The short answer: keep car maintenance on a schedule tied to months and mileage, and log each service. The car maintenance checklist breaks it into monthly, seasonal and mileage tasks.
- Service timing: how often to change oil and how often to rotate tires.
- Records: a vehicle maintenance log book for every service, date and mileage. Logging business miles for taxes? See the mileage log for taxes.
- In the trunk: what to keep in a car emergency kit year-round.
Our picks for car care
Printables
Vehicle Maintenance Log
Oil changes, repairs, tires, fuel and MPG, trip mileage and renewal dates - so resale and warranty records are easy.
$3.99Buy
Paperback planners
Vehicle Maintenance Log (Paperback)
Car Service, Repair, Oil Change, and Mileage Record Book
$9.99Coming soon
Guides
- Car Maintenance Checklist and Schedule: Monthly to 100,000 Miles Start hereA printable car maintenance checklist by mileage, plus monthly and seasonal checks, a used-car checklist, recall checks and a simp…
Ideas and how-tos
- Car emergency kitWhat to put in a car emergency kit: the year-round basics, winter extras, kid and pet add-ons, and how to keep the kit and your ca…
- How Often to Change OilHow often to change oil: why 3,000 miles is outdated, typical 5,000 to 10,000 mile intervals, synthetic vs. conventional oil and w…
- How Often to Rotate TiresHow often to rotate tires: the usual 5,000 to 7,500 mile interval, patterns for front, rear and all-wheel drive, signs of uneven w…
- Vehicle maintenance log booksWhat a car maintenance log book should track, a sample oil change and repair log, and how a complete service record helps warranty…
How to use this page
This hub is part of home and car maintenance.