Independently published Vehicle Maintenance Log Book: Track Maintenance, Repairs, Fuel, Oil, Miles, Tires And Log Notes - Car Repair Journal - Oil Change Log Book - Auto Expense Diary - Cars, Trucks, And Other Vehicles

A vehicle maintenance log book providing structured pages for recording maintenance, repairs, fuel, oil changes, mileage, tire service and associated expenses for cars, trucks and other vehicles. It includes 122 pages for dated entries and notes to keep a chronological record of service history and costs.

Model Number: B08L7QTTVL

Independently published Vehicle Maintenance Log Book: Track Maintenance, Repairs, Fuel, Oil, Miles, Tires And Log Notes - Car Repair Journal - Oil Change Log Book - Auto Expense Diary - Cars, Trucks, And Other Vehicles Review

4.6 out of 5

Why I switched to a dedicated maintenance log

My glovebox used to be a graveyard of crumpled service receipts and half-remembered oil change dates. After one too many “When did I last rotate the tires?” moments, I moved all of my vehicle upkeep tracking into a simple, dedicated notebook. This maintenance log has been on my passenger seat for months now, and it’s changed how I plan, perform, and prove vehicle care.

Design and build

This is a straightforward paperback logbook with 122 pages. The profile is slim enough that I don’t hesitate to keep it in the car or toss it in a garage drawer. The cover is plain and utilitarian, which is exactly what I want in a tool I’ll actually use.

The paper is thicker than the average bargain notebook. Ballpoints and gel pens don’t bleed through in my experience, and even a fine-tip felt pen only shows a faint shadow on the reverse side. The binding has held up after being opened flat on a workbench and flipped through with greasy hands; it’s not luxurious, but it’s sturdy enough for garage life. Corners haven’t frayed quickly, and the pages turn cleanly without snagging.

Layout that focuses on the essentials

Each page is structured to capture what matters: date, mileage, what was done, parts/fluids, and cost, plus space for notes. It’s clearly geared toward maintenance, repairs, fuel, oil changes, tire service, and expenses. That sounds broad, but in practice the layout makes it quick to log both routine service (oil change, cabin filter, tire rotation) and bigger jobs (brakes, battery, belts).

The column headings strike a good balance between prompting the right information and not boxing you into a workflow you don’t use. If I just need to jot “Rotate tires, torque 100 ft-lb,” I can. If I want to itemize pads, rotors, and brake fluid, there’s enough room to do that too. Chronological entries make it easy to scan a vehicle’s history without flipping between sections.

One thing to know: this is not a manufacturer checklist or a prefilled service schedule. It’s a blank, flexible log that you fill in as you go. That makes it adaptable to any car, truck, or motorcycle, and it works well for DIYers and folks who use a shop.

In use: quick entries that pay dividends later

The biggest win for me is how fast it is to write an entry and move on. After an oil change, I write the date, mileage, oil weight and brand, filter part number, and total cost. It takes 30 seconds, and six months later I don’t have to guess what I used. When I rotate tires, I note the pattern, torque spec, and tread depths. For a repair—say, a serpentine belt and tensioner—I list part numbers, torque values, and any observations (“old belt glazing, slight squeal cold”).

This helps in three concrete ways:
- Planning: I can see at a glance when the next service is due, based on mileage or time.
- Troubleshooting: Notes reveal patterns (“top off coolant once in winter” turned into “replace leaky hose clamp”).
- Resale: A tidy, chronological record adds credibility. Handing a buyer one logbook is more persuasive than a pile of receipts.

I’ve also used it to track fuel system cleanings, differential fluid changes, and tire replacements with their DOT dates and installed mileage—details that are easy to forget and expensive to rediscover.

Capacity and organization

With 122 pages, there’s room for years of ownership for a typical daily driver if you keep everything in one place. I dedicated one book per vehicle. That keeps histories clean and makes each log a self-contained snapshot you can hand over to a new owner.

If you’re running a small fleet or doing frequent mods and track prep, you may fill pages faster, but the simplicity remains a strength. There’s no setup overhead, no templates to fight—just a reliable place to write things down.

The notes area on each entry is enough for practical detail, but if you like to document diagnostic steps or multi-step repairs in narrative form, you’ll find yourself using two lines or continuing onto the next entry. It works, but it’s not the same as having dedicated full-page notes. I started tagging multi-page jobs with a simple “1/2, 2/2” at the end of the notes to keep them tied together.

What could be better

A few limitations showed up as I used it:

  • No receipt pocket: There’s no built-in sleeve to hold invoices or parts receipts. I added a stick-on pocket inside the back cover and it solved the problem. Before that, I tucked receipts in the back, which works but isn’t secure.
  • Soft cover: Paperback keeps it slim, but a hard cover would be easier to write on while standing by the car. I keep a thin clipboard in the door pocket; problem solved, but worth noting.
  • Space for longer entries: For heavy DIY work, complicated repairs, or long parts lists, I occasionally wanted more room on a single line. The trade-off of a compact format is that truly detailed jobs may span entries.

None of these are deal-breakers. They’re the kinds of small refinements that would make a good tool even better.

Tips to get the most out of it

  • Start with an “owner info” entry: On the first page, write VIN, license plate, engine code, tire size and pressures, and torque specs you reference often. It turns the log into a quick-reference sheet.
  • Standardize your shorthand: Decide how you’ll write mileage (e.g., “mi” or “km”), parts (brand + part number), and costs (parts/labor/total). You’ll thank yourself later.
  • Add an adhesive pocket: A cheap stick-on pocket inside the back cover neatly handles receipts and alignment printouts.
  • Use a single pen: Pick a pen that doesn’t smear on slightly dusty pages and keep it clipped to the book so logging never becomes a chore.
  • One book per vehicle: Separating vehicles avoids confusion and makes the history easy to hand off.

Who it’s for (and who it’s not)

  • Great for: DIYers, meticulous owners, anyone selling a well-kept used car, and small-business owners who want a paper trail without committing to fleet software. If you’ve ever lost track of when a job was done, this will help.
  • Good for: People who use shops but want control of the maintenance narrative. You can summarize invoices and keep key details at hand.
  • Less ideal for: Drivers who prefer digital tools with reminders and cloud storage, or those who want a hardcover format with integrated storage. If you never look back at service history, this won’t change your habits.

Value and alternatives

You can absolutely track maintenance in a generic notebook or a spreadsheet. I’ve done both. The reason I prefer a dedicated log like this is friction: the prompts and layout make it faster to capture the right details consistently, and the book lives with the car. Digital apps are powerful, but they invite inconsistency when different family members drive the vehicle or when you’re mid-job and don’t want a phone on the bench.

This log strikes a pragmatic balance: simple, durable, and specific enough to be useful without being prescriptive.

Recommendation

I recommend this maintenance log for anyone who wants a low-friction, reliable way to capture vehicle service history. It’s compact, the paper and binding are better than generic notebooks, and the layout focuses on the information you’ll actually need later—dates, mileage, work performed, parts/fluids, cost, and notes. While I’d love to see a built-in receipt pocket and a hardcover option, those are modest wishes, and easy to work around with a stick-on sleeve or a clipboard.

If you value an organized, chronological record that you can hand to a mechanic or a future buyer—and you prefer the certainty of pen and paper—this logbook is an easy, worthwhile upgrade over improvised systems.



Project Ideas

Business

Custom Branded Fleet Logbooks

Produce bulk-printed, company-branded maintenance logbooks for small fleets (delivery, landscaping, contractors). Customize with company logo, vehicle ID fields, and pre-printed sections tailored to the fleet's needs. Sell as recurring orders and offer volume discounts and reordering reminders.


Add-on Sticker & Tag Service

Sell packs of maintenance stickers and durable service tags (oil change, tire rotation) that mechanics or fleet managers can apply to windshields or service binders. Offer QR-coded stickers that link to a digital record or a PDF of the corresponding logbook entry for traceability and modern convenience.


Digital Companion + Hybrid Kit

Create a low-cost digital companion service: offer a scanned logbook template, simple mobile form for photographing and uploading paper entries, and cloud storage. Sell hybrid starter kits (physical logbook + QR stickers + 6-month cloud plan) to small business owners who want both paper records and searchable digital backups.


Mechanic Partnership Packs

Partner with local auto shops to provide logbooks as part of a service package or as a freebie with tune-ups. Co-brand the books with the shop's contact info and include coupon inserts to drive repeat business; sell the shops refill packs to hand out to customers after each service.


Used-Car Seller Trust Kit

Assemble a 'sold car' kit for independent sellers and dealers: include a fresh maintenance logbook pre-filled with a starting entry template, an odometer and service sticker sheet, a maintenance checklist for buyers, and a printable maintenance history certificate. Market this kit as a trust-building upsell that can help increase sale price and buyer confidence.

Creative

Rustic Upcycled Cover Journal

Turn the log book into a personalized gift by replacing or covering the softcover with reclaimed leather or canvas, adding metal corner protectors and a stamped name or license plate number. Add interior pockets for receipts and a pen loop; use the existing dated pages as official-looking maintenance history while decorating margins with hand-drawn icons, washi tape and repair stamps.


Vintage Road-Trip Scrapbook

Use the log pages to record routes, mileage and fuel stops alongside pasted photos, ticket stubs and maps. Convert maintenance entries into a travel timeline (oil change at mile X, then camped at Y), add captions and stickers, and create a keepsake that combines car history with memories of journeys.


Mechanic Sketch & Parts Notebook

Repurpose the book into a workshop companion: use each dated entry as a build or repair session page for sketches, bolt torque notes and parts lists. Add labeled plastic sleeves for small parts or gaskets and include a reference index at the front for recurring procedures and torque specs.


Car Restoration Project Planner

Use the structured entries to track every stage of a restoration: baseline condition, parts sourced, labor hours, costs and before/after photos glued to pages. Create project milestones with color-coded tabs and a running budget sheet in the back using the remaining blank pages.


Kids' 'My First Car' Activity Book

Adapt the log book into an educational, interactive activity for children: simplify pages so kids can log 'checkups' (pretend oil changes), draw their dream car, add stickers for tasks completed and teach basic car-care vocabulary. Include simple matching games and coloring pages bound into the book.