Does Anyone Keep A Maintenance Log?

Hopper said:
Since I am starting to do some of my own maintenance on the Jeep. I am wondering the best way to keep track of interval fluid changes, plugs, filters and other on going maintenance. Thinking just write it in a notebook when I do somthing along with product used, current mileage and next service mileage.
How do yall keep track of it all?
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Similar to others I keep a spreadsheet. It's not Excel; instead I use Google Docs (or whatever Google calls their spreadsheet thing) because I can access it anywhere and it's always backed up.
 
I have a label printer and print out date and milage and what I did on it. Also what size socket for the oil drain along with oil amount for a change. I just put them on a convenient flat spot in the engine bay. Also I use notes on my iphone for part numbers for required filters. I place a sticker on the dash listing when the last oil change was. Note books tend to get lost by me. I have over a dozen vehicles to keep track of and this has served me well.
 
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I went high tech and got 3 of these
For the glove box in the Jeep, F250 and explorer
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No need to keep track of oil changes. On every vehicle I own I change every 5000 miles. When odometer reads a 5000 interval I change oil. Example when it goes from 20,000 to 25,000 change oil and every 5000 after that. Very simple.
 
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When I purchased my wife's vehicle a few years ago, the Honda dealership gave us a complementary CARFAX account. Initially it only had her vehicle in there with all its maintenance so it was just there. Nice to have but I didn't really do anything with it. Then I got curious about adding my VW into the virtual garage and it took that with no problem, no extra fees. All the VW's recorded service history automatically filled in, which was nice.

Jump to last year when I got my Jeep. It was a surprise that the PO had kept decent records in the owner's manual; oil changes, oil types, and whatnot. I wanted to keep up with that practice so I looked for a book or something similar to use, then it hit me. Why not just use CARFAX since I knew the Jeep's history was there while looking online at the thing before I bought it? I added it to the virtual garage and now I add everything I do as "DIY Service" when I complete something.
Most shops add their work to CARFAX too. When I had a new spare mounted to match the other 4 tires, PepBoys put it in as "Service Completed" but I went on and added "New Spare Tire Mounted and Balanced". Adding that detail to records is easy, most everything auto-prompts once you start typing a few characters.

I'm not planning on ever selling it, but if I had to, at least someone else would know what's been done when they look up its history.
 
I also use an excel spreadsheet and keep track of date, mileage, details of what I did etc.
RubiconRic said:
I've since found 2 of the 3 and consolidated into an Excel spreadsheet as well. Works much better, and I can have tabs for mods/expenses, tools/gear, measurements, etc., all in the same file.
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Having a tab for expenses scares me, not sure I want to know how much I've been spending
 
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cover page and a few pages after are my service dates and part numbers such and so forth, envelope is full of all the receipts and the paperwork in the binder clips is all the photocopied receipts and other miscellaneous documentation pertaining to the jeep since my purchase date. 🤢 I calculated all my expenses at the end of last year and im at around $12k in parts, tires and oil changes.:eek: my other vehicle on the other hand is fairly well neglected.

ive got a few receipts I need to add as well as most recent oil change/filter part number. I have the problem where my paperwork keeps becoming more and more and require purchasing larger binders.
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I use a web app called Fuelly. I enter every fuel up, so it keeps track of my mpg, and then I can also record maintenance activities and set reminders that get triggered on the odometer reading I enter when I buy gas.

I don't use it, but it also lets you add friends, in case you're so nerdy about it that you and your friends want to see what kind of mpg you're all getting.

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Hopper said:
Since I am starting to do some of my own maintenance on the Jeep. I am wondering the best way to keep track of interval fluid changes, plugs, filters and other on going maintenance. Thinking just write it in a notebook when I do somthing along with product used, current mileage and next service mileage.
How do yall keep track of it all?
Click to expand...
I scratched plugs off the list when I bought iridium ones. I just remember when everything else needs changing. I flush my cooling system every 3 years, regardless of mileage.
 
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I have a white board in the shop, I can keep track of the jeep, pickup, wife's car, mowers, tractor, bobcat what ever I put on the board. Its there to see every day, I keep track of the date, mileage/hours and what I did and what I need to do next time. It works for me
 
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Every vehicle I have has a maintenance book in thee glove box. Additionally every vehicle still with factory warranty has a 3 ring binder in the garage so I can print out all receipts for parts/oil purchased in case there is a major warranty claim.
 
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I also use the note pad app on my iPhone/iPad. Use it for the Jeep and all my other vehicles and equipment maintenance. I log general maitanance, parts replaced with cost, mods done with cost and my need/want to do items list. Works great and I almost always have it with me. I try to stay paperless as much as possible and my notes are backed up if lost or damaged.
 
5632 said:
No need to keep track of oil changes. On every vehicle I own I change every 5000 miles. When odometer reads a 5000 interval I change oil. Example when it goes from 20,000 to 25,000 change oil and every 5000 after that. Very simple.
Click to expand...
I do the same. I do keep track of which oil and filter I use as well as any other repairs, mods, or service I do (or gets done) on a 3 column (date/mileage/comment) table using MS Word on the computer. I hate excel
 
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Whiteboard in my shop. Have all my Motorcycles, Jeep, Mercedes 240D and semi truck written down on it. Mostly for oil changes And tire rotations. I just do the plugs and rest of the fluids every 30k to keep it simple.
 
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