LA Auto Club: Southern California Gas Prices Tumble

LOS ANGELES--July 25, 2003--For the fifth consecutive week, gasoline prices in Southern California fell last week giving summertime drivers more reason to hit the road, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.

Currently, the average price of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $1.702 per gallon, which is 2.5 cents lower than last week's price, 7 cents lower than last month and 10 cents higher than last year.

In San Diego, the price is $1.721, which is 2.6 cents below last week's level, 6 cents lower than last month and 10 cents above last year. Motorists in the central coast pay an average price of $1.818, which is 2.8 cents lower than last week's price, 7 cents lower than last month and 13 cents higher than last year.

"Wholesale prices for gasoline began dropping about the beginning of July and we've seen the results reflected in the prices we pay at the local retailer," said Carol Thorp, spokesperson for the Automobile Club of Southern California. "But refinery problems this week at Conoco/Phillips in Carson and at Shell in Washington state will probably cause our pump prices to flatten out in the next week."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for motoring trips. Average prices as of 12:01 a.m., July 25:

Area                               Regular  Change from     Record 
                                            last week       Price

Los Angeles-Long Beach             $1.702  -2.5 cents  $2.167(3/22/03)

San Diego                          $1.721  -2.6 cents  $2.211(3/20/03)

Santa Barbara-
Santa Maria-Lompoc                 $1.818  -2.8 cents  $2.207(3/22/03)

Las Vegas                          $1.660   unchanged  $2.063(3/25/03)

Phoenix                            $1.566  -2.9 cents  $2.003(3/22/03)