What is Garage Log?
Your Personal Maintenance Assistant
Garage Log is a simple, offline vehicle maintenance tracker that helps you keep detailed records of all services performed on your cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other equipment. Store maintenance history and warranty information locally on your device—no accounts, no cloud storage, no internet required. Never miss a service interval again by keeping everything organized in one place. The app is free to use for up to 3 vehicles; Garage Log Pro is a one-time in-app purchase that unlocks unlimited vehicles and photo/file attachments on maintenance records.
Core Features
What You Can Do
- Multi-Vehicle Management — Add up to 3 vehicles and equipment for free, with custom names, types, icons, and logos; unlock unlimited vehicles with Garage Log Pro
- Maintenance Logging — Create detailed service records with date, mileage/hours, service type, and notes
- Fuel Log Tracking — Log fill-ups and track fuel efficiency for each vehicle
- Maintenance Reminders — Opt in to a local notification reminder for any maintenance record
- Photo & File Attachments (Pro) — Attach photos and files to maintenance records with Garage Log Pro
- Vehicle Grouping — Organize your garage into custom groups with drag-and-drop reordering
- Service History & Filtering — View all maintenance records sorted by date and type; filter by service category
- Warranty Tracking — Log warranty details for each maintenance record to track covered services
- Dual Logo Support — Choose from Material Design Icons or upload custom vehicle logos
- Backup & Restore — Export your entire database for backup; import to restore data on device transfers
- Theme Support — Light, dark, and system theme options for comfortable viewing
Getting Started
Add Your First Vehicle
Adding Your First Vehicle
- Tap the + button in the top-right corner of the Dashboard
- Choose Passenger Vehicle (cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other standard vehicles) or Other Equipment (tracked by hours)
- Enter a name for the vehicle
- Tap Select year, make & model to choose the vehicle
- Choose a logo — auto-fetched from the make, a Material Design Icon, or a custom upload
- Enter the current mileage/hours
- Tap Save
Logging Your First Maintenance Entry
- Tap on a vehicle to open its detail screen
- Tap the + button or Add Maintenance button
- Select a service type (Oil Change, Tire Rotation, Repair, etc.)
- Enter the date, current mileage/hours, and notes about the service
- Optionally attach photos or files (requires Garage Log Pro)
- Add warranty info if applicable
- Tap Save
Common Workflows
How Users Work with Garage Log
- Routine Service Logging — After an oil change or scheduled service, open the vehicle, tap Add Maintenance, select the service type, enter mileage and notes, optionally attach photos (Pro), and save
- Reviewing Service History — Open a vehicle to see all past maintenance in chronological order; use filter buttons to view specific service types or warranty-protected items
- Planning Upcoming Services — Check the "Last Recorded" mileage/hours at the top of each vehicle to know when your next service is due based on intervals
- Managing Multiple Vehicles in Groups — Organize vehicles by category (e.g., "Work Vehicles", "Personal") and drag vehicles into groups on the Dashboard
- Tracking Fuel Efficiency — Log fill-ups from a vehicle's Fuel Log tab to monitor cost and efficiency over time
Troubleshooting
Common Issues & Solutions
Photos Not Saving with Maintenance Record
Cause: Permission not granted for camera or photo library access
Solution: Go to Settings > Garage Log > Permissions, and enable Camera and Photo Library access. Try adding the maintenance record again.
Data Seems to Have Disappeared
Cause: Rare app crash or corrupted storage file; data is still on device but StorageService encountered an error
Solution: Force-close and reopen the app. If data still doesn't appear, check if you have a backup file. This is why regular backups are important.
Maintenance Record Photo Won't Load
Cause: Photo file corrupted or deleted from device storage
Solution: Delete the problematic maintenance record and re-add it with a fresh photo. Photos are stored in the app's local documents directory.
App is Slow or Laggy
Cause: App is storing hundreds or thousands of maintenance records; device is low on RAM
Solution: Force-close and reopen the app. If persists, consider exporting data as a backup, uninstalling, and reinstalling the app to free up memory.
Backup File Won't Import
Cause: File is corrupted, from a very old version, or the wrong file format
Solution: Ensure the file is a valid Garage Log backup (typically a .json or .garage_log_backup file). Re-export a backup from the Settings menu and try again.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked
Is Garage Log free?
Yes. The core app is free with no ads, accounts, or tracking, and supports up to 3 vehicles with full maintenance logging. Garage Log Pro is an optional, one-time in-app purchase that unlocks unlimited vehicles and photo/file attachments on maintenance records.
Is my data synced to the cloud?
No. Garage Log stores all data locally on your device only. There is no cloud sync, no servers, and no internet required to use the app. Your data never leaves your phone.
Can I backup my data?
Yes. In the app, go to Settings > Backup & Restore > Export Data. This creates a file you can save to your computer, email, or cloud storage of your choice. To restore, use the Import option.
What happens if I uninstall the app?
All app data is deleted from your device. Always export a backup first before uninstalling. You can then re-import your data if you reinstall the app.
Can I use the same data on multiple devices?
Not automatically. However, you can export your data on one device and import it on another device running Garage Log. Note: iOS and Android are separate installs, so manual export/import is required.
Can I edit or delete a maintenance record?
Yes. Tap on any maintenance record to open it in view mode, then tap the Edit button. Swipe left on a record in the list to delete it (swipe right to edit directly).
Does the app work offline?
Yes, completely. Garage Log requires no internet connection. All features work offline at all times.
Can I share my maintenance records with someone else?
You can export your data and share the backup file via email or file sharing. The other person can import it into their copy of Garage Log. Direct in-app sharing between users is not currently supported.
Platform Requirements
iOS: iOS 14.0 or later
Android: Android 8.0 (API 26) or later
Storage: Minimum ~50 MB free space (more if storing many photos)
Data & Privacy
How Your Data is Protected
Local Storage Only
All user data (vehicles, maintenance records, photos) is stored exclusively on your device using the platform's native storage. No data is transmitted to servers, cloud services, or third parties.
File System Encryption
iOS automatically encrypts app data using the device's native file protection. Photos are stored in the app's documents directory with the same encryption.
Permissions Required
- Camera: Required to take photos of maintenance items
- Photo Library: Required to select and attach existing photos
- File Access: Required to import/export backup files
No User Accounts
Garage Log does not require registration, login, or any personal information beyond what you choose to enter (vehicle names, service notes, etc.).
No Tracking or Analytics
The app does not track user behavior, collect usage data, or send telemetry. No third-party analytics or advertising libraries are included.
Limitations
Known Issues & Limitations
Current Limitations
- No Cross-Device Sync: Data on iPhone is separate from iPad or Android. Manual export/import required to transfer.
- Local Storage Only: Limited by device storage capacity. Very large photo collections may consume significant space.
- No Cloud Backup: Automatic cloud backup is not supported. Users must manually export backups.
- Platform Separation: iOS and Android apps are separate installs with no automatic data sharing between platforms.
Known Issues
- SPM Plugin Compatibility: One plugin (open_filex) does not yet support Swift Package Manager for iOS. This is a deprecation warning and does not affect functionality.
- Drag-and-Drop Performance: Reordering vehicles within groups may have slight delays on older iPhones with limited RAM.