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.

It’s a real crapshoot to buy a Lucid if you aren’t close to a service center. That was one of the factors that caused me to pass when I did - and it seems like service has devolved since then. How high is your pain tolerance?

DeltaV said:

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.

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West central Wisconsin, and the closest SC is the other side of the twin cites; about 2 1/2 hours away.

The only other Lucids I’ve seen were two others at the shop, one time. I decided to go pick the car up rather than wait for a delivery. I had to go to the cities anyway so …

The remote service has been great, he never rushes me and encourages me to talk about the car and such. Eg I showed him how I’d made the charge port door more flush and he said he could do it properly but it would require some fender disassembly. I mentioned that seemed excessive and my little hack worked fine.

Now if I were @socktucker i might have a quite different story.

DeltaV said:

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.

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Fabulous car. My wife has a 2023 BMW i4M50. In four years, we never had to bring it in to service outside of maintenance. Nothing has ever gone wrong and fit and finish are perfect. It drives great and it's very fast. 2026 is the last year of the i4, so if you want one you'll have to buy a used one.

Aka-none said:

West central Wisconsin, and the closest SC is the other side of the twin cites; about 2 1/2 hours away.

The only other Lucids I’ve seen were two others at the shop, one time. I decided to go pick the car up rather than wait for a delivery. I had to go to the cities anyway so …

The remote service has been great, he never rushes me and encourages me to talk about the car and such. Eg I showed him how I’d made the charge port door more flush and he said he could do it properly but it would require some fender disassembly. I mentioned that seemed excessive and my little hack worked fine.

Now if I were @socktucker i might have a quite different story.

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Good to know... I wonder how much of the service center pain is from people living in high volume areas like California, vs regions with lower adoption. Any Southerners out there able to share experiences?

WildRide47 said:

Fabulous car. My wife has a 2023 BMW i4M50. In four years, we never had to bring it in to service outside of maintenance. Nothing has ever gone wrong and fit and finish are perfect. It drives great and it's very fast. 2026 is the last year of the i4, so if you want one you'll have to buy a used one.

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I've read the same, and used/2yr lease models seem to be similar cost as an Air (at least the e35/e40 models, the 50/60 are still significantly more expensive). They're loved, their reliable, and a collection of the best of both (ice/ev) worlds. What holds me back is that they're really not any bigger inside than my GTi, which kinda leads me to the "why bother with a car payment" thought.

I bought a 2023 Certified Pre Owned Air Touring in May. That gave an extra year of warranty. I bought it from the San Diego Studio and asked to see the service history. They couldn't print it, so the sales guy took photos of the computer screens. It was all recalls and the annual service. I think that may be the difference with the CPO, a clean service record, but I do not know for sure. I would certainly ask to see the service history that includes all service, including recalls. I have had two services done since, one scheduled and one unscheduled. The unscheduled service was for a safety item, an airbag sensor had become disconnected. The scheduled service took 2 days. The unscheduled took 9 days. They gave me a loaner both times. Now my service center is 16 miles away. If you choose to move forward, be sure to ask the nearest service center what their policy is with regard to servicing your vehicle. I have read on these forums that they will either send a mobile service or arrange for transport. In some cases, the transport brings a loaner to you. In other cases they arrange for a rental car from Enterprise. The perfect vehicle only needs service every one year or 12,000 miles. Not having the vehicle for any length of time is mitigated by the loaner.

DeltaV said:

Good to know... I wonder how much of the service center pain is from people living in high volume areas like California, vs regions with lower adoption. Any Southerners out there able to share experiences?

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It's a bit of a moving target. I wouldn't necessarily associate service center issues with geographies. Yes, California has more Lucid's on the road. But they also have the most established service center network.

I've owned my Air for a little over a year. I used mobile service soon after I bought the car to get key cards and have a loose piece of trim attached. It was very efficient. I believe the appointment took about a week to secure and the work was done in my driveway in about an hour.

My first service center appointment (annual service) was in February at the Scottsdale SC. The wait for an appointment was a couple of weeks and the car was returned in a matter of days. A loaner was provided while the car was in service. The work was actually finished sooner than they promised. But annual service isn't like other cars I've owned where I can simply wait at the dealership while the work is being done.

My second appointment was in May. I had to wait a month for that appointment and the car was at the service center for 3 weeks. I did receive a loaner for that period as well. The SC advisor was very good at keeping me posted each week on the status but that typically entailed telling me where the queue was and when they hoped to have my car in. Once the car was seen by a technician the repair took less than 2 hours.

In early October I called to get an appointment for an issue that occurred following the most recent software update. I was told that the next available appointment was in Mid-December and a loaner may or may not be available. Fortunately my software problem seems to have resolved itself.

I would learn as much about your local service centers operation as you can. And realize that things can change for the better or worse. It's just the reality of having limited service options. The workload at the SC's will ebb and flow over time and since you're relying on a single center staffing and other personnel issues at the location come into play. And to the extent you're relying on mobile service you could be relying on a single individual. Your experience in the short and long term may be tied to that individual's career at Lucid.

And at the end of the day the only service center that matters is the one you use. Some are great, some are a work in progress. And both are always subject to change.

Just bought a ‘25 off-lease GT. I bought through Lucid which gave me an addditional year of bumper to bumper coverage after orig warranty ends. I also get their service as I did with a new one. I was the owner of a ‘23 AT I bought new that was plowed by a tractor-trailer in August. I find the used buying experience the same as the new. I was given a very responsive dedicated assistant to help me from choice through purchase of the ‘25. The only blip was misinformation I received when I told the assistant I had paid through ACH and I was informed Lucid might not accept it for that large a transaction. It went through in one business day. I picked up the AGT the next day. . Delivery was to their Rutherford Service Center. They had put new tires on which was a pleasant surprise. Only complaint was the detailing. The exterior was disappointing. Everything else was better than expected. Right now, I am waiting for the title to be processed by AZ and mailed. I bought the ‘25 because of engineering upgrades that year and the new chip made it upgrade ready for software releases for Dream Drive PRO. I had thought about waiting for the Ford Fathom, but I have enjoyed the Air driving experience so much, I decided to go with another. I think you can buy through Lucid with confidence.