Pat Goss’ lifelong devotion to helping consumers understand car problems has earned him the title “America’s Trusted Mechanic” and “Master Technician” on the television program MotorWeek. Since Goss is an expert when it comes to automotive safety, performance, and care, CARCHEX decided to put him to the test. Fasten your seat belts and get ready because we are bringing you along for the ride!

Premiering for you now, is the first episode of our original video series, “Stump Pat.”

In Episode 1 of “Stump Pat,” our host Julia makes a visit to Baltimore Maryland’s Inner Harbor where she finds Maryland resident James Peters. James has heard a rumor that driving in cruise control saves gas. Gas saved is money saved so James wants to know if what he has heard is just a myth or hard fact. Will Pat Goss have an answer for James or will the truth remain a mystery?

To learn more about CARCHEX and to Get Protected, visit www.CARCHEX.com.

Stump Pat: Episode 1

Hi, my name is Julia from CARCHEX and today we are here in Baltimore Maryland’s sunny Inner Harbor. We are beginning our new series called “Stump Pat”, so today we are asking people to help us stump America’s Trusted Mechanic from MotorWeek, Pat Goss. So lets go see what people are asking!

Hi my name is James Peters. I’m from Parkville, Maryland. Is it true that if you drive in cruise control it will save you gas?

Alright. To you Pat, what’s your answer?

Using cruise control can save gas for most drivers. But if you are a really good driver or a hypermiler, something like that, you can probably get better gas mileage by not using cruise control because you have the ability to anticipate things like small hills and so on, that cruise control can’t.

The way you maximize mileage without cruise control is that you release the accelerator before you reach the top of every little incline, you coast more going down hills, and you keep an absolutely steady speed. That’s the key: not to move the accelerator up or down and your speed should remain just dead steady.

Well, thanks for the answer Pat! Be sure to join us next week when we try to stump Pat once again.