Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

We’re special

Most expensive gas in San Diego

Coronado 76 Gas Station
Coronado 76 Gas Station

Here’s one list a small business may not want to be on: the highest price gas in San Diego County.

With global demand for oil decreasing, and U.S. production increasing, gas prices are falling daily. Yet three county gas stations, according to gasbuddy.com, remain the highest cash price per gallon for regular gas. One would expect these stations to be in the outskirts, like Borrego Springs or Jacumba. Not so.

The Shell station at 3105 Del Mar Heights Road, just off I-5, has been number one on the list for weeks. On December 22, it was $3.50 a gallon, 64 cents higher then 7-Eleven just across the freeway interchange, $1.12 higher than county’s lowest — $2.38 — found at five of the county’s 11 Costcos.

Sponsored
Sponsored

I asked a guy pumping gas in his work truck from the Extreme Roofing company, why he was buying gas from the highest priced station in the county? “I noticed it was a little high,” he said. He had made a wrong turn off the freeway and was running out. He had planned to go to the 7-Eleven.

Masoud, the manager of the Shell, seemed surprised to learn he was the highest priced. He responded, “We have the highest priced rent in the county. $22,000 a month.” Also servicing the exclusive Del Mar Heights neighborhood was the 7-Eleven and, two blocks away, a Chevron station in the Del Mar Highlands shopping center posted at $2.82.

On December 20, holding the number two and three highest priced spots for over a week, were the two stations on Coronado. I visited both Valero and 76 on Orange Avenue, then both listed at $3.30 a gallon. An employee of the 76 Station, when ask why they are on top of the list, said, ”Because we’re special.” He would not elaborate nor provide information on how to reach the owner for comment. The Coronado Valero station employee said they don’t set the prices, the oil company does.

All three top-priced stations had one thing in common. They have mechanics working on cars. Shell’s Masoud said stations make more having a convenience store, rather than have a garage. “So our prices have to be higher,’ said Masoud. “But we provide the best in service and clean restrooms,” he added.

I asked five customers pumping gas in Coronado — four at Valero and one at the 76 — as to why they were buying high-priced gas. All five were tourists from out of town. To talk to Coronado locals, I went to the Vons store in town. Neil said locals don’t buy gas in town. He thought the stations we’re “spot zoned” by the distributors, a process where the price of fuel is micromanaged based on the nearby competition.

Marilyn said the high prices were because of the Coronado Bridge. Gas trucks aren’t allowed over the bridge and must deliver through Imperial Beach and up The Strand (Highway 75). Both said they buy their gas at Costco when they go into town.

Something else gasbuddy.com has shown — members of the military might want to buy their gas off base, rather than through the base exchanges, which are supposed to be cheaper than the retail market. For about a week leading up to December 20, the base exchange stations were much higher than all Costcos and some independents. With gas prices in an unprecedented free-fall, the base’s prices finally adjusted to within a few cents of off-base, lower-cost stations.

Perhaps because of the AAA report that, due to lowing gas prices, 98.6 million people will drive to holiday destinations this year (four percent more than last year). But the gas price free-fall may be temporarily over, at least until January 5. Gasbuddy.com sent out a text alert to its followers in North County on the evening of December 21. It read, “It appears gas prices may be raising in your area.“

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Pet pig perches in pocket

Escondido doula gets a taste of celebrity
Next Article

Taco Taco Poway still has 99-cent fish tacos

Tacotopia prizewinner is well known among Powegians
Coronado 76 Gas Station
Coronado 76 Gas Station

Here’s one list a small business may not want to be on: the highest price gas in San Diego County.

With global demand for oil decreasing, and U.S. production increasing, gas prices are falling daily. Yet three county gas stations, according to gasbuddy.com, remain the highest cash price per gallon for regular gas. One would expect these stations to be in the outskirts, like Borrego Springs or Jacumba. Not so.

The Shell station at 3105 Del Mar Heights Road, just off I-5, has been number one on the list for weeks. On December 22, it was $3.50 a gallon, 64 cents higher then 7-Eleven just across the freeway interchange, $1.12 higher than county’s lowest — $2.38 — found at five of the county’s 11 Costcos.

Sponsored
Sponsored

I asked a guy pumping gas in his work truck from the Extreme Roofing company, why he was buying gas from the highest priced station in the county? “I noticed it was a little high,” he said. He had made a wrong turn off the freeway and was running out. He had planned to go to the 7-Eleven.

Masoud, the manager of the Shell, seemed surprised to learn he was the highest priced. He responded, “We have the highest priced rent in the county. $22,000 a month.” Also servicing the exclusive Del Mar Heights neighborhood was the 7-Eleven and, two blocks away, a Chevron station in the Del Mar Highlands shopping center posted at $2.82.

On December 20, holding the number two and three highest priced spots for over a week, were the two stations on Coronado. I visited both Valero and 76 on Orange Avenue, then both listed at $3.30 a gallon. An employee of the 76 Station, when ask why they are on top of the list, said, ”Because we’re special.” He would not elaborate nor provide information on how to reach the owner for comment. The Coronado Valero station employee said they don’t set the prices, the oil company does.

All three top-priced stations had one thing in common. They have mechanics working on cars. Shell’s Masoud said stations make more having a convenience store, rather than have a garage. “So our prices have to be higher,’ said Masoud. “But we provide the best in service and clean restrooms,” he added.

I asked five customers pumping gas in Coronado — four at Valero and one at the 76 — as to why they were buying high-priced gas. All five were tourists from out of town. To talk to Coronado locals, I went to the Vons store in town. Neil said locals don’t buy gas in town. He thought the stations we’re “spot zoned” by the distributors, a process where the price of fuel is micromanaged based on the nearby competition.

Marilyn said the high prices were because of the Coronado Bridge. Gas trucks aren’t allowed over the bridge and must deliver through Imperial Beach and up The Strand (Highway 75). Both said they buy their gas at Costco when they go into town.

Something else gasbuddy.com has shown — members of the military might want to buy their gas off base, rather than through the base exchanges, which are supposed to be cheaper than the retail market. For about a week leading up to December 20, the base exchange stations were much higher than all Costcos and some independents. With gas prices in an unprecedented free-fall, the base’s prices finally adjusted to within a few cents of off-base, lower-cost stations.

Perhaps because of the AAA report that, due to lowing gas prices, 98.6 million people will drive to holiday destinations this year (four percent more than last year). But the gas price free-fall may be temporarily over, at least until January 5. Gasbuddy.com sent out a text alert to its followers in North County on the evening of December 21. It read, “It appears gas prices may be raising in your area.“

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Dating Sites For Little People: Best Platforms & Tips

Next Article

Coyote tracks in frail San Diego avocado grove

Second place winner in Reader neighborhood writing contest
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.