Regular car maintenance can not only avert potentially expensive repairs and unexpected mechanical shutdown but also improve gas mileage and the longevity of the vehicle. Fortunately, there are a huge array of apps designed to make it easier to stay on top of a car maintenance schedule, track fuel efficiency, and more. The following are the best car maintenance apps currently available.
AUTOsist
AUTOsist is an essential maintenance app that offers everything from gas logs and fuel trackers to repair logs and service histories. AUTOsist is designed to be an all-in-one vehicle care app that even allows users to download and share a vehicle’s full service history as a PDF, a useful feature during resale. It also includes custom alerts for upcoming tasks like registration renewal, oil changes, insurance renewals, and tire rotations.
Fuelly
Fuelly is a comprehensive app that focuses on tracking a vehicle’s fuel economy and gas expenses but it’s also helpful for tracking service tasks and expenses. Fuelly keeps an accurate vehicle maintenance record with a home screen that displays average MPG, total fuel cost, and miles driven. Custom reminders can be set up for maintenance tasks like tire rotations and multiple cars are supported.
Garmin Mechanic
For drivers who enjoy tracking everything, Garmin Mechanic offers something unique. The app uses data from a recent Garmin device and a vehicle’s onboard diagnostics port to provide incredibly accurate fuel economy data and engine operating parameters as well as trouble codes. The app has four tabs: Trip with information about current speed, time stopped, and distance; Gauges with up to 10 parameters like engine RPM; Economy with average fuel economy and fuel used for the trip; and Vehicles with profiles for each vehicle.
Mobile Mechanic
The Mobile Mechanic app is designed for drivers who can handle basic car repairs and maintenance tasks. The app is used to diagnose simple issues that can be corrected by the user or for greater insight before going to a mechanic.
OBD Car Doctor
OBD Car Doctor is an advanced maintenance app that works with an OBD-II scanner. When the vehicle experiences an issue, the scanner tool can be used to display an error message by communicating with the car’s On-Board Diagnostic system. The OBD Car Doctor is used to quickly interpret the findings from the scanner tool. The app makes it easy to determine why the check engine light keeps coming on, for example, so the car can be repaired by the user or a qualified mechanic.