I have been looking for a longest time for an app for my iPhone to help me with my car maintenance tracking. Well, not really looking per say, but I wanted one. As most people I have been keeping track of most things in a spreadsheet. While reliable, a spreadsheet is not 100% convenient. You have to remember to update it on your computer and if you are anything like me, you are too lazy to create forms for data entry and set up the formulas to give you alerts when something is due. I even went as far as talking to some people about writing the app, but that's when lazy took over again. But last week I found exactly what I was looking for: Car Care - iPhone gas mileage auto maintenance fuel economy app - by KB Productions It is available right now for $2.99, despite the $4.99 quoted on the website. The app is pretty good. You can add as many cars as you like. I have both of out Mini's added with their pictures attached. It will keep track of your gas mileage if you remember to input you fill ups and miles. You can set up reminders based on mileage, time interval, or both for things like oil, tire rotation, air filters, car wash, etc. It comes preconfigured with most anything you need and you can configure your own items. For example I added brake oil and transmission oil changes to my alerts. It lets you record services you perform and their associated costs and figures them into your costs per mile. I just got this a few days ago, so a lot of my results are still blank, but it will keep track of: Total Fuel Cost Avg Fuel cost total distance fuel cost per mile avg fuel economy Best fuel economy Worst fuel economy Total service costs Service cost per mile It lets you choose what type of gas you put in the car (regular, premium, etc) and will keep averages for each one. Neat little feature if you want to figure out if it is cheaper to ruin your engine. The interface is a little clunky and it took me a few minutes to figure out how to set up both cars and enter data from my spreadsheet. It does have an import function, but you will have to format your data into a CSV and the documentation for it was a bit sparse. Over all, after a few days I am satisfied with the app. For $2.99 it wasn't much of an investment, and it looks like it will do what I was looking for. It even motivated me to wash my car over the weekend so I can input it into the app and so it can remind me to do it again in a month. Oh, and I need to get an oil change in 172 miles.
Don't forget, the iPhone sells for $99 because the 2-year service agreement will run you about $1800. (Not an iPhone jab, that applies to every dataplan phone.) On the other hand, you can keep a pad and pen in your glovebox for free if you steal them from work!
I'm such a waffler on this whole iPhone, mobile internet thing. I talk myself into it, then talk myself back out. For me, if I'm working I can't even use my phone, let alone the internet. If I'm hanging at home, I don't need to strain my eyes on a small phone screen. If I'm out enjoying the world, I don't want to be bothered with it. BUT I WANT ONE:crazy::mad2::rolleyes5::lol: Mark
Hello, I am the author of Car Care, and I just wanted to say thanks for the kind words and positive review. I have put a short quote from this review into the app's English description. Let me know if you have any questions or ideas for the app, and be sure to tell your friends about it! Cheers, Karl
Neat app! I started using Gas Cubby (App Cubby • Hand Crafted iPhone Applications), which is very similar. They have a free version (ad supported) if you want to try it out. It's a beautiful app - but might be missing a couple of the Car Care features, though i haven't really dug into it deep. I didn't think it had reminders but the website informed me it does somewhere.