Now that's what I call customer service!

I had one of my greatest North Carolina experiences so far this past weekend. You always hear about how the cost of living is so much less outside of CA, but I haven't found that to be true, outside of housing itself. Clothing is the same, personal products are the same, Target is Target no matter what side of the country you're on, and groceries tend to even be slightly more expensive out here.

However, I have now discovered the beauty of an inexpensive oil change!

I have to admit, right up there with being sad about leaving my friends, family, church, and the city I loved, I actually had the thought "...and I'll have to find a new Honda dealership too..." as I drove out of L.A three months ago.

I loved my Honda dealership in Simi Valley! This may sound silly, but I really did! They always treated me so well and twice a year I received coupons for $10 off an oil change. I looked forward to these special treats, as they made my oil change more affordable at 20 bucks a pop, rather than 30 (plus tax, of course). But the icing on the cake was that my $20 oil change also included shuttle service, a refill on my washer fluid, and an exterior car wash. Not bad, eh?

Well, the little light popped on the dash of Rocky recently, warning me that my oil life was at 10% and I knew it was time to schedule an appointment. I begrudgingly called "Honda of Lake Norman" and made an appointment, sighing at the fact that I'd have to pay full price and determined that I would never feel about them the way I felt about "my" Honda back home. Everything about them seemed dumb to me from their location, to their theme song, their entrance driveway, the way the service center was set up...

However, all my feelings changed instantly the moment I stepped up to the cashier who rang me up for a whopping total of $12.87!

"Does that price include the oil change?" I asked Ray, the cashier. He assured me it did - and I got the shuttle, car wash, and fluid top-off as well, not to mention a multi-point inspection under my hood, under the car, my tire pressure and tread checked, etc, etc. Still not believing him, I checked a few more times, eyeing him suspiciously as he swipped my debit card. There just had to be a catch somewhere!

"I hear they've started charging $24 at some places, but we've always been $9.95 plus tax" he told me. My jaw dropped as I explained to him that "back where I come from" this same service was at least $30. I happily signed my receipt and walked out to my car, only to realize that I had dropped my cell phone into the Bermuda Triangle under my passenger seat and couldn't find it if my life depended on it. And you know what? Ray himself came out with his cell phone to call my number and climb around on his knees looking through every nook and cranny of my car until he retrieved my phone! And yes, even this service was included in my price of $9.95!

I can honestly say that an oil change has never made me so happy before. I'm thinking of making the Lake Norman Honda theme song my new cell phone ring...