Apps For Car Owners

A staple app for any car owner, GasBuddy gets you the best price on gas wherever you may be. Stations are sorted by distance by default, but a simple button tap lets you sort by price. Each station has its logo displayed clearly, making it simple to identify which station you're interested in visiting. Is the price different when you get there? GasBuddy is crowdsourced, allowing you to report what the actual price is when you're there. This app especially comes in handy during hurricanes or other natural disasters that can create gas shortages. People report when stations have gas, which can be vital when your generator is running low.

Gas is so last century. Electric is where it's at. If you're rolling in a Leaf, Volt, Tesla, or other EV, PlugShare should be front and center on your iPhone. This app uses your location to find EV charging stations near you in just seconds. The map easily filters to show only the type of chargers you need, eliminating access-restricted or Tesla SuperChargers from your results. Plugged in and charging? PlugShare lets you check in and post comments about the state of the location. You can even post a photo or report a problem. A handy search shows towns or a point of interest to locate a charger in a particular spot if you're planning a trip.

No name is more synonymous with drivers than Triple-A. Members are treated to a wide range of services with the AAA app. A simple layout makes this app easy to navigate to locations with and without AAA discounts. Most importantly, roadside assistance is clearly labeled so you can get help when it counts the most. You can send a digital request to AAA, make an old-fashioned phone call, or call 911. The app rounds out its offerings with links to join AAA, locate and confirm hotel reservations, get a quote, and order roadside battery changes. Finally, this app has been updated to add your AAA card to PassBook, a major plus since you'll always have your card on you.

Nobody wants to get taken for a ride at the repair shop and RepairPal is an expert in your pocket. The app asks that you enter the make and model of your car. Once that's done, you can search for repairs that are needed. The app will integrate your location and services into a rough estimate of what it should cost and you can search for local shops. Each item will include a Best Practices on how to avoid the problem along with common symptoms to help identify what's happening. If you tap the Roadside Assistance button you're given the option to call RepairPal's service, but they also give you the number for your car's manufacturer. RepairPal's service is free to access and you only pay for what you use. This is a major advantage over AAA and other services if roadside assistance is a rare occurrence for you.

Gas Cubby makes tracking car info fun! You can track gas mileage and vehicle maintenance. Store vehicle data such as VIN and license plate info. You can even track multiple cars. When you start using the app you’ll be able to see charts for MPG, gas prices, gas expenses, and service expenses. Online sync is included with this app to keep your data safe and to allow for multiple devices to use the app. Gas Cubby is a great car owner’s companion app.

Keeping records of what your car costs and needs could be done in a simple spreadsheet, but your iPhone is always with you and is incredibly convenient with Car Xpenses. This app tracks everything from maintenance to gas fill-ups. Simply add your car and you're greeted with a pie chart explaining the percentage of each expense by category. Expenses and Services buttons easily let you input the type of event and the cost. The app even has traffic tickets included for those pesky red light cameras. Your data can also be backed up in the premium version. When entering service, you can also have events remind you for the next time you need routine maintenance. When it comes to tracking what your car costs, Car Xpenses looks great and has you covered.

Navigation is everywhere and built into most cars. Why use an app? Waze answers that question in spades by crowdsourcing live traffic, weather, traffic camera, and police location information. This comes to you in real time and not just when you're setting your destination. Is traffic building ahead? Waze lets you know and updates your ETA. If the expressway has eased up and has become a faster route, Waze automatically re-routes you and shows you how much time you're saving. You can see other Waze users as you drive and swap messages if you're a passenger. Waze has become one of the top navigation apps on the App Store and its most amazing feature is the price: free. Google has bought Waze because it's so data-rich and it's only a matter of time before this great app gets a lot smarter.

It's a simple question: "Where'd I park?" Stop aimlessly wandering the lot looking for your car and install Where did i park? onto your iPhone. When you save your location, you're able to snap a photo and add notes to the app. You can also set a timer to be reminded when to get your car. Geolocation and a compass help you navigate back to your car. While this app is from Brazil and some menus are not in English, it's so intuitive that you can use it with absolutely no problem.