How do you DIY'ers keep track of your service history?

[Hotwatermusic]

How do the people here who do all their own work on their car's keep track of it-- especially with consideration to if they ever sell the car, how do they present the prospective buyer with the records? Do you always write it down in a notebook, or word pad document? In going with that, has anyone here ever had a problem with a buyer who didn't "accept" or believe a DIY service history? I've just realized I should have been keeping more than a "mental track" of what I've done to my car, now I need to know what's the best (and most legitimate) way of doing so.

[unclebilly]

I write everything in chalk on the sidewalk in front of my house. it's not the best system but it is pretty good all things considered.

[rebrewer]

I do that too, but I use different colors for different cars. High tech.

[rwest]

Hello,

I just keep the receipts, and on them I write the mileage and if the date of install is more than a few month older then the receipt, I'll put down the date. Then I store them with my manual.

Rutager

[BlueWing]

I write the day the work was finished and milage on the parts receipt . Never sold a car that was worth much when I needed to part with it so history wasn't a concear.
I still have all the cars histories even a VW jetta I drove to 500k (rusted hulk still behind my garage).

Terry

[James Brown]

Some one on here once said you keep track of the parts installed and the maintenance but not how much you spent on it! I just jot it down tin the warranty book

[tmctguer]

i keep all my miles, trips, and repair logs in an Excel spreadsheet. i keep one tab with the date, beginning miles, and ending miles for each time I drive the car. i keep another tab that shows the date of any service I perform, where I purchased the parts, and a brief description of the work performed. on the last tab, i keep a list of all expenditures I make for the vehicle including the date, vendor, and brief description of what was purchased. i also keep all of my receipts in a separate file.

i am pretty anal about tracking this info, but when i decide to sell my cars to someone, i want them to know what they are buying and what i've done to the car.

[dad911]

Keep receipts for parts and fluids.

Take pics of any major work.

[gsmith660]

I keep receipts, dont care about a detailed history IF I would decide to sell the car either they want it or not I might show them the build thread and my scrap books then let them drive it and after the smile wore off then they can sign the check.

[Cooper911SC]

I keep a legal file folder for each car. In it I keep all of the receipts for the parts/service. (Roughly in date order). I also have a spiral note book where I log the date, miles, and a description of the type of work carried out during each service.

The note book is helpful for your own tracking of wear items...like, oh ya' it has been 4 years and xx,xxx miles on that brake job!! Maybe time to replace...

I have sold a couple of cars where people were blown away that I had so many records.

I guess to each their own as far as what seems "legitimate". A good PPI will probably substantiate any owner kept records.

My .02, Cooper

[Noah930]

Receipts in a folder, kept chronologically (last one on top). Routine maintenance (date and mileage) written in the maintenance section of the owner's manual.

[efhughes3]

A simple spreadsheet since day one: Work I've done, mileage and date. I then have a (very thick) folder with every receipt. Simple and thorough.

[NewfieMZ3]

+ 1 on the spreadsheet.........attach receipts, for parts/supplies.......keep handily in a three ring binder with all dealer invoices.....

[KNS]

I pretty much do the same thing as cooper.

[steely]

yeah, +1 on Excel and receipts in a folder.

PO gave me the manual and it only had records to 12K. Found car had had 4 or more owners, and I figured it was a Porsche it'd be worth my while if I ever sold it, so I tried to make as complete a history as possible.
And I did a web search and found some one had an example of a spread sheet.
I record pro work as well as my own, plus part nos and labor/mat'l costs, when and mileage.

also makes it convenient for my wish /xmas list.

Don't do it for any of my others cars if that tells you anything.

[RWebb]

same

I use 'countdown' date func.s in Excel to remind if something is due that has a time limit (Brake fluid); and similar ones based on mileage

[diverdan]

All right Uncle billy and rebrewer. I store all the receipts in a bin which gets periodically emptied, usually once a week. i once bought a car which had been raced, daily driven, and DYIed which had a very complete log in a 6" by 9" ish note book. Interesting especially the track times and tire info. Don't think I really paid much attention to the service except for the mods. I never wrote in i9t in two years or I might have been compelled to use the file 13 again.

Dan

[Oh Haha]

I'm ashamed to say but I have not kept an organised record for the 911.

We didn't have a computer when I bought it or for a few years after so I never started a spreadsheet. Shame on me, I know.



I do have every receipt from the previous owner and each one for anything I had done or purchased for the car over the last 9 years.

My plan for a winter day is to input that info into a spreadsheet and organise the receipts in the folder/box.

Now, for the BMW we had as well as our other 2 vehicles I started an Excel sheet immediately after buying them and logged the maintenance done and mileage.

[VFR750]

A binder, with all receipts (from previous owner too!) and several pages documenting the date, mileage, and service done.

All the way back to 1982 where the owners manual has service stamps up to ~36,000 miles, and then all receipts from when the PO bought the car, at ~36,000 miles to now at 119K. I have documentation of the entire life of the car.

Ok, PLUS, a little book with date, miles, gallons added and oil added that stays in the car (all of my cars have a little book too.) My father started this decades ago, and I kept it up for all my cars. I can go back to my first car in 1982.

At first I was responding to this post thinking I'm not really fussy on this subject. After a few paragraphs listing what I do, I have to say, I really am fussy on record keeping.

[janz]

Sorta old school but simple. I use word pad, put down month and year parts (new or used) were installed along with mileage. Also any outside work like alignment. Save it on a floppy disc, yeah I still have one. I also put in the maint work like oil change and filters and tune ups. Then throw all the receipts into a small cardboard box in the garage thats located next to the Porsche stuff. I do not include car wash or wax or polish or check air in tires things to this list, I'm not that crazy. I don't plan on selling its just to remind me of what I've already done.