LA Auto Club: Gas Prices Continue Downward Fall

LOS ANGELES--Dec. 17, 2004--Southern California motorists enjoyed the eighth consecutive week of falling gas prices, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. Motorists are benefiting from continued lower crude oil futures that are trading around $42 per barrel currently and lower demand.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.143 a gallon, which is 5.6 cents lower than last week, 20 cents lower than last month and 48 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.163, which is 6.8 cents lower than last week, 21 cents below last month and 47 cents above last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.278, which is down 5 cents from last week, 21 cents lower than last month and 50 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.150, which is down 6.9 cents from last week, 22 cents below last month and 49 cents above last year.

"As crude oil prices and consumer demand fall, so should gas prices," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "We expect the trend of lower gasoline prices to continue for the rest of 2004."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Dec. 17, 2004.

Area                         Regular   Change from     Record Price
                                        last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach        $2.143   -5.6 cents   $2.446(10/21/2004)

Orange County                 $2.123   -6.8 cents   $2.441(10/23/2004)

San Diego                     $2.163   -6.8 cents   $2.464(10/21/2004)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
 Lompoc                       $2.278   -5.0 cents   $2.570(10/22/2004)

Riverside-San Bernardino      $2.150   -6.9 cents   $2.461(10/21/2004)

Bakersfield                   $2.153   -6.1 cents   $2.437(10/23/2004)

Las Vegas                     $1.972   -8.8 cents   $2.290(10/20/2004)