Auto Club: Gas Prices Back to Breaking Records


LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - April 4, 2008) - Gas prices began rising again over the past week and breaking records throughout the Southland, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.639, which is 3.6 cents more than last week, 18.5 cents higher than last month, and 38 cents above last year. In San Diego, the price is $3.675, which is 4.5 cents higher than last week's price, 18 cents above last month, and 38 cents higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.758, up 2.4 cents from last week, 15 cents above last month, and 40 cents more than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $3.637, 2.6 cents over last week, up 18 cents from last month, and 35 cents higher than last year.

"Prices have been rising by about half a cent a day in most areas," said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. "Oil industry analysts say that this latest price increase is actually the result of supply problems at California refineries, not the earlier investor speculation that drove up prices in February and March."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., April 4:

Area                       Regular    One-week      Record Price
                                       change

Los Angeles - Long Beach    $3.639   + 3.6 cents   $3.639 (4/3/08)

Orange County               $3.593   + 4.5 cents   $3.593 (4/3/08)

San Diego                   $3.675   + 4.5 cents   $3.675 (4/3/08)

Santa Barbara - Santa       $3.758   + 2.4 cents   $3.758 (4/3/08)
 Maria - Lompoc

Riverside - San             $3.637   + 2.6 cents   $3.637 (4/3/08)
 Bernardino

Bakersfield                 $3.625   + 3.6 cents   $3.625 (4/3/08)

Las Vegas, NV               $3.370   + 2.9 cents   $3.370 (4/3/08)

Contact Information: Contact: Marie Montgomery/Jeffrey Spring (714) 885-2333