Tracking your DIY maintenance

[Imp4]

To each his own on maintenance records I suppose.

They help me flush out 2 otherwise identical cars for sale..

After owning and maintaining cars for a lifetime I know the kinds of repairs I should be looking at in a vehicle between 50-200K, and want to see some evidence whats been done.

Certain pieces are critical to provide evidence of being done - A timing belt car with no record of it being changed by 100K - immediately needs a belt regardless of the owners claim.

I prefer a manual log thats laid out intelligently, its super easy to type a bunch of dates and " services" into a spreadsheet. I can walk around a vehicle and reconcile certain repairs against a manual log.

There are real quick checks that tell me to keep looking or walk away - like add up all the oil changes and divide by mileage to determine a rough frequency of service.

UD

I agree with you completely.
The point of my previous post was that while you and I appreciate meticulous records, the vast majority of the buying public could care less.

 

[andyd]

On the Borman 6 I'd tear off a flap on the oil filter box and record date miles, and any other parts. I kept them wedged between the windshield wshr tank and the inner fender. 200K miles of 3k ocis

 

[Kira]

Spiral notebook...transfer to Excel for clarity of derived data, addition of notes and ease of transmission.

Repair/maintenance receipts go in an envelope. It all included with the car upon sale.

Most people LOVE it. Some people are crippled with defensiveness and stupidity and will say they don't want records.

Never have I heard, "No thanks, I can't read stuff like that". They'd get bonus points for honesty.

 

[svtrit]

Personal maintenance records are nearly worthless to anyone but the person recording them.

Unfortunately, nobody else seems to care. Meticulous records, generally, don't impact resale value and certainly don't impact trade in value.

I use the Toyota owners web site because it's convenient for me.

Depends on who is buying. I had an old Chrysler Minivan that I was a bit attached to, having raised my family in it and run 40 States on vacations. The guy seeing that I had records showing impeccable care meant he didn't dicker on price. I got the extra I was asking for it over what other used vans were going for because of it.

However, most people don't care.