B737-300 CAPTAIN REPORTS MAINT PROVIDED INACCURATE INFORMATION REGARDING AVAILABILITY OF REPLACEMENT ALTIMETER FOR ONE WRITTEN UP AS HAVING FAILED INTERNAL LIGHTING.

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OUR INBOUND ACFT HAD A MAINT ITEM INDICATING THE CAPT'S ALTIMETER BACKGROUND LIGHTING WAS INTERMITTENT. NEW MAINT DOCUMENT STATED MAINT HAD RESET THE CANON PLUG AND GND CHKS OK. AFTER DISCUSSING THE PREVIOUS LOG HISTORY WITH THE MAINT CTLR; I ASKED THAT THEY REPLACE THE ALTIMETER AS IT IS A CRITICAL FLT INST AND IT WAS DARK. VERIFIED PART IN STOCK AND STARTED THE PROCESS. LATER I WAS TOLD BY THE MECH THAT ZZZ DID NOT HAVE THE PART IN STOCK; SO I ELECTED TO ACCEPT THE ACFT AND SEE IF IT WAS ACTUALLY WORKING PROPERLY. ONCE AGAIN; DURING TKOF THE ALTIMETER LIGHTING BECAME INOP. ADVISED MAINT TO HAVE A PART FLOWN INTO ZZZ OVERNIGHT. HE REPLIED; ZZZ TOLD YOU A WHOPPER; THEY HAVE 2 IN STOCK. HE ASSIGNED IT TO BE FIXED IN ZZZ THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHEN WE PASSED THROUGH WITH THE ACFT. I DO NOT KNOW IF MAINT DID THIS INTENTIONALLY; BUT AS THE CAPT OF THE FLT AND AIRPLANE; I EXPECT TO RECEIVE HONEST AND ACCURATE INFO. UNFORTUNATELY; THIS TYPE OF ACTION; INTENTIONAL OR NOT; CREATES CREDIBILITY ISSUES FOR MAINT AND LACK OF TRUST IN OUR MAINT PROCESSES BY OUR PLTS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AND I HAVE NOTICED A TREND IN STATION MAINT CTLRS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME IDENTING PARTS LATELY; WHICH WOULD SUGGEST IMPROVED TRAINING OR USING MAINT CTL AS A REF POINT. I BELIEVE IT IS ESSENTIAL IN THE NAME OF SAFETY; THAT FO AND MAINT HAVING A POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP!