Thinking of an off lease Air, a few questions

I've been following the Lucid Air models and pricing for a while now, and '24s seem to be getting pretty attractive on their website. Had a few questions for the forum about their experience.

How is the "pre owned" purchase experience thru Lucid, particularly if you're not near one of their centers? I'm in low country South Carolina, so the nearest are I think Charlotte and Atlanta, both a decent hike. We got a Rivian for my wife a few years ago, and they delivered rather smoothly, although I think it did cost an extra grand vs. otherwise having to pick up in Atlanta.

In line with that, how about service? I see a few around me, although never got to talk with an owner. Is the mobile service actually good even if you're hours away from a service center?

As for needing service, have most of the computer "quirks" that get mentioned been ironed out by now? Is it safe to assume that a lucid sold pre-owned car will have been updated and in good condition?

Finally, seats. There's a pretty big thread about cracking in the base "leather" surface. Is this really prevalent and problematic, or is it something that is actually getting better?

If I do decide to get one, it likely would be before end of year (I'm guessing they might be in a bit of a push to sell cars, even used, before the end of 26) for best deals. It's not a must do for me, the idea of my GTi being paid off and not having a car payment is attractive as well, but my situation is well suited for an EV and I shuttle growing kids around a lot, so something with better space also interests me.

I can’t speak to the Lucid pre-owned process as I bought my used Air through a third party. My sense is that delivery could be arranged to a location of your choice but it may come at a cost.

From an ownership standpoint I would have no hesitation buying preowned and you should have more confidence buying direct through Lucid. In my own experience I found that they were charging a premium above other sellers. If it’s a CPO that premium will be even higher. Most third parties lack familiarity with these vehicles. In my situation it only had 7K miles and quite a bit left on the warranty which is fully transferable regardless of where you buy. I found that the vehicles listed by Lucid were often difficult to judge in terms of condition vs other sites (fewer pictures, disclosures, etc.).

From an ownership standpoint it’s hard to say if “quirks” have been ironed out. I don’t have the experience of owning since new but I really have no complaints about software. Yes it can be occasionally temperamental but I’ve experienced that in all of my vehicles. The door handles seem to be the biggest annoyance but there are ways to address that. And I keep my fob handy if my phone isn’t working. I would expect a preowned vehicle from Lucid would have the latest hardware (CCCv2) and software (2.11.0) but I’d confirm that. The new software is a significant improvement IMO.

As far as the seats, the Purluxe material does seem prone to tearing and I’m not sure that’s been improved upon. I have the full Napa leather and it’s definitely a high quality material. Even after 3 years it looks new.

Service is a real wild card. I live about 30 minutes from a SC and have used it twice along with mobile service. I have no complaints about their work. However the current backlog can be a real issue depending on the service center. It’s grown to over 2 months at the one I use. I would gather as much information on the service center you’ll rely on as possible. Some services can be done via mobile service but not all. Are you ok in going without your car for 2-3 months? You may get a loaner or have to use a rental during that period. Also consider repair scenarios once you’re out of warranty. For a 2024 (non-CPO) that will be in another year or so. Service may look different post warranty particularly when it comes to things like loaners. And these can be very expensive cars to repair. You should also confirm what it will cost to insure an Air. It can be very pricey and it pays to shop around.

I would not hesitate in recommending the car. But the service can be very disappointing. For me it’s tolerable given the distance to the SC and the fact that I have 2 other cars. If those circumstances were different I’d probably consider something else.

Yeah, service has been the big question mark/hesitation for me. We've had good luck with Rivian service, the local center wasn't open for the first year we had my wife's car, and once it did (it's within the region, and actually very close to my work) it's been very good the two times we've had to go in. I don't/wouldn't have an extra car, or at least one that I can run kids around in. Although, if they're offering a rental/loaner, id at least be covered (during warranty)?

What sort of things do cars have to go into service for, that takes such a long time?

DeltaV said:

...What sort of things do cars have to go into service for, that takes such a long time?

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Some service centers have very long queues for any type of service. It might be worth calling your nearest center to ask how long the wait would be for an annual maintenance, for example. Lucid is working hard on reducing wait times, though there is still a long way to go.

It can be a myriad of things. Other than the annual service, my appointments have been what I would consider to be “fit and finish” issues. These have been things like loose trim, squeaks/rattles, and parts that haven’t held up over time. But you’ll also see software, drive motors, and high voltage battery replacements in the mix. Also consider that something as innocuous as a windshield crack may necessitate a service center visit. The length of time is a combination of the queue and the time it may take to get parts and/or diagnose the problem.

Do the mobile service providers operate out of a center, or are they more independent? So, for someone who wouldn't be visiting a service center unless it was absolutely necessary, are you still kinda tied to the same wait times?

I love my Air, but honestly I don't think I'd buy one if I was any kind of distance from a service center. These cars are way too closed off for that.

DeltaV said:

Do the mobile service providers operate out of a center, or are they more independent? So, for someone who wouldn't be visiting a service center unless it was absolutely necessary, are you still kinda tied to the same wait times?

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Sometimes it just a van. Or a rented garage.

socktucker said:

Sometimes it just a van. Or a rented garage.

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Does the van live down by the river?

DeltaV said:

Do the mobile service providers operate out of a center, or are they more independent? So, for someone who wouldn't be visiting a service center unless it was absolutely necessary, are you still kinda tied to the same wait times?

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They are essentially dispatched out of the service center. Keep in mind that the decision to use mobile service is Lucid’s not yours. The services they can provide are limited and there will be wait times for mobile as well. Some of the most frustrated owners are those that have dealt with logistical headaches in getting their vehicles to service centers.

That's good to know, thanks.

The other option I'm considering is a BMW i4. Not as big, not as luxurious, but a more 'traditional' vehicle from established company. In some ways that's attractive, especially since I don't like some of the features of my wife's Rivian (touchscreen vents comes to mind) that are different for difference sake, and driving a GTi now I don't need a huge car (I hate SUVs). But also the idea of a big sports sedan is always kinda my dream... If I ever win the lottery I'd buy a manual 7 series, drop in an E39 M5 drivetrain, shave my head and wear a suit everywhere.

Northpointe said:

They are essentially dispatched out of the service center. Keep in mind that the decision to use mobile service is Lucid’s not yours. The services they can provide are limited and there will be wait times for mobile as well. Some of the most frustrated owners are those that have dealt with logistical headaches in getting their vehicles to service centers.

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And some of us only have remote service for the bulk of transactions, but so far it’s working for me. I did need to get it towed once for a cooling system and battery issue and that took a few weeks but not months. Some geographic areas are behind yet others are seeing service improvements.

There isn’t a dedicated Lucid SC near me, it’s a shared space but then there aren’t many Lucids in my geographic area.

Aka-none said:

And some of us only have remote service for the bulk of transactions, but so far it’s working for me. I did need to get it towed once for a cooling system and battery issue and that took a few weeks but not months. Some geographic areas are behind yet others are seeing service improvements.

There isn’t a dedicated Lucid SC near me, it’s a shared space but then there aren’t many Lucids in my geographic area.

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Thanks, that's the perspective I'm interested in. Mind if I ask roughly what region you live? I'm also in an area with very sparse Lucid penetration (South Carolina), I only see one Air regularly (it leaves the neighborhood where my daughter's school is located when I'm dropping off), and have seen a few others though often with out of state places, and I'm not sure if I've ever seen a gravity.