This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DropShopandOil #CollectiveBias

Having a toddler is not at all what I expected. While I do truly savor every minute of it, I also cannot figure out how to squeeze in things like breakfast, or shaving my legs, or, y’know, oil changes, on a regular basis. At the same time, as a mom, I’m not satisfied with my car maintenance not being taken care of when it should– an unsafe car is NOT an option when you have a child riding along. Short of hiring a sitter so I could get an oil change, I was really clueless about what to do…

To be honest, pretty much anything that requires I look under the hood leaves me a little clueless. My dad tried to teach me– it’s not his fault– but car maintenance flies right over my head. Since changing it myself simply isn’t an option, and I didn’t want to go the “hire a sitter to change my oil route,” I decided I should probably find another option. You see, while learning how to actually change my own oil didn’t stick, one thing my dad taught me did– that it’s important to use Pennzoil, because it cleans out the sludge that other, lesser oils leave behind. And trust me, if it’s my car, there’s probably sludge in it.

 

So, I went to Walmart and talked to the guys at our local Automotive Care Center. I was torn between which Pennzoil to get, and after taking a look at my car’s mileage, they recommended I get the Pennzoil conventional motor oil, which comes in the yellow bottle. It’s got a traditional oil base that’s fortified with Active Cleaning Agents, which means as I drive, it’s cleaning my engine (and I like anything that cleans something for me!)

Since Zach has decided to be in every activity he can (gymnastics, yoga, and music for now, soccer in the fall and spring, and basketball in the winter), some days I feel like we live out of our car. The guys at the Automotive Care Center reminded me that Pennzoil gives complete protection, which lets me drive an extra 550 miles per year, which I wouldn’t be able to do with a dirty engine.

 

As I mentioned, Zach is involved in everything… which means we were also trying to squeeze this oil change in between gymnastics one day, music another, and that doesn’t even touch on grocery shopping and nap time. And that’s where the Automotive Care Center comes in. Not only do they offer Pennzoil, but they also have this great feature that allows you to drop your car off and shop while you get your oil changed (or #DropShopandOil!), which means I could combine grocery shopping with the oil change, and not choose between important things like eating and having a safe car to drive. But none of that even matters if you have a screaming child, right?

Well, I managed to avoid the screaming child nightmare altogether. To keep you updated on your car’s status, the Automotive Care Center at Walmart gives you a ticket that you can scan at any price checker in the store– it lets you know the progress of your vehicle so you can stay updated. Waiting means you’re in line, pending means you’re next, cancelled means… well, that they don’t have your oil filter because you forgot to call ahead and check and so you have to go to a new Walmart, but still. Bay means that they’re working on it!

 

I put my kiddo in charge of seeking out price scanners and scanning our ticket to see what our status was. It was a win-win, because I was getting the shopping done, and Zach was entertained by keeping his eyes peeled for price scanners throughout the store (and scanning the ticket, of course!) The best way to handle an oil change with an unruly child? Get them OUT of the oil change waiting room that you’re used to, and putting them on the job of checking on your car while you get your shopping done– no separate trips necessary. You see, no other motor oil provides better protection from friction, and no other car care experience provides better protection from parent-child friction during the wait.

 

Now I’m all set until mid-April, when we can go right back to Walmart for groceries and take our car in for a little TLC, Pennzoil-style.

 

If you’ve got an unruly child and cannot take another waiting room experience, but want your car to be safe, I highly recommend the Automotive Care Center. Not only do they have the top-grade stuff Pennzoil has to offer, but they also keep tantrums at bay with the barcode scanner!

But, if you’re more skilled with a car than I am and want to change your oil yourself, Ibotta will have an offer starting tomorrow. It’s good for $5 off a 5 Quart bottle of Pennzoil Platinum with PurePlus Technology! You can, of course, find out more about Pennzoil and the Automotive Care Center by visiting the DropShopandOil website.

 

What’s your best car care tip? Let me know in the comments!