When you get that shiny new car you may not be thinking of keeping good, detailed maintenance records. But at some point you’ll want to sell it to get another shiny new car and these records will go a long way toward getting the best price for sale or trade-in. And if you’re looking for a good used car asking for the owner’s record scan save you time and money.
It’s not a hard job but it should be done well. A simple little notebook will do just fine or there are record books available just for this purpose. They’ll have dividers for specific records and may make it easier. Either way it should contain a number of items.
- Record your vehicles vital info such as make, model, insurance information and vehicle identification number or the VIN.
- Keep detailed info on gas mileage starting at purchase. A decrease in gas mileage will be a good indication of any emerging maintenance issues that you can address before they become a problem.
- Write down all oil changes. Type of oil used, date and mileage will help you keep track of when your next change is due. Those little stickers in your windshield may not last or become unreadable.
- Make a note of other fluid replacements.
- Keep a record of your tires. The type of tire, mileage when you got them will remind you of replacement schedules.
- Record brake replacements so you’ll know when to keep an eye on wear or when to have old brake dust cleaned.
- A air and fuel line filter record will remind you of when you replaced and when to replace again.
- And as much as we don’t like to think of this any accident reports, including minor fender benders, should also be noted. This helps with insurance or any vehicle issues that may have resulted from them.
Don’t forget to include receipts from car repairs, maintenance and purchases. They’re vital for tax records and they’ll come in handy if your parts wear out before they should. This even includes interior equipment such as satellite radios, GPS devices or other electronics.
Think of your vehicle’s maintenance records like you would medical records for yourself or your family. Your mechanic will thank you, your insurance company will be happy and so will you. Sallas Auto Repair would be happy to review your records with you to see if you need any scheduled maintenance, repairs or we can recommend replacement parts if you need them. We’re your auto repair pals and we’re here to help.