Do You Keep a Vehicle Journal?

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Road

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Road
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Awesome! If you end up paying for the 'pro' version, message them in app and tell them Wes Vance referred you and they will give you a discount (I've been with the company for a while, its come a LONG way).
Well cool, will do, thanks!

Does the Wes Vance discount work anywhere else? I'll drop your name all over America . . . "Yo, I know Wes, y'know, Wes Vance. . .he said I get free steak here, right?"

No, all seriousness aside, I appreciate that. Looking forward to seeing how it works!
 

HappyOurOverlanding

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I've always kept track of all maintenance on my vehicles. That way I know whats been replaced and when. If a wheel bearing goes out I know if I've replaced it and when. It's nice to know how long things last.
I agree with keeping track of how long parts etc. last. I bought an Icon lift kit last April and two weeks ago I had to have the rear ones replaced after both shocks 'sprung a leak' as it were. Lucky they were still under warrantee and we didn't have to pay a thing. Oh happy day!
 

Enthusiast II

1,250
Hartford, SD
Exactly. It's also nice no know how long a set of tires lasted so you know if it's worth getting another set. Mine is all on paper. I keep a medium sized note book in every vehicle. That way it's always with it. I also keep the receipts in a file at home. Some days I think I'm a bit of a record keeping hoarder.
 
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CABNOIR

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Does anyone else keep a journal of things that they do to their vehicle? I log every time I make a change to the Jeep and include the miles, date, type, cost, and any notes to give a detailed account as to what was changed.

Here's an example of my journal, what does yours look like? What other fields should I include and keep track of?
Hi, I was checking out notion and couldn't figure out how to do the spreadsheet at the bottom of your pic. Do you have any tips or templates you could share?
 

WesAdvance

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Well cool, will do, thanks!

Does the Wes Vance discount work anywhere else? I'll drop your name all over America . . . "Yo, I know Wes, y'know, Wes Vance. . .he said I get free steak here, right?"

No, all seriousness aside, I appreciate that. Looking forward to seeing how it works!
I’m working on that ;) soon you’ll be able to drop that everywhere and people will stare at you in awe as you used the sacred ‘Wes Vance’ discount...

Thanks for your kind words [emoji4]


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kcjoiner

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Does anyone else keep a journal of things that they do to their vehicle? I log every time I make a change to the Jeep and include the miles, date, type, cost, and any notes to give a detailed account as to what was changed.

Here's an example of my journal, what does yours look like? What other fields should I include and keep track of?
I haven’t in the past but think it’s a great idea. I do keep a folder with receipts for everything I’ve done to my XJ.


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Rubyredfozzy

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This is a great idea. I'll prob start one along with a trip log along with modifications. I think I'll be able to track what the added weight does to fuel, and all other maintenance issues.

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genera_lee

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started doing this with my rx8 a while back. it was helpful cause i would track where i bought gas. Rotary engines are really sensitive all the way around, and you can tell when you get a tank of bad gas.

i keep a moleskine journal in the truck where i write down every fill up with station type, amount, mileage, and volume of gas to track mileage. i also have every little thing i do to the truck recorded. more so i can go back and see what is and isnt done. i love journals and handwritten stuff. plus i keep all the receipts, and a spreadsheet of "project expenses" that is rather painful to look at.
 

JDGreens

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started doing this with my rx8 a while back. it was helpful cause i would track where i bought gas. Rotary engines are really sensitive all the way around, and you can tell when you get a tank of bad gas.

i keep a moleskine journal in the truck where i write down every fill up with station type, amount, mileage, and volume of gas to track mileage. i also have every little thing i do to the truck recorded. more so i can go back and see what is and isnt done. i love journals and handwritten stuff. plus i keep all the receipts, and a spreadsheet of "project expenses" that is rather painful to look at.
So as I read through this thread, I thought of how my wife got into something that is pretty cool. It is called bullet journaling, she creates spread sheets in her journels for almost everything, goals, to do lists, expenses.........you name it. We just decided to go ahead and purchase our state parks pass for all 3 vehicles we own instead of just one. So she made a spread sheet to see just how many times we use the pass, where/when/which vehicle. I think it's great. But I am just the opposite. I am more of a shoot by the hip kind of guy. I do see the benifites that come from keeping records.
 

TOMB

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Only periodic maintenance, I don't leave any kind of trail my wife can follow and find out how much I really spend. Ha ha


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Blacksmith Scott

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Contributor II

started doing this with my rx8 a while back. it was helpful cause i would track where i bought gas. Rotary engines are really sensitive all the way around, and you can tell when you get a tank of bad gas.

i keep a moleskine journal in the truck where i write down every fill up with station type, amount, mileage, and volume of gas to track mileage. i also have every little thing i do to the truck recorded. more so i can go back and see what is and isnt done. i love journals and handwritten stuff. plus i keep all the receipts, and a spreadsheet of "project expenses" that is rather painful to look at.
I’m with you. I have tried iPad and iPhone apps but it just does not happen. When I get a receipt it is a physical reminder to do something...like record why/what/etc. Hand written is better for me. It works for my aquarium too!
 

Dunnage Garage

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Yep, I keep track of the date, miles, where the parts are from, and installer (if not me). It really helps with parts warrantee, costs. I dont keep track of fluid changes, those are done religiously by me.
Also I have kept track of every gallon of gas I have put in the jeep, but thats a diffrent log
 
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Correus

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I've had too many glitches and failures with apps and such, as well as loosing files and spreadsheets when PCs go belly-up.

I write it down in a journal/binder book. Besides, if you ever decide to part with the rig you can give it to the new owner as part of the history of the vehicle.

I have been doing this with my Land Rover. The primary binder - the one documenting repairs and such - is now needing to go from a 4" binder to a 6" one. Within this binder I keep the receipts of all the parts purchased, special tools purchased, gear purchased, modifications made and so on. I also print out the various tips-n-tricks used to make repairs and such that the shop manuals don't cover.

I also have a section within the binder that is a "wishlist" or "need to do" list.
 
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CR-Venturer

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I've played with the idea of doing something like this, but honestly I can't see myself bothering to do it. I've got way too much going on in my life to spend the time on this sort of thing. I admire the attention to detail represented here, though :D
 
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HappyOurOverlanding

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Besides my my wife keeping receipts of maintenance, upgrades (shocks, lifts, tires, etc), I keep a picture log of addons I did. This includes platform, fuse panel, plugs, and other add in I do. This way I can go back and look how it was installed.
 
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