Auto Club: Falling Gas Prices ... Friday the 13th Lucky for Motorists

    LOS ANGELES--June 13, 2003--Despite expectation of Friday the 13th bad luck, gasoline prices continue falling across the Southwest, marking the 12th straight week that prices have fallen, according to the Weekend Gas Watch, compiled by the Automobile Club of Southern California.
    Currently, the average price of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $1.709 per gallon, which is 2.9 cents lower than last week's price, 21 cents lower than last month and 14 cents higher than last year.
    In San Diego, the price is $1.681, which is 2 cents below last week's level, 22 cents below last month and 9 cents above last year. Motorists in the central coast have an average price of $1.841, which is 2.9 cents lower than last week's price, 16 cents lower than last month and 18 cents higher than last year.
    "Wholesale gasoline prices are beginning to inch upward, but there is still a lot of competition between dealers, so prices continue falling," said Carol Thorp, spokesperson for the Automobile Club of Southern California. "Dealers are enjoying good profit margins, so look for pump prices to continue their downward trend through the next couple of weeks, and maybe into the July 4th holiday weekend."
    The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for motoring trips. Average prices as of 12:01 a.m., June 13:

Area                         Regular    Change from    Record Price
                                         last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach       $1.709     -2.9 cents    $2.167 (3/22/03)

San Diego                    $1.681     -2.0 cents    $2.211 (3/20/03)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
Lompoc                       $1.841     -2.9 cents    $2.207 (3/22/03)

Las Vegas                    $1.663     -1.8 cents    $2.063 (3/25/03)

Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.          $1.606     -1.0 cents    $2.003 (3/22/03)