Recording Classic Car Maintenance/Costs on the Computer

[Guest jmbakar]

I've been looking for the best way to keep maintenance records for my old cars on my computer. In the event I want to sell one of the cars or need to look something up, I want to be able to pull up the records easily, without having to sort through receipts and scraps of paper. Does anyone use a program or specific Excel template that works well for them? Any ideas or suggestions would be great!

John

[MarrsCars]

I don't have a specific program to suggest, but for those who aren't especially computer literate or don't have Excel, you can always just type in each repair into a standard word processing program that comes with any computer as most have a "find" or "search" feature that you can use to find whatever you need. I type mine in rows with the repair type, where it was performed, and cost, then if I want to see when the last time I changed the water pump was I just search "water pump" and it is highlighted. Definitely not the most advanced or efficient way to do it, but it does work surprisingly well. I still keep the paper receipts of course.

Whatever you eventually choose, make a backup file anytime you update the list to another computer or thumb drive so you aren't S.O.L. if (when) your computer crashes.

[ElectricBanana]

If you don't have Excel and don't want to purchase Microsoft Office, a good alternative is "Open Office". It's freeware and is basically interchangable with MS Office. I normally use Excel, but I've done some work at businesses that use Calc (Open Office's version of Excel). It works well and isn't difficult to learn. You can check it out here:

Download OpenOffice: Free Office Suite Replacement for Microsoft Office

I do track some vehicle maintenance on Excel. If you'd like to see a file that you could possibly use as a template, just send me a PM with your e-mail and I'll zip it over to you.

[ply33]

If you don't have Excel and don't want to purchase Microsoft Office, a good alternative is "Open Office". It's freeware and is basically interchangable with MS Office. I normally use Excel, but I've done some work at businesses that use Calc (Open Office's version of Excel). It works well and isn't difficult to learn. You can check it out here:

Download OpenOffice: Free Office Suite Replacement for Microsoft Office

I do track some vehicle maintenance on Excel. If you'd like to see a file that you could possibly use as a template, just send me a PM with your e-mail and I'll zip it over to you.

Second the suggestion about OpenOffice but will also note that there are spin offs from it that may fit a bit more cleanly into your computer (OpenOffice was originally written for the X windowing system used on Unix boxes so some of the ports to Windows and Macintosh are or at least were a bit rough around the edges). I am using LibreOffice on my Mac at home and having no issue exchanging files with Open Office on the Linux machine at work or the work Windows laptop which has an official copy of MS Office.

For myself, I track gas mileage in a spreadsheet but try not to remind myself of the other maintenance and repair costs associated with my old car. If I am really desperate to know when and how much I can pull a report from my home finance program. Don't track the mileage at which the repair/maintenance was done with the home finance program, only the cost, payee and which car.

[Guest namvetschrysler]

Great idea but i bullshit so much to my missus about the cost of things if she ever found a record of the correct costs that would be the end of me.

[bhclark]

I stopped keeping track because knowing the "total cost of ownership" tended to depress me.

Records without cost would be a good idea!

[Vila]

I am currently restoring a 1962 Triumph TR4 and use an excel spreadsheet I created to keep track of my costs.

To the left I have 5 columns for parts I need to buy. This section is segregated into groups like exterior body, engine compartment, trunk, interior, tires and wire wheels, etc. Each part takes a row and the 5 columns include Part description, Part supplier, Part number, Estimated cost, and sub-total for that group. At the bottom of the sub-total column, it shows the grand total for the parts I still need to buy.

To the right of that I have 3 more columns for the parts I have purchased. It includes part description, cost of parts, and cost of shipping with totals at the bottom for parts and shipping costs for this list.

When I buy parts, I copy the part description / cost and paste them in the right column and then add the shipping cost. The part is then deleted from the left section for part I need.

I know exactly how much I have paid for parts, paid for shipping, and an estimate of how much the parts will cost that I still need to buy.

What can I say, yes I am anal.

Visit my website at: Bob's Vintage Cars

Vila

1933 Chevrolet

1962 Triumph TR4

1984 BMW 633 CSi

[NTX5467]

If all you want is a list, then you can do that with most any wordprocessing program. Usually, there's something in the Microsoft Works software already on many later-model Windows computers, plus some sort of spreadsheet utility, I believe. IF you want "column totals", then you'll certainly need a spreadsheet utility, but if you just want a list, just create a new "document" and set the tabs for the columns you might desire.

I've used OpenOffice Calc for other things and it works, generally, as well as MS Office does. The word processing programs in Open Office might not be as "feature-filled" as MS Office, but they all work nicely for basic stuff. Only thing is the download takes a long time, even on dsl, but you can get a disc for a small contribution to "the cause" of open access software.

Remember, too, that you can change the width of the columns on the spreadsheet AND also do it in "landscape" rather than "portrait". You might also want to include an "explanation" page as a spreadsheet is not usually a good place for "text", other than a short note.

Key thing is that it does what you want it to do. As mentioned, "information" can be "deadly", in places you might not desire it to be . . . although these things usually get found out anyway.

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[Paul Dobbin]

Keeping track of all costs is kind of like picking at a scab. It does not help the healing process.

When we're in LOVE, we don't count the costs. Ever read an ad that said $100,000 invested, asking $32,000?

That's depressing and has no bearing on the end value of the vehicle.

I have loose records of what I spent and have an idea of the total, but it's the car I love and if I spent to much I still love it. When the time comes to sell it, all that money spent is not as important as what was done and how well it came out. It's not a business it's a HOBBY.

Once I kept track of the man hours (900 hours on a 1915 Model T Touring Car) That was so discouraging that I quit doing that too.

The first question the public asks is "What's it Worth?", My answer is: How much do you have?

Second question is who restored it? (That's the one I like) My answer is my friends and I, over whatever the time period was.

Third question is , Do you drive it? My answer is, If you don't drive them, you might as well collect grandfather clocks.

This has been a wonderful hobby for us for 40 years, We've met interesting people, seen the USA on backroads (AACA, VMCCA, Greatrace's) and we've won a few bowling throphies with an old car on top.

The measure of enjoyment or value was not what we spent, but the fun we had.

When we're gone, somebody else can enjoy these cars for whatever the market bares, the costs to us were worth the fun we had. If we spent too much, maybe we had too much fun!

[D Yaros]

I track a lot of vehicle info: repairs, gas mileage, purchases, etc. I use a program called Vehicle Record System. I have used it for years, for a number of cars, and am quite happy with it. The free version is fully operational and lets you have up to 3 cars in the database. I am sure you can find the program through Google or C-Net.

Only drawback is, that I do not believe it is still supported by the author. However, in all the years I have used it I have never had an occasion to require support.

Highly recommend it!