Leasing from Lucid not allowed in my state. Any way around it?

[L-Dude]

I am thinking about leasing a Lucid Air Grand Touring, but apparently this isn't allowed in my state (SC). Is there any way around this?

 

[illopp00]

Honestly you might be better off just buying lightly used (ideally a car coming off a low mileage lease) and then you don't have to deal with the complications.

 

[L-Dude]

Honestly you might be better off just buying lightly used (ideally a car coming off a low mileage lease) and then you don't have to deal with the complications.

Thanks. That's kinda what I'm thinking. I'd really like an AGT, but I think it needs to be a '25 as well. I'm in no rush. My Audi eTron GT is a pretty nice ride

 

[illopp00]

Yeah slim pickings on good used 25 AGT at this point. Next year summer I bet there will be a better selection.

 

[Steveinarizona]

Thanks. That's kinda what I'm thinking. I'd really like an AGT, but I think it needs to be a '25 as well. I'm in no rush. My Audi eTron GT is a pretty nice ride

I think Audi missed the mark with this one exception. Nice ride!

 

[Steve181]

I'm in SC and hit that barrier also. I decided to buy.

 

[RMSko]

I think Audi missed the mark with this one exception. Nice ride!

I couldn’t agree more. I bought a ‘25 Audi Q8 e-tron and after 16 months and only 4000 miles on it, sold it at a huge loss last month (February) and got my Lucid. While the cabin of the Audi was very nice, the styling of the car itself was blah and the tech was horrible, and that’s being kind.

Buying my Audi did teach me a good lesson though. It made it extremely clear that if you can, you should lease and not buy an EV. For me there were two reasons to do this. First, it’s a huge hedge against the decline in the price of the vehicle, and second, by leasing I was able to get the $7,500 tax credit. If I bought it I wouldn’t get that tax credit. My total leasing “financing” cost for the life of the lease (I only signed an 18 month lease) was only about $4k and so I’m still $3,500 ahead and if I want I can just buy the car at the end of the 18 months. I won’t though because I expect an even better version will be available in 18 months.

 

[L-Dude]

So I am planning again. We own a summer house in NH--a state that allows Lucid leasing. Is there any problem leasing the car there this summer, than transferring everything to SC in the Fall?

 

[Steveinarizona]

I believe the leasing rule only applies to the manufacturer. Banks, etc. can still do leasing.

 

[L-Dude]

I believe the leasing rule only applies to the manufacturer. Banks, etc. can still do leasing.

Sure, but they wouldn't be able to match the attractive terms of the Lucid lease.

 

[L-Dude]

Anyone else had experience leasing a car in one state and transferring it to a state where leasing from Lucid isn't allowed?

 

[Steveinarizona]

Anyone else had experience leasing a car in one state and transferring it to a state where leasing from Lucid isn't allowed?

I would be surprised if that didn't work. You are now talking about interstate commerce and the so called "dormant commerce clause".

 

[TahoeMichael]

Anyone else had experience leasing a car in one state and transferring it to a state where leasing from Lucid isn't allowed?

I'm guessing that for the lease to work out, you'd have to initially register the vehicle in another state, and that would probably require purchasing in a state that allowed non-residents to register vehicle. Not all states permit this. A quick search online indicates that Florida, Kentucky, and New York are all states near(ish) to SC that allow some form of non-resident registration. You'd have to look at the specific rules for the state you're going to register in to see if you qualify. You would probably have to buy insurance for the state you're registering in. Once the vehicle is registered and the lease in place, I don't see any reason why you couldn't re-register the vehicle in a different state.

 

[Steveinarizona]

I'm guessing that for the lease to work out, you'd have to initially register the vehicle in another state, and that would probably require purchasing in a state that allowed non-residents to register vehicle. Not all states permit this. A quick search online indicates that Florida, Kentucky, and New York are all states near(ish) to SC that allow some form of non-resident registration. You'd have to look at the specific rules for the state you're going to register in to see if you qualify. You would probably have to buy insurance for the state you're registering in. Once the vehicle is registered and the lease in place, I don't see any reason why you couldn't re-register the vehicle in a different state.

I was assuming that the OP meant that he had started in another state and now wanted to move to the state that doesn't allow leasing. Without prior use in the other state, this is a much closer call. It may still be okay but I am not sure.

 

[L-Dude]

Here's what I'm thinking: pick up a leased AGT while I am in NH this summer (leases are allowed in NH). I would register the car there, and put on NH plates. At the end of the summer, I would transfer everything down south to South Carolina. The one question I have is whether I can register a car in NH while having a SC drivers license. Do we think this is ok?