Maintenance Tracker

[Nomadicflyer]

I’m looking to those that use a spreadsheet, database or app to track vehicle and equipment maintenance and what they think of it. I’m looking for something that tracks and schedules preventive maintenance (oil changes/tune ups), the part numbers involved in those events (filter numbers/gasket numbers), and maybe even what parts I have “in stock” that are running low and need re ordered.

Im too old to pay someone a monthly fee for this. I don’t mind paying for a program or a database- but then it’s mine and I can do what I want with it. It’s gotta live on my shop laptop or iPad.

What are you guys using out there? What’s not working, what’s working, and who can help me get out of my notebooks and status boards?

Thanks!

[Steeveedee]

You can download OpenOffice or LibreOffice for free. There's a spreadsheet in each of them. My newer cars go to the dealer, since they are under warranty, and the truck doesn't get driven much, so it's pretty easy- I don't use a spreadsheet for it, though. I'm retired, so have plenty of time for it.

[Nomadicflyer]

Thanks, Steven!

[Loose Screw]

I don't know if this is exactly what you're talking about but CarFax has a pretty good
"My Garage". Discount Tire and My Inspection Station automatically post into it. Also I will go into "My Purchases" at AutoZone and O'Reilly's.
Summit has a "Garage" too...

[r8rs4lf]

Call me old, but I write everything I need to know on a piece of cardboard (w/ part#) from the oil filter and hang it in my garage.

Mileage
Oil used
How many quarts
Date of service
Etc

Works for me.

[Loose Screw]

How about seeing the remnants of one of these underneath a cheap Earl Scheib paint job in a door jam.....

sticker.JPG

[mr48chev]

Back when I worked on a dairy farm I used to keep a spiral notebook with a page for each truck or piece of equipment that I noted what service I had done at what hours. What I had for a computer then wouldn't handle a program of this sort.

[68panelman]

I use a small notepad to list when big repairs are done, and white electrical tape with mileage for oil changes in the upper windshield. Now its easy with yearly oil changes only

[SCOTI]

I record milage, gas added, & date @ every fill-up on one of those small Mead notepads. When the milage closes in on 3k, I do my oil changes & again make a record in the pad.

I do this (each vehicle has a notepad stashed) for my '99 OBS 3/4 ton, my '89 Dually, my '78 Malibu, an '03 Jetta, & the '07 Envoy. Any 'service' related info I feel I need to remember I record + date in the pad for future reference. This also comes in handy to see/compare MPG data which helps planning for tune-up maintenance.

For filters, for each vehicle I simply tear a flap off the box/es that contain the P/N info & stash them in a drawer (I write what vehicle they're for w/a sharpie for easy ID).

[Roostre]

I have a spreadsheet for each of our daily drivers saved on google drives. They use google sheets for free to open and are available on whatever I can access my google drive from. I've done this for at least 20 years; it works for me. I set up columns for date, miles, and repair/notes. I've started putting cells off to the side that have common part numbers associated with the vehicle, think oil filter, motor oil viscosity/volume, and tire size.

[Rust_never_sleeps]

The cool trick to using a spreadsheet for this kind o' thing is to throw out a message or something when the hours/miles exceed a limit, probably in a SUM box, or a series of them
It could be a 10m or an hour to set one up the first time, but once you get it, you got it, and can probably even copy them

Excel calls these "threshold alerts""
https://www.teachexcel.com/excel-tut...l-easy-version

They're called "Conditional nofitications" on google sheets:
https://www.howtogeek.com/google-she...-game-changer/

I'm sure OO has the same tricks available

[Already Gone]

Old guy here, I keep a small notebook in the truck, sits in the console, I record every gas fill up and oil changes and when repairs or upgrades have been done. Actually have one in all my vehicles. Nothing with a spread sheet either but when I want to look up something I don't have to get into my computer.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

I log everything to include the part numbers. That said I've been meaning to prepare a log like I have for my other vehicles, for when and what. They sit in the vehicles inside a sheet protector. Haven't had to do this for my chevy because I know it by heart. But I'm just starting to use a cleaner, Chevron Techron to be exact, for instance. At 400-500 miles a year, I don't suppose I'll add it more than once every three years. Honestly I've never added a fuel cleaner to that truck before, but it's primarily a fresh start sitting at 1400 miles, so what the heck.

There, I just made my log.

Some of this I do because my kids will get the truck someday, code for TAKE CARE OF MY TRUCK! Well, their truck, just not yet. Two entries are for my next two trips for maint., one of those includes a *&%% repair job. I think I'm going to end up pulling the inner fender, and just as well pull the (*Y^( steering box off the frame.

[mrein3]

I went to the jungle website and ordered those little stickers where you write in the date and mileage for your oil changes and stick them in the top left corner of the windshield. There really isn't much else to keep track of. Not many of these are daily drivers - which is when you need to start worrying about miles on the tranny fluid, air filter, points if you still got them, etc.

Oh. I also note oil changes in my iPod phone. Miles, date, oil brand, weight, Wix filter number. I finally got enough not small block chevys in my life that I started writing down drain plug wrench size. It saves the down ups that get harder every day. (You know what the down ups are. You get under the car, realize it isn't a 9/16ths, then you gotta get back up and walk to the tool box)

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by mrein3

I went to the jungle website and ordered those little stickers where you write in the date and mileage for your oil changes and stick them in the top left corner of the windshield. There really isn't much else to keep track of. Not many of these are daily drivers - which is when you need to start worrying about miles on the tranny fluid, air filter, points if you still got them, etc.

Oh. I also note oil changes in my iPod phone. Miles, date, oil brand, weight, Wix filter number. I finally got enough not small block chevys in my life that I started writing down drain plug wrench size. It saves the down ups that get harder every day. (You know what the down ups are. You get under the car, realize it isn't a 9/16ths, then you gotta get back up and walk to the tool box)

Sure do. I know my chevy plug is 9/16 hex, but the others are written with the logs among other pertinent stuff, such as a reminder the *((^)(*) splash shield doesn't have to be removed on a 2013 Tundra to change oil. "Everyone" seems to believe you do. Think I about had a coronary reinstalling it into the core support, never again. A couple of spare pillows, and handheld jug for the filter makes it easy.

[Rufas]

If you have an Android device you might want to try Fuelio. It's free and if you really want you can export your data in a CSV file to import into Excel or whatever spreadsheet program you used.

I've used Fuelio for about 10+ years. It work great for what you want to do.

[hjewell2]

Originally Posted by r8rs4lf

Call me old, but I write everything I need to know on a piece of cardboard (w/ part#) from the oil filter and hang it in my garage.

Mileage
Oil used
How many quarts
Date of service
Etc

Works for me.

100% do the same.

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Writing the mileage on the filter when you change oil is a trivial way to help no matter what system you use

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

Sure do. I know my chevy plug is 9/16 hex, but the others are written with the logs among other pertinent stuff, such as a reminder the *((^)(*) splash shield doesn't have to be removed on a 2013 Tundra to change oil. "Everyone" seems to believe you do. Think I about had a coronary reinstalling it into the core support, never again. A couple of spare pillows, and handheld jug for the filter makes it easy.

What's with that upside-down filter, anyway?

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

What's with that upside-down filter, anyway?

I only know it can b a pita. Guess perhaps I shouldn't have said pillows, thats what I use - just something to secure the back of the splash gaurd knowing if it falls it may damage the hooks or worse slice the head and face.

The plug type filter drains can be a challenge for my old hands, but a short piece of pvc pipe makes it easy.