VX on craigslist: Is 60 mpg an unrealistic MPG claim?

[McPatrick]

Well, obviously there is a difference between being able to get it and drive that as an average. Looking at garage entries on this site for VX owners there are definately people that get a 50 mpg or higher 90 day average.
An average consisting of a mix of city and highway. if we are talking highway only then yes 60 mpg is doable. I just started hypermiling myself last year and had a hard time doing 55 mph, but I do remember a trip where I'd say my average speed was maybe 58 or 59 and after having driven 440 miles I calculated 59 mpg, so it will get 60 mpg if you really do 55 mph.

I remember a member from Florida, panamacolin, saying he gets 48-51 mpg going between 68 and 74 mph with the AC turned on full time. (He has a very clean white VX).

Anyways, highway cruising is what these machines do best!

And as to the price; you can have an opinion one way or the other but in the end it is the market that will set the price

[monroe74]

"Is 60 mpg an unrealistic MPG claim?"

If you think that claim is questionable, check out this ad: "70 Miles per gallon Honda Civic VX 3dr hatch 12k miles - $9500"

I think the 60 mpg claim is a little excessive, but only a little. There are many VX gaslogs on this site. They show that most owners can achieve 50 mpg without much trouble. Some owners beat 60 or even 70, but I think that takes very skillful driving.

There's some VX-hysteria going on, but I think it's happening for a reason. As far as I can tell, it's the highest-mileage car ever sold in the US, with the exception of hybrids, diesels, and the 3-cylinder Geo Metro XFI. At least since the EPA started measuring MPG. This is aside from the fact that Civics, in general, are very popular, for all sorts of good reasons.

"Both have said realistically they get mid 40's max"

That's too low. I think there's something wrong with the car and/or the driver. Here's a hunch: they're driving with bad O2 sensors. The VX uses a special kind. $200-$400.

"isnt that car like 10k when brand new?"

MSRP was $11,890. But I don't think that's the right benchmark.

But I think $4900 is high, given that the car has 195k, and is probably not rust-free, since it's in Ohio. And fixing the A/C is going to cost a lot more than $50.

[monroe74]

Actually, looking again at the gaslogs, I see that a lot of VX owners have an average in the mid-40s, so maybe that's a more realistic expectation. But these same people also very commonly report at least some tanks over 50 mpg, so it seems very attainable. As the saying goes: YMMV.