2023 Lucid Air Grand Touring Salvage – Charging, Reverse & Brake Light Issues

[ZenithRed]

Just say Lucid does allow you to mess around with the software/battery and later the car catches on fire or has an failure and kills someone? These cars are not like your typical ICE cars.

That's a bit specious, isn't it? The argument isn't about modifying software or battery. If they were truly worried about any 3rd-party repair ruining the car, they would brick it immediately after an accident unless it was repaired by them. Instead, my particular car got a salvage brand and that's when the service mode was turned on. In my conversations with them, they didn't seem to care as to why it got the service brand.

Either way, for any other volume manufacturer, salvage branding/tampering voids your warranty (as it should), but you don't get stuck in a service mode where you lose LKAS (but still have ACC) and remote climate control (but charging is fine) for example just because it was salvaged.

Then at which point does it become extortion if the only way you can have a fully functioning car if you pay them (or one of their expensive partners) thousands of dollars?

 

[Rogue]

That's a bit specious, isn't it? The argument isn't about modifying software or battery. If they were truly worried about any 3rd-party repair ruining the car, they would brick it immediately after an accident unless it was repaired by them. Instead, my particular car got a salvage brand and that's when the service mode was turned on. In my conversations with them, they didn't seem to care as to why it got the service brand.

Either way, for any other volume manufacturer, salvage branding/tampering voids your warranty (as it should), but you don't get stuck in a service mode where you lose LKAS (but still have ACC) and remote climate control (but charging is fine) for example just because it was salvaged.

Then at which point does it become extortion if the only way you can have a fully functioning car if you pay them (or one of their expensive partners) thousands of dollars?

Buying a luxury sedan with a salvage title seems like a gamble. You potentially save a tremendous amount of money, but you equally risk being in your current situation.

The same goes for the original poster's request for help.

These are cars almost entirely electronic given they are electric cars. Petrol cars have mechanical components that are physical in nature where you can't have a "service" mode for core components.

Now I understand modern cars have a ton of electronics. However, the implications for electric cars are higher in my opinion given a mistake can have devastating results. They have to be secure with highly restricted access because they are driven almost entirely by software.

You and OP lost on the dice roll this go around. Sucks, but surely both of you were at least somewhat aware of the risks in your decisions.

 

[Northpointe]

That's a bit specious, isn't it? The argument isn't about modifying software or battery. If they were truly worried about any 3rd-party repair ruining the car, they would brick it immediately after an accident unless it was repaired by them. Instead, my particular car got a salvage brand and that's when the service mode was turned on. In my conversations with them, they didn't seem to care as to why it got the service brand.

Either way, for any other volume manufacturer, salvage branding/tampering voids your warranty (as it should), but you don't get stuck in a service mode where you lose LKAS (but still have ACC) and remote climate control (but charging is fine) for example just because it was salvaged.

Then at which point does it become extortion if the only way you can have a fully functioning car if you pay them (or one of their expensive partners) thousands of dollars?

Just out of curiosity, why didn’t you investigate these issues before buying a car with a salvage title? Even at a discounted price it’s a major purchase from a company that operates a captive service network.

 

[SaaSManKS]

You buy these cars and keep a decade, the constant software updates make sure they continue to improve. Unless you lease of course.

I turn through cars every 1-3 years on average, haven't had a car for 10 years since college. I just love them too much!

 

[SteveR]

I turn through cars every 1-3 years on average, haven't had a car for 10 years since college. I just love them too much!

Was that 10 lack of $ or a car that fitted your lifestyle?
Excluding hobby cars, Some new cars fitted mine well 1992 Taurus SHO for 10 years, 2007 Acura RDX for 9 years, 2019 Jag I-Pace for 5 years
Some just 1-3 years 2002 wrx, 1993 gti, 2017 Volt, 2003 Murano

 

[SaaSManKS]

Was that 10 lack of $ or a car that fitted your lifestyle?
Excluding hobby cars, Some new cars fitted mine well 1992 Taurus SHO for 10 years, 2007 Acura RDX for 9 years, 2019 Jag I-Pace for 5 years
Some just 1-3 years 2002 wrx, 1993 gti, 2017 Volt, 2003 Murano

I couldn't afford to buy them

 

[SaaSManKS]

Was that 10 lack of $ or a car that fitted your lifestyle?
Excluding hobby cars, Some new cars fitted mine well 1992 Taurus SHO for 10 years, 2007 Acura RDX for 9 years, 2019 Jag I-Pace for 5 years
Some just 1-3 years 2002 wrx, 1993 gti, 2017 Volt, 2003 Murano

I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee for about 8.5 years, then I got an Infiniti G35 coupe, M35 2 FX35's Escalade, Bmw 535, back to Escalade, BMW 650 Grand Coupe, Audi Q8, Lucid, Audi SQ8. Got my Daughter a 2019 RDX, but before she could drive my son totaled it, I was excited for her to have that and now they are pausing production so prices are spiking slightly.