reallife

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Anyone else using Auto Maintenance Pro to keep track of their gas mileage and maintenance, repairs, etc?

Here is a link to their website: http://www.mtcpro.com/index.htm

You can get a free 30-day download trial version. The full-version software is $34.95 US.

I have been using it for a few years. I added all the PM specified in my car manuals with intervals, etc. It is easy. Virtually everything necesssary can be selected from pre-existing lists. So each vehicle gets its own database. It is easy to see what has been done and what is due in the future.

I would imagine that the documentation print out combined with the receipts for service, etc would help at resale.

Take a look.....

I'm not affiliated with this product, I haven't found anything better.

mtiede

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Not using any such software, but, being a programmer, I have thought of making something every now and then.

FWIW, I have never ever been asked at resale "Do you have any service records?" etc. Not sure how much of a difference the records would make.

reallife

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Mtied,
Years ago I wrote up a nifty spreadsheet and kept track of all my investments with it. I spent tens of hours on it, probably hundreds of hours. I used it for 4-5 years. Then a friend told me about Quicken. I decided to check it out. This was Quicken DOS version 2.0. After 10 minutes I switched everything to Quicken. This was 1988 for goodness sake! I have never looked back.

Ditto for this auto maintenance program. Sure I could easily come up with a spreadsheet for fuel, mileage, etc or even to track maintenance issues; but for $34.95 I can have a program that does nearly everything I would want for up to 5 vehicles. For my time Auto Mainteneance Pro is a no-brainer!!

I am an "early adopter" but I would switch to a better program in a heartbeat if I knew of one.....

in2dwww

If you look around at some mint S-class and E-class MB's on the market... stuff from the '90s, they are going for about $18k. That's $10k more than blue book. Some of these 420SEL's and 500E's have all records, including the original window sticker. I found a 400E with most records, including an estimate for damage repair from 2003. At least I know exactly how badly it was damaged (acutally it was just a new side marker and R&I the bumper).

Most documents are trashed at auctions... some A-hole at an independent dealer blamed lack of service records and no books on 9/11. What a lousy excuse. I tore him a new one and walked off that lot.

A Mercedes should have a record to show that it was properly maintained. You want a flight log on these expensive, over-engineered cars. Any aftermarket crap from AutoZone could spell disaster over time. A newer car won't reflect this value, but someone looking to buy that car 10 years from now will pay good money for a well maintained car with documents to back it up. Look at some of these: http://worldclassmotorcars.com/Cars.asp?x=2