Good Service & Good Fuel Economy

Most Denver motorists want to save on gas and seek our advice on improving fuel economy. Mastermind Enterprises Auto Repair Shop in Denver is frequently asked, "Is really worth the extra effort? Just how much money can I actually save as a motorist in Denver?

At Mastermind Enterprises Auto Repair Shop, we’re focusing on the things you can do to improve your truck fuel economy driving around Colorado. We’ll tell you the potential savings per gallon of gas for different maintenance and service for your vehicle.

Replacing a clogged engine air filter. Your engine needs enough air to burn fuel efficiently for the best fuel economy. A clean air filter means you get plenty of air. The fact that the air is clean protects your engine. That can save you up to 10% or 35 cents a gallon.

Fixing a faulty oxygen sensor can improve economy by up to 40%. That’s a whopping $1.40 in savings per gallon! Bring your car to Mastermind Enterprises Auto Repair Shop and we'll check your oxygen sensors. Chances are that if an oxygen sensor is kaput your check engine light will come on.

Now, there’s any number of things that could cause your check engine light to come on besides oxygen sensor problems. But if it’s on, get it checked out as soon as you can at Mastermind Enterprises Auto Repair Shop.

Here’s an easy one. Inflate your tires to the recommended pressure. That could save you 3% or 11 cents a gallon. Even a little drop in tire pressure will bring down your fuel economy, so check your tires every week.

Your vehicle manufacturer has recommended a specific weight of motor oil. The recommendation is based on engine design and will give you the best protection. Using a heavier weight could cost 1-2% in reduced fuel economy, or up to 7 cents a gallon.

Here’s one that’s free: Take it easy when you drive. Aggressive driving (we've all seen this on Denver roads and highways), rocketing away from stop lights, standing on the brakes, punching it for lane changes - really takes a toll on your fuel economy. Cutting out aggressive driving around Denver can save 5% or 18 cents a gallon. Now on the interstate it gets really costly: 33% or a $1.16 a gallon. Think about that - and leave a little earlier.

A related item is exceeding the speed limit. For example, if the speed limit is 60 miles per hour an additional 5 miles will cost 7% or 25 cents a gallon. Over 15 miles per hour will cost you upwards of 80 cents a gallon.

The last thing we’ll talk about is excess weight. Our trucks tend to accumulate a lot of things and the weight adds up. Clear out the trunk and only haul stuff when you really need it. For every 100 pounds you can save 2% or 7 cents a gallon.

Our goal at Mastermind Enterprises Auto Repair is to give you the best quality at the best prices in Denver. We look forward to servicing your vehicle soon! Thank you for reading!

Oil falls to lowest level in 6 months

Oil dropped by an even greater amount, losing nearly 6 percent, to a six month low on Thursday - near $86 a barrel! It settled at $86.63 Thursday - the lowest level in 6 months. Investors shrugged off U.S. job gains and focused on lingering concerns about the global economy. Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery fell $1.70 to $84.93 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

This should be good news for motorists. If oil stays at the lower levels, the drop could be seen within days at gas pumps across the United States. Fred Rozell, retail pricing director at Oil Price Information Service, said the recent slide in oil could cut between 20 to 35 cents from a gallon of regular over the next month. According to auto club AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service, retail gasoline prices slipped overnight to $3.70 per gallon. 

"You could see some sizable declines at the pump," Rozell said.

Prices listed on a marquis at an Exxon station
 July 26, 2011

Oil prices pulled back from an early surge. A government report on Friday morning showed employers added 117,000 jobs in July. Unemployment fell slightly to 9.1 percent. This news helped push crude as high as $88.32 before it tapped off. Earlier in the summer, investors were still holding on to the notion that fuel prices would rise as economies in the U.S. and Europe recovered from the Great Recession. Even a pullback in U.S. gasoline consumption couldn't push oil back from around $100 per barrel. The drop in crude—oil is down from near $115 in May—should also lower costs for products such as gasoline and help free up some consumer purchasing power.

Source Yahoo News/Chris Kahn (AP)