What to write down after each visit
Fill in a row the day the car comes back, while the invoice is still in your hand. One row per visit is enough, even when several jobs were done at once; list them together under Work done. Oil changes, new tires, brake work, a new battery, a repair after a warning light and an inspection all belong in the log, and so do jobs you do yourself.
| Column | What to note |
|---|---|
| Date | The day the work was finished |
| Odometer | The reading on the invoice, or on the dashboard when you pick the car up |
| Work done | In plain words, for example "oil and filter changed, front brake pads replaced" |
| Parts | Part names, sizes or numbers you may need again, such as a tire size or a wiper length |
| Shop or who did it | The garage, or your own name for a job done at home |
| Cost | The total you paid, parts and labor together |
| Notes | Where the receipt is, a warranty on the part, or what the mechanic said to keep an eye on |
The log does not tell you when the next service is due, because that differs from car to car. The Federal Trade Commission's auto repair basics put it simply: "Follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule in your owner's manual for your type of driving." Write the next job your manual or your shop names into Notes, so it is on the page you look at anyway.
Keep the receipts together
The log is the index; the receipts are the proof. In its guide to auto warranties and service contracts, the FTC says: "Keep your service records and receipts to show you've maintained your vehicle." It adds that a warranty company could ask for them. A plain folder or envelope in date order does the job; number each receipt and write the number in Notes, and any entry leads you straight to its paper.
The same FTC repair guide says a completed repair order should list each repair, the parts and their cost, labor charges and the odometer reading. If an invoice leaves something out, ask for it before you leave the shop. A photo or scan of every receipt, saved next to the spreadsheet, keeps faded thermal paper from becoming a gap in the record.
Using the fuel log
The fuel log measures what your car really uses. Fill the tank until the pump stops, note the odometer, and do the same at every stop. The first row is only the starting point. From the second row on, the distance since the last fill-up and the fuel it took give you the car's fuel economy for that tank: miles per gallon, liters per 100 km, kilometers per gallon, or, with miles and liters, UK miles per gallon (a UK gallon is defined as 4.54609 cubic decimeters, which is 4.54609 liters).
One tank on its own says little, since a week of short trips or a long highway drive moves the number a lot. Look at the trend over several fill-ups instead. When the figure drops and stays lower while your driving has not changed, mention it at the next visit and note the date in the service log. If you skip a fill-up or only top up part of the tank, write that in Notes and treat the next figure with care.
Reading the totals
In the spreadsheet, the summary at the top of the Service log shows the total cost, the number of entries and the highest odometer reading. The Fuel log adds up the fuel you bought, what you spent on it and the distance logged, and shows your average fuel economy over every tank with a distance. Add both cost totals for what the car cost you to keep running, apart from insurance, tax and loan payments.
On the printout, add up the Cost column and write it in the Page total box; on the fuel page do the same for fuel, cost and distance. For the average, divide the total distance by the fuel bought after the first fill-up.
Selling the car with a full record
When you sell or hand the car on, the log and the receipt folder tell the next owner what was done, when and at what mileage, without them having to take your word for it. Give them a copy and keep your own. Before you pass anything on, black out what is private on the receipts, like your address or card details, and remove the pages with your insurance policy number. The VIN on the first page helps a buyer check that the records belong to this car.
Tools and templates for car costs
The MPG calculator works out gas mileage from miles and gallons or from two odometer readings, converts it to liters per 100 km, shows the cost per mile for a gas price you enter, and can average several fill-ups. The fuel economy converter turns US or UK MPG into liters per 100 km or km per liter and back, with the formula. For a road trip, the trip fuel cost calculator estimates how much fuel the distance needs, what it costs and each passenger's share. Before new tires, the tire size calculator decodes a size like 225/45R17 and compares two sizes, including the effect on your speedometer.
To plan insurance, registration and loan payments next to the running costs, the bill tracker lists bills with their due days, and the budget spreadsheet plans every category of a month or a year.
For what a repair order should show and how records help with warranty questions and resale, read the car maintenance records guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the car maintenance log free?
Yes. Download it as often as you like, for your own car, a family car or a small fleet you look after. There is no signup and no watermark; each page and sheet ends with one small line with our web address. Everything you type stays in your browser.
Does the log tell me when my car needs a service?
No. Service schedules differ from car to car and depend on how you drive, so the log has no intervals or reminders printed on it. Follow the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual, and use the log to record what was done and when.
Which units can I pick?
Distances in miles or kilometers and fuel in gallons or liters, in any pairing. Miles with gallons gives MPG, kilometers with liters gives liters per 100 km, kilometers with gallons gives kilometers per gallon, and miles with liters gives UK MPG: miles divided by liters, times 4.54609, the number of liters in a UK gallon.
How does the spreadsheet work out fuel economy?
Fill the tank to full each time and type the odometer reading and the fuel it took. The distance is this reading minus the one before, and fuel economy divides that distance by the fuel of the same fill-up (or the other way round for L/100 km). The first row only sets the starting point. The average in the Total row uses only rows that have a distance, so the fuel of the first fill-up does not skew it.
How many rows do I get?
The spreadsheet has 50 service rows and 60 fuel rows; to add more, insert rows between the first and the last item row so the totals pick them up. The PDF has 17 service rows on one US Letter page or 37 on two, and 16 or 35 on A4. The fuel log page has 20 rows on Letter and 19 on A4.
Why are some characters missing from my vehicle details?
The PDF uses a standard font that covers English and most Western European letters, but no emoji and no other scripts such as Greek, Cyrillic or Chinese. Those characters are left out, a few rare accented letters lose the accent, and a note under the fields tells you when that happens. The spreadsheet keeps your text exactly as typed.