GAS PRICES EDGING DOWN AROUND L.A.

Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer

Prices at the pump are trickling downward in Los Angeles, as an average gallon of gasoline costs $1.93 - 11 cents less then the record high of $2.04 about a month ago, according to figures released Friday by the Automobile Club of Southern California.

But while gas prices inch lower, California drivers are still treading lighter this holiday weekend than motorists in regions such as the Midwest, where the cost of unleaded is $1.45.

``The Rocky Mountains effectively keep California's gasoline market tight and the isolated situation certainly slows the recovery,'' said Mike Burdette, an analyst with the National Energy Information Center.

However, for some drivers, an ever-so-slight decrease in gas prices translates to a few more camping trips.

Vince Novak should know. He drives a 34-foot camper that guzzles 100 gallons of gas per fill-up.

The 40-year-old from Moorpark is a member of a camping group the meets once a month to round up their ``Texas on wheels.''

``That means about $200 dollars to fill 'er up for a camping trip,'' Novak said.

But Novak and his fellow camping enthusiasts are not alone.

Gary Stevenson, a 41-year-old insurance agent from Thousand Oaks, doesn't drive a camper, but with prices where they are, he said, ``it certainly feels like it in my '91 Ford Explorer.''

Though Stevenson isn't planning a trip for the holiday weekend, he said his wife is off to Las Vegas.

``And the cost of gas is certainly a factor,'' he said. ``I just hope the cost continues to go down.''

And perhaps it will.

Cheryl Burnett, a spokeswoman for Arco's parent BP Amoco, said unless a disaster occurs at a refinery, prices should remain stable, if not decline this summer.

``And if you have all the refineries producing at maximum capacity, that will help the supply side of the situation,'' Burnett said.

On the West Coast, refineries are currently pumping out 1.521 million barrels of gasoline a day. And last week, U.S. refineries reached a record high of 8.571 million barrels a day, according to the American Petroleum Institute.

But that still doesn't explain why prices aren't even lower, said 45- year-old David Kalmansohn, as he squeezed off the final gallons of gas for his 1997 Lincoln.

``So it's a dime cheaper - that doesn't make a whole lot of difference,'' Kalmansohn said.

A few months ago, the cost of wholesale gasoline was up, causing retailers to raise their prices, said Jeffrey Spring, a spokesman for the Auto Club.

But as a result of zooming wholesale prices, retailers weren't making as much at the pumps.

Now that wholesale prices have come down, retailers are capitalizing on the lower cost of gasoline, Spring said.

``They're making back what they lost,'' he said.

Still, with prices hovering near their highs and refineries churning out record levels of gasoline, Fred Rozell, a retail pricing director at the Oil Price Information Service, said volatility could easily return to the gas islands.

``And if you're a gas station owner you'll be making a lot of money,'' he said.

Marcial Montemayer, a 39-year-old chemist from Canoga Park, said he doesn't really mind the prices, but he certainly would like to see some of the tax lopped off.

``I don't think the prices are too bad, but it if they could take some of the taxes off that would be great,'' he said.

Montemayer drives a truck around the San Fernando Valley testing soil for chemical deposits.

``I don't pay for the gas I put in this truck, but I still think there is something wrong if there is a correlation between supply and demand and gas is more expensive out here than back East,'' he said.

GASOLINE PRICE WATCH

Friday's average price per gallon in L.A.*

$1.93

LAST FRIDAY

$1.97

* regular unleaded

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Box: GASOLINE PRICE WATCH (See text)