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Gas Prices Hold Steady for 4 Days

Consumers flee to Mexico for cheaper fill-up

By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.com

June 20, 2008
Record gasoline prices are sending consumers living along the U.S border with Mexico south to buy gasoline.

Long hours of waiting to cross back into the U.S. are not deterring price-weary U.S. consumers as they produce proof of U.S. citizenship to return home with a Mexican fill-up.

The difference between Mexico's subsidized gasoline and record U.S. prices has made the trip well worth the effort. Regular self-serve now averages $4.609 across California and other border states. Mexican regular is about $1.40 cheaper.

Savings on diesel in Mexico are even greater. A gallon of diesel averages $4.786 in the U.S. but costs only $2.25 south of the border.

News of the Mexican fill-ups comes as U.S. gas price increases take a slight rest. Gas prices have posted no new records for 4 days.

Regular self serve sells for an average price of $4.075 a gallon, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. Mid-grade sells for $4.326 and premium sells for $4.482 a gallon.

Gas prices have increased 7 percent in just the last month and 36 percent since this time last year.

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With gasoline holding above $4 a gallon, consumers are driving less and abandoning gas-guzzlers, according to government data.

Motorists drove 1.4 billion fewer highway miles in April compared with the same month last year and 400 million fewer miles than they drove in March, according to the Transportation Department.

Sales of SUVs are down 38 percent since last year, bad news indeed for the U.S. auto industry.

Gasoline is cheapest this week in Oklahoma where a gallon averages $3.836.

California The most expensive gasoline prices are still found in California where regular sells for an average price of $4.609.

The average price in San Diego rose by 6.2 cents this week. That is the smallest increase in a month, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The San Diego average now stands at $4.63 or 67 cents more than last month and $1.44 more than at this time last year, according to the AAA.

Regular gasoline is most expensive in Santa Barbara where a gallon sells for $4.702. Regular costs $4.621 in San Francisco.

Texas Texans are getting a break at the pump this week. AAA Texas reported that the statewide average for self-serve regular is now $3.93 per gallon.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area has the most expensive gasoline in Texas at $3.94 per gallon.

Amarillo had the least expensive gasoline, averaging $3.88, down one cent from last week.

The statewide average price reflects an increase of almost 23 cents per gallon in the past month. One year ago, according to AAA Texas, the average price in the state was $2.90.

Florida Floridians are paying an average of $4.035 for regular self-serve.

The most expensive average price in the state is found in West Palm Beach at $4.142. The cheapest gallon of gasoline in Florida is on sale in Orlando for 43.945, according to AAA.

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