Civic Type R (FL5) Maintenance Record Example: What a Complete History Looks Like

CHECKLIST

What to include

1. 01Service date and odometer reading on every entry
2. 02Oil spec recorded at each change (e.g., 5W-40)
3. 03Brake pad thickness noted at replacement
4. 04Coilover install documented with alignment settings
5. 05Modification list with brands and part details
6. 06Original parts kept and noted for resale
7. 07Receipts or photos attached as evidence
8. 08Reason for each job, not just the job name

Why a Type R needs a better log than a commuter car

A performance car's history carries more questions than a commuter's: was it tracked, was the oil changed on the severe schedule, were the modifications installed properly? For an FL5, the maintenance record is how the next owner — or your own future self — separates an enthusiast-maintained car from a used-up one.

The example below is a public GarageLog page for a 2023 FL5 kept as an OEM-plus weekend build. It is sample data, but the format is exactly what a real shared history looks like.

Oil changes: record the spec, not just the event

The example logs an engine oil and filter change at about 7,500 miles with the oil spec (5W-40) and a condition note — level and leaks checked. That one line answers what a buyer or mechanic actually wants to know: what is in the engine, when it went in, and at what mileage.

The K20C1 works hard, and many FL5 owners run shorter intervals than the maintenance minder suggests. Whatever interval you choose, the log is what proves you kept it.

Brake work: write down the reason

The example's front pad replacement entry does not just say 'pads replaced.' It records that the pads were down to 3 mm, which pads went on (Endless MX72 Plus), and the mileage. The measurement is the difference between a record and a receipt: it shows the replacement was judged, not guessed.

For a car that sees spirited driving, remaining-thickness notes at every rotation or inspection also build a wear-rate history, so the next replacement stops being a surprise.

Modifications: documented installs read as care

The FL5 example lists each modification with its brand and intent — Öhlins coilovers with street-oriented damping, an alignment done at install, wheels managed together with tire age. Every install entry carries a date and mileage like any other service.

Documented this way, modifications move from the risk column to the value column. An undocumented coilover install is a question mark; a dated install with alignment settings is evidence the work was done right.

Copy the format, then make it yours

Open the example, look at how each entry pairs a date, a mileage, a reason, and evidence, and start your own log the same way — beginning with the most recent service, not the car's whole past. GarageLog is free to start, keeps receipts attached to each entry, and can turn the history into a shareable page like the example when it is time to sell.