Buying Used

[slambertr]

Hi All - I looked but didn't see a thread... I'm considering buying a used Lucid Air. Any advice / experience re: where to buy for the best price and piece of mind?
- Traditional car dealer
- Carvana / CarMax, etc.
- Other online options?
I don't feel comfortable with a private sale.
Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[JMason]

Hi there - bought my 23 AT used through Lucid. It was a rental with 7,294 on it. I was hoping for a demo but this was what I was looking for. Had looked at Carvana, Edmund’s, etc… but decided to go with Lucid because they know the car, I figured they’d have it ready to go, and the Lucid customer experience is excellent. Also, they took plenty of time to familiarize me and my wife with the various functions of the car and software system, they helped us set up the car to our iPhones, and helped with Face ID set up for both of us. For that alone I’d recommend going through Lucid. Another big plus is most of the demo/used vehicles sold through Lucid have all the bells and whistles as did mine — DDP, SSR+ the only extra it didn’t have was massage seats.

Now on the negative side, not Lucid’s fault but NY/CT/MASS state govt’s along with traditional car dealer lobby — I could not have the car delivered to the NY SC because it was used and NY State does not allow Lucid to deliver used vehicles. MASS charges their state tax even when the buyer is from out-of-state. So we hopped on a train (hey, Amtrak is OK!!) and Ubered the final miles to King of Prussia where our Air Touring was waiting for us. Since we got there early the sales person at Lucid was gracious enough to move up our appointment.

Another plus - first drive was back to CT around 150 miles. Was able to immediately cover some of the things the rep showed us in KofP.

So, my suggestion is go for buying from Lucid if you are buying used. The delivery experience is amazing as is the car.

 

[AwesoM]

There are some incredible deals to be had getting it new. Lease it to get the additional 7500 off and then turn around and purchase the vehicle 6 months later. You will still be ahead.

 

[slambertr]

Hi there - bought my 23 AT used through Lucid. It was a rental with 7,294 on it. I was hoping for a demo but this was what I was looking for. Had looked at Carvana, Edmund’s, etc… but decided to go with Lucid because they know the car, I figured they’d have it ready to go, and the Lucid customer experience is excellent. Also, they took plenty of time to familiarize me and my wife with the various functions of the car and software system, they helped us set up the car to our iPhones, and helped with Face ID set up for both of us. For that alone I’d recommend going through Lucid. Another big plus is most of the demo/used vehicles sold through Lucid have all the bells and whistles as did mine — DDP, SSR+ the only extra it didn’t have was massage seats.

Now on the negative side, not Lucid’s fault but NY/CT/MASS state govt’s along with traditional car dealer lobby — I could not have the car delivered to the NY SC because it was used and NY State does not allow Lucid to deliver used vehicles. MASS charges their state tax even when the buyer is from out-of-state. So we hopped on a train (hey, Amtrak is OK!!) and Ubered the final miles to King of Prussia where our Air Touring was waiting for us. Since we got there early the sales person at Lucid was gracious enough to move up our appointment.

Another plus - first drive was back to CT around 150 miles. Was able to immediately cover some of the things the rep showed us in KofP.

So, my suggestion is go for buying from Lucid if you are buying used. The delivery experience is amazing as is the car.

Thank you - this looks like a great option. And I see on the Forum that my nearest Studio / Service Center in PA is reopening. Will definitely check this out. Thanks!

 

[Buffalo Bob]

I'm surprised to see you so reluctant to go with a private sale, as that's my vast preference. I look for a low mileage sale by the original owner, and am sure to verify a clean title, other than liens. Certainly no salvage title. Meet-ups always in a public location, like a fast food parking lot. No matter how good the vehicle may look, or what the CarFax says, I always have it inspected by an independent mechanic. If all looks good, I either conclude the sale where the seller's lienholder is located, or (if a clean title) at either my bank or the seller's bank. Verified/Notarized signatures, as required. I figure these private sales can be a win/win, as meny sellers only alternative is an (often low-ball) offer from some dealer. Armed with the cost of any repairs items from the inspection, and some good research, you should be able to negotiate a good deal. Craigslist is my preferred go-to source, as it seems to attract my type of seller. Private party sales can be particularly good in states like AZ, where sales tax is not charged on them. BTW, I make it a practice to sell my vehicles the same way I like to buy them. I'm totally up front about the vehicle's condition, and insist on the buyer having a mechanic check it out. No regrets yet.

 

[Steveinarizona]

I'm surprised to see you so reluctant to go with a private sale, as that's my vast preference. I look for a low mileage sale by the original owner, and am sure to verify a clean title, other than liens. Certainly no salvage title. Meet-ups always in a public location, like a fast food parking lot. No matter how good the vehicle may look, or what the CarFax says, I always have it inspected by an independent mechanic. If all looks good, I either conclude the sale where the seller's lienholder is located, or (if a clean title) at either my bank or the seller's bank. Verified/Notarized signatures, as required. I figure these private sales can be a win/win, as meny sellers only alternative is an (often low-ball) offer from some dealer. Armed with the cost of any repairs items from the inspection, and some good research, you should be able to negotiate a good deal. Craigslist is my preferred go-to source, as it seems to attract my type of seller. Private party sales can be particularly good in states like AZ, where sales tax is not charged on them. BTW, I make it a practice to sell my vehicles the same way I like to buy them. I'm totally up front about the vehicle's condition, and insist on the buyer having a mechanic check it out. No regrets yet.

I like your system for purchasing. But I don't have the patience to use your system for selling.

The only problem I see on purchasing is finding a mechanic who can properly inspect a Lucid. It occurs to me that it would be a good and useful service if there were a thread in the local community section where users could post their experiences with mechanics. It would be similar to the way that users on other car forums report their good and bad service departments.

 

[slambertr]

I'm surprised to see you so reluctant to go with a private sale, as that's my vast preference. I look for a low mileage sale by the original owner, and am sure to verify a clean title, other than liens. Certainly no salvage title. Meet-ups always in a public location, like a fast food parking lot. No matter how good the vehicle may look, or what the CarFax says, I always have it inspected by an independent mechanic. If all looks good, I either conclude the sale where the seller's lienholder is located, or (if a clean title) at either my bank or the seller's bank. Verified/Notarized signatures, as required. I figure these private sales can be a win/win, as meny sellers only alternative is an (often low-ball) offer from some dealer. Armed with the cost of any repairs items from the inspection, and some good research, you should be able to negotiate a good deal. Craigslist is my preferred go-to source, as it seems to attract my type of seller. Private party sales can be particularly good in states like AZ, where sales tax is not charged on them. BTW, I make it a practice to sell my vehicles the same way I like to buy them. I'm totally up front about the vehicle's condition, and insist on the buyer having a mechanic check it out. No regrets yet.

Thanks - I haven't had good luck with private sales - ended up costing me more $$. I think I just don't have the skill set for it. But I'm glad its worked out for you!

 

[Buffalo Bob]

I like your system for purchasing. But I don't have the patience to use your system for selling.

The only problem I see on purchasing is finding a mechanic who can properly inspect a Lucid. It occurs to me that it would be a good and useful service if there were a thread in the local community section where users could post their experiences with mechanics. It would be similar to the way that users on other car forums report their good and bad service departments.

Oddly enough, my selling has been the simplest of all. Almost all have been to the first buyer who showed up, but I take good care of my vehicles, give them an honest assessment, insist on an inspection, and price them pretty fairly. People seem to respond very well to that approach.

Good point about the mechanic, as my comments were more oriented to ICE cars. Of course, having Lucid do the inspection would be the far and away winner, if that's anywhere nearby. Short of that, I would thoroughly test how it drives, brakes, HVAC, lights, etc., and have the mechanic look for any indication of accident repairs, signs of uneven tire wear, odd noises or the like. Definitely less to rely on many mechanics for.