“These new smartphone apps are offering a convenient alternative to the clutter of oil-stained paperwork that drivers packed into their gloveboxes for so many years,” says Doug Newcomb, senior technology editor at Edmunds.com. “Not only do the apps keep users on top of their maintenance schedules, but they also keep tabs on operating costs, which helps car owners manage their automotive budgets more effectively.”

Edmunds.com tested and recommended four of these inexpensive apps, which range in price from 99 cents to $2.99:

• Car Minder Plus ($2.99) — This app stands out by featuring all the essentials, including logging repairs, tracking fuel economy and keeping the maintenance records of multiple vehicles.
• Car Care ($2.99) — The most impressive aspect of this app is “Vehicle Stats,” which gives comprehensive data including average and total fuel costs, fuel economy, service costs per mile and even the user’s carbon footprint
• Car Maintenance ($1.99) — The app consists of bare-bones iPhone list menus, so there’s essentially no learning curve. Enter the vehicle info: make, model, year, license, VIN and mileage and you’re on your way.
• AutoLog (99 cents) — Other apps require users to input only the basics, but this app is for the detail-oriented with inputs such as engine displacement, oil and oil filter preference, air filter preference and tire specifications.

To read Edmunds.com’s full reviews of these car maintenance apps, please visit “iPhone Apps for Car Care” at http://www.edmunds.com/car-technology/iphone-apps-for-car-care.html.

Edmunds.com also tested four fuel-efficiency iPhone apps at http://www.edmunds.com/car-technology/road-test-of-4-fuel-efficiency-iphone-apps.html

About Edmunds.com, Inc. (http://www.edmunds.com/help/about/index.html)

Edmunds.com Inc. publishes Web sites that empower, engage and educate automotive consumers, enthusiasts and insiders. Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, launched in 1995 as the first automotive information Web site and hosts the most established automotive community online. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.edmunds.com, makes car pricing and other research tools available for car shoppers at dealerships and otherwise on the go. InsideLine.com is the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.insideline.com, features the wireless Web’s highest quality car photos and videos. AutoObserver.com provides insightful automotive industry commentary and analysis. Edmunds.com Inc. is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban Detroit. Follow Edmunds.com on Twitter@edmunds and fan Edmunds.com on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/edmunds.