| KOZ |
Hey guys
Here's an interesting one for you. Since I took delivery of my MO in March of last year, I've reluctantly been using the maint. tracker on NissanUSA's website.
Well, we're now in 2007 and Nissan has yet to add a drop-down for work done in 2007- an email to their webmaster on 3 tries has come back as undeliverable, and the people over the phone are of NO help.
That being said, I do like keeping track of everything on the computer, and my one criticism with the Nissan site, other than the 2007 drop down feature, is that it would not organize the work by date for printing purposes- it was all over the place.
Do any of you use a similar program? I'd really like to find one that is FREE, and only want to track the basics- don't need to get into MPG calculations etc.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. |
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| Kris |
I created my own, very simple excell spreadsheet. Good enough for me. I only track maintenance so I enter: date, mileage, what was done, cost and hyper links to scanned document (invoices, receipts etc.).
Thought about creating a proper database but as the spreadsheet works for me I gave up on that idea. T |
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| njjoe |
KOZ-
I have set up an Excell spreadsheet in the same manner as Kris. By maintaining the spreadsheet on my PC I know it will always be there, unlike the NissanUSA maintenance log.
-njjoe |
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| Gonzo |
I am very knowledgeable with Excel and Access... having said that I use to track maintaince in both. After I got the MO I didn't have the time to update them as I wanted but I did find Carcare software which I highly recommend. Great reports and nice layout. Check 'em out.
CarCare Software
30 Day trial... give it a spin. Great reminders and fuel log. |
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| Eric L. |
| I've always used a little notebook that I leave in the glove compartment. Just a quick jot everytime I gas up or take it in for a maintenance appt. I never really saw the need to have a special software for it. Every few months I put all the numbers into an excel spreadsheet, like Kris. |
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| GripperDon |
They need maintenance tracking for their maintenance tracking.
What a bunch of understaffed, undertained and most likely unpaid jerks. |
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| Corin |
I also use Excel, and track a lot of stats.
Here's my gas mileage sheet: |
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| Corin |
| And my other maintenance: |
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| GripperDon |
| That took some effort. |
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| njjoe |
Corin-
Nice work. I also include the service station location on my sheet.
-njjoe |
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| Corin |
I almost always use the same station, so the location isn't as big of a deal.
It's really not a lot of work. MOST of the fields for gas mileage are calculated. I put in the date, brand, grade, # of gallons, total price, miles, LCD readout of MPG, and LCD readout of average speed. All the rest are calculated.
Kind of a pain to fill them in for each receipt, but it really helps me keep track of what my car is doing. Plus, a few more years down the road when I go to sell it, having those kinds of details are worth quite a bit.
And if Nissan tries to screw me out of a warranty repair because I do my own oil changes, I can show them how anal I am with my records. :p |
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| Corin |
By the way, the "AVG MPG" column in my sheet is calculating the sum of the entire Miles column and dividing it by the sum of the entire gallons column. So it's my overall average MPG since the day I bought the vehicle.
After 2 years of primarily city driving with a pretty lead foot (I like to have FUN driving) I think 18.87 mpg over-all isn't too bad! :) Certainly not Prius numbers, but then again it's not a Prius!
If my dad was keeping track of stats like this for his Durango, I'm sure he'd be down around 8-9 mpg. |
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| Gonzo |
Nice Korin, I like your format. Does the spreadsheet check for maintenance items due? I may just create one myself being inspired by you.
Here is what I'm thinking. The first sheet "main" would have all the dates/mileage items are due, second sheet "fuel" a fuel log simliar to your and the third sheet "maintenance" to cover when things have been done and when things are coming due based on settings from the "main" sheet. |
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| Corin |
quote:
Originally posted by Gonzo
Nice Korin, I like your format. Does the spreadsheet check for maintenance items due? I may just create one myself being inspired by you.
I have considered that, but haven't gotten around to setting it up yet. Would be nice to put in all the items that are required, and have a field on the "main" sheet that would auto-update to the next item to be performed and at what date/mileage it should be done. |
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| Gonzo |
| Yea that would be easy... the only thing that I would have to think about more is the program I use also tracks parts used. I like entering the parts and cost. I would have to think about that... perhaps just a note field with the parts used and total cost for the parts. |
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| Gonzo |
Hey Corin, my first pass.... what do you think? Enter maintenance items on the maintenance sheet and press the BETA button on the main sheet.
Rules:
1. Maintenance items must be the same name from the Main sheet
2. New entries must be inserted between the shaded lines
Excel Auto Log - BETA
(Save file to your local computer and permit macros to execute.) |
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| Gonzo |
| Any suggestions would be appreciated.... I think I might move forward with it over the software I'm using. Just a lot less over head. |
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| jason1234 |
Gonzo - I took a look at your spreadsheet, and it looks pretty good. Has all the functionality you'd need.
I also tried installing the CarCare software you provided the link to. It seems to be alot easier. The $40 purchase price isn't really a big deal. For me, the best feature is that I can have the software installed on my cell phone (Treo) and can enter in my fuel details right at the pump, then have it automatically sync with my computer when I get home instead of having to keep a receipt for the gas and remember the odometer reading at the pump. Plus I like the pretty colors and graphs the software has :p
I guess the only thing that I'd like to see in the car care software that you could do in an Excel spreadsheet is keep track of the difference in actual fuel economy vs the fuel economy displayed on the LCD in the car like Corin did. |
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| Gonzo |
I agree with you. The software has a good interface, good reports and it done well. I was also involved with BETA testing from the lastest release. The developer really incorporated many of my suggestions and reports.
Although I don't use the synch feature it is a handy idea.
I may still move forward with my Excel sheet as I like the simplicity of it plus I can tweak it more. As I add more and update it I'll post it to the Web as I've done with this first cut. |
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| Gonzo |
| Updated the spreadsheet to Build 2. Now includes ability to track via milleage or months. |
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| Gonzo |
Well I complete the workbook. Of course I went beyond necessary. It started off simple... then I wanted one worksheet to track two cars.... bla bla bla bla.
Here is a screen shot of the Main sheet. There are three other sheets; maintenance, fuel and notes.
What do you think? |
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| njjoe |
G-
Slick, very slick. I just can't believe you are one month past-due on the wash-'n-wax. Three and a half years past-due on the safety inspection I can understand, but missing the wash-'n-wax is not acceptable.
Nice job on the worksheet.
-njjoe |
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| Gonzo |
Funny... I know... one month past the Wash n' Wax..... can you tell I spoil my MO. I have not had a chance to enter value for the inspection and rgistration yet. I bet the fancy "bar" graph in the last column clinched the awesomeness of the chart. :)
One thing that you can't tell is this main sheet is automatically updated based on fuel log entries and maintenance entries. |
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| biggun |
| Wow Gonzo! Is that Excel? Very nice. |
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| Kris |
Gonzo,
you left me speechless!
You should put the software for sale. I am pretty sure people would buy it if the price was right. Say $9.95.......
Internet is powerful. You could make a few bucks to keep your Murano "shiny"...........:D |
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| njjoe |
quote:
Originally posted by Kris
Gonzo,
You should put the software for sale. I am pretty sure people would buy it if the price was right. Say $9.95.......
Kris-
Too late. He already posted it on the net. That means some small outfit in Silicone Valley has begun reverse-engineering it and will be marketing it before the week is out.
-njjoe |
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| Kris |
quote:
Originally posted by njjoe
Too late. He already posted it on the net. That means some small outfit in Silicone Valley has begun reverse-engineering it and will be marketing it before the week is out.
-njjoe
I would say "silicone valley in China"....;) |
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| Gonzo |
Yea more shiney money... I like that. Build 2 is posted on the net... however the latest if Build 6.... see I learn from Microsoft.
The problem is that to sell it I would have to write up a manual.... then respond to tech questions from users about my sheet and Excel and how knows what. I just have to manage to keep the MO shiney some how. |
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