Vehicle Log

[SF0059]

Since I was 18 I have been keeping logs for the vehicles I drive. How many of you keep an actually log of everything related to your vehicle? Is it electronic or paper. What do you include?

Mine is a paper notebook that includes:
Gas (MPG, gal, price, price, dipstick)
Cosmetic (wash, wax, detail, etc)
Fluid Checks (PS, Brake, Coolant, etc)
Normal Maintenance (Oil, Tune Ups, Injector Cleaner, etc)
Necessary Maintenance (replacing broken parts, tires, other corrective action)

How about you guys?

 

[jeepman3071]

I have an Excel spreadsheet of the maintenance intervals, and parts that may need replacing soon.

I have a binder full of receipts for parts/maintenance done.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
I have an Excel spreadsheet of the maintenance intervals, and parts that may need replacing soon.

I have a binder full of receipts for parts/maintenance done.

Same here.

And as for MPG tracking, I use fuelly.com.

 

[BISCUT]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
I have an Excel spreadsheet of the maintenance intervals, and parts that may need replacing soon.

I have a binder full of receipts for parts/maintenance done.

Same here.

And as for MPG tracking, I use fuelly.com.


I'm also using Excel sheet for my vehicles, Quad, and generator but not as good as Pete....no receipts for me; just info.

 

[supton]

I keep a paper log in the car, I can write down when I fill up. I need to get into the habit of putting in more info though: like measuring tire depth, when I put air into the tires, etc. More notes is better.

Excel is good but I don't carry a computer around with me. The log can be entered in later, if I wanted to make plots or whatever. I've noticed that as the car gets older, I care less about exact trends.

We keep receipts as a rule for IRS (and pretty much everything is bought not using cash); but the receipts go into the big pile. Stuff done at a shop goes into the folder we keep on each vehicle, but receipts are separate. Driving to 10 years of age, with "high" miles, and I'm not sure the receipts are all that important to the next buyer. Certainly not to a dealership if we trade in.

 

[redhat]

I built my own Excel workbook with many sheets that all reference each other with Formulas. Main/first sheet gives me a run down of my current maintenance totals by date/mileage. Here's a screenshot a while back. I've improved/made modifications since, then, but the same structure applies.

 

[Samuraidog]

Ha ha. I thought I was the only neurotic nut that kept these kind of details in a spreadsheet. We are dorks

 

[Donald]

A log will tell you how long something lasted (years) like tires or shocks, etc and who did the work.

For oil you could just put a sticker on the windshield.

But when the duration goes to years, its hard to remember what date and/or mileage.

 

[SF0059]

Wow, redhat, that is impressive. You want to share that template by any chance? I'm going to continue with my paper log book but would love to convert it to an electronic format!

 

[redhat]

Sure, if y'all want a copy, I'll put it up here somehow. Tonight I'll make a 'cleancut' copy of it and maybe writeup a little README text file to go with it.

 

[opus1]

Both Hyundai and Chevy have an online site where owners can track vehicle service so I keep my Sonata and Cobalt records there. The Dakota and Ranger are at the point where I use the oil-change reminder to track changes. Any repairs are done as-needed at this point, so I don't really log them for the older vehicles.

All of the gas-consumption is tracked in Fuelly.

 

[racer12306]

I have a spreadsheet that I track maintenance on all cars. I don't bother tracking gas usage.

I'll keep more detailed records when I purchase my next car since it will start from 0 miles and I'll actually be able to record stuff more.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I track:
Gas
Oil Changes
Any Maintenance / upgrades

Do not track:
Tire rotations

 

[DC44]

I use an Excel spreadsheet. I track maintenance cost, maintenance/repair notes and my fuel consumption. Very useful for tracking trends if you keep good notes.It's also a good way to see actually ownership cost.

Nice spreadsheet redhat. Mines is caveman style in comparison.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I used to track stuff carefully. I'd get annoyed if I missed a fill-up (like if my wife didn't get a gas receipt or something). Then I realized that I had become a slave to a tracking system and I quit doing it. Life has been much simpler since.

I keep receipts and service records in a 3-ring binder. And that's it.

 

[redhat]

I made a new thread with my log.

See: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3250811#Post3250811

 

[hsd]

I started with paper notebooks for my cars back in the 70's. More recently I started using electronic log books (Word Doc). I find thats easier to search and add more details. I track the mpg for each gas purchase in Quicken (memo field) so I can run a report and easily see the mpg history.

 

[wtd]

I use 3"x5" notebooks that I keep in each vehicle. I keep track of everything that I do maintenance and repair wise. I don't keep track of fuel mileage. In my log books I put:

Date and mileage of work done, name of part and part numbers if applicable, oil brand and weight and oil filter brand and part number. My records are pretty detailed but It's easy for me to know when I have some maintenance items that need to be done and what part numbers I need for the next time around.

I keep all receipts in a separate binder for each vehicle in the file cabinent.

I still like the paper log because it's always with the car and if I'm somewhere other than the house, I can access the info I need.

I also use the oil change reminder stickers on the windshield.

Wayne

 

[gofast182]

I keep an Excel spreadsheet for my S2000. One tab for maintenance/repairs and another for tracking winter storage.

I don't keep receipts for extra proof which maybe I should've but it would be pretty hard to fudge the level of detail in my sheet.