West Seattle Gas Price Watch: New “highest,” tie for “lowest”

| Gas prices | Transportation | West Seattle news

Lots of changes in our latest West Seattle-wide survey of gas prices: The highest price in West Seattle as of late last night is seven cents lower than the highest price exactly a week earlier; one station has dropped its price more than twice that much; and four stations are now tied at the low end, while the highest price is not where you’d expect to find it. Text and map versions of the survey, ahead:

Click a station location to see its latest price plus previous weeks, or scroll down to the text list below the map:

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Arco is almost always the lowest-priced station in West Seattle, but this time around it’s a four-way tie. The highest price is at Delridge Exxon, which we don’t recall seeing in that spot before. One other note – the lowest price is 50% higher than it was one year ago (here’s our 7/30/07 story mentioning $2.79/regular at Arco).

$4.19-$4.39, Delridge/Orchard Shell
(1 wk ago $4.29-$4.52, 4 wks ago $4.39-$4.59, 13 wks ago $3.69-$3.89)

$4.19-$4.39, Arco (Delridge/Orchard)
(1 wk ago $4.23-$4.49, 4 wks ago $4.29-$4.49, 13 wks ago $3.47-$3.69)

$4.19-$4.39, Roxbury Gasoline
(1 wk ago $4.24 regular, first price check since it just reopened, premium wasn’t posted then)

$4.19-$4.41, Calif/Charlestown 7-11
(1 wk ago $4.26-$4.46, 4 wks ago $4.35-$4.55, 13 wks ago $3.55-$3.75)

$4.21-$4.45, 35th/Avalon 7-11
(1 wk ago $4.29-$4.53, 4 wks ago $4.33-$4.57, 13 wks ago $3.65-$3.89)

$4.21-$4.45, Fauntleroy/Alaska Shell
(1 wk ago $4.29-$4.53, 4 wks ago $4.33-$4.57, 13 wks ago $3.65-$3.89)

$4.21-$4.45, Barnecut’s Shell (Admiral)
(1 wk ago $4.38-$4.62, 4 wks ago $4.38-$4.62, 13 wks ago $3.67-$3.91)

$4.21-$4.49, Admiral Safeway
(1 wk ago $4.26-$4.47, 4 wks ago $4.39-$4.59, 13 wks ago $3.57-$3.79)

$4.21 (premium no longer posted), California/Andover 76
(1 wk ago $4.26, 4 wks ago $4.26-$4.47, 13 wks ago $3.59-$3.79)

$4.23-$4.47, Fauntleroy/Alaska 76
(1 wk ago $4.29-$4.53, 4 wks ago $4.35-$4.59, 13 wks ago $3.67-$3.91)

$4.23-$4.47, California Shell
(1 wk ago $4.31-$4.59, 4 wks ago $4.39-$4.63, 13 wks ago $3.71-$3.95)

$4.23-$4.53, Roxbury Safeway
(1 wk ago $4.25-$4.59, 4 wks ago $4.39-$4.59, 13 wks ago $3.56-$3.79)

$4.25-$4.45, Roxbury Shell
(1 wk ago $4.31-$4.53, 4 wks ago $4.39-$4.59, 13 wks ago $3.67-$3.89)

$4.25-$4.45, Gas Depot (South Delridge)
(1 wk ago $4.33-$4.53, 4 wks ago 4.39-$4.59, 13 wks ago $3.65-$3.85)

$4.25-$4.47, mid-Delridge Shell
(1 wk ago $4.29-$4.52, 4 wks ago $4.39-$4.59, 13 wks ago $3.69-$3.89)

$4.25-$4.49, Gasco (35th/Henderson)
(1 wk ago $4.29-$4.49, 4 wks ago $4.39-$4.59, 13 wks ago $3.65-$3.89)

$4.25-$4.51, Lincoln Park 76
(1 wk ago $4.39-$4.63, 4 wks ago $4.43-$4.67, 13 wks ago $3.69-$3.95)

$4.25-$4.59, 35th/Barton Exxon
(1 wk ago $4.35-$4.59, 4 wks ago $4.39-$4.63, 13 wks ago $3.66-$3.89)

$4.25-$4.65, Admiral Chevron
(1 wk ago $4.33-$4.73, 4 wks ago $4.37-$4.77, 13 wks ago $3.65-$4.05)

$4.29-$4.53, 35th/Holden Chevron
(1 wk ago $4.33-$4.59, 4 wks ago $4.38-$4.67, 13 wks ago $3.69-$3.93)

$4.32-$4.52, Delridge Exxon
(1 wk ago $4.32-$4.52, 4 wks ago $4.35-$4.55, 13 wks ago $3.58-$3.78)

Biggest price cut for regular in the last week: Barnecut’s Shell dropped 17 cents. To see the citywide average, check AAA’s latest stats.

Our previous West Seattle Gas Price Watch coverage is archived here.

mrsB July 28, 2008 (9:41 am)

We’re visitng family in the Boston area and it’s rare to see gas priced at more than $4.00 – we paid $3.89 (cash) the other day and $3.95 seems to be the norm here. Why are we being SOAKED in Seattle?

Jim McCabe July 28, 2008 (12:42 pm)

One thing to note about these prices is that they sometimes have hidden charges. One of the gas stations near the Home Depot on Delridge has a 45-cent flat fee for using a credit card or debit card. So while they might be a penny or two cheaper per gallon, you’ll actually pay more unless you pump 15 gallons or more.

gwen c. July 28, 2008 (1:53 pm)

because the tax on petrol is significantly lower in Massachusetts, and because there’s significantly more competition for your dollar; chevron and texaco got together, exxon and mobil got together (and they’re rapidly disappearing from the area), etc…most fuel here comes from 3-4 basic suppliers where there’s 6 or more in eastern MA.

this, along with the fact that i wager demand is higher here (or else why do people look at me like i have four heads when i mention taking the bus?) leads to higher prices.

JunctionMonkey July 28, 2008 (3:34 pm)

Gasoline price is a function of
Base gas price (unadditized) +
Transportation cost +
Additive cost (added locally) +
Federal Tax (same for everyone) +
State Tax (varies greatly)
Of all of these State Tax varies the most and explains the majority of price difference. Locale determines a small price difference as in a more affluent neighborhood, buyers will tolerate a few more pennies/gallon for sake of convenience. Additive cost vary by brand. Gasoline is a fungible commodity so everyone here uses the same gas but differentiated by additive – generic additive for “non-name” vendors and proprietary for “brand” names. I know; I worked for The Big Nasty Oil Company for 27 years.

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