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Sam Krikorian, Quality Auto Repair owner, on why high gas prices may force him to close his doors.
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So much for gas prices falling after Labor Day -- in California are looking at nearly five dollars a gallon at the pump.
On average drivers in the -- paying four dollars 49 cents per gallon for regular unleaded nearly seventy cents more than the nationwide average.
West Coast refinery fires and pipeline outages are to blame.
But it is squeezing gas station margins it's so -- in fact our next guest says he's considering shutting off the pumps.
When the gas he's already -- runs out sands -- pouring his owner of quality auto repair North Hollywood Sam thanks for joining us.
You -- them.
-- just got a report a couple minutes ago that wholesale gas prices in the LA area are actually lower today by that 55 cents to get on the wholesale level so.
Can you be optimistic at all that the worst may be over.
No not yet because I just got.
What -- calling them debt bill for therefore the prices for today is gonna cost me five dollar and eight cents.
A gallon at the whole lot since that's the march -- the that.
-- five dollars at -- -- several weeks.
At what you.
Know I think -- -- It's if you work to.
By that gas at that price over five dollars a gallon what would you have to charge at the retail level to make a profit.
That these I have to -- Don't forget that to cat put it that sale of -- that the friend to yeah taxes which is so close to eighteen to nineteen cents.
Bluff -- plus my profit margin that these guys to be -- between ten to fifteen cents.
So I have to put a sign outside 550 or 555 to make some money yeah.
Citing the case in the LA area any -- reasons people are so committed and so depending on their cars.
Yes yes -- been having getting calls are being getting you know friends coming to -- station what's gonna happen what's gonna happen I mean.
-- I mean I don't have an answer for them because I don't have answers to myself how gonna convince the people that the president gonna go down went -- -- CN.
The prices keep going up yeah.
Up and up and like there is no no tomorrow on mean.
So we shouldn't -- signing -- gas -- Is still I got about seven to 800 gallon left that the tank and I'm I'm hoping the -- gonna go down but actually that probability at the refineries she -- -- -- the Prez is gonna keep going up.
If you wanna wait maybe Monday may be I said you surely this is -- I don't know I don't have -- -- and 42.
So I -- probably doing tonight or tomorrow morning are gonna shut it down so.
And residential spending my life -- not been in this location over eighty years yeah on the shutting down there is there that the pumps.
So -- a perfect storm because we we mentioning Exxon refinery fire you've got a Chevron pipeline elevated levels of organic chloride.
Whatever that is that's -- -- -- anyway Phillips in -- six also having.
To shut down because -- -- you meet it's on their refinery says this just a perfect storm of the events or is it.
You see -- they think is what I don't understand it I mean when -- refinery hasn't a problem next day Chevron have a problem.
An hour later tax -- I mean that -- -- have a problem.
I.
I don't know I mean it's it's like America's sickness -- is like a fool as contagious as well as one front of from one refinery to the next or let's say we have -- a problem look I understand.
Refinery problem.
What about when we have an implicit Texas having a problem moving moving shifting the oil from California to them let them help but rather little and let them -- -- nonsense that's.
Though there have been there all live from there to here until we would end up fixing the problem that we have -- that are -- or let's build more refined equities.
They don't wanna build refineries oil companies because they want to monopoly that the market that's what it is they just want to control what I mean.
When I went to this business he was over -- note to seventeen refiners in California has.
-- hitting LA not we got less than seven.
You know I mean we can't get that -- finally I mean what's the big deal about it we got the money we got the sources we got the people.
Especially if their -- that somebody from the government.
Do something about it it is not or -- the the government never at least.
Did the president or somebody I mean the people are struggling not I've got people coming and and buying for thinking -- Monday he you guys don't have enough but -- believe report dollar steady.
-- -- hot and a half hopefully gonna go with the -- dollar pity oh right O of -- -- So let me ask Gavin get strongly you believe -- -- we heard both candidates outline their energy policy just in the debate earlier this week.
Who he thinks that the better planet will you vote for in the presidential election.
You know I don't -- -- Otto order book 22222.
-- is one of them because I don't see any any any result I mean.
If somebody gonna tell me hey you know -- exactly right.
We gonna do something about this we gonna help the little little businesses little well -- just it's it's not just hit talks you know we gonna help the little guy the middle class the small businesses.
But I'm not -- it had a -- everything I'm I'm.
Load like us and them being definitive that he open theaters in December location now when I tried to get a loan portfolio we do we saw -- -- we can give along because.
You are overqualified well yeah.
-- again and I -- I'm so sorry to -- -- we understand your frustration appreciate you sharing your challenges with -- good luck to you we will check in again very thank you Sam Kerkorian.
