLD in CT (he told me). I told him about driving out to the NAPA store to buy the oil. He seemed really, really surprised. He said he never heard of someone having to buy their own oil and he asked me if he could photocopy my receipt. He said he is going to talk to the service manager on Monday and call me.

Now, I really don't mind paying extra for the 0W-20. I for sure will not be buying it from the dealership, though, because it's $2 cheaper from NAPA. However, they really should stock the oil that is recommended since they are selling oodles of them and they really should be HONEST about whether they have it in stock when someone calls and asks about it.