Maintenance Records
 

Who's stopped keeping track. I sorta jumped the shark 3 years ago. I have no clue what I've been doing for the last 36 months open than opening the wallet and trying searching my email accounts for parts orders .

Getting a clunking in the back and went to my big fat folder in the cabinet. I knew I did do the subframes and it looks like I also replaced the rear strut as well at the same time. Boy, is pricing going UP. I looked at what I paid FOR OE shocks and current MSRP is like 2X that. Why OE. Back then, if there was not a real genuine confirmed equivalent for what was ~spec for sport package~. I sorta, kinda, remember hemming and hawing about this and going OE due to this.

Maybe I still need to keep paper records. Dementia setting in

I keep track, sort of.

Most of my orders have parts that span two or three vehicles now, so I need to either photocopy them or look across folders to see what was replaced.

I am way too anal, so I have a spreadsheet on each vehicle with part No, description, category, date of install, mileage, source, costs, totaled to the bottom.
I have more $$ in parts on the wagon than any other vehicle I own. It just took more parts replacements to get it right due to the mileage.
When in doubt replace it......

--- in retrospect I sorta regret not keeping the checklist running ---

much easier than searching email and logging into various places where I buy part to see if I bought X Y OR Z

Hell, if I did not keep me order for the subframes, it would not have confirmed the other details I was looking for, which was what else have I touched in the rear.

I keep paper records.

With so many emails, invoices sent to you by auto parts websites, paper is simple.

No matter where I buy the parts from, I simply write down such as:

- Oct. 15, 2018: 130K miles, 6 new spark plugs NGK Iridium.

- On the other hand, if you only buy from autohausaz or FCPEuro (using and email and password to check in to buy parts), then their websites keep the sales records for you.

But as mentioned above, sometimes I buy parts for 4 different cars at home, then the paper record is simple and paper records win the battle!

Of course you can keep a spread sheet online, iCloud etc. but it is more work.

After an oil change or spark plug change, all I want is a pen and write briefly what I did and done with.

I use a kids composition book ... date, mileage, event, symptom/resolution if applicable. It comes in very handy to see how much oil being used, mileage in a year, "did I replace the spark plugs before or after John Entwhistle died" (though I discovered the car had not been made until after he passed so I consider which presidential administration was in charge at the time).