Suggestion Perhaps - Maintenance Log Thread Section?

[jtay2024]

Hi all,

I am wondering what peoples thoughts would be on a "Maintenance Log" section on this site. It maybe a little selfish for a forum, but I've often wanted to keep a track of what services / work has been carried out on my vehicle, and have it accessible to send to people interested in that kind of thing, perhaps even a way of keeping a date stamped (tamper proof) log of work carried out for those that don't actually send their vehicles to garages for servies.

For example, you could have a thread title formatted like this

"Section of Numberplate - Vehicle Brand - Vehicle Model"

and then each post you put in would be a log of work done documented with a photo of say a invoice of the parts + the odometer reading + a photo of the work being carried out.

You could put a very small image size limit on so the threads don't get really data heavy, but I think it'd be an excellent way for people who genuinely really care for their car to track their work.

If I was looking at a car for sale, and it had a link to a thread on a site like this with a list of the work carried out all date stamped, I'd be much happier with the idea of buying it. Even if the service book had nothing but hand writen millages & details.

What are your thoughts? I'd be interested to know if anyone knows of somewhere that maybe already does this as well. And I'd be specially interested in hearing what the moderators / owners of the forum think.

Thanks!

 

[RitcheyRch]

You can do all that through the manufacturers website. For example, for Honda's (owners.honda.com).

 

[JeffKeryk]

I thought that what Excel was made for...

 

[jtay2024]

You can do all that through the manufacturers website. For example, for Honda's (owners.honda.com).

I'm pretty sure that's just for work that's been carried out at registered garages isn't it? Or at least I think it is here in the UK. Also for much older cars this probably isn't an option.

I thought that what Excel was made for...

Excel can be tampered with. Dates can be changed, false services added etc.

 

[hrv]

I'm pretty sure that's just for work that's been carried out at registered garages isn't it? Or at least I think it is here in the UK. Also for much older cars this probably isn't an option.



Excel can be tampered with. Dates can be changed, false services added etc.

NOPE you can log all of your service...a dealer a shop or done by yourself...on the Honda site...

 

[RitcheyRch]

I'm pretty sure that's just for work that's been carried out at registered garages isn't it? Or at least I think it is here in the UK. Also for much older cars this probably isn't an option.



Excel can be tampered with. Dates can be changed, false services added etc.

I manually log all my own work on the owners.honda.com website. I have to manually log work performed at other shops that dont have access tot he site.

 

[hrv]

I manually log all my own work on the owners.honda.com website. I have to manually log work performed at other shops that dont have access tot he site.

Same here.... It is a great site ...

 

[jtay2024]

I manually log all my own work on the owners.honda.com website. I have to manually log work performed at other shops that dont have access tot he site.

Same here.... It is a great site ...

That's brilliant. But so far we've covered Honda's in the US.
Is that a common thing around the world? I've never heard of anyone in the UK having access to that kind of thing sadly.

 

[hrv]

That's brilliant. But so far we've covered Honda's in the US.
Is that a common thing around the world? I've never heard of anyone in the UK having access to that kind of thing sadly.

I would log on to your honda site in the UK and see if they do it....In the U.S it is under owners then my garage...

 

[cptbarkey]

Google sheets, my YTD as an example. Lexus has a decent website for tracking such things, but its narrow in scope.

 

[Zee09]

You can log into the Ford app and do the same. Not poo pooing your suggestion though.

 

[Kira]

Sample members' layouts and design an optimized spreadsheet for anyone to download.
This would require a committee of dedicated members.

I'd show you my sheet if I knew how to paste an image.

 

[sohccammer427]

I have a "high tech" whiteboard in my shop with grid lines I made using black pinstriping tape.

Two dimensional with which vehicle in the row, an oil change, air filter, tire rotation, misc maintenance and probably a few more columns.

I write the milage and date the service was performed in the appropriate block. Basically an Excel sheet on a whiteboard.

Always right there in the shop where I turn the wrenches. Sometimes low tech works best.

 

[jtay2024]

I have a "high tech" whiteboard in my shop with grid lines I made using black pinstriping tape.

Two dimensional with which vehicle in the row, an oil change, air filter, tire rotation, misc maintenance and probably a few more columns.

I write the milage and date the service was performed in the appropriate block. Basically an Excel sheet on a whiteboard.

Always right there in the shop where I turn the wrenches. Sometimes low tech works best.

That does work great, but only for you. If you come to sell the vehicle, you have no log that anyone will believe. The idea is both for personal use, and for being able to then sell on the vehicle. I'd love to buy a vehicle that's been cared for and looked after by a BITOG memeber as it's most likely been thoroughly looked after and serviced. Specially if they then had a little thread of their work carried out over time.

 

[nate379]

I thought that what Excel was made for...

That's what I use. New tab for each vehicle or equipment and the page has date, hours, and work I did.
I don't bother with costs, as it's irrelevant.
The stuff for business I just keep the receipts for stuff over ~$100 and add it up for taxes.

When it's next due a 250hr service, I just make a label and stick it somewhere easy to see. Put a star if it's also a 500hr service (air filters, fuel filters, msybe final drives, hydraulic oil, etc, depending on what it is.

 

[nate379]

Exampull.

 

[Dave9]

Makes no sense for this to be a website feature.

Use Excel or some freeware spreadsheet or just a text file if you must. Doesn't make any sense to me to make this separate from your scanned receipts, I mean you're not expecting BITOG or some other site to be the cloud storage for all your receipts too, are you?

I have a (computer/file) folder with all info associated to each vehicle, even some workshop manuals and wiring diagrams. Back in the day I could put it on a CD or DVD, but these days, a memory card or USB flash drive or whatever. I also have a copy of these files on my phone. Gotta luv how cheap flash storage has become.

 

[dnewton3]

For the record, BITOG is not going to host personal maintenance records, for a variety of operational and legal reasons.
There are plenty of apps and other programs where you can do this; please seek them out elsewhere if this is how you want to do things.

Thread locked.