Need honest feedback from current owners

[Z-Squad]

I don't mean to provoke the haters, but I am in analysis paralysis and need some honest feedback. I just got my VIN assigned for my AGT Gray/Mojave/20 in wheels, and have been trolling the blogs and reading all the current issues on the forum regarding both minor and major issues with the Lucid GT, some requiring service for weeks/months in some cases. I have no desire to deal with service issues and the hassle of it. Of those of you who took delivery in the last few months, has anyone had no (or almost no) issues whatsoever? I would expect that issues in this car would be in the minority, however, not the impression I am getting from all of the posts.

I also posted a question about DDP Highway Assist - I currently have a 2014 Tesla S and I if I have to go backwards on the Autopilot functionality, it is a non-starter. Any input from anyone who has already done the 2.0 upgrade and tested this out?

Also concerned about the heat and glare in Arizona through the glass roof -- has that been improved yet or is it even an issue in the Arizona summer sun? I also have a second Touring reservation, so contemplating letting go of my AGT and forfeiting the $1000 and letting Lucid get more of the kinks out in the next several months before going with the Touring and potentially the hard roof.

I would appreciate any thoughts or insights from anyone who has been contemplating any of the same issues (remember kindness always is the better road).

Thanks in advance.

 

[th14]

They were Enzo-era classics, so kind of in a different category. But the Maser was contemporary and actually very reliable. Much better than our Mercedes and Chevy SUVs

Wow. That's awesome on the Enzo era.

I was joking obviously.

I will say though, having owned multiple exotics over the years, cost and reliability are not well correlated.

 

[DeaneG]

I will say though, having owned multiple exotics over the years, cost and reliability are not well correlated.

Except perhaps inversely.

 

[Z-Squad]

Thank you for all the constructive and honest commentary. It is truly appreciated. My scales are tipping towards pulling the trigger. I'll probably agonize some more at least through the weekend before deciding for sure, so I am open to more feedback, especially regarding the HA. A friend of mine has the AGT as of 2 months ago and just trying to get him to do the new update so I can take it for a spin myself this weekend. I may go back for another test drive also of the Mercedes EQS since that would be the runner up.

A special shoutout to @PhotoEye -- your post was quite poetic and profound and thank you for your eloquence.

 

[Z-Squad]

Quick update to all of my therapists ..... I dragged my wife with me yesterday to do the one thing she hates most -- car shopping and test drives. She is in the market to upgrade her own 2018 Tesla 3, so she has a little skin in the game. So, we test drove the Mercedes EQS 450+, new BMI iX, Genesis GV60 Premium (all electric crossover).

Here is my refreshed opinion for anyone who cares:

BMW iX is larger than the x5 SUV and feels huge and acceleration feels anemic. BMW's version of Highway Assist sucks and if you take your hands off the wheel it gets very angry with you and the BMW genius with us told us it is designed to force the car to a stop on the side of the road if you persistently remove your hands from the wheel. Didn't test it, but really wanted to. Hard pass on BMW for now. Range is decent -- around 320 so we were told.

Genesis GV60: They really did a great job on this car. Very peppy on the acceleration, smooth and quiet. Ergonomic layout of instrument cluster, cell phone charging pad, etc, is spot on. Autopilot/highway assist is present on this Genesis model (wasn't on the G80 electrified) but currently only a few steps above my Subaru's ACC with lane keep assist functionality. The range is where they take a beating for those who really need it -- 240 miles. The massage function on the driver side only is not really up to par - they call it a stretching function and the front passenger seat doesn't offer anything, no massage or thigh bolster functionality. Big miss here. Overall, really liked it and for those not needing the range and less concerned about their front passenger or the autopilot functionality, I think it is a real winner and worth a look. Think it comes in around $70-80K fully loaded, but really hard to come by with preorders and such -- sales said not to expect to really get any in for next 3-6 months that aren't already spoken for.

Mercedes EQS 450+ : Most luxurious feel for interior of the ones I tested and our Teslas feel like a utility vehicle in comparison. It is very smooth and QUIET. I think the Lucid interior is probably somewhere in between the Mercedes and the Genesis. Compared to our Tesla S and 3, and the Genesis GV60, the acceleration felt lack luster; perhaps if we tested the 560 or AMG models it would have been better, but would lose a significant amount of range by doing so. Highway Assist is definitely well refined and works like Tesla's autopilot, so they got that one down. Really love the heads-up display and would have loved to have this on our Teslas and Lucid should have considered this as well. It is standard on the Genesis and optional on BMW and Mercedes, but with the upper end packages, it will be there. Overall, high marks, but doesn't have the thrill factor.

Take Away -- pulling the trigger on the Lucid. I'll deal with some of the possible early hassles to have great acceleration and range (I'm getting older 50+so having a thrill factor is important to continue harnessing my inner youth), and the promise of future honing and enhancements keeps me hopeful that I won't regret my decision. Thanks to all of you for weighing in kindly on my analysis paralysis, it was truly helpful to get me to this decision. Now with that decision being made, I want the car today!!!!

The DA told me 2-6 weeks from giving me the VIN number last week. Now that will give me time to agonize over my next decision -- tinting of front windshield and roof, and paint protection. My wife is going to love me.

 

[stratus]

Quick update to all of my therapists ..... I dragged my wife with me yesterday to do the one thing she hates most -- car shopping and test drives. She is in the market to upgrade her own 2018 Tesla 3, so she has a little skin in the game. So, we test drove the Mercedes EQS 450+, new BMI iX, Genesis GV60 Premium (all electric crossover).

Here is my refreshed opinion for anyone who cares:

BMW iX is larger than the x5 SUV and feels huge and acceleration feels anemic. BMW's version of Highway Assist sucks and if you take your hands off the wheel it gets very angry with you and the BMW genius with us told us it is designed to force the car to a stop on the side of the road if you persistently remove your hands from the wheel. Didn't test it, but really wanted to. Hard pass on BMW for now. Range is decent -- around 320 so we were told.

Genesis GV60: They really did a great job on this car. Very peppy on the acceleration, smooth and quiet. Ergonomic layout of instrument cluster, cell phone charging pad, etc, is spot on. Autopilot/highway assist is present on this Genesis model (wasn't on the G80 electrified) but currently only a few steps above my Subaru's ACC with lane keep assist functionality. The range is where they take a beating for those who really need it -- 240 miles. The massage function on the driver side only is not really up to par - they call it a stretching function and the front passenger seat doesn't offer anything, no massage or thigh bolster functionality. Big miss here. Overall, really liked it and for those not needing the range and less concerned about their front passenger or the autopilot functionality, I think it is a real winner and worth a look. Think it comes in around $70-80K fully loaded, but really hard to come by with preorders and such -- sales said not to expect to really get any in for next 3-6 months that aren't already spoken for.

Mercedes EQS 450+ : Most luxurious feel for interior of the ones I tested and our Teslas feel like a utility vehicle in comparison. It is very smooth and QUIET. I think the Lucid interior is probably somewhere in between the Mercedes and the Genesis. Compared to our Tesla S and 3, and the Genesis GV60, the acceleration felt lack luster; perhaps if we tested the 560 or AMG models it would have been better, but would lose a significant amount of range by doing so. Highway Assist is definitely well refined and works like Tesla's autopilot, so they got that one down. Really love the heads-up display and would have loved to have this on our Teslas and Lucid should have considered this as well. It is standard on the Genesis and optional on BMW and Mercedes, but with the upper end packages, it will be there. Overall, high marks, but doesn't have the thrill factor.

Take Away -- pulling the trigger on the Lucid. I'll deal with some of the possible early hassles to have great acceleration and range (I'm getting older 50+so having a thrill factor is important to continue harnessing my inner youth), and the promise of future honing and enhancements keeps me hopeful that I won't regret my decision. Thanks to all of you for weighing in kindly on my analysis paralysis, it was truly helpful to get me to this decision. Now with that decision being made, I want the car today!!!!

The DA told me 2-6 weeks from giving me the VIN number last week. Now that will give me time to agonize over my next decision -- tinting of front windshield and roof, and paint protection. My wife is going to love me.

Great to hear!! If it helps, I also agonized about paint protection and tinting and decided to move forward. Actually bring the car in Tuesday . Decisions decisions.

 

[smead]

I absolutely LOVE my Air GT. Only car I've ever owned that I concoct reasons to drive it. Wife thinks it's weird that I keep volunteering to get the groceries. Ownership hasn't been without its bumps, however. Had to deal with a 3 week stint while it was in the 'shop' having its turtle mode diagnosed. Turned out to be software related. Other than that hiccup, it's been a great experience so far.

 

[hmp10]

Is the Lucid Air a perfect car? No.

Is there anything else on the market (EV or ICE) that provides the same superb balance of power, handling, ride, room, and comfort. No. (Each one of these characteristics range from above-average to market-leading, but the presence of all of them at that level in one car is a real engineering feat.)

Our Dream Edition Performance has almost 13,000 miles on it. At that same point, the reliability of the Lucid compared to some of the other cars I've owned stacks up this way. (An asterisk denotes repair of a condition that rendered the car temporarily undriveable or significantly limited, as described):

Needed significant repair more times than the Lucid (In descending order of frequency):

Mercedes SL55 AMG * (brake-by-wire failure, transmission linkage failure)
Audi S6 * (alternator repeatedly drained the battery)
Chevrolet C6 Corvette * (tie rod came loose, constant going into "limp" mode)
Jaguar S-Type * (transmission failure, electronics blackout)
Tesla Model S P90D * (battery pack weld failure took out pack and rear drive unit)
VW Passat * (driver seat moved forward on its own, pinning driver to wheel, and would not retract; transmission failure; brake failure)
Tesla Model S Plaid

Needed repair fewer times than the Lucid:

Lexus RX300
Lexus RX330 * (pneumatic suspension system failed)
Honda Odyssey (2011 and 2018)
Audi R8 (V8)

Needed no repair:

Audi R8 (V10 Coupe & V10 Spyder)

Note that the Lucid was the only car I've bought as the first product from a new company. The Mercedes, Jaguar, Corvette, Audi R8
V8, and both Hondas were each the first edition of a next-generation model produced by long-established automotive companies.

In my experience, if you want to stay out of service shop with a car, the Lucid Air is no worse a bet than anything from major carmakers, especially their new model introductions. And, unlike some of the above cars, the Air has not yet left us stranded on the side of the road. Note that our Dream Edition was production number 154, and indications are that the few hardware/assembly defects it manifested have been since been addressed.

 

[PhotoEye]

Is the Lucid Air a perfect car? No.

Is there anything else on the market (EV or ICE) that provides the same superb balance of power, handling, ride, room, and comfort. No. (Each one of these characteristics range from above-average to market-leading, but the presence of all of them at that level in one car is a real engineering feat.)

Our Dream Edition Performance has almost 13,000 miles on it. At that same point, the reliability of the Lucid compared to some of the other cars I've owned stacks up this way. (An asterisk denotes repair of a condition that rendered the car temporarily undriveable or significantly limited, as described):

Needed significant repair more times than the Lucid (In descending order of frequency):

Mercedes SL55 AMG * (brake-by-wire failure, transmission linkage failure)
Audi S6 * (alternator repeatedly drained the battery)
Chevrolet C6 Corvette * (tie rod came loose, constant going into "limp" mode)
Jaguar S-Type * (transmission failure, electronics blackout)
Tesla Model S P90D * (battery pack weld failure took out pack and rear drive unit)
VW Passat * (driver seat moved forward on its own, pinning driver to wheel, and would not retract; transmission failure; brake failure)
Tesla Model S Plaid

Needed repair fewer times than the Lucid:

Lexus RX300
Lexus RX330 * (pneumatic suspension system failed)
Honda Odyssey (2011 and 2018)
Audi R8 (V8)

Needed no repair:

Audi R8 (V10 Coupe & V10 Spyder)

Note that the Lucid was the only car I've bought as the first product from a new company. The Mercedes, Jaguar, Corvette, Audi R8
V8, and both Hondas were each the first edition of a next-generation model produced by long-established automotive companies.

In my experience, if you want to stay out of service shop with a car, the Lucid Air is no worse a bet than anything from major carmakers, especially their new model introductions. And, unlike some of the above cars, the Air has not yet left us stranded on the side of the road.

Now, those are some convincing data points!

 

[Z-Squad]

Thanks for the continued validation of my decision.

 

[MoniputerLM]

Is the Lucid Air a perfect car? No.

Is there anything else on the market (EV or ICE) that provides the same superb balance of power, handling, ride, room, and comfort. No. (Each one of these characteristics range from above-average to market-leading, but the presence of all of them at that level in one car is a real engineering feat.)

Our Dream Edition Performance has almost 13,000 miles on it. At that same point, the reliability of the Lucid compared to some of the other cars I've owned stacks up this way. (An asterisk denotes repair of a condition that rendered the car temporarily undriveable or significantly limited, as described):

Needed significant repair more times than the Lucid (In descending order of frequency):

Mercedes SL55 AMG * (brake-by-wire failure, transmission linkage failure)
Audi S6 * (alternator repeatedly drained the battery)
Chevrolet C6 Corvette * (tie rod came loose, constant going into "limp" mode)
Jaguar S-Type * (transmission failure, electronics blackout)
Tesla Model S P90D * (battery pack weld failure took out pack and rear drive unit)
VW Passat * (driver seat moved forward on its own, pinning driver to wheel, and would not retract; transmission failure; brake failure)
Tesla Model S Plaid

Needed repair fewer times than the Lucid:

Lexus RX300
Lexus RX330 * (pneumatic suspension system failed)
Honda Odyssey (2011 and 2018)
Audi R8 (V8)

Needed no repair:

Audi R8 (V10 Coupe & V10 Spyder)

Note that the Lucid was the only car I've bought as the first product from a new company. The Mercedes, Jaguar, Corvette, Audi R8
V8, and both Hondas were each the first edition of a next-generation model produced by long-established automotive companies.

In my experience, if you want to stay out of service shop with a car, the Lucid Air is no worse a bet than anything from major carmakers, especially their new model introductions. And, unlike some of the above cars, the Air has not yet left us stranded on the side of the road. Note that our Dream Edition was production number 154, and indications are that the few hardware/assembly defects it manifested have been since been addressed.

I agree with most of what you said BUT, I have been driving for over 50 years and NEVER had a car just stop dead while driving! Will Lucid solve the drive train issues, yes. Are they a potential risk now, yes.

 

[stratus]

I agree with most of what you said BUT, I have been driving for over 50 years and NEVER had a car just stop dead while driving! Will Lucid solve the drive train issues, yes. Are they a potential risk now, yes.

Fingers crossed for ongoing improvements.

 

[DeaneG]

I agree with most of what you said BUT, I have been driving for over 50 years and NEVER had a car just stop dead while driving! Will Lucid solve the drive train issues, yes. Are they a potential risk now, yes.

I've had it happen twice, in two different General Motors products. One was an automatic transmission failure, the other time an ignition module suddenly died. Both happened at highways speed and resulted in my coasting to the side of the road with family on board. I had a low-speed complete transmission failure in a Mercedes too. Could hear pieces of gear teeth working their way through the transmission.

 

[PhotoEye]

I've had it happen twice, in two different General Motors products. One was an automatic transmission failure, the other time an ignition module suddenly died. Both happened at highways speed and resulted in my coasting to the side of the road with family on board. I had a low-speed complete transmission failure in a Mercedes too. Could hear pieces of gear teeth working their way through the transmission.

Yikes!

 

[MoniputerLM]

I've had it happen twice, in two different General Motors products. One was an automatic transmission failure, the other time an ignition module suddenly died. Both happened at highways speed and resulted in my coasting to the side of the road with family on board. I had a low-speed complete transmission failure in a Mercedes too. Could hear pieces of gear teeth working their way through the transmission.

We drove Ford and Toyota vehicles.

 

[Tesla2.0]

I've had it happen twice, in two different General Motors products. One was an automatic transmission failure, the other time an ignition module suddenly died. Both happened at highways speed and resulted in my coasting to the side of the road with family on board. I had a low-speed complete transmission failure in a Mercedes too. Could hear pieces of gear teeth working their way through the transmission.

I had brake pedal fail to work on freeway in Buick station wagon. I had to use quick wit to down shift gear in the automatic stalk and then down to 15 mph to hit a bush to stop the car.

 

[DeaneG]

FWIW pieces of gear teeth in the transmission make kind of a popping noise/sensation while driving. From the Mercedes (simultaneously my first and last) I also learned that there are companies that will haul away inoperable vehicles and sell them at auction for you, and you get some fraction of the auction proceeds. Easy-peasy. We've also had 3 Lexuses which were extremely reliable and a benchmark for emphasizing quiet reliability over innovation.

 

[th14]

We drove Ford and Toyota vehicles.

I had my Toyota 4Runner engine die while going about 35 mph on a street.

Oh wait, that was because I ran out of gas because I’m a moron.

 

[Gullotta]

Quick update to all of my therapists ..... I dragged my wife with me yesterday to do the one thing she hates most -- car shopping and test drives. She is in the market to upgrade her own 2018 Tesla 3, so she has a little skin in the game. So, we test drove the Mercedes EQS 450+, new BMI iX, Genesis GV60 Premium (all electric crossover).

Here is my refreshed opinion for anyone who cares:

BMW iX is larger than the x5 SUV and feels huge and acceleration feels anemic. BMW's version of Highway Assist sucks and if you take your hands off the wheel it gets very angry with you and the BMW genius with us told us it is designed to force the car to a stop on the side of the road if you persistently remove your hands from the wheel. Didn't test it, but really wanted to. Hard pass on BMW for now. Range is decent -- around 320 so we were told.

Genesis GV60: They really did a great job on this car. Very peppy on the acceleration, smooth and quiet. Ergonomic layout of instrument cluster, cell phone charging pad, etc, is spot on. Autopilot/highway assist is present on this Genesis model (wasn't on the G80 electrified) but currently only a few steps above my Subaru's ACC with lane keep assist functionality. The range is where they take a beating for those who really need it -- 240 miles. The massage function on the driver side only is not really up to par - they call it a stretching function and the front passenger seat doesn't offer anything, no massage or thigh bolster functionality. Big miss here. Overall, really liked it and for those not needing the range and less concerned about their front passenger or the autopilot functionality, I think it is a real winner and worth a look. Think it comes in around $70-80K fully loaded, but really hard to come by with preorders and such -- sales said not to expect to really get any in for next 3-6 months that aren't already spoken for.

Mercedes EQS 450+ : Most luxurious feel for interior of the ones I tested and our Teslas feel like a utility vehicle in comparison. It is very smooth and QUIET. I think the Lucid interior is probably somewhere in between the Mercedes and the Genesis. Compared to our Tesla S and 3, and the Genesis GV60, the acceleration felt lack luster; perhaps if we tested the 560 or AMG models it would have been better, but would lose a significant amount of range by doing so. Highway Assist is definitely well refined and works like Tesla's autopilot, so they got that one down. Really love the heads-up display and would have loved to have this on our Teslas and Lucid should have considered this as well. It is standard on the Genesis and optional on BMW and Mercedes, but with the upper end packages, it will be there. Overall, high marks, but doesn't have the thrill factor.

Take Away -- pulling the trigger on the Lucid. I'll deal with some of the possible early hassles to have great acceleration and range (I'm getting older 50+so having a thrill factor is important to continue harnessing my inner youth), and the promise of future honing and enhancements keeps me hopeful that I won't regret my decision. Thanks to all of you for weighing in kindly on my analysis paralysis, it was truly helpful to get me to this decision. Now with that decision being made, I want the car today!!!!

The DA told me 2-6 weeks from giving me the VIN number last week. Now that will give me time to agonize over my next decision -- tinting of front windshield and roof, and paint protection. My wife is going to love me.

Glad to hear you’re taking the plunge! You’ll love it!

 

[hmp10]

I agree with most of what you said BUT, I have been driving for over 50 years and NEVER had a car just stop dead while driving! Will Lucid solve the drive train issues, yes. Are they a potential risk now, yes.

I have never had a car stop dead while driving. What I posted was that some of my cars had problems that rendered them temporarily undrivable. Such was the case with the transmission failure in the Jaguar, the brake-by-wire failure in the Mercedes, the recurrent dead batteries in the Audi S6, the Passat driver seat jammed into the steering wheel, and the weld break in the Tesla battery pack.

The closest I came to having a car stop dead was the Corvette, which had a bad engine sensor that kept putting the car into "limp mode" which restricted its speed to 8mph. Chevrolet attempted several repairs, but none succeeded. The last time it happened I was driving in Connecticut on the high-speed inside lane of I-95 next to a concrete median barrier with no shoulder. I thought I was going to die trying to get the car across three other lanes to the right shoulder. I was several hundred yards from an exit ramp, which I walked down to a service station to call a tow truck and a taxi. I never got in the car again.

That car also dropped a tie rod whose bolt had not been properly torqued during assembly, warped two sets of rear brake discs, and leaked so badly from the top of the driver's window that I kept a roll of paper towels in the car to stuff into the top of the window during rains or going through a car wash. I have never owned a GM vehicle since and never will.

 

[Tesla2.0]

That car also dropped a tie rod whose bolt had not been properly torqued during assembly, warped two sets of rear brake discs, and leaked so badly from the top of the driver's window that I kept a roll of paper towels in the car to stuff into the top of the window during rains or going through a car wash. I have never owned a GM vehicle since and never will.

I haven’t since a highway failure of my Buick. But this GM Hummer EV is looking so damn inefficient aggressive beast that made me turn my cheek. I can only fancy, but Air is more elegant and practical. Besides, GM is only able to produce 2.9 Hummer EV per day in 2022 year to date.