Vehicles
You cannot remember what interval you were actually quoted, or when anything was last done.
“I know I should be tracking this vehicle's maintenance, but the interval I was quoted is written on a receipt somewhere, if anywhere, and I only ever check once it becomes a problem.”
11 guides · 60 minutes of reading
Most of us cannot say when a car was last serviced or what interval a shop quoted. These guides cover working out what is due from your own records, talking to a mechanic, starting from nothing on a used car, and keeping the paperwork in order. The three start here guides are the place to begin.
Start here
Working out what is due
Start here to find what maintenance is due, from your manual and your own log.
How to know what maintenance your car is due forWork out what is due by miles and by months, whichever comes first, using the intervals in your owner's manual and one recorded date.5 min read
Car maintenance schedule by mileage: check your manualTypical intervals by mileage to compare with your owner's manual, how to read its normal and severe columns, and how to write yours down once.5 min read
Car maintenance log: what to write downWhat a car maintenance log needs on every line, what to leave off, and a filled-in example you can copy into a notebook or a spreadsheet.4 min read
How to keep track of maintenance on two carsWhich car needs the oil change? Keep a separate record for each car, label them by plate or name, and check both together once a month.5 min read
Winter car prep checklist: what to check before frostBattery, tires, wipers, washer fluid, coolant, lights and an emergency kit: what to check before the first hard frost, and what to write down.6 min read
Starting out and the shop
For a car that is new to you and for the conversation before any work begins.
What to tell a mechanic before the work startsSay what you are asking for, the most you will approve without a call, and ask for an estimate in writing. Scripts to say and a page to hand over.6 min read
Bought a used car with no service records? What to doNo service records on your used car? Ask the seller, read the odometer, get an independent inspection and start your own record from today.6 min read
First car checklist: what to do in the first weekFind the manual, note the mileage, locate the papers, start a record and put the essentials in the glove box, all in your first week with the car.6 min read
Paperwork and service history
Renewal dates, what lives in the glove box and how to present a history when you sell.
How to track car registration and insurance renewalsNote the kind of paper, the date and where it is kept, then look six weeks ahead so a renewal does not sneak up. Check your state for its rules.5 min read
What to keep in your glove box (and what to leave home)The papers and numbers worth keeping in your glove box, what belongs at home instead, and how to put the essentials on one card.6 min read
Selling your car: how to present your service historyA dated record shows a buyer how a car was looked after. What to put on the page, what a record you kept yourself can and can't show, and how to print it.6 min read