As June wrapped up in the lanes, talk of gas prices pervaded the auctions last week.

According to Black Book’s Ricky Beggs, gas prices continued to be the topic of conversation last week as the $3.70 per gallon average was 13 cents higher than year-ago-levels.

The Black Book senior vice president and editorial director highlighted in his latest “Beggs on the Used Car Market” vide report that comments were overheard at auction last week on this topic, such as “gas fumes were on the buyers’ minds”.

And the trend was visible in last week’s price developments, as well.

The more fuel efficient segments saw some of the strongest price retention in the lanes last week.

The overall average decline for cars last week was $53, and the entry level cars were the only segment to see an increase in price.

Beggs also pointed out that the smaller segments have experienced strong price retention for most of this past spring.

“During the most positive adjusting weeks of the spring market in March and April the entry level cars, the compact cars, the entry mid-size cars and the upper mid-size cars were the strongest increasing segments, made up the segments with the lowest average price and also are comprised of the more fuel efficient models,” said Beggs.

On the other hand, trucks saw a slightly larger decline than the previous week, falling by an average of $39. Two weeks ago, the truck segments saw a $34 slide.

Beggs pointed out this past week, trucks saw the largest weekly decline since the week ending Feb. 21

“Even though the trucks have declined less than the cars, we now have a declining truck market for six of the last seven weeks,” Beggs said. “And for the first time in more than three months we had a weekly market with no truck segments actually increasing.”

The compact pickups saw the lowest drop, falling by $13 last week. On the other hand, the luxury SUVs lead the pack for declines, sliding by $104.

To view the latest "Beggs on the Used Car Market" report, see above.