Teetering in Oregon

[Gizmoidal]

Hello all — long time lurker, first time poster here. Like a number of you, I’ve had my AP reserved for going on a year. I got my notice to confirm, and now I’m giving some real thought to upgrading to the AT. My wife and I visited the Seattle studio a week ago and learned that the Pure front seats are only about half as adjustable as the two higher trims. This is an issue for us because we’re older and comfort is paramount. We did a 9500 mile cross-country road trip in our EV6 last summer and boy howdy, driving 300 miles in a day was torture. There are things to like about the EV6 but cabin comfort isn’t one of them.

The big issue is the price of the AT. We can afford it, but I was raised by a father who was tight with a buck, and, were he still alive, I can imagine the dinner-table conversations where I try to explain why spending $100k on a car really does make sense. My wife and I are stuck in this endless loop of “That’s a lot of money, but what a perfect car for our needs!”

For what it’s worth, we had almost no trouble at all with charging last summer. We did about half of our DCFC at EA locations, and stayed at hotels with free L2 charging whenever possible. My only complaint about the DCFC ecosystem is that I now have about 10 different accounts with various charging companies (half of them in Canada, which we drove through heading east), many of which auto-load about $5-$20 into the account when my balance drops below some threshold.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I’ve learned a lot from these forums, and it has been quite comforting to see so many of you in love with your Lucids. Sorry for meandering here, but we really are teetering about the car, and the big issue is the price tag (even with legacy pricing and the $7500 rebate, the AT clocks in at $104k, a price that makes my wife’s eyes pop. That is with SS and the DA pro package, both of which make sense for us)

 

[Jeanwoodie]

My advice is to get what you want. You will soon forget the price, but if you don’t you will always live with regrets.
From a Washington AT owner since June last year and now with 17,201 miles.

 

[WildRide47]

Hello all — long time lurker, first time poster here. Like a number of you, I’ve had my AP reserved for going on a year. I got my notice to confirm, and now I’m giving some real thought to upgrading to the AT. My wife and I visited the Seattle studio a week ago and learned that the Pure front seats are only about half as adjustable as the two higher trims. This is an issue for us because we’re older and comfort is paramount. We did a 9500 mile cross-country road trip in our EV6 last summer and boy howdy, driving 300 miles in a day was torture. There are things to like about the EV6 but cabin comfort isn’t one of them.

The big issue is the price of the AT. We can afford it, but I was raised by a father who was tight with a buck, and, were he still alive, I can imagine the dinner-table conversations where I try to explain why spending $100k on a car really does make sense. My wife and I are stuck in this endless loop of “That’s a lot of money, but what a perfect car for our needs!”

For what it’s worth, we had almost no trouble at all with charging last summer. We did about half of our DCFC at EA locations, and stayed at hotels with free L2 charging whenever possible. My only complaint about the DCFC ecosystem is that I now have about 10 different accounts with various charging companies (half of them in Canada, which we drove through heading east), many of which auto-load about $5-$20 into the account when my balance drops below some threshold.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I’ve learned a lot from these forums, and it has been quite comforting to see so many of you in love with your Lucids. Sorry for meandering here, but we really are teetering about the car, and the big issue is the price tag (even with legacy pricing and the $7500 rebate, the AT clocks in at $104k, a price that makes my wife’s eyes pop. That is with SS and the DA pro package, both of which make sense for us)

You only live once. If you can afford it. Go for it.

 

[MorganB]

The big issue is the price of the AT. We can afford it, but I was raised by a father who was tight with a buck, and, were he still alive, I can imagine the dinner-table conversations where I try to explain why spending $100k on a car really does make sense. My wife and I are stuck in this endless loop of “That’s a lot of money, but what a perfect car for our needs!”

I come from a similar upbringing and it was big push for me to decide to spend 110k on a car. I, like you, had a Pure reserved. I was going for base with an upgraded sound system only originally. I then kept adding options until I decided to make the leap to the Touring with DDP, Glass roof and upgraded sound system. I have zero regrets . Yes it was an expensive car and almost twice what I have ever spent on a car but the sheer pleasure of owning the Air Touring outweighs the eye popping price.

The Touring has the following that the Pure does not have :

Soft close doors
Electric opening / closing trunk and frunk
leather seating, full leather dash and doors with 3 color combinations to choose from.
More seat adjustments as you mentioned
Rear windshield and rear passenger window sunscreens
Totally different seat backs which are a full plastic shell on the Pure
More power and apparently a bit more range
Colored ambient lighting with 6 color themes
20 inch wheels standard
access to glass roof option.

Thats all that I can think of off the top of my head. There may be a few more differences. You do actually get quite a bit of value for the price difference.

The Touring is exceptional and tops any car I have ever owned by leaps and bounds. The ride , comfort, quite cabin and all of the goodies that come with owning an EV( OTA updates, digital key, full touch screen dash etc) all add up to make it my favorite car by far.

I'm not getting any younger and I thought now is the time to get a car that I dream about and not one that is simply practical and nice. I say go for it. Get what you want. You will soon forget the price.

 

[Gizmoidal]

Thanks for the response. It really helps to hear from people who’ve struggled with the same questions.

 

[xponents]

Also, touring seats are different from GT seats.

 

[MorganB]

Also, touring seats are different from GT seats.

Yes GT has side bolster adjustment as well as massage.

 

[xponents]

Yes GT has side bolster adjustment as well as massage.

Pretty sure there were some other differences? Lumbar and headrest I think?(manual headrest is still there)

 

[MorganB]

Pretty sure there were some other differences? Lumbar and headrest I think?(manual headrest is still there)

i have lumbar adjustments. Headrest must be manual though like you say.

 

[joec]

i have lumbar adjustments. Headrest must be manual though like you say.

Its backrest width, not lumbar. And the headrest is not adjustable, even manually, as far as I can tell.

 

[MorganB]

Its backrest width, not lumbar. And the headrest is not adjustable, even manually, as far as I can tell.

OK that makes sense. I couldnt figure out how to move the headrest. Yes I was saying I have lumbar but no side bolster.

 

[xponents]

Its backrest width, not lumbar. And the headrest is not adjustable, even manually, as far as I can tell.

Isnt backrest width just bolsters? Are you saying touring has this and not lumbar?

 

[joec]

Isnt backrest width just bolsters? Are you saying touring has this and not lumbar?

The opposite. Touring has lumbar, not bolsters.

 

[xponents]

The opposite. Touring has lumbar, not bolsters.

Is there a graph or something showing the seat differences?

 

[hydbob]

I can't think of a better EV grand tourer than the the Lucid Air. My friend just drove from Portland to LA, and took 10 charging stops in his Ioniq5. I could have done the trip with 3 in the Air.

 

[xponents]

I can't think of a better EV grand tourer than the the Lucid Air. My friend just drove from Portland to LA, and took 10 charging stops in his Ioniq5. I could have done the trip with 3 in the Air.

Oh, just wait for the gravity. Thats when lucid unleashes everything.

 

[hmp10]

This is an issue for us because we’re older and comfort is paramount.

I'm 71 and have had six orthopedic surgeries (too many years as an avid runner and weight lifter) plus arthritis in back and neck. We have the Dream Edition seats, and I'm not clear on what adjustments you lose on the Pure and Touring trim levels. However, I can tell you the Lucid is the most comfortable distance cruiser we've ever owned -- once you're in the car. And it goes beyond seating to the ease of using the manual controls, the quiet of the cabin that conveys solidity and road composure instead of a tomb-like experience, to legroom that can put the front firewall well beyond your reach if you so desire.

On the other hand . . . . you say you've visited a Design Studio. I would recommend focusing on getting into and out of the car. I find it a bit more difficult than in most other cars due to the structural and aerodynamic imperatives of its design, although I have developed the motor memory that allows me to handle ingress and egress tolerably well. However, a friend who is more limited in his range of motion bought a Dream Edition and seldom drives it due to this issue.

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love this car, and driving it makes me feel like a teenager on his first solo drive. There are days 14 months after delivery that I still look for an excuse to take the car out. But there apparently weren't any 70-year-olds on the design team.

 

[Jeanwoodie]

My advice is to get what you want. You will soon forget the price, but if you don’t you will always live with regrets.
From a Washington AT owner since June last year and now with 17,201 miles.

Vehicle is a GT. Grand Touring.
AT a typo

 

[Steveinarizona]

I'm 71 and have had six orthopedic surgeries (too many years as an avid runner and weight lifter) plus arthritis in back and neck. We have the Dream Edition seats, and I'm not clear on what adjustments you lose on the Pure and Touring trim levels. However, I can tell you the Lucid is the most comfortable distance cruiser we've ever owned -- once you're in the car. And it goes beyond seating to the ease of using the manual controls, the quiet of the cabin that conveys solidity and road composure instead of a tomb-like experience, to legroom that can put the front firewall well beyond your reach if you so desire.

On the other hand . . . . you say you've visited a Design Studio. I would recommend focusing on getting into and out of the car. I find it a bit more difficult than in most other cars due to the structural and aerodynamic imperatives of its design, although I have developed the motor memory that allows me to handle ingress and egress tolerably well. However, a friend who is more limited in his range of motion bought a Dream Edition and seldom drives it due to this issue.

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love this car, and driving it makes me feel like a teenager on his first solo drive. There are days 14 months after delivery that I still look for an excuse to take the car out. But there apparently weren't any 70-year-olds on the design team.

77 here and getting a new left hip tomorrow. It will be way easier for me to get in and out of the GV60. There is no way that Lucid can make getting in and out of a sedan comparable to doing so in a crossover. I understand that. But it should not have been difficult for Lucid to add easy entry/easy exit since the computer will merely be telling the seat to go backwards and the steering wheel to rise when you open the door and to return to the set position when you close the door. That would definitely make it easier for us old geezers to get in and out.

 

[gavram]

I struggled with spending the $'s on the Touring as well. I justified it by telling myself it was roughly the same cost as the Tesla Model S (if including their driver assist) but a better overall car and the only option on the market with the range, style and finish that I wanted. I have a feeling in a year there will be similar options (Audi A6, BMW i5, etc.) that may or may not be better and at a better price point, but I needed to get something prior to 2024. Based on what Lucid's are going for on the used market, I'd be highly inclined at this point to see if you could get a used Touring and save the money, assuming the charging credit transfers.