My Faith In Lucid Has Just Been Restored!

[DJL]

These last couple of months I have seen a real and dramatic increase of negativity regarding Lucid crop into this forum. I can certainly understand it, since more and more cars are being delivered resulting in more opportunities for issues with the cars being reported. Coupled with that a near total silence from the management of Lucid responding to these issues and, wrapped over all of that, a growing frustration amongst the forum’s members because we are not seeing any significant increase in the issuance of VINs over the last month or so being added to the forum’s tracker. This negativity started infecting me as I watched, day after day, my confidence in Lucid Motors and its car wane. I am still at a loss as to why Lucid management is not trying to reach out to this group of customers and offer words of comfort and confidence and patience. The information void they have created has resulted in negative rumors and grumblings growing each day.
However, after today, my confidence level has been restored. Today was the day I took my test drive down at the Seattle Lucid Studio. Wow! While I had seen and sat in a Lucid Air GT before, this was the first time I was able to drive it. I am 72 years old, have driven and owned scores of car (some being high end proformance machines) during my tenure on this planet and I can honestly say, this is absolutely the very best driving machine I have ever driven.
In addition, I was pleasantly surprised how functional and responsive the software, (yes, even including the navigation system) was. The car had 19-inch wheels which I have also ordered for my vehicle. With that understanding, the ride was remarkably smooth, even over potholes and rough pavement. The car was also very quiet with just a subtle whir in the background which I soon forgot about. The pedal locations and their responsiveness were just fine. One pedal driving was easy and predicable using the high regen setting. The turn signals and their respective cameras were very responsive and easy to see. I hardly noticed the sun visors and they certainly were not a visual issue. The same can be said for the A beam, which some people have complained about. The Hold symbol was visible whenever it was on and you could feel a very subtle vibration when it snapped on. I mentioned to Avery, the SA with me, about the issue a few forum members reported regarding the Hold being grayed out and the car moving which could cause a collision. He had not heard of that problem before.
The power and torque of the car is something that can not readily be described. You just have to experience it. It is mind-blowing. The car is so quiet and smooth driving that it was hard to keep it down to just 5 mph over the city speed limit. The car just wants to go, go and go some more.
The steering wheel was very adjustable and gripping it was very comfortable. I was able to drive while resting my elbow on the door sill, which is how I like to drive. The number of Dream Dive modes available were very impressive and their adjustment options were great. Quite frankly, during my 25-minute drive, I could not find a single fault with the car. I am in love again despite this forum’s recent turn to the dark side.
Now, I know many of the issues that have been reported here are real and the owners do have cause for their respective concerns and complaints. I am not discounted them at all. Also, I too feel the frustration of having to wait for my car without any updates or explanations as to why the 2-to-5-month timeline may not be met. I am approaching three months now and no VIN (let alone a real car) in sight. I watch Bears Workshop drone flyovers and see firsthand the dramatic increase in cars being produced but not seeing that reflected much in the forum’s tracker (Grrrrrrr).
With all of that said, I will dream tonight of the amazing car I have ordered and each day I will wonder if today is the day I get my VIN…

 

[Shane_SLC]

It's awesome to see such high praise and positivity for this car. I hope that we can all make it past the difficulties and be just as excited when we actually have our cars delivered. I had my own test drive a few days ago and was pretty blown away, too. Thanks for providing us with your experiences and thoughts!

 

[Drendino]

Excellent review, thank you. I have a VIN due a little before yours and have the same frustrations with management’s lack of messaging. The negativity here seems to be intensifying, as Lucid’s communication deteriorates.

Truth be told, if there was a better option available, I would change course. Since there isn’t, I’ll try to be a little more patient.

 

[Sandvinsd]

The car is a beast and fun to drive. I will agree with you on your review.

The frustration for me was the delay and the lack of communication about it. Some will say that is negativity. but I was hoping the communication would just improve through feedback. Early software must have been equally frustrating as it seemed to be released more as a beta version than a finished product. I wouldn’t know about that as mine was delivered with 1.2.6 and, other than a few annoyances on why the UI does what it does, the software has been stable, which would have been my biggest concern. Had to perform one reboot when at the delivery center, but none since. The early users feedback helped Lucid solve issues. Most importantly, the hardware is right, and the software can and will be improved.

 

[CraZ8]

Cliff notes on the initial post: There has been a lot of trash talk re Lucid and I wish Lucid would address these concerns. I took a test drive and the car performed great, one of the best I have driven. I can’t wait to get mine

Of course DJL was as fair as he was enthusiastic which I think most of us here are deep down. I’m sure my time spent driving my lucid will only get better. 3200 miles and counting

 

[Bunnylebowski]

Yeah just hit 3200 miles on my car. I really don’t have many problems with the software. The brake hold malfunction only happened once thank goodness, the steering wheel “next track” button only works 50% of the time, sometimes my mirror fold button requires a second press to work.

The hardware though? As said above, best driving car I’ve ever driven.

 

[hmp10]

Today was the day I took my test drive down at the Seattle Lucid Studio. Wow! While I had seen and sat in a Lucid Air GT before, this was the first time I was able to drive it. I am 72 years old, have driven and owned scores of car (some being high end proformance machines) during my tenure on this planet and I can honestly say, this is absolutely the very best driving machine I have ever driven.

Same here, although I'm a much younger 70.

Here's the comment I posted under Jon Rettinger's recent YouTube 6-month update on his Air Dream Edition:

"There are few reviews of cars I have owned with which I agree as thoroughly as I do with this review. We replaced our 2015 Tesla Model S P90D with a Model S Plaid last August, and we took delivery of our Lucid Air Dream Edition in late December. The Tesla just turned 10,000 miles, and the Lucid has racked up just over 8,000 miles.

"Although the Plaid''s software has not been without its glitches, it is vastly more responsive and reliable than the Lucid's. Just as Rettinger says, Lucid's OTA updates have offered some improvements in the seven months we've had the car, but they're not as frequent or as comprehensive as I would have hoped.

"Yet we're putting over 1,300 miles a month on the Lucid and just under 1,000 a month on the Plaid. Why? Because the Lucid is a considerably better car for both driver and passengers in every aspect other than software. Though the tiniest tick slower off the line than the Plaid, the Air's front end stays much better planted under hard acceleration, making more of its prodigious power usable. The Air's suspension is both more compliant and more precise than the Plaid's. Road and wind noise are better suppressed in the Air, despite the Plaid's use of active noise cancellation. The Air has noticeably more structural rigidity. The Air's interior is considerably more comfortable and roomy than the Plaid's, and the fit and finish is much better. The Air front seats are more luxurious, offer much more adjustment (including thigh support extension), and have top-notch massage functions. And the rear seat space of the Air simply blows Tesla rear seating out of the water.

"Although Tesla's software performs better at this stage, some of that advantage is offset by the greater ease of operating features in the Air such as audio volume, AC controls, lights, wipers, drive modes, etc. -- most of which have their own switches or haptic buttons that don't have to be accessed through menus.

"Then there's that yoke. My partner has gotten used to it and finds it okay. Ten months have passed, and I still can't stand it.

"When the Air first joined the Plaid in our garage, almost every EV trip was preceded by a discussion about which car to take (unless we were picking up rear-seat passengers, which always meant the Air). With each passing month, we find ourselves more often defaulting to the Air with no discussion unless there is a particular reason for taking the Tesla . . . and one of those reasons is that we're so addicted to driving the Air that we're worried about how fast we're running up its odometer."

 

[Tesla2.0]

The power and torque of the car is something that can not readily be described. You just have to experience it. It is mind-blowing. The car is so quiet and smooth driving that it was hard to keep it down to just 5 mph over the city speed limit. The car just wants to go, go and go some more.
The steering wheel was very adjustable and gripping it was very comfortable. I was able to drive while resting my elbow on the door sill, which is how I like to drive. The number of Dream Dive modes available were very impressive and their adjustment options were great. Quite frankly, during my 25-minute drive, I could not find a single fault with the car. I am in love again despite this forum’s recent turn to the dark side.

This is how I feel every time I get into my Air. I have put up 1800 miles so far, every time I drive this car, I get that same indescribable feelings, it usually should be fading after couple months of new ownership. But NO!!! I still feel that same as first week of getting this car whenever I walk around to look at it. Lucid Air is just so gorgeous inside out, so many good angles, aside from minor disapproval of cupholder/charger placement design, everything else are really perfect. The handling is so ridiculous smooth and quiet, I don’t care as much about software, but it is adequate for me to accept the occasional lag hiccup, my other old cars infotainment are way worse or even inadequate, but I lived with it. (Ford, Honda, Porsche, VW)

I have rented/borrowed long weekends for Model-X and Model-S saying to myself this is cool car, the huge interactive infotainment screen with other minimalistic style feel very futuristic, I want this car!!! However, Lucid Air exceeded that feeling, the very upscale British/German interior that I always wish I own one day but I didn’t get that feel from Tesla. (I still love that falcon wings, and wish Gravity can have that kind of doors)

When I was young, I always dream of MB S-Class and Ferrari ownership 1 day. But until I get retirement comfortable status, they are merely pipedream. I have owned 2nd hand ultra low miles MB SLK, VW EOS, Porsche Boxster and new Jeep Rubicon Wrangler as my fun convertible. In non-Texas summer or cooler days, I go top down to enjoy wind, zig-zag thru traffic and burn those tires cornering. I had many exhilarating moments with these nimble cars. My wife doesn’t want to ride with me in two seaters and complained I give her nausea. Perplexingly Lucid Air handled like these 2 seaters but is 50% bigger, smoother and void of vroom vroom vibration. The panoramic glass feels like a real fake convertible. And I get a combo of Lambo/Jaguar/S-Class hybrid. If somehow I only get to keep one car, I would rather have AirGT over all other fun ones I have. And I would be happy to trade up to AirDE if it is an option to me.

 

[hydbob]

This is how I feel every time I get into my Air. I have put up 1800 miles so far, every time I drive this car, I get that same indescribable feelings, it usually should be fading after couple months of new ownership. But NO!!! I still feel that same as first week of getting this car whenever I walk around to look at it. Lucid Air is just so gorgeous inside out, so many good angles, aside from minor disapproval of cupholder/charger placement design, everything else are really perfect. The handling is so ridiculous smooth and quiet, I don’t care as much about software, but it is adequate for me to accept the occasional lag hiccup, my other old cars infotainment are way worse or even inadequate, but I lived with it. (Ford, Honda, Porsche, VW)

I have rented/borrowed long weekends for Model-X and Model-S saying to myself this is cool car, the huge interactive infotainment screen with other minimalistic style feel very futuristic, I want this car!!! However, Lucid Air exceeded that feeling, the very upscale British/German interior that I always wish I own one day but I didn’t get that feel from Tesla. (I still love that falcon wings, and wish Gravity can have that kind of doors)

When I was young, I always dream of MB S-Class and Ferrari ownership 1 day. But until I get retirement comfortable status, they are merely pipedream. I have owned 2nd hand ultra low miles MB SLK, VW EOS, Porsche Boxster and new Jeep Rubicon Wrangler as my fun convertible. In non-Texas summer or cooler days, I go top down to enjoy wind, zig-zag thru traffic and burn those tires cornering. I had many exhilarating moments with these nimble cars. My wife doesn’t want to ride with me in two seaters and complained I give her nausea. Perplexingly Lucid Air handled like these 2 seaters but is 50% bigger, smoother and void of vroom vroom vibration. The panoramic glass feels like a real fake convertible. And I get a combo of Lambo/Jaguar/S-Class hybrid. If somehow I only get to keep one car, I would rather have AirGT over all other fun ones I have. And I would be happy to trade up to AirDE if it is an option to me.

Pretty sure there is an Air DE for sale...

 

[CLTGT]

Well, I have to say, all of the above comments are what has kept me going with this interminable wait for my car. I seem to have made it through the "grey delay" and the "pause" now only to be held up, on the cusp of delivery, by defects in the car, even after the enhanced PDI was completed.

The whole process pre-delivery has been frustrating, to say the least. I then receive an email from my DA asking me if I have "time to talk today". The delivery rep says they are still diagnosing with no visibility with respect to delivery. I think I am going to make them send me my money back. No matter how great the car might drive, it doesn't matter when they cannot deliver.

 

[rbbarry]

Well, I have to say, all of the above comments are what has kept me going with this interminable wait for my car. I seem to have made it through the "grey delay" and the "pause" now only to be held up, on the cusp of delivery, by defects in the car, even after the enhanced PDI was completed.

The whole process pre-delivery has been frustrating, to say the least. I then receive an email from my DA asking me if I have "time to talk today". The delivery rep says they are still diagnosing with no visibility with respect to delivery. I think I am going to make them send me my money back. No matter how great the car might drive, it doesn't matter when they cannot deliver.

Also concerns me with what the defects or issues are and will they linger after you receive it?

 

[Sandvinsd]

Well, I have to say, all of the above comments are what has kept me going with this interminable wait for my car. I seem to have made it through the "grey delay" and the "pause" now only to be held up, on the cusp of delivery, by defects in the car, even after the enhanced PDI was completed.

The whole process pre-delivery has been frustrating, to say the least. I then receive an email from my DA asking me if I have "time to talk today". The delivery rep says they are still diagnosing with no visibility with respect to delivery. I think I am going to make them send me my money back. No matter how great the car might drive, it doesn't matter when they cannot deliver.

Just hold out for a little longer. You are about to cross the finish line. It is such a wonderful car, just wait a bit longer. I would get the money back, not to cancel, but because you don't have a delivery date. When they fix it, then start the process over. They REALLY REALLY owe you some extra swag through all of this.

 

[hydbob]

Just hold out for a little longer. You are about to cross the finish line. It is such a wonderful car, just wait a bit longer. I would get the money back, not to cancel, but because you don't have a delivery date. When they fix it, then start the process over. They REALLY REALLY owe you some extra swag through all of this.

Speaking of which, did you receive anything extra? You kept referencing a demand for it in earlier posts, curious what became of it.

 

[rbbarry]

Another pencil?

 

[Tesla2.0]

Pretty sure there is an Air DE for sale...

Trade up, not buying….

 

[MPawelek]

Also concerns me with what the defects or issues are and will they linger after you receive it?

And if he backs out will some unsuspecting person then get the car?

 

[rbbarry]

And if he backs out will some unsuspecting person then get the car?

Hoping that would be me... If you do back out, ask them to give me your lemon...

 

[Sandvinsd]

Speaking of which, did you receive anything extra? You kept referencing a demand for it in earlier posts, curious what became of it.

Another pencil?

No. Unfortunately. Not even a pencil. Once you get that fob in your hand, you sort of forget about those things.

 

[Sam6062]

Excellent review, thank you. I have a VIN due a little before yours and have the same frustrations with management’s lack of messaging. The negativity here seems to be intensifying, as Lucid’s communication deteriorates.

Truth be told, if there was a better option available, I would change course. Since there isn’t, I’ll try to be a little more patient.

No matter the ones who want to ignore the issues these are real issues however minor or major. Just giving then a pass saying we knew they are first generation is not the answer. If identifying issues one is finding with the car is being negative then perhaps we should simply name the forum appropriately

 

[CLTGT]

Well, that will certainly come up in my discussion with Omar this afternoon when he calls. I do not really expect anything though as my only leverage is to cancel and I am not really convinced that Lucid cares much about one customer.

I am essentially at the same point I have been for months, no real vision into a delivery date, made even worse by the fact that they gave me a solid delivery date of today and informed me the day before that the car was defective, that if they delivered today, they would be effectively delivering me a brick.