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LOG BOOKS

Why bother to keep a log book. Log books for your auto aren’t just for the IRS but I can tell you from personal experience the a log book looks real good when you face an IRS auditor. I walked into an audit a couple of years ago with all of my stuff and my log book The agent said, “Wow, this is the first real log book I have ever seen.”

That was an eye opener to me. I have recommended that my customers keep a log book of their vehicles. I even require a log book to honor warrantees (I have never refused one because the log book wasn’t kept.) The log book protects not only the customer but me too. Your log book can show indications of trouble with your car long before any serious damage is done. 

One thing that a log book will show is the decrease in efficiency of your car. Your fuel milage drops off. This usually includes an increase in emissions and a drop in power. You can easily detect this problem in a log book. In addition it show when the problem started and if it has gotten worse. If your technician is smart he will look at your log book ask appropriate questions and cut your diagnostic time.

What should a log book contain?

• Date of all entries.
• Milage at the time of the entry.
• An entry for each time fuel is added.
• Amount of fuel added.
• Cost of the fuel/gallon.
• Where fuel was purchased.
• An entry for any oil added.
• An entry for any service performed. (Oil change, tires, brakes, tune-up, etc.)
• Detailed list of repairs (I recommend referencing the repair invoice.)
   

That is a lot of information to record. I recommend a paper back sized lined and bound book for a log book. I have sort of developed my own code to save space and you can do the same.

A good example of why keep a log book occurred a couple of months ago in our shop. A good customer and friend brought his car in for service. He stated, “Looks like its time for a timing belt.” He did not have a log book but I bet he does now. I told him that I thought we had put a timing belt on about a year ago. He was sure that we had not. After I looked it up in the computer and in the book keeping system he was convinced that we had installed a new timing belt about 20,000 miles ago. This saved him about $400.00. Some shops would not have taken the time to look it up and would have installed a new timing belt.

I would bet that a good log book will save you about $200 per year and prevent unnecessary break downs.

KEEP A LOG BOOK FOR YOU
AND
THE IRS

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