Lease return difficulties

[ColonelBadger]

To close the loop here, I returned my AGT lease a couple of weeks ago.

The sales advisor in San Jose was very helpful and informed me of my options. I passed on those options as I already had a contract on another car. I was able to schedule an inspection at the Lucid Service Center in Milbrae within a couple of days at a time and date convenient for me.

Lucid's inspection went well. I had rashed one wheel and the tech let me know that I would likely be charged for it. BOA indeed charged me $200 which is on par for what I would have paid locally to have it fixed.

The only surprise was that there was a $450 "termination charge" in the contract of which I was unaware so my final bill from BOA was higher than just the $200 charge.

Attached is the BOA inspection report. I don't have a copy of Lucid's inspection report but it was much simpler than the final report.

What options did your sales advisor offer? I presume it included jumping. in to another lease?

 

[marsarbu]

What options did your sales advisor offer? I presume it included jumping. in to another lease?

Is there an incentive to get you in a 2nd Lucid? All manufacturers offer it.

 

[translux]

The termination fee is something you have to watch out for in leasing agreements. I've never entered a contract that has one. We'll see how Lucid feels about it when it is time to sign an agreement.

I tried pretty hard to get this removed but was unable to. Unlike conventional dealers it appears there’s no flexibility with Lucid.

 

[ColonelBadger]

I tried pretty hard to get this removed but was unable to. Unlike conventional dealers it appears there’s no flexibility with Lucid.

In previous leases I've found that most "Fees" were forgiven if you took a new lease out. Even over mileage etc. was forgiven. I wonder how flexible Lucid is.

 

[newlucidguy]

Update: Turned in lease this past Friday. The process itself was smooth. They walked around the car for 10 seconds, checked off a list and I was on my way. The process to get to this stage was absolutely horrible as talked about up top. On top of this, Lucid could not tell me how much they would charge me to have my tint removed. Supposedly my Sales Rep called a couple of time to try and find this out. Since I didn;t like the unknown I paid someone to come last Wednesday and they shattered the passenger side front window. I had to turn it in that way. The service center I turned it into then asked why nobody called them to ask what would be charged since they don't require tint to be removed at all. Can't wait for that unknown repair bill from BOA.

I've been trying for weeks to get someone to come out and shatter my window. Glad you got it taken care of! Actually, sorry this happened, that sucks. Last car I had (non-Lucid), I returned tinted and never heard more about it. Going to get my AT rear window tinted. Damn the tint torpedoes, full speed ahead.

 

[Ughwhy]

I would think that if the aftermarket tint is legal (i.e. not too dark) and professionally installed (i.e. no bubbles, gaps, etc.) that they wouldn't care. It probably actually slightly increases the resellability of the vehicle.

 

[borski]

I tried pretty hard to get this removed but was unable to. Unlike conventional dealers it appears there’s no flexibility with Lucid.

For others: this is called the “turn in fee” or “lease disposition fee” fyi

 

[lambo]

What options did your sales advisor offer? I presume it included jumping. in to another lease?

These are the options I was offered initially, a couple of months before lease end.

"1. Lease or purchase a new vehicle and with our current incentives and offers​

2. Purchase your current vehicle​

3. End your lease as scheduled or to explore options for a temporary extension please contact Lucid Financial Services...."​

As the lease end drew nearer, I was quoted some attractive pricing for leasing an Air Pure. I don't know that there was anything unique to my situation about this pricing and I didn't pursue it.

I thought about extending and test drove the Gravity (mine was a "Gravity Bridge" lease). However I decided that although the Gravity is a great SUV, an SUV isn't a vehicle I need at this stage in my life.

Purchasing the vehicle wasn't an attractive option given how underwater the vehicle buyout was when compared to the pre-owned vehicles Lucid offered on their website. I considered some of those but purchased a CPO EV from another manufacturer in the end.

 

[marsarbu]

We're all going to miss the good ol' dealership experience, where you got to sit down with people and haggle. Sure, some were annoying but they also understood concepts like future opportunity, retention, investment. You know, give a little now, make the client happy, get back more in the future.

Now we're dealing with chatbots, automated responses, inflexible terms, buying cars from Amazon, everything is outsourced. No humans to talk to.

Sad.

 

[californiaboy935]

We're all going to miss the good ol' dealership experience, where you got to sit down with people and haggle. Sure, some were annoying but they also understood concepts like future opportunity, retention, investment. You know, give a little now, make the client happy, get back more in the future.

Now we're dealing with chatbots, automated responses, inflexible terms, buying cars from Amazon, everything is outsourced. No humans to talk to.

Sad.

Agreed, I miss the limited time I was able to experience this world… it’s not long till the dealership model will be a thing of the past anyways…

 

[kort6776]

The termination fee is something you have to watch out for in leasing agreements. I've never entered a contract that has one. We'll see how Lucid feels about it when it is time to sign an agreement.

is this the first car lease agreement for you? I've been leasing cars for 40 years and just about every lease had a termination fee. the way around the fee is to take another car from whomever you had the lease

 

[kort6776]

We're all going to miss the good ol' dealership experience, where you got to sit down with people and haggle. Sure, some were annoying but they also understood concepts like future opportunity, retention, investment. You know, give a little now, make the client happy, get back more in the future.

Now we're dealing with chatbots, automated responses, inflexible terms, buying cars from Amazon, everything is outsourced. No humans to talk to.

Sad.

this really isn't new, tesla has had direct sales via computer since 2012

 

[L-Dude]

is this the first car lease agreement for you? I've been leasing cars for 40 years and just about every lease had a termination fee. the way around the fee is to take another car from whomever you had the lease

This will be my fifth car lease. The other four were with Audi FS, and I recall having to just say no to the F&I guy a couple times.

 

[marsarbu]

this really isn't new, tesla has had direct sales via computer since 2012

I know it's not new, and all manufacturers are trying to go this way. They can contract out everything: you buy from Amazon with no way to negotiate, you pick up the car from Costco with no way to push back if there's something that doesn't work on delivery (ahem, Lucid), your lease inspection comes from some far flung return center with no one to argue with, and your bill goes straight to collection. Everyone will shrug shoulders: "well, talk to the other guy, this is just what they told me" and you'll be stuck.

 

[jbawden]

The value proposition of "investing" in customers is long gone, and you can blame consumers for that. Best price research is what its all about and so manufacturers and retailers cut their human resource expenses in an effort to attract customers with low prices. It's this flaw in human nature that is to blame for our addiction to cheap, low quality goods from overseas. Few people really understand the value of high quality goods anymore.

 

[Steveinarizona]

The value proposition of "investing" in customers is long gone, and you can blame consumers for that. Best price research is what its all about and so manufacturers and retailers cut their human resource expenses in an effort to attract customers with low prices. It's this flaw in human nature that is to blame for our addiction to cheap, low quality goods from overseas. Few people really understand the value of high quality goods anymore.

I think that may be true at the mainstream level but I don't see that at the luxury level. MB drivers tend to stay with MB; the same for BMW or Cadillac or Lexus. When people change it is often because the car company changed.

I was a BMW driver until the company's designer went crazy with bugs bunny grills that I couldn't stand. I was on the waiting list for a Lucid and after a couple of years gave up when the Genesis GV60 Performance model became available in Arizona. But if BMW hadn't gone crazy, I would likely have stayed with it. I did test drive the IX and I4 (the only electrics available from BMW at the time)d and I liked the way they drove. I just couldn't stand looking at them.

I have a golfing group. One of them has been owning and driving Cadillacs for years and still does. Another has been a Lexus driver and still is. The wife of another golfing buddy of mine is a long time repeat Lexus customer.

At the luxury end I think buyers will stay with their company unless the company does something to drive them away.

As an aside, this is one of the reasons that I fail to understand why Genesis has switched steering wheel controls on some models from one side to the other. I couldn't care less which side but leave the #$Y^%#$ thing alone. One of the advantages that a car company has is familiarity.

 

[borski]

MB drivers tend to stay with MB; the same for BMW or Cadillac or Lexus.

Don’t take this the wrong way; please take it the way I mean it…

I think this is a generational shift. I agree that folks who are, ahem, a bit more mature in their age seem to have mostly maintained brand loyalty in luxury vehicles.

The same is not true for the younger generation, many of whom are a bit more mercenary with their decisions, which is what the previous poster was talking about, I think.

I would posit that your golf group is likely not “of the younger generation.”

I swear I’m not trying to be ageist, but it’s impossible not to sound like I am - I’m just stating trends I’ve seen amongst my friend groups.

(I’m with you btw - if Mazda made good EVs, I’d likely still own one)

 

[borski]

The value proposition of "investing" in customers is long gone, and you can blame consumers for that. Best price research is what it’s all about and so manufacturers and retailers cut their human resource expenses in an effort to attract customers with low prices. It's this flaw in human nature that is to blame for our addiction to cheap, low quality goods from overseas. Few people really understand the value of high quality goods anymore.

Yup. I very much believe in the “buy it for life” mantra, but most of my friends still “buy IKEA” every couple years. (Yes, I understand privilege, as I grew up in poverty and the projects in NYC, but the friends I’m talking about have said privilege.)

 

[borski]

is this the first car lease agreement for you? I've been leasing cars for 40 years and just about every lease had a termination fee. the way around the fee is to take another car from whomever you had the lease

This is the right answer. It’s in almost every lease, as a rule. Everything is negotiable, but you need leverage. With the demand for Lucid not seeming to dwindle, leverage is mostly in Lucid’s hands, at least for now, and at least for the majority of buyers.

If you were LeVar Burton, I suspect you’d have more leverage to negotiate. (That said, I also suspect he wouldn’t, because he is just too damn nice of a guy! but you get the idea)

 

[californiaboy935]

Yup. I very much believe in the “buy it for life” mantra, but most of my friends still “buy IKEA” every couple years. (Yes, I understand privilege, as I grew up in poverty and the projects in NYC, but the friends I’m talking about have said privilege.)

Best to support small businesses and master craftsmen. Commissioning a few nice pieces is better than a lifetime of IKEA crap.

I agree with your supposition, the older generation does seem to support brand loyalty more than my generation.

On the other hand I feel deeply loyal to the Lucid brand, so I’m not sure if I have stayed behind with the older generation or not.

Not to sound ageist… I echo @borski in that I’m just stating my personal experience and not the rule.

Not getting some leniency on a lease return does seem somewhat draconian, so I hope this can be rectified. But if it doesn’t hurt the bottom line then I think it’ll probably stay the same.