If the car has been sitting a while, I can pull the dipstick and the oil level is at the bottom line. Very clear and easy to see.

If I pull the dipstick, wipe it off, and insert and recheck the level, it's at the top line. Very clear level with both holes containing oil.

So which should I believe? I understand you can drag oil up the tube if you pull out the dipstick and that might give a false reading, but the oil on the dipstick is very distinct and even fills in the top hole--I wouldn't have thought that would happen.

 

Would you mind trying this,
Even if the oil level was a quart low you should still be able to try this.
Run the engine a few minutes to warm it up then shut it down for about a minute or two then check the engine oil level. What do you get now?

 

I'll try that this weekend. The engine is leaking oil, so I'm guessing the low reading is the accurate one.

 

I have the same problem with my Mazda Miata dipstick. The remedy which has worked for me on it and on my 2005 Escape Duratec 3.0 V6 is to pull the dipstick out of the tube immediately after shutting the engine off. Then allow several minutes for the tube to drain while empty and then insert the dipstick into the tube. You should get a good reading now.