Mileage: meaning and examples
Mileage is the distance a vehicle has covered, and in everyday use it means the odometer reading, whether the unit is miles or kilometres. It is the usual way to describe how worn a car, van or truck is.
How it works
In everyday speech mileage means the distance a vehicle has covered, which is the odometer reading. Strictly it can also mean fuel economy (miles per gallon), so check which one a page or listing means.
For servicing, mileage is the usual yardstick for cars, vans, trucks and motorcycles. Machines that work without covering much ground, such as tractors, generators and lifts, are better measured in engine hours.
Mileage and time together
Most makers give a distance and a time limit, "whichever comes first". Toyota UK asks for a Hilux service every 12 months or 10,000 miles. Bajaj's Pulsar 150 (BS VI) has three free services, then a service every 5,000 km or 120 days. Both come from the maker's own guide on our schedule pages.
Illustration: a driver who covers 6,000 miles a year on the Hilux schedule reaches the 12-month limit first, so the service is due by date, not distance.
How to track it in Loggy
Loggy records the reading in miles or kilometres, whichever you set for the vehicle. For machines that are better measured by running time, use engine hours instead.
- Choose miles or kilometres when you add the vehicle.
- Log the reading with every service and fuel fill-up.
- Use your yearly distance to pick reminder dates.
Loggy is a free maintenance logbook app for iOS and Android. The free plan has unlimited vehicles, reminders, PDF export and vehicle transfer, and no ads.
Frequently asked questions
Is mileage the same as the odometer reading?
In everyday use, yes. The odometer is the instrument and mileage is the figure it shows.
Should a truck be tracked by mileage or engine hours?
Follow the maker's manual. Most road trucks use distance. A truck that idles or runs a power take-off for long periods may suit hours, and Loggy lets you choose.
Does Loggy convert miles and kilometres?
Each vehicle uses the unit you chose for it. The conversions on our schedule pages are rounded and are not the maker's own figures.