PLYMOUTH — Gas prices at two Plymouth stations lowered prices two more cents Wednesday to $3.17 a gallon. Customers win, station managers say they lose.
Who says you can't put a price on happiness?
"I only have half a tank," said George Smith. "At this price, I’ll fill up anyway."
At $3.17, people in Plymouth feel like they've won the jackpot.
"It's sad that you think $3.17 is good, but comparatively speaking, it's good," said Chris Cox, who filled up before his drive to Culver.
At the Marathon Station on Highway 17 in Plymouth and the Speedway just down the road, a battle is on.
It was easy to see who came out on top.
"Today's a good day to be on empty," said Cox.
But the price of war comes with a cost — At $3.17, Marathon Manager Yatin Lekhy isn't making money. He says he's losing it.
Lehky said he lowered prices two more cents Wednesday morning.
"If we don't match, we don't get customers," Lehky said.
And he won't get business inside if customers don't stop. Convenience items help make up for the loss.
Less than a mile down the road, no one stopped for items or fill-ups at the Phillips 66 station. Prices there — $3.69 a gallon. Downtown, prices were $3.69 as well.
"If I had known it was cheaper, I would've went that route," said Terry Schroeder, who filled up at BP downtown for $3.69.
The manager inside the BP station said lines were in the street when prices were $3.19, Tuesday. She also said the station took a $4,000 hit.
She raised the prices to $3.69, Wednesday, because she simply couldn't afford to take another loss.
A spokeswoman from Atlas Oil, which supplies oil to the Phillips 66 station, said she did not want to comment.
As Speedway and Marathon work to keep up with each other — the Family Express, which reportedly started the price war, increased their prices to $3.43, putting them competitively right in the middle.
Prices Wednesday in Mishawaka were $3.69 a gallon; Southern St. Joseph County — $3.54 a gallon. Prices along U.S.31 outside Plymouth were $3.75.
