Car-O-Graphy

Help & tips

Everything Car-O-Graphy can do, and where to find it. Pick a topic, then tap a tip to see the way there.

Add your first vehicle ★ Pro Every record belongs to a vehicle: car, van, truck or motorcycle. Its type and engine decide which jobs, services and questions the app offers.

Where to find it

  1. Garage
  2. Add vehicle

How it works

  • Pick the vehicle type, then the make, model and year.
  • Choose your engine version from the list: the engine, fuel and engine code are filled in for you.
  • Open “More details” for the VIN, registration plate, timing drive and purchase date and price. All of it can be added later.
  • After saving, a starter maintenance plan is suggested. Untick anything that doesn’t apply.

See it

1. Tap the vehicle card on the Garage tab, then Add vehicle.
1. Tap the vehicle card on the Garage tab, then Add vehicle.
2. Pick the type, make and model. A photo is optional.
2. Pick the type, make and model. A photo is optional.

Tip: Enter the purchase price and the mileage when you bought it: the Costs tab then shows what owning it really costs.

Car-O-Graphy Pro: The free version keeps 2 vehicles in use: cars, vans, trucks and motorcycles together. Sold and archived ones don’t count. Pro has no limit.

Getting startedPro features

Try the demo garage Two sample cars with years of history, to see what a full record looks like before you enter your own.

Where to find it

  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Demo
  3. Explore the demo garage

How it works

  • The sample cars appear next to yours. Look around, change anything.
  • Tap “Exit demo” on the banner, or the same Settings tile, to remove them. Your own vehicles stay.

See it

Settings, near the bottom.
Settings, near the bottom.

Tip: Cloud sync pauses while the demo is loaded, so the samples never reach your account.

Getting started

Log anything with one button ★ The fastest way to record what happened: services, repairs, fuel, costs and mileage all start from the same button.

Where to find it

  1. Log button (bottom right)

How it works

  • Tap Log on any tab and pick what you did: Service, Repair, Modification, Additive, Track day, Fuel, Oil, Consumables, Cleaning, Expense or Odometer.
  • The record goes to the vehicle shown at the top of the screen.

See it

1. The Log button is on every tab.
1. The Log button is on every tab.
2. Pick what you did.
2. Pick what you did.

Getting startedLogging

Log a service or repair the right way ★ A well-logged record keeps your plan, parts and costs up to date in one go, and makes the history credible to a buyer.

Where to find it

  1. Log button (bottom right)
  2. Service
or
  1. Log button (bottom right)
  2. Repair

How it works

  • Pick the jobs from the list or type your own. For a major service, everything it usually covers is ticked: untick what wasn’t done.
  • Add the brand and part number under “Parts & fluids” to track that part in the Parts tab.
  • Use “Split into parts and labor” to see where the money went.
  • Fill in “Next time” (every X km or Y months) and the task is added to your maintenance plan, with reminders.
  • Attach the invoice or a photo. Invoices and receipts mark the record as invoice-backed.

See it

1. Log › Service or Repair.
1. Log › Service or Repair.
2. Tick the jobs, add parts and fluids, split the cost.
2. Tick the jobs, add parts and fluids, split the cost.
3. Set when it’s due next to plan it with reminders.
3. Set when it’s due next to plan it with reminders.

LoggingMaintenance & reminders

Scan a receipt instead of typing ★ Pro Take a photo of an invoice and the amount, date, mileage and shop are filled in for you.

Where to find it

  1. Log button (bottom right)
  2. Service, Repair or Expense
  3. Scan icon (top right)

How it works

  • Choose “Take a photo” or “Choose from photos”.
  • Check the filled-in fields before saving.
  • Something read wrong? Tap “Pick on receipt”, choose a field, then tap its text on the photo. Pinch to zoom.

See it

1. The scan icon, top right of a service or repair.
1. The scan icon, top right of a service or repair.
2. The same on any expense.
2. The same on any expense.

Tip: Use a sharp photo in good light, with the whole receipt in the frame.

Car-O-Graphy Pro: Receipt scanning is part of Pro. It reads receipts in Latin script.

LoggingCosts & expensesHidden gemsPro features

Let the invoice pick the vehicle Pro With several vehicles, scan an invoice from the overview and the app finds the vehicle by the VIN or registration plate printed on it.

Where to find it

  1. Garage
  2. All vehicles (top bar)
  3. Scan invoice

How it works

  • Photograph the invoice. If it names one of your vehicles, the record opens for that vehicle.
  • If no vehicle (or more than one) is found, you are asked which one it is for.

See it

1. All vehicles, at the top of the Garage tab.
1. All vehicles, at the top of the Garage tab.
2. Scan invoice: the vehicle is found from the invoice.
2. Scan invoice: the vehicle is found from the invoice.

Car-O-Graphy Pro: Invoice scanning is part of Pro.

LoggingHidden gemsPro features

Fuel, charging and economy Log fill-ups or charges and see your real consumption, its trend and what you pay per litre or kWh.

Where to find it

  1. Log button (bottom right)
  2. Fuel
or
  1. Garage
  2. For this vehicle
  3. Fuel & economy

How it works

  • Enter the odometer and the amount. Keep “Filled the tank” on for full tanks, turn it off for a partial fill.
  • Economy appears after the second full tank. Partial fills in between count towards the next full one.
  • Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles log charges in kWh; CNG fill-ups are logged by the kg.

See it

1. Log › Fuel at the pump.
1. Log › Fuel at the pump.
2. Fuel & economy: average, trend and every fill-up.
2. Fuel & economy: average, trend and every fill-up.

Tip: Fill-ups without an odometer reading still count towards spending, just not economy.

LoggingCosts & expenses

Keep the mileage right Mileage drives reminders, cost per km and the history report. Every reading from your records is kept in one log.

Where to find it

  1. Log button (bottom right)
  2. Odometer
or
  1. Garage
  2. For this vehicle
  3. Mileage log

How it works

  • Enter the current reading. It can’t be lower than the last known one.
  • Mistyped a reading? Fix or delete it in the Mileage log, or tap “See or fix readings” in the odometer sheet.

See it

1. Log › Odometer.
1. Log › Odometer.
2. Enter the reading, or open the log to fix one.
2. Enter the reading, or open the log to fix one.
3. The mileage log: the highest reading is the current one.
3. The mileage log: the highest reading is the current one.

Tip: A monthly notification asks for the odometer so mileage-based reminders stay accurate.

LoggingMaintenance & reminders

Track every expense ★ Insurance, tax, tolls, parking, cleaning, fuel and repairs add up to the true cost of the vehicle, by year and by km.

Where to find it

  1. Log button (bottom right)
  2. Expense
or
  1. Costs tab

How it works

  • Log an expense, pick its category and the amount. Add the odometer if you like.
  • The Costs tab shows the year’s spend, the monthly average, cost per km and a breakdown by category.
  • Under “Ownership” you see the purchase price plus everything recorded since.

See it

1. Log › Expense.
1. Log › Expense.
2. Pick the category and enter the amount.
2. Pick the category and enter the amount.
3. The Costs tab adds it all up.
3. The Costs tab adds it all up.

Tip: Repairs and services logged from the Log button count as expenses automatically; don’t add them twice.

Costs & expenses

Repeating expenses Insurance paid monthly, a parking subscription, a lease: enter it once and it is added each time it comes round.

Where to find it

  1. Log button (bottom right)
  2. Expense
  3. Repeats

How it works

  • Set “Repeats” to how often it is paid, e.g. every month or every 12 months.
  • Each new one is added automatically when it comes due, also when the app was closed: it catches up the next time you open it.
  • To stop one: Costs tab › Repeating expenses › Stop repeating. Entries already recorded stay.

See it

1. Repeats: how often it’s paid.
1. Repeats: how often it’s paid.
2. Costs › Repeating expenses: stop one any time.
2. Costs › Repeating expenses: stop one any time.

Costs & expensesHidden gems

Pay in any currency Bought parts abroad or fuelled on a trip? Enter the price in the currency you paid; totals are converted to yours.

Where to find it

  1. Any amount field
  2. Currency code next to it
or
  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Currency

How it works

  • Tap the currency next to an amount to change it for that record.
  • Your default currency is set under Settings › Currency. Exchange rates download automatically; refresh them there.

See it

1. Tap the currency to change it for this amount.
1. Tap the currency to change it for this amount.
2. Your default currency, in Settings.
2. Your default currency, in Settings.

Costs & expensesHidden gems

Bills & fees in one place Insurance, registration and tax, parking, tolls and other fees, with what they come to each year and per month.

Where to find it

  1. Garage
  2. For this vehicle
  3. Bills & fees

How it works

  • Tap “Add bill or fee”, or filter by kind to see one type of cost.
  • Renewals (insurance, registration, inspection) are managed here too.

See it

1. Garage › For this vehicle › Bills & fees.
1. Garage › For this vehicle › Bills & fees.
2. This year’s bills and fees, with renewals.
2. This year’s bills and fees, with renewals.

Costs & expenses

Maintenance plan and reminders ★ Tasks that come due by distance, time or whichever comes first. You are reminded a week before and on the day, plus mileage alerts.

Where to find it

  1. Insights tab
  2. Maintenance plan
  3. Add task
or
  1. Garage
  2. Upcoming

How it works

  • Add a task with how often it’s due. If you don’t know when it was last done, leave it empty: it counts from the first time you log it.
  • When it’s done, tap it under Upcoming and choose “Log it as done”: the record is prefilled.
  • Tapping a reminder notification opens the same ready-to-save record.

See it

1. Insights › Maintenance plan › Add task.
1. Insights › Maintenance plan › Add task.
2. What’s due shows on the Garage tab.
2. What’s due shows on the Garage tab.
3. Tap a task, then Log it as done.
3. Tap a task, then Log it as done.

Tip: Decide when a task counts as “due soon” under Settings › Reminders.

Maintenance & reminders

Never miss a renewal ★ Insurance, registration, roadworthiness inspection, a motorway vignette: keep the expiry dates and get reminded a month and a week before, and on the day.

Where to find it

  1. Garage
  2. Renewals
  3. Add renewal

How it works

  • Add the name and the “Valid until” date. Note the insurer or policy number if you like.
  • When you renew, open it and tap Renew: enter the new date and what it cost. The cost is added to your expenses.

See it

Garage › Renewals. Tap one to renew it.
Garage › Renewals. Tap one to renew it.

Maintenance & remindersCosts & expenses

Known issues A to-do list of what needs fixing, so you can plan and budget for it.

Where to find it

  1. Garage
  2. Known issues
  3. Add issue

How it works

  • Describe it, set a priority and an estimated cost. The garage page shows the total estimate.
  • Fixed it? Open the issue and tap “Mark as fixed”.

See it

Garage › Known issues, with the estimated cost.
Garage › Known issues, with the estimated cost.

Maintenance & reminders

Insights: what’s worth a look The app watches your records for you: overdue tasks, repairs that keep coming back, and costly entries with no invoice attached.

Where to find it

  1. Insights tab
  2. Worth a look

How it works

  • Repeated repairs in the same category point to a root cause worth finding.
  • Attaching invoices to costly entries makes your history more credible to buyers.

See it

Insights › Worth a look.
Insights › Worth a look.

Maintenance & reminders

Follow every part’s life ★ See which parts are fitted, how far each has gone, its warranty, and every earlier unit it replaced.

Where to find it

  1. Parts tab

How it works

  • When logging a repair or service, add the brand of the part you fitted: it starts its record in Parts.
  • Next time, choose Replace: the old unit is closed at that date and mileage, and its history is kept.
  • Tap a part to edit it, its warranty date, or remove a fitting attached by mistake.

See it

1. Add the part or fluid when you log the work.
1. Add the part or fluid when you log the work.
2. The Parts tab: distance on each unit, warranty and earlier units.
2. The Parts tab: distance on each unit, warranty and earlier units.

Parts, tires & mods

Stock: oil and fluids you bought Bought 5 L of oil and used 4.3? Keep the rest in stock and use it for the next top-up, without counting the cost twice.

Where to find it

  1. Log button (bottom right)
  2. Consumables
or
  1. Garage
  2. For this vehicle
  3. Inventory

How it works

  • Log what you bought (oil, coolant, washer fluid, wipers, bulbs…) as Consumables. Its cost counts when it’s bought.
  • When logging a service, pick it under “From what you bought”. Some left over? Turn on “Some left over?” to keep the rest.
  • Oil top-ups can come from stock too.
  • Used up or thrown away? Remove it from the Inventory. What it cost still counts.

See it

1. Log › Consumables for what you buy.
1. Log › Consumables for what you buy.
2. Garage › For this vehicle › Inventory: what’s left.
2. Garage › For this vehicle › Inventory: what’s left.

Parts, tires & modsCosts & expensesHidden gems

Watch oil consumption Log top-ups between changes and the garage page shows how much oil the engine uses per distance: an early warning sign.

Where to find it

  1. Log button (bottom right)
  2. Oil
or
  1. Garage
  2. Engine oil card

How it works

  • Enter how much you added and the odometer reading. After a few top-ups the rate appears.

See it

1. Log › Oil for a top-up.
1. Log › Oil for a top-up.
2. The Engine oil card shows how much it uses.
2. The Engine oil card shows how much it uses.

Parts, tires & modsHidden gems

Summer, winter and track tire sets See which set is fitted, how far each has gone and how much tread is left.

Where to find it

  1. Garage
  2. For this vehicle
  3. Tire sets
or
  1. Parts tab
  2. Tire icon (top)

How it works

  • Add the sets you own with their size.
  • At the seasonal swap, tap “Fit this set”: the swap is added to the history, and you are reminded in six months.
  • Note the tread left on the set coming off to see how they wear.

See it

1. Garage › For this vehicle › Tire sets.
1. Garage › For this vehicle › Tire sets.
2. Fit this set at the seasonal swap.
2. Fit this set at the seasonal swap.

Parts, tires & mods

Build sheet and photos Every modification on one sheet with the total build cost, and a photo collection of the vehicle.

Where to find it

  1. Garage
  2. For this vehicle
  3. Build sheet
or
  1. Garage
  2. For this vehicle
  3. Photos

How it works

  • Log wheels, coilovers, an exhaust or any upgrade as a Modification; the build sheet adds it up.
  • Photos attached to records show up in Photos too. Long-press one to open the record it belongs to.

See it

1. Log › Modification.
1. Log › Modification.
2. Swipe the For this vehicle row for Build sheet and Photos.
2. Swipe the For this vehicle row for Build sheet and Photos.
3. The build sheet adds up every modification.
3. The build sheet adds up every modification.

Parts, tires & mods

Cleaning log and reminder Who washed or detailed the vehicle and what it cost, with a nudge when it’s been a while.

Where to find it

  1. Log button (bottom right)
  2. Cleaning
or
  1. Garage
  2. For this vehicle
  3. Cleaning
  4. Cleaning reminder

How it works

  • Turn on the cleaning reminder and pick after how many days without a cleaning you want to hear about it.

See it

1. Garage › For this vehicle › Cleaning.
1. Garage › For this vehicle › Cleaning.
2. Turn on the cleaning reminder.
2. Turn on the cleaning reminder.

LoggingHidden gems

Share your garage ★ Pro Family, a co-owner or your mechanic see the same history on their own phone. Editors can add records, viewers can only look.

Where to find it

  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Cloud sync
  3. Garages & sharing
  4. Invite

How it works

  • Sign in first: Settings › Cloud backup & sync. Sharing needs an account.
  • In Garages & sharing, tap Invite on the garage and choose Editor or Viewer.
  • Share or copy the invite code. Each code works once and expires; the screen shows until when.
  • The other person signs in and joins with the code (see “Join a garage”).
  • Owners can change a member’s role, remove them, or revoke an unused invite under Pending invites.

See it

1. Settings › Cloud backup & sync: sign in, then Garages & sharing.
1. Settings › Cloud backup & sync: sign in, then Garages & sharing.
2. Open the garage and tap Invite.
2. Open the garage and tap Invite.
3. Choose what they can do.
3. Choose what they can do.
4. Send the code. It works once.
4. Send the code. It works once.

Tip: Make a separate garage for vehicles you want to share, and keep the rest private.

Car-O-Graphy Pro: Inviting people needs Pro on the garage owner’s account. The people you invite don’t need it.

Sharing & cloudPro features

Join a garage Pro Got an invite code? Its vehicles appear in your garage list next to your own.

Where to find it

  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Cloud sync
  3. Garages & sharing
  4. Join with code

How it works

  • Enter the code and tap Join. To leave later, open the garage and tap “Leave garage”: the records stay with the other members.

See it

Garages & sharing › Join with code.
Garages & sharing › Join with code.

Car-O-Graphy Pro: Joining is free: the owner’s Pro covers everyone in the garage.

Sharing & cloudPro features

More than one garage Keep the family cars in one shared garage and your project car in another, each with its own members.

Where to find it

  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Cloud sync
  3. Garages & sharing
  4. New garage
or
  1. Garage
  2. Pencil icon (edit vehicle)
  3. Garage

How it works

  • Create a garage and give it a name.
  • To move a vehicle, edit it and choose another garage in the Garage field (shown once you have more than one).

See it

New garage, and each garage’s members with their roles.
New garage, and each garage’s members with their roles.

Sharing & cloudHidden gems

Cloud backup and sync Pro Optional. Keep your records and files safe in the cloud and open your garage on any device. Everything works without an account too.

Where to find it

  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Cloud backup & sync

How it works

  • Sign in with your email or with Google. Records already on the phone are added to your account.
  • The app keeps working offline; changes sync when there’s a connection. The cloud icon at the top shows the status.

See it

1. Settings › Cloud backup & sync.
1. Settings › Cloud backup & sync.
2. Sign in, or create an account.
2. Sign in, or create an account.

Car-O-Graphy Pro: Records sync for free. Cloud copies of photos and invoices are part of Pro; without it, files stay on the phone and upload once you have Pro.

Sharing & cloudBackups & privacyPro features

Vehicle history report (PDF or CSV) ★ A clean, shareable record for buyers, insurers or your own files: services, mileage history, installed parts and upcoming maintenance.

Where to find it

  1. Insights tab
  2. Vehicle history report
  3. Export & share

How it works

  • Choose a PDF report or a spreadsheet (CSV) with every service and expense, one per row.
  • When signed in, the report shows a record reliability badge (gold, silver or bronze) based on when records reached Car-O-Graphy, which buyers can trust.

See it

1. Insights › Vehicle history report.
1. Insights › Vehicle history report.
2. Export & share as PDF or CSV.
2. Export & share as PDF or CSV.

Tip: Log work within a week of doing it: records logged on time earn the best badge.

Reports & selling

Sold it? Hand the history to the buyer Mark the vehicle as sold to see what owning it cost in the end, and pass its whole history on to the new owner.

Where to find it

  1. Garage
  2. Pencil icon (edit vehicle)
  3. Mark as sold

How it works

  • Enter the sale date and price. The vehicle moves to the archive with its history.
  • Enter the buyer’s email under “Hand over to the buyer”. When they sign in to Car-O-Graphy with it, the vehicle and its records move to their garage. Your insurance, parking and repeating costs for it are not passed on.
  • Sale fell through? “Undo the sale” in the same place.

See it

1. The pencil at the top of the Garage tab.
1. The pencil at the top of the Garage tab.
2. At the bottom: Mark as sold, or Archive.
2. At the bottom: Mark as sold, or Archive.

Tip: Just retiring a vehicle? Use “Archive” instead: it leaves the garage but keeps its history.

Reports & selling

Backups and moving to a new phone ★ Your garage lives on your phone. A backup is saved every 7 days; export one to keep a copy safe or move to another device.

Where to find it

  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Backups & export

How it works

  • Tap “Back up now” any time, or “Export & share backup” to send it to your email, Drive or chat.
  • On the new phone, “Import a backup file”. Records are merged: nothing is deleted, and the newer version of each record is kept.

See it

1. Settings › Backups & export.
1. Settings › Backups & export.
2. Back up, export to keep a copy, or import one.
2. Back up, export to keep a copy, or import one.

Tip: Backups on the phone are removed if you uninstall the app. Export one first.

Backups & privacy

Bring in your old spreadsheet Kept your history in a spreadsheet? Import it into a vehicle instead of typing it again.

Where to find it

  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Backups & export
  3. Import from a spreadsheet (CSV)

How it works

  • Select the vehicle first. The file needs a header row with a date column, plus a description, category or amount.
  • Rows already in the history are skipped, so importing twice does no harm.

See it

Backups & export › Import from a spreadsheet (CSV).
Backups & export › Import from a spreadsheet (CSV).

Backups & privacyHidden gems

Lock the app Ask for your fingerprint, face or phone PIN to open the app.

Where to find it

  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Privacy
  3. App lock

How it works

  • Turn it on. Your phone needs a screen lock set up first.

See it

Settings › Privacy › App lock.
Settings › Privacy › App lock.

Backups & privacy

Log from the home screen ★ Log a fill-up at the pump without hunting through the app.

Where to find it

  1. Long-press the app icon
or
  1. Long-press your home screen
  2. Widgets
  3. Car-O-Graphy

How it works

  • Long-press the Car-O-Graphy icon for Fuel, Odometer, Service and Cleaning shortcuts.
  • Or add a quick-log widget to your home screen: one action, or all of them.

See it

FuelOdometerServiceCleaning Car-O-Graphy Log a fill-up widget
Long-press the icon for shortcuts, or add a quick-log widget.

LoggingHidden gems

Switch between vehicles fast With more than one vehicle, there are quicker ways than the menu.

Where to find it

  1. Garage
  2. Swipe the vehicle card
or
  1. Garage
  2. All vehicles (top bar)

How it works

  • Swipe the big vehicle card sideways, or tap it to pick from the list. On the other tabs, tap the vehicle name at the top.
  • Swipe left and right between the tabs, too.
  • All vehicles shows every vehicle’s next task and this year’s spend; filter by type or vehicle.
  • Want to land there? Settings › Appearance › Open the app on › Garage overview.

See it

1. Swipe or tap the vehicle card; All vehicles for the overview.
1. Swipe or tap the vehicle card; All vehicles for the overview.
2. Tapping the card lists every vehicle.
2. Tapping the card lists every vehicle.

Getting startedHidden gems

Units, language and theme Kilometres or miles, litres or gallons, 16 languages, and light or dark mode.

Where to find it

  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Units
or
  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Language
or
  1. Settings (gear icon)
  2. Appearance

How it works

  • Records are stored the same way whatever you pick, so you can switch any time.

See it

Settings › Appearance, Language and Units.
Settings › Appearance, Language and Units.

Getting startedBackups & privacy

Still stuck, or missing a feature? Write to carography26@gmail.com.