Lease Turn in - Excessive Wear and Tear... ?

[pjdcorp]

Hi all. I was a happy lessee of a 2023 Lucid Air Grand Touring. Great car. I just turned it in last week, after a short 18 month lease. Today I received my lease end bill. Curious what the crowd here thinks of these Lease Turn in fees... I've leased many luxury cars, and this is the first time I have seen what I would call petty / minor wear listed as Excessive Wear and Tear. Perhaps I need to adjust my expectations going forward?

First we have the windshield, which apparently has 3 very small chips from rocks. See three images attached of the "Excessive Wear and Tear" on the windshield. The charge $1,450. I have full glass coverage and if the windshield was truly cracked or damaged my insurance replacement would have been free. I am not sure though that anyone would call this true damage that merits either repair or replacement?

Then there are two photos of what looks like the passenger sun visor - "Left interior Qtr Trim Broken", for $375. I honestly don't even see what they are trying to show in the photos.

Total bill for Excessive Wear and Tear: $1,825.

I've asked for someone from Lucid to call me back and explain these charges to me. When I turned the car in, none of these were pointed out. I was not given an opportunity to remedy them. And honestly. IMO these seem very petty.

I doubt I will have any recourse, other than to pay their bill. I will update this thread with the final outcome once I hear back.

Have you considered Safelite as an option for the small windshield chips? I had a small chip on my Air & they did a great job, it's now invisible & insurance paid the $60 cost. It sounds like your bill for the windshield is very safe - in that if it falls on the floor it won't break because it's so well padded.

 

[dapellegrini]

I have full glass coverage with Safelite through USAA. I was not given the opportunity to have the tiny pock marks addressed. It was not an issue when I turned in the car.

 

[wa_lucid]

The experiences here, and in other threads, demonstrate that Lucid and/or Lucid Financials, have outsourced the process of lease return inspection and collections to a third rate loan-shark style company and handed them the reigns in dealing with its customers.

They can - and should - fix it. They can also ignore it, and risk the consequences. I wouldn't if I were them, it alienates their biggest die hard fans.

 

[borski]

The experiences here, and in other threads, demonstrate that Lucid and/or Lucid Financials, have outsourced the process of lease return inspection and collections to a third rate loan-shark style company and handed them the reigns in dealing with its customers.

They can - and should - fix it. They can also ignore it, and risk the consequences. I wouldn't if I were them, it alienates their biggest die hard fans.

I can assure you they aren’t ignoring it (I’ve gotten confirmation on that from a few folks) but that’s all the information I have. I don’t know if or when they will address it.

I agree it’s not good.

 

[Batteryman]

Wo

The three batteries definitely don't cost $375. They might be trying to make the case that even with new batteries it is broken, and they have to replace the entire visor. But I have no idea - I'd ask for clarification on that one too.

I'd have gotten those rock chips filled, but I agree that seems excessive. I'd also push back on this.

Wouldn’t visor be covered under warranty?

Chips are normal wear, you shouldn’t be charged for that.

 

[kort6776]

The experiences here, and in other threads, demonstrate that Lucid and/or Lucid Financials, have outsourced the process of lease return inspection and collections to a third rate loan-shark style company and handed them the reigns in dealing with its customers.

They can - and should - fix it. They can also ignore it, and risk the consequences. I wouldn't if I were them, it alienates their biggest die hard fans.

FWIW: many manufacturers use third party inspection companies. Lucid "sells" the car to bank of america who is probably the driver of the return process. lucid is really out of the picture.
what I am taking away is that when turning in the car you should make a video of the entire car and take many pictures of the car in order to have proof of damages or lack of damages.
the OP is in a tough spot because it has already gone to collections.
the one time I had a debt go to collections the collection company sued me over a $5k+ debt I hired an attorney and she got a settlement before heading into the courtroom. the settlement was $100. and removal of the collection from my credit record. I paid the $100 and the lawyers fee and the case was over. OP might consider doing something like this rather than wasting time chasing ghosts at B of A

 

[borski]

Chips are normal wear, you shouldn’t be charged for that.

Glass chips are not considered normal wear.

 

[OutrightPace]

For what it's worth, I just returned my leased 2023 Pure and received a bill for $200 in excess wear, even though the pre-return inspector told me the car was essentially perfect. Also, I had $1200 in mileage overage charges, which I expected. Seeing as I immediately leased another Air, I believe most manufacturers would have forgiven these charges, but not Lucid with its BoA setup. Still, compared to some stories here, I feel I got off lightly.

Another surprise I encountered was that AutoPay automatically shuts off prior to the last payment of the lease, which was confirmed to me after the fact by the BoA representative I spoke to. Luckily I caught this one day after the lease ended, but already my account had been turned over to collections.

I agree with the sentiments expressed here that Lucid needs to address how BoA is handling this process. Big end-of-lease charges, immediate involvement of collections departments, and general financial strong-arming are not certainly not methods of creating customer satisfaction.

 

[radioactive]

Hello, I did start a new thread but wanted to see if any one here has a opinion
My lease is ending in two weeks. I got into a fender bender today. Rear trunk, Light strip and bumper are all broken/Cracked. Car is still drivable but wanted to see how this will work. The lease return is in two weeks, I am sure I can get it repaired before that. Should I return the car with the damage and get the final bill from Lucid anf submit to my Insurance or Do I have to do any thing else? I have all the paper work, Its at fault by other party since they rear ended me. So I am not worried about insurance for now until they contest. Will Lucid deal with the insurance directly or I have to deal with it. Any advice?

 

[HC_79]

Hello, I did start a new thread but wanted to see if any one here has a opinion
My lease is ending in two weeks. I got into a fender bender today. Rear trunk, Light strip and bumper are all broken/Cracked. Car is still drivable but wanted to see how this will work. The lease return is in two weeks, I am sure I can get it repaired before that. Should I return the car with the damage and get the final bill from Lucid anf submit to my Insurance or Do I have to do any thing else? I have all the paper work, Its at fault by other party since they rear ended me. So I am not worried about insurance for now until they contest. Will Lucid deal with the insurance directly or I have to deal with it. Any advice?

Damn! What bad timing, that really sucks. You better call Lucid Financial Services and see how they want it handled. I wouldn’t even know where to start with that because my natural instinct would be it’s got to be fixed before returning but the repair could take 2 to 3 months.

 

[David2025]

No call back after 48 hours now.

Also a bit off putting, the letter they send you says you can pay online or by phone. You cannot pay online, as the lease account has been removed when I login. I had to call the number three times, on hold each time for 10-30 minutes until finally someone picked up. It goes to a collection agency, with the aggressive messages about this is an attempt to collect a debt, etc etc. WTF?

Here's the letter they sent with personal info redacted. Note: I was expecting the lease end fee, and they had billed me one extra lease payment which they owe me back. I did a zero drive off lease, so the monthly number was higher in exchange for a lower drive off.

Q: Does anyone have a copy of the lease agreement, specifically the sections 9 and 16C concerning Excess Wear and Tear?

View attachment 29472

View attachment 29473

someplace on here I posted about reasonable wear and tear. I am guessing (but have zero legal experience) re: lease returns but I would guess that reasonable wear and tear for a leased vehicle has been described in multiple cases. Where I am an expert is real estate terminations. The items lucid is charging for would never hold up. Dings to paint, wheel curb rash, pitted windshields etc are ALL normal wear and tear. Obviously, the longer your lease the greater normal is.

 

[radioactive]

Hello, I did start a new thread but wanted to see if any one here has a opinion
My lease is ending in two weeks. I got into a fender bender today. Rear trunk, Light strip and bumper are all broken/Cracked. Car is still drivable but wanted to see how this will work. The lease return is in two weeks, I am sure I can get it repaired before that. Should I return the car with the damage and get the final bill from Lucid anf submit to my Insurance or Do I have to do any thing else? I have all the paper work, Its at fault by other party since they rear ended me. So I am not worried about insurance for now until they contest. Will Lucid deal with the insurance directly or I have to deal with it. Any advice?

I meant I cant get it repaired in 2 weeks.

 

[David2025]

Glass chips are not considered normal wear.

and in the absence of a statute the lease agreement will apply. No lease agreement can supercede a state statue. Alas unlike real estate most states do not define what is reasonable wear and tear but leave it to each companies lease agreement. So as is said above the lucid lease agreement clearly says glass chips or pits are not normal .....

 

[onexcite]

Here is the response from Lucid after emailed their new CEO. My next steps is filling formal complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Better Business Bureau (BBB), and my state’s Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Office to make them aware of Lucid’s deceptive practices.

Thank you for your recent inquiry related to the excess wear charges for your Lucid lease. The Lucid Financial Services (LFS) team has reviewed the charges in question.
The LFS team has completed this review and confirmed that the AutoVin inspection company has accurately assessed the condition of your vehicle when it was returned to Lucid at the end of your lease. Here is a link to that inspection:

https://www.autovinlive.com/Report/...SHP0000002IW1MAA&ci=en-US&excludephotos=False.

Given the results of the lease end inspection by AutoVin, a refund of the excess wear charges on your lease end bill is not appropriate.

Thank you for being a customer of Lucid,
Best,
Kurt Cornell
Senior Manager, Remarketing Services
Lucid Financial Services
[email protected]
Mobile: (650) 504-4978
lucidmotors.com
7373 Gateway Blvd, Newark, CA 94560

 

[borski]

Here is the response from Lucid after emailed their new CEO. My next steps is filling formal complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Better Business Bureau (BBB), and my state’s Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Office to make them aware of Lucid’s deceptive practices.

Thank you for your recent inquiry related to the excess wear charges for your Lucid lease. The Lucid Financial Services (LFS) team has reviewed the charges in question.
The LFS team has completed this review and confirmed that the AutoVin inspection company has accurately assessed the condition of your vehicle when it was returned to Lucid at the end of your lease. Here is a link to that inspection:

https://www.autovinlive.com/Report/...SHP0000002IW1MAA&ci=en-US&excludephotos=False.

Given the results of the lease end inspection by AutoVin, a refund of the excess wear charges on your lease end bill is not appropriate.

Thank you for being a customer of Lucid,
Best,
Kurt Cornell
Senior Manager, Remarketing Services
Lucid Financial Services
[email protected]
Mobile: (650) 504-4978
lucidmotors.com
7373 Gateway Blvd, Newark, CA 94560

I’m not arguing it’s not annoying, but… what part is deceptive? They provided photos and a full report of the damage…

I don’t think they should be charging for tiny things like that, but… it doesn’t seem deceptive to me, as it’s outlined in the excess wear and use guidelines.

 

[onexcite]

I’m not arguing it’s not annoying, but… what part is deceptive? They provided photos and a full report of the damage…

I don’t think they should be charging for tiny things like that, but… it doesn’t seem deceptive to me, as it’s outlined in the excess wear and use guidelines.

Here are the guidelines from Lucid:

Vehicle Lease End | Lucid Motors

Whether you want to purchase your current Lucid, lease or purchase a new one, or simply return your current vehicle, we’re here to help you understand all of your end of lease options so you can make an informed decision.

lucidmotors.com

They charged me $400 for a 0.1" gouge and a 2" gouge on the wheels, neither of which are covered in their guidelines. They also charged $200 for a plastic wheel cover?! The cut on the tire was not present when I returned the vehicle, and all four tires had a tread depth above 4/32" when I turned in the car (I got photos). How is it possible that one tire is worn below the others by that much with only 21,000 miles? If that’s the case, it suggests an alignment issue, which Lucid should cover under warranty.

I also called and texted them regarding a pre-inspection for the return per their requirements, and I was told it wasn’t necessary. I’ve leased several cars over the past 10 years, and none of them charged me for worn tires or curb rash on the wheels. Had they arranged a pre-inspection, I would have been aware of these issues and could have taken appropriate action before returning the car.

 

[NorcalEV]

Another data point on what a disaster the lease turn in experience is. They are charging me $350 for a missing key fob! I returned both of them in the original box they came in. Even the lease turn in form acknowledged 2 fobs and 2 cards returned. I called to dispute and they said they opened an investigation and asked me to call them back in 2 weeks for an update.

 

[borski]

Here are the guidelines from Lucid:

Vehicle Lease End | Lucid Motors

Whether you want to purchase your current Lucid, lease or purchase a new one, or simply return your current vehicle, we’re here to help you understand all of your end of lease options so you can make an informed decision.

lucidmotors.com

They charged me $400 for a 0.1" gouge and a 2" gouge on the wheels, neither of which are covered in their guidelines. They also charged $200 for a plastic wheel cover?! The cut on the tire was not present when I returned the vehicle, and all four tires had a tread depth above 4/32" when I turned in the car (I got photos). How is it possible that one tire is worn below the others by that much with only 21,000 miles? If that’s the case, it suggests an alignment issue, which Lucid should cover under warranty.

I also called and texted them regarding a pre-inspection for the return per their requirements, and I was told it wasn’t necessary. I’ve leased several cars over the past 10 years, and none of them charged me for worn tires or curb rash on the wheels. Had they arranged a pre-inspection, I would have been aware of these issues and could have taken appropriate action before returning the car.

Good point on the rash; that’s not in the guidelines.

I’d escalate that further, and specifically point out that it isn’t in the excess wear and use guidelines.

 

[fisheral]

Here is the response from Lucid after emailed their new CEO. My next steps is filling formal complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Better Business Bureau (BBB), and my state’s Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Office to make them aware of Lucid’s deceptive practices.

Thank you for your recent inquiry related to the excess wear charges for your Lucid lease. The Lucid Financial Services (LFS) team has reviewed the charges in question.
The LFS team has completed this review and confirmed that the AutoVin inspection company has accurately assessed the condition of your vehicle when it was returned to Lucid at the end of your lease. Here is a link to that inspection:

https://www.autovinlive.com/Report/...SHP0000002IW1MAA&ci=en-US&excludephotos=False.

Given the results of the lease end inspection by AutoVin, a refund of the excess wear charges on your lease end bill is not appropriate.

Thank you for being a customer of Lucid,
Best,
Kurt Cornell
Senior Manager, Remarketing Services
Lucid Financial Services
[email protected]
Mobile: (650) 504-4978
lucidmotors.com
7373 Gateway Blvd, Newark, CA 94560

Well it's clear Lucid doesn't really care about this issue.

Does anyone have connections to an automotive journalist? Maybe if an article gets published, Lucid will start caring.

 

[borski]

Well it's clear Lucid doesn't really care about this issue.

Does anyone have connections to an automotive journalist? Maybe if an article gets published, Lucid will start caring.

I don’t think that’s clear at all. It’s possible they simply have many things to care about.

I’d keep pushing. But you do you.