The maintenance log of a vehicle plays an essential role in keeping its health in good condition.
When you purchase a new car, you might get carried away by the mind-provoking advertisements claiming no maintenance requirements. So, you might tend to underestimate the value of your vehicle maintenance log.
If you do so, you might end up spending more on repairs caused due to negligence. So, you should avoid it.
A vehicle maintenance log can help you keep your car organized. And that also helps increase the resale value of your car.
The log involves keeping track of all servicing and oil changes and saving the original receipts. So, the log helps a mechanic know your car’s history.
Again, the trust of your prospective car buyer will increase in your car if you can show him the maintenance log. It will mean that you took good maintenance of your car, so it is worth purchasing. Besides, it will also help fetch a good resale value.
Here are a few practical tips for maintaining a vehicle log:
Right Scheduling
Suppose you schedule the car maintenance log after buying your car. In that case, you can prepare in advance when to conduct periodic checks and maintenance operations, such as oil change, tire rotation, hoses and belt check-ups, and air filter replacements.
It can so happen that you feel like postponing the maintenance log due to your hectic work schedule. But, you should ensure that you avoid postponing. You can mark the dates on a calendar to remember them beforehand.
Prevents Engine Failures
If you fail to change the engine oil regularly, the engine may break down. And most engines fail either due to not changing the oil on time or using the wrong type of oil.
You can avoid such mistakes by maintaining a log. Again, you can find details regarding the oil type in your owner’s manual.
You can quickly figure out the cost of repairing the engine if anything gets wrong.
Builds Good Relationships
You will meet the mechanic frequently if you maintain your car on the scheduled dates. And that will help develop good relationships with the mechanic. Again, taking your car for repairs and checking in a particular car service shop each time can earn loyalty discounts due to the good relationships.
Keeps Records of All Operations
There is an important thing to note in the context of the value of a vehicle maintenance log. There has to be the following information in a log to provide value:
- The basic car information, like tire size, filter type, oil type, etc.
- Receipts of maintenance and repairs
- Periodic maintenance details
- Roadside inspections
In a roadside inspection, the inspector may figure out a defect. In such a case, the log will help you prove that you have properly taken care of your car by adhering to the maintenance schedule.
Helps Keeping the Warranty Intact
It often happens that dealers refuse car owners to honor the warranties due to the negligence of the car owners in taking care of their vehicles following the owner’s manual recommendations.
Therefore, you should ensure that you take the best care of your car when it is under warranty. A maintenance log can prove to the dealer that you took adequate care of your car if you take your car to the dealer to fix any defect during the warranty period.
Also, auto repair manuals can be a good source of information about car repairs.
The Final Say
So, you should not only try to keep your car clean but also the maintenance history as well. You should not fail to maintain the record of the maintenance and repairs you did for your car. It will help your car stay healthy, reduce your visits to the repair shop, and increase the resale value of your car.
