So I’m dating (not dancing with) myself a bit with the Sgt. Joe Friday reference from Dragnet. Be that as it may, keeping a service log with “just the facts” of your car or motorcycle’s history can save you gobs of time, money, and frustration. If you’re not careful, it just might inspire a little pride of ownership.
A bit of the anal retentive nature of TDG is revealed when suggesting you keep a log, but a small amount of effort and organization will produce a very valuable document. Heck, you’re already on your computer, or some advanced gadget, so finish reading this post and take action.
Keep a detailed service log.
“Just The Facts, Ma’am.”
See if you’re able to answer the following about your car:
- When was your last oil change?
- How many miles on your tires?
- How old is your battery?
- When were your brakes last replaced?
- How about your air filter?
- Is your cabin filter fresh? (What is that funky smell?)
- Any receipts?
Still not convinced?
The Money-Back-Guaranteed TDG Sales Pitch:
- Tired of getting the third degree when you take your car for service?
- Think your mechanic is trying to sell you unnecessary work?
- Ever actually consider performing preventative maintenance?
- Hate selling your cars because of those pesky buyers and their incessant questions?
TDG has the solution for you and, best of all, it’s free!
Keep a detailed service log with receipts.
A service log is of benefit to all types of owners. Even if you purchase a new car every 2-3 years, why not take a little time to document and appreciate your ownership experience? Maybe this’ll be the car you keep. If you keep your cars for many years, a service log is essential to driving regular maintenance and preventing untimely (when aren’t they) breakdowns.
Service Log Benefits:
- Save Money, Short and Long Term
- Promote Regular Maintenance
- Avoid Breakdowns
- Peace Of Mind
- Great Selling Tool
- Your Cool Friends Will Tease You
Some examples of real savings, you ask? Not replacing your air filter on schedule can cost you up to 6% in fuel economy. Regular brake servicing can save the cost of replacing damaged rotors. Waiting until your timing belt breaks to replace it instead of doing it on schedule can cause catastrophic engine damage. The cost of regular oil changes (a future post topic) is offset by the value of increased engine life, and is arguably the best example of “cheap insurance.”
Your log doesn’t need to be fancy. Check out TDG’s 2009 Toyota RAV-4 service log:
The RAV4′s next maintenance is an oil change at 85K. The 90K mile service isn’t too far off and the battery, approaching five years old, is on the radar for replacement.
The Road Trip iPhone/iPad app by Darren Stone is an excellent tool for tracking service history, expenses, mileage, and much more. However, feel free to check around as there are plenty of other similar apps.
Start now. If it’s too big a hassle to locate your old receipts, no worries, just begin with your next service.
-TDG
Great idea! I will start a service log for my car….thanks TDG!
That’s a great idea. I took your advice and started using the Road Trip App on my iphone to track the gas mileage for my newly bought Ford Fusion. So far, it has been very informative and useful. I plan on using it to track the servicing on the vehicle also. I have not historically kept a detailed log of my vehicle servicing but this makes the process much more simple and convenient. Thanks for the tip.
Excellent Mark! Be sure to back up (email) your data regularly from the app. The backup files can be opened in any spreadsheet program.
Enjoy your new car!
Excellent advice and service log, thank you!