Free Vehicle Service Log: Car Maintenance Record with Costs, a Vehicle Maintenance Schedule Chart, and a Household Vehicle Renewals and Service Tracker (PDF, Word, Excel)

What is on the page

Odometer

The mileage when the work was done; service intervals and warranties are usually based on it.

Work done

What was done and anything the shop noticed, such as brake pad thickness or a worn belt.

Warranty

Parts and labor warranty on the repair, or whether it was covered by the car's warranty or insurance.

Interval (manual)

How often each item is due, from the owner's manual or the car's maintenance reminder, often by miles or time, whichever comes first.

Renewals

Registration, insurance and inspection dates, which come round once or twice a year and are easy to miss.

Keeping a service record

Write down every job the day it's done, including do-it-yourself work, and keep the invoices in a folder or as photos. Note the odometer reading and anything the mechanic said to watch, such as brakes getting thin. A complete record helps if a warranty claim is questioned, makes it easy to see when something is due, and is one of the best ways to get a good price when you sell. Track fuel separately on the fuel mileage tracker, where a drop in mpg can warn of a problem.

Maintenance schedules

There is no single schedule for every car. Many modern cars have an oil-life monitor that tells you when service is due, and intervals depend on the engine and how the car is driven; lots of short trips, towing, dust or extreme temperatures usually count as "severe" use with shorter intervals. Copy the intervals from your owner's manual into the chart once, then fill in when each job was last done and when it's next due. Check the chart before each service so the shop does what is due, and nothing that isn't.

Several vehicles, one page

With two or three cars, a trailer or a small business van, renewal dates and services are easy to lose track of. The household tracker puts them side by side. Check it monthly and before winter, and add the dates to a calendar. Insurance renewal is a good time to compare quotes; the car insurance comparison checklist helps. When a car is getting expensive to keep, compare replacements with the vehicle purchase comparison worksheet.

Editing the files

The PDFs are fillable. In Excel, the service log totals the cost; add a column for each year to see spending trends.

Questions

What should a vehicle service log include?

Date, odometer reading, work done, parts, shop or DIY, cost, warranty and invoice number for every service and repair.

How often should I change my oil?

Follow your owner's manual or oil-life monitor. Many modern cars with synthetic oil go 5,000 to 10,000 miles, but it varies.

Does keeping service records help when selling a car?

Yes. A complete record shows the car was looked after and often helps it sell faster and for more.

What is severe driving for maintenance?

Usually frequent short trips, stop-and-go traffic, towing, dusty roads or extreme heat or cold. Check the manual for its definition.

Do I need receipts for warranty claims?

Yes. Manufacturers may ask for proof that scheduled maintenance was done.