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Gas prices are as much as six cents cheaper in some states across the country on the week, which has pushed the national gas price average cheaper by a penny to $2.85 today. That average could have been even lower had a handful of Midwest states not seen prices increase by more than a nickel due to ongoing refinery maintenance.

“Gas prices are getting cheaper for the majority of motorists despite the fact that U.S. gasoline stocks sit at a 7 million bbl deficit year-over-year. Crude oil prices have remained relatively stable the past few months, which is one reason helping gas prices be cheaper than last year at this time,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “Today, motorists can find gas for $2.50 or less at nearly half of all gas stations in the country.”

Compared to last month, today’s national average ($2.85) is cheaper by a penny and is seven cents cheaper year-over-year.

Quick Stats

The nation’s top 10 largest weekly changes are: Ohio (+11 cents), Michigan (+7 cents), Florida (-7 cents), Illinois (-5 cents), North Carolina (-4 cents), South Carolina (-4 cents), Delaware (-4 cents), Mississippi (-4 cents), Indiana (+3 cents) and Georgia (-3 cents).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets are: Louisiana ($2.45), South Carolina ($2.45), Alabama ($2.45), Mississippi ($2.45), Arkansas ($2.50), Tennessee ($2.54), Missouri ($2.54), Oklahoma ($2.56), Texas ($2.57) and Kansas ($2.58).

Great Lakes and Central States

Amid refinery maintenance, gasoline stocks dropped by 700,000 bbl, squeezing total levels to 49.4 million bbl, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). This is not only the lowest level of the year, but a stock level historically only recorded in the second half of the year for the region and certainly not a level seen going into peak driving season. The draw was one of the reasons three states in the region were among the top five weekly increases in gas prices in the country: Ohio (+11 cents), Michigan (+7 cents) and Indiana (+3 cents). These jumps mostly wiped up any decreases seen last week for these three states.  All other states in the Great Lakes and Central States saw pump prices decline by as much as a nickel on the week.

Illinois ($2.97) remains the most expensive price in the region followed by Indiana ($2.84) and Michigan ($2.83). Missouri ($2.54) and Kansas ($2.58) carry the cheapest.

As previously reported, the region averages stock levels around 52 million bbl ahead of Memorial Day. With levels facing a 2.6 million bbl deficit, motorists should not be surprised if gas prices inch up this month, especially as refinery utilization remains under 90%.

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 15, 2019) – Nearly 43 million Americans will start their summers on a high note with a Memorial Day weekend getaway. This long holiday weekend, marking the unofficial start of summer vacation season, will see the second-highest travel volume on record since AAA began tracking holiday travel volumes dating back to 2000, trailing only the bar set in 2005. Overall, an additional 1.5 million more people will take to the nation’s roads, rails and runways compared with last year, a 3.6% increase.

Despite a rising national gas price average that is inching closer to the $3 per gallon mark, the vast majority of holiday travelers will drive to their destinations. For these motorists, INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, expects travel delays on major roads could be more than three times longer than normal during evening commutes.

“Americans are eagerly anticipating the start of summer, and expensive gas prices won’t keep them home this Memorial Day weekend,” said Paula Twidale, vice president, AAA Travel. “Consumer spending remains strong, helped by solid job and income growth. Families continue to prioritize spending their disposable incomes on travel, and near-record numbers of them are looking forward to doing just that for Memorial Day.”

ORLANDO, Fla. (May. 9, 2019) – AAA’s latest survey reveals that despite many Americans having interest in electric vehicles, when asked if most vehicles will be electric by 2029, only 4 in 10 said yes. Yet, a separate study AAA conducted earlier this year found that more than half of Americans believe that in this same timeframe most cars will have the ability to drive themselves – a reality that is much less likely to happen. AAA believes that similar to other emerging technologies, a lack of knowledge and experience may be contributing to the slow adoption of electric vehicles despite Americans’ desire to go green.

“Today, more than 200,000 electric cars can be found on roads across the country as almost every manufacturer sells them,” said Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of Automotive Engineering and Industry Relations. “But, like other new vehicle technologies, Americans don’t have the full story and that could be causing the gap between interest and action.”

AAA’s annual survey that tracks opinions regarding electric and hybrid vehicles found that while consumer interest remains steady, Americans may not have a solid understanding of electric vehicle performance, which may be giving consumers pause when it comes to considering electric for their next purchase. For instance, electric vehicles, unlike those running on gas, do better in stop and go traffic because the car can recapture energy to charge the battery when decelerating. However, AAA’s survey found that a majority of Americans (59 percent) were unsure of whether electric vehicles have better range when driving at highways speeds or in stop and go traffic. This demonstrates that many consumers are not sure what to expect from an electric vehicle in two of the most common driving scenarios.

27 States See a Pump Price Decrease or Averages Hold Steady on the Week

With the national gas price average at $2.89 – just a penny more expensive than last week – the majority of states are seeing moderate jumps and even declines at the pump. Twenty-seven states saw gas prices decrease or hold steady on the week with Delaware (-4 cents), Kentucky (-3 cents) and North Carolina (-3 cents) seeing the largest declines.

“While gasoline demand remains robust, gasoline inventories built for the first time since early February, which was a surprise, and contributed toward the national average only increasing by a penny” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “Today’s average is just eight cents cheaper than the highest pump price of 2019, which was set going into Memorial Day.”

Today’s average is 16 cents more than last month and eight cents more expensive than this time last year.

Quick stats

The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets are: Alabama ($2.50), Mississippi ($2.52), Louisiana ($2.52), South Carolina ($2.53), Arkansas ($2.55), Oklahoma ($2.59), Missouri ($2.59), Tennessee ($2.60), Texas ($2.60) and Kansas ($2.63).

The nation’s top 10 largest weekly changes are: Utah (+14 cents), Idaho (+9 cents), Florida (+6 cents), Ohio (+6 cents), Alaska (+5 cents), Colorado (+5 cents), Nevada (+5 cents), Delaware (-4 cents), Arizona (+3 cents) and Kentucky (-3 cents).

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2019 -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, today unveiled the list of May's Best New Car Deals. This month's list includes eight vehicles with excellent financing or cash back incentives. U.S. News also provides May's Best Lease Deals and Best Used Car Deals.

"Car companies are hoping spring sales will pick up, and we're seeing plenty of good deals to get buyers in the door," says Jamie Page Deaton, executive editor of U.S. News Best Cars. "Almost every segment of the new car market has attractive incentives this month, even on luxury models and sports cars."

Each month, U.S. News collects new and used car deals for Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Honda, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, Dodge, Ram, Jeep, Mazda, Buick, GMC, Subaru, Volkswagen, Acura, Cadillac, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW and Lexus vehicles. Deals listed are from manufacturers' sites using representative ZIP codes. Deals may vary depending on location, the buyer's credit score and other factors. Deals are valid through May 31, 2019, according to manufacturers' sites. In some cases, they extend to June 2019.

May's Best New Car Deals

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 8, 2019 -- CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG), a leading online automotive marketplace, today announced the winners of its third annual Best Used Car Awards. The 2019 awards identify the best recent-year used models across sixteen body style categories based on the company's analysis of long-term projected value retention, driver satisfaction, expert reviews, and both model popularity and availability.

"CarGurus knows that research is the bedrock of a great car-buying experience and we hope that our third annual Best Used Car Awards help today's car shoppers in that process," said Matt Smith, Senior Editor at CarGurus. "These award-winning vehicles are popular, plentiful, well-reviewed and—based on our projections—should retain their value for years to come. For people shopping for a great used car, these vehicles are certainly worth considering."

The 2019 Best Used Car Awards recipients and finalists are:

ATLANTA, May 7, 2019 -- Last year, Porsche celebrated its 70th anniversary of building sports cars by showing two 911 Speedster Concept vehicles to the public. Now, the production version — the last of the 991.2 series 911 GT cars to be produced by Porsche — is available for order. Powered by a naturally aspirated, motorsport-based 4.0-liter flat-six engine that develops 502 horsepower and 346 lb-ft of torque, the 2019 911 Speedster can sprint from zero to 60 mph in as little as 3.8 seconds, with a top track speed of 192 mph. To deliver a particularly engaging driving experience highly desired by purists, the 911 Speedster, with a 9000 rpm redline, is available exclusively with a GT Sport six-speed manual transmission.

Porsche Speedster models began in the United States in the early 1950s, as a lightweight, and less expensive option for the burgeoning California market and rapidly developing car culture. Speedsters combine open-top driving pleasure with incredibly distinctive driving dynamics, have been part of Porsche history since 1952. The forefather of Porsche Speedster models, the 356 1500 America Roadster, had an aluminum body manufactured entirely by hand. It weighed about 20-percent, or approximately 350 pounds (160 kilograms), less than the 356 Coupe it was based on, and its top track speed of 108 miles per hour (175 km/h) with its 70-hp four-cylinder flat engine was impressive at the time. Featuring slot-in curtain side windows, a folding top, lightweight bucket seats and no heater, this car, developed exclusively for the US market, embodied several key elements of the speedster design that would be repeated in future models.

By 2010, eight different production and special models bearing the "Speedster" name had been created. The 356 A 1500 GS Carrera GT Speedster represented a highlight in 1957, and the first 911 Speedster followed in 1988. Limited to just 356 units worldwide, the 997 generation Speedster built in 2010 was the latest model to be fitted with the famous designation.

The 2019 911 Speedster is the first developed by the Porsche Motorsport department in Weissach and is immediately recognizable as a Speedster. The low-cut front windshield and side windows as well as the manually operated lightweight fabric top are characteristic for a Speedster model and make the car stand out from other series production 911 models. The two streamliners atop the rear decklid are made from carbon fiber are yet another design highlight rooted in the model's history.

The interior of the 911 Speedster is characterized by a focus on the essentials of driving. Lightweight door panels with storage nets and door pulls emphasize the dedication to weight reduction. The standard black leather interior can be supplemented with red stitching for the dashboard and the "Speedster" designation in the headrests. With this option, the door pulls are also fitted in red, and the GT Sport steering wheel is decorated with a red 12 o'clock center marker. The interior trim, which spreads to the gear shift knob as well as the door sill guards with "Speedster" model designation, is carbon fiber.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., May 3, 2019 -- NASCAR and Genius Sports, the global leader in sports data solutions, today announced a landmark deal that will see Genius Sports develop an official NASCAR gaming offering for legal sportsbooks. The new agreement is the first step toward creating an advanced live betting product that will drive fan interest and deepen engagement around NASCAR race events. 

Genius Sports will utilize NASCAR's official data feed to build a high-end live betting product to be sold to legal sportsbooks around the world. Exclusive access to NASCAR's official data allows Genius Sports to create a real-time gaming platform that provides up-to-the-minute odds and a suite of traditional wagers and prop bets. The new initiative will enhance the race day experience and keep fans engaged with the sport for longer periods of time.      

"Partnering with Genius Sports allows us to deliver a dynamic fan engagement platform in the rapidly-growing world of legalized sports gaming," said Brian Herbst, senior vice president, broadcasting and innovation, NASCAR. "This new relationship will provide another entry point to the sport and complements our strategy to create a more immersive experience for fans."

As a result of the agreement, Genius Sports becomes the exclusive provider of NASCAR data to licensed sportsbooks. The new data partnership marks NASCAR's first in the growing U.S. sports betting sector.

"NASCAR fans are some of the most devoted in the world, and we look forward to helping them to create a deeper, more connected experience that is both safe and secure as the business of sports betting continues to evolve in the U.S.," said Mark Locke, Genius Sports CEO. "Furthermore, our global relationships will help bring the excitement of NASCAR racing to new audiences both within the United States and in new territories around the world."

With 40 cars on the track reaching speeds of over 200 miles per hour, NASCAR's official data is vital to the development of a gaming platform. Only licensed sportsbooks in regulated territories will have access to the official data, providing greater transparency, accuracy, and cooperation to monitor and safeguard NASCAR events.

One week after the U.S. State Department announced the end of waivers for countries to import oil from Iran, increasing crude oil prices and pump prices show no signs of slowing down. With a four-cent jump on the week, today’s national gas price average sets a new high for the year at $2.88. This average may only be seven cents more than a year ago, but it is nearly 20 cents more than a month ago and 63-cents more expensive than at the beginning of the year.

“Compared to the beginning of this year, motorists have definitely felt an increasing squeeze on their wallets at the pump,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “These increases mean Americans are having to work more to afford to fill-up their gas tanks. AAA found that Americans must work 22% longer than at the start of the year to buy one gallon of unleaded gasoline- that’s 7.3 minutes compared to 5.76 minutes in January.

Working with OPIS, AAA identified the median income for each county in the country broken down to an income by minute assuming a 40-hour workweek. The average gasoline price today was compared to the income per minute finding that counties in the Southeast have been hit the hardest, especially in some parts of Kentucky For example, in McCreary County, some workers are working an additional 4 minutes when compared to January in order to buy a gallon of gasoline.

With 17 states within a dime of or already at $3/gal or more, Americans can expect the national average to likely surpass 2018’s high of $2.97 set during Memorial Day weekend,” added Casselano.

Quick stats

The nation’s top 10 largest weekly increases are: Utah (+13 cents), Delaware (+12 cents), Rhode Island (+10 cents), Idaho (+9 cents), Massachusetts (+9 cents), Alaska (+9 cents), Nevada (+9 cents), New Jersey (+8 cents), Connecticut (+8 cents) and West Virginia (+8 cents).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets are: Alabama ($2.51), Mississippi ($2.53), Louisiana ($2.54), Arkansas ($2.56), South Carolina ($2.56), Missouri ($2.58), Oklahoma ($2.61), Tennessee ($2.62), Texas ($2.62) and Kansas ($2.63).

	Dave Riccio, Owner/Technician

By Dave Riccio, ASE Certified Technician, Owner of Tri-City Transmission & Auto Repair, Co-host of Bumper to Bumper Radio

CASE STUDY: Customer Saves $2,300 over independent repair facility quote

5R55S, 5R55W, 5R55N - These are the slight variations of the same transmission - These vehicle specifically had the (S) denotation.

This was a clean, one owner, Ford Explorer that would not move either forward or backwards. Our customer had it towed to their normal trusted mechanic. Their trusted mechanic quickly diagnosed the problem and said the transmission had failed and would need to be replaced. The cost, $4,200. This customer was already growing tired of the vehicle and certainly did not want to invest that kind of money in a vehicle that they were no longer fond of.

With a little bit of internet research, this couple found us at Tri-City Transmission Service. They were looking to minimize the money they had to spend on a vehicle that was at the end of the life cycle for them. The customer contacted us asking the question that we get day in and day out, all day long. "How much for a transmission for my vehicle"? Our standard response, “we would be happy to give you a price as soon as we have diagnosed the issue.” They said, "Their mechanic already had diagnosed the problem, the vehicle wouldn't move and obviously needed a transmission". To this, we indicated, it would only be obvious if you weren't sure what you were looking at. Sometimes it seems logical that you might need a new transmission. Transmission repair often times can seem counter intuitive as so many assumptions are made by the novice that is absolutely not correct about how transmissions function. Good logic built on poor assumptions is not good logic at all. Seasoned general repair technicians make those bad assumptions. To put it in perspective, our transmission shop will diagnose, service and repair a couple hundred transmissions in one month. An automotive generalist may diagnose and replace less than two transmissions in a single month. These are completely different paradigms. With explanation, this customer agreed with our philosophy and had the vehicle towed in for our thorough diagnostic process.

The results of our preliminary transmission diagnostic was a stuck pump flow control valve located in the transmission pump. In order to access this valve, the transmission would need to be removed from the vehicle for a minor transmission bench repair at the front of the transmission. The customer agreed to perform this repair. Upon transmission removal and autopsy of the transmission, we confirmed what we diagnosed. A sticking pump flow control valve. Inspection of the rest of the transmission showed the transmission was in great shape with the exception of worn intermediate and overdrive servo bores. With this information, we had a conversation with the customer about how long they actually wanted to keep the vehicle. They said, realistically, they were not prepared to buy a car within the next 12 months, but would be shortly buying one after that. Between the customer and our team we decided to correct the servo bore issues, the pump flow control valve, reseal the transmission with new fluid and filter, and provide an 18 month, 18,000 mile warranty. This all took place for a touch less than $1,900 including the tow bill. They knew that 12 months later they could sell the vehicle with a clean conscience knowing the transmission was in good shape. This type of repair fit their needs, way better than the overkill of a replacement transmission that came from who knows where for $4,200.00.

Unfortunately, when simply replacing transmissions, as a lot of dealerships and automotive generalist do, they often times don't know a cheaper repair is almost always possible. We would equivalate this repair to replacing an engine when all you needed was a timing chain at the front of the engine. In a lot of cases it is way overkill, especially toward the end of the life cycle for the customer in relation to their ownership of the vehicle.