toolfor automobile enthusiasts managing their vehicle restoration projects effortlessly
In the world of automotive enthusiasts, keeping detailed records of maintenance and repairs is crucial for preserving the heritage and reliability of old and quirky vehicles. Two unique apps, Loggy and Manila, are making waves by combining digital maintenance tracking with multimedia journaling, catering specifically to the needs of car owners who want to keep an in-depth historical record and ongoing maintenance plan.
Loggy, a free iOS app, serves as a comprehensive digital maintenance log book for all kinds of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, boats, planes, heavy vehicles, and custom cars. It allows users to store all service records, attach images, receipts, videos, documents, and voice notes for a detailed context about each service or fault. Loggy also supports the addition of old paper records by taking photos of log books.
Customizable service reminders for registration, oil changes, and more, allow users to track active faults, maintain a To-Do list for vehicle tasks, and even transfer the vehicle’s record to a new owner via email. Reports can be exported as detailed or summary PDFs, consolidating the vehicle's maintenance history in one place. The app is ad-free and supports unlimited vehicles.
On the other hand, Manila is a browser-based tool suited for project cars and hobby vehicles, particularly ideal for old and quirky cars where maintenance records can be inconsistent. Users create a file per vehicle and add detailed notes about what was done and when, including fields for part numbers, tags, photos, and videos. Its searchable nature improves on scattered notes or emails typically used by car enthusiasts.
Manila supports narrative entries, making it more than merely a digital log — it becomes a journal that tracks subtle observations and repairs over time. Matt Schwartz, the creator of Manila, emphasizes that it serves as a bridge between a spreadsheet-style data log and a diary.
Schwartz, a car owner who maintains his vehicles himself, was inspired by the inefficiency of paper-based service history in Bring a Trailer auction listings and his personal struggle with knowledge management of multiple project cars. He aims to add a personal inventory management system in the future and plans to stick with the web browser system instead of creating an iOS or Android app for portability, cost, and ease of data entry.
In summary, both apps emphasize detailed record-keeping with multimedia support and reminders to maintain old or unique cars effectively. They function by providing digital storage of all maintenance activities and related documentation, enabling owners to track service history, faults, parts, and ongoing projects in an organized, searchable way. This approach helps preserve the heritage and reliability of old or quirky vehicles by ensuring nothing is forgotten or undocumented.
| App | Platform | Key Features | Suitable for | |---------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | Loggy | iOS App | Maintenance log book, attach images/docs/voice notes, reminders, export PDF reports, unlimited vehicles, transfer records | Custom cars, old and any vehicle types | | Manila | Browser-based | Vehicle files with notes, part numbers, tags, photos/videos, searchable, narrative journaling | Project cars, hobby/quirky vehicles, detailed journaling |
These apps stand out for their multimedia journaling abilities combined with maintenance tracking, making them uniquely helpful for owners of older, custom, or quirky cars who want to keep an in-depth historical record and ongoing maintenance plan.
