How to keep a car maintenance spreadsheet

Keeping track of car maintenance is essential for ensuring your vehicle remains in good condition, preventing costly repairs, and helping you budget appropriately.

One of the best ways to keep tabs on car costs is to create a car maintenance spreadsheet or logbook. A well-maintained spreadsheet can help you monitor routine services, track expenses, and anticipate and prepare for upcoming costs.

And despite all the confusion and hesitation around how technical spreadsheets can be, keeping your own car logbook is not as hard as those stereotypes might suggest. Here are some tips for setting up and keeping an efficient car maintenance log.

What to track in a car maintenance spreadsheet

Before you even create your spreadsheet, create a list of what you want to track to inform and show you how much you’re spending on your vehicle’s maintenance and repairs.

Your list should include:

• Date of service: Keep a record of every maintenance or repair visit.
• Odometer reading: Logging mileage helps track when certain services are due.
• Type of service performed: List anything and everything like oil changes, tyre rotations, brake checks, and other services.
• Service provider: Note whether maintenance was done by a dealership, independent mechanic, or yourself.
• Cost of service: This helps you monitor expenses and budget accordingly.
• Next service due: Estimate when future services are required.
• Parts replaced: Track replaced components like brake pads, filters, and spark plugs.
• Warranty coverage: Note any warranty-related repairs to avoid unnecessary out-of-pocket expenses.

By tracking these elements, you’ll gain a clear picture of your car’s upkeep and can anticipate costs more accurately.

Organising your car maintenance spreadsheet

Using a spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or Apple Numbers, you can create a log with columns for each of the above categories. There are loads of free car maintenance log templates available in Excel, making it easy to start with a structured format.

To enhance your spreadsheet, think about:

• Colour coding upcoming due dates for maintenance.
• Using formulas to total expenses per month, quarter, or year.
• Adding filters for quick searches by service type, date, or cost.

How to calculate car maintenance costs

A well-maintained spreadsheet can help you analyse your spending and anticipate future costs. Here’s how to break down car maintenance expenses:

Car maintenance per month

• Track recurring costs such as oil changes and minor repairs.
• Average out larger expenses (like tyre replacements) over several months.
• Plan for small but essential maintenance, such as fluid top-ups.

Car maintenance per year

• Sum up all expenses from monthly entries.
• Include major services like brake pad replacements, alignments, and battery changes.
• Factor in unexpected repairs or breakdowns for a more realistic estimate.

Car maintenance per week

• Divide total monthly maintenance costs by four to get an approximate weekly expense.
• Helps with short-term budgeting and setting aside funds for upcoming services.
• Useful for drivers who log high mileage and need frequent maintenance.

Keeping your spreadsheet updated

To get the most out of your car maintenance log, update it regularly. Whenever you perform maintenance or incur an expense, record it promptly. Set reminders to check and update your spreadsheet monthly to stay on top of upcoming service dates and avoid unexpected costs.

By diligently maintaining a car maintenance spreadsheet, you can ensure your vehicle stays in peak condition, prevent costly repairs, and budget effectively for future expenses.

_Disclaimer
^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}