Automotive Guruz

Every car owner knows how expensive it is to have your car brought to the dealership or to the shop for repairs. Add to that misdiagnosis and inaccurate assessments and you have yourself multiple visits to the car repair center. This would take up a lot of time and money. The expenses could all pile up to astronomical heights and most of them are unplanned. While not all of us may have the time to delve into the technical intricacies of vehicle maintenance and repairs, having a vehicle maintenance log does help you and your friendly mechanic know the history of the vehicle and what it’s been through.

The log doesn’t have to be that complicated. You just have to list down the important things that are pertinent to its maintenance history and then organize it chronologically with the latest information at the very top of the pile. There’s no need to put the basic details of the vehicle since most automotive technicians are highly trained with all sorts of vehicles but there’s nothing stopping you from doing so. It’s pretty much like making your own health record for you or your child, except that it’s simpler and easier to use.

For starters it should have the following information:

1. Dates. As mentioned earlier, information about a particular trip to the shop should include the date. If you are making a chart, it’s convenient to have this as your first column header. This little piece of information is very important so as to know when a certain part was replaced. It also gives the technician a quick bird’s eye view of the problem before taking a look at the actual vehicle.
2. Type of Service Performed. The entry for the type of service performed on the vehicle performs two tasks. First, it informs the technician about the overall condition of the car. Next, it provides an insight on how the failure of one system could adversely affect another.
3. Parts Replaced. A lot could be gleaned from knowing on whether a part has been replaced or not. Remember, everything in the vehicle is somewhat interconnected with one another. Moreover, if a particular component has been recently replaced and a part that is in close proximity is functioning poorly, the mechanic may be able to ascertain the cause for the problem. For instance, a loose bolt or nut may loosen and affect a close component. This happens a lot, particularly with shoddy work.
4. Service Center. Whether you brought your vehicle on warranty to the car dealer or to an independent auto shop, be sure to list this down. If possible, even list down the name of the technician who has handled your case. Details are everything and finding the perfect shop for you entails building a relationship of trust with the shop.
5. Cost. Breakdown the total amount to its distinctive components. That is, separate the amount that you paid for the service from the cost of the parts that you purchased.
6. Receipts. Keep a copy of the receipts on a separate folder for reference or if you like, add them as an attachment to the master file.

These are all made easier nowadays to just enter all of these details to a vehicle maintenance program which you can install on your computer and even your mobile application. But the thing is, you can’t just share your computer or mobile phone to your auto mechanic. Chances are, their hands would be greasy and it would be better if you just give them a photocopy of your record. Keep a copy of your car repair info safe in the dashboard so you won’t have look around when the need arises.