What's new
By:

QUESTION Prospective buyer questions

The dealership landscape is weird, we went to look at Volvo XC90 phev and EX90 too, the sales person gasped that we did not have an appointment, even though that dealership said earlier none was needed. Then spends over 2 hours with us with some hesitation and does not introduce himself or ask our names until we have driven both cars. Complains that we are making things complicated if we both want to drive the car. He does not even ask for our contact info, we ask his, can’t find his card, and just mentions if you choose Volvo come talk to me.

The dealership was not busy, are these guys selling so many cars they don’t care about prospects or they very likely profiled us from first look and determined we are not serious buyers who showed up without appointment and with family to shop for a car.

Anyhow, the reason to visit dealership was to test drive the car.
 
Last edited:
Vizard said:
@Saksak thanks for sharing about sunshades and visor clips, they’ll definitely be one of the first thing that we’ll get if we purchase.
I agree with noise from second row motor is bad. My better half, had a bad reaction to it, and it was a turn off, we had similar and bit milder noise develop in our Honda Clarity (wonderful car BTW) after 7 years, and the whole seat got replaced by Honda under extended warranty.

I have couple additional questions
  1. differences or issues with and without dynamic power handling package, l have mixed opinion about it.
  2. differences or issues between 21/22” vs 22/23” tires. Ride quality and tire wear between (fewer places have the larger ones available, only one manufacturer Perrelli currently). I am leaning towards mid size tire option, smaller wheels shows more mechanical back side and car look is affected, the big tires, may result in firmer ride
  3. Will Lucid be willing to change to smaller wheels, if buying from existing inventory
  4. Is there a link to regular maintenance schedule? What is typical cost and turn around time?
  5. How often does OTA require service center visit, I hope this is never
Click to expand...
OTA should never require a service center visit unless something goes horribly wrong. I think Air owners would be a better set of folks to ask how often one has to visit the service center (or have a tech come to you) as the Air has been out far longer. In the 7 months we've had our Gravity we've never had a problem with the OTA update itself (the earlier software on the other hand was not always great, but getting the software installed and running has not been a problem
 
Personally I think that if you were to get one option only the handling package is the one

And no lucid won’t change out wheels to factory installed ones
 
Vizard said:
@Saksak thanks for sharing about sunshades and visor clips, they’ll definitely be one of the first thing that we’ll get if we purchase.
I agree with noise from second row motor is bad. My better half, had a bad reaction to it, and it was a turn off, we had similar and bit milder noise develop in our Honda Clarity (wonderful car BTW) after 7 years, and the whole seat got replaced by Honda under extended warranty.

I have couple additional questions
  1. differences or issues with and without dynamic power handling package, l have mixed opinion about it.
  2. differences or issues between 21/22” vs 22/23” tires. Ride quality and tire wear between (fewer places have the larger ones available, only one manufacturer Perrelli currently). I am leaning towards mid size tire option, smaller wheels shows more mechanical back side and car look is affected, the big tires, may result in firmer ride
  3. Will Lucid be willing to change to smaller wheels, if buying from existing inventory
  4. Is there a link to regular maintenance schedule? What is typical cost and turn around time?
  5. How often does OTA require service center visit, I hope this is never
Click to expand...
You want the dynamic handling package to get rear-wheel steering and a tighter turning circle.
 
The salesperson indicated that if I am interested in getting a car from the existing inventory not on-site, it will be an extra $4k to ship the car from the East Coast. I find this odd, given the price breakdown already includes a $1,695 destination fee. Seems odd for a car that is not selling well.
 
ke2 said:
OTA should never require a service center visit unless something goes horribly wrong. I think Air owners would be a better set of folks to ask how often one has to visit the service center (or have a tech come to you) as the Air has been out far longer. In the 7 months we've had our Gravity we've never had a problem with the OTA update itself (the earlier software on the other hand was not always great, but getting the software installed and running has not been a problem
Click to expand...
I have never required a service visit for an OTA, and I've had my car since Jan. 2022.
 
Vizard said:
[…]
  1. differences or issues between 21/22” vs 22/23” tires. Ride quality and tire wear between (fewer places have the larger ones available, only one manufacturer Perrelli currently). I am leaning towards mid size tire option, smaller wheels shows more mechanical back side and car look is affected, the big tires, may result in firmer ride
  2. […]
Click to expand...
I opted for the small 20/21” wheels for the extra range, even for my GDE. It has the added benefit of giving the quietest and most comfortable ride, as well as having the most pothole resistance.

I got sick of the disadvantages of large wheels in my previous cars, not to mention tire replacement cost. I’ve already had to replace a tire on my Gravity at 5K miles due to a road hazard taking a chunk out of my tire.

Personally, I’d stay away from the large wheels given the lack of replacement tire choices and high replacement costs. However, this is really a personal preference, as some value the look of the larger wheels over practical considerations.

Others have answered the other questions and I’m in general agreement.
 
Vizard said:
Hello,

I did a test drive and kept the Gravity overnight. First impression: wow. The car is outstanding overall and is seriously under consideration for purchase/lease.
That said, I have a few concerns about day-to-day ownership and would really appreciate feedback from current owners. Sorry for the long list.
I am especially interested in real-world experience after living with the car for a few months, not just first impressions.

Questions:
  1. Is the key fob / phone key entry issue fully resolved now?
  2. Does the car reliably turn off and lock when walking away?
  3. Does the regen “stop” setting work reliably every time?
  4. How common are rattles, squeaks, trim issues, or alignment problems? Our test vehicle had rear seats that were misaligned.
  5. For owners in Southern California or other hot climates: how bad is heat from the glass roof in summer?
  6. How effective are the Lucid snap-in roof shades?
  7. Is ceramic tint a better solution, or do most people end up using both?
  8. Any regrets about not having a built-in power roof shade or electrochromic glass?
  9. Does the lack of kick-to-open tailgate bother you in daily use? Especially for those, who’s keys are in a bag not pocket.
  10. How annoying is the manual third-row folding over time? The seats felt heavy to open and close.
  11. Same question for the second row after folding down — does manually raising it get old?
  12. Are the small sun visors a real issue in daily driving?
  13. What software bugs still bother you regularly?
  14. What issues have required a service visit?
  15. How has Lucid service been — appointment wait times, mobile service, parts availability?
  16. If you were buying again today, would you still choose the Gravity?
  17. For those who cross-shopped Volvo EX90, Rivian R1S, Mercedes EQS SUV, or Kia EV9, what made you stay with the Gravity?
  18. If you leased your Gravity, are you considering buying it at the end of the lease? What would make you buy it versus walk away?
  19. Given Lucid’s current company situation — leadership changes, layoffs, stock decline, and uncertainty around long-term scale — would you still buy or lease the Gravity today? How much does company risk factor into your decision?

My better half had a few strong disappointments, especially given the vehicle’s price point:
  • No kick-to-open tailgate.
  • Manual folding and unfolding of the third-row seats, which felt fairly heavy.
  • Manual return of the second-row seats after they are folded.
  • The exposed second-row seat mechanisms looked unfinished and raised concerns about little fingers getting caught.
  • The powered second-row entry/exit motor was noticeably loud.
  • No built-in power roof shade or electrochromic glass.
  • The cabin became noticeably warm from the glass roof, even on a relatively mild Southern California day.
  • The sun visors felt quite small and weren’t very effective at blocking low-angle sun.
For those of you who have owned the Gravity for several months: which of these ended up being non-issues in daily use, and which still bother you today?

That last question is likely to generate much more useful responses than simply listing the shortcomings. It encourages owners to distinguish between things that looked concerning during a test drive versus issues that genuinely affect long-term ownership.

I still think the Gravity is one of the most impressive EVs I’ve driven, but I’m trying to understand which issues fade into the background and which ones remain annoying after ownership.

Thank you
Click to expand...
Question ,how did they let you keep the test drive over night?
 
@papiDR the studio offered it during the test drive (I did not ask), despite my hesitation I kept it overnight, but we did not end up doing much driving with it, just a short joy ride around home and back. It was helpful to see how it fit in the garage, the car is huge, but fits, I also charged it on level 2 overnight. It was a pleasant experience overall, way better than other dealerships.
Our initial pick and plan was to try TX PHEV, but that’s no longer being built.
 
The fob issues are solved for many, but not all. Mine is regularly slow to respond, leaving me standing at the door for 5-20 seconds waiting for it to unlock and present. It always does eventually though. And it always walkaway locks.

The roof shades work great. Highly worth it. They do leave about a 1" gap between the shade and the visor though which the sun sneaks through. (Tip: for the side windows, buy a set of TuckVisors from Amazon. Must-haves.). The bento boxes are a great replacement for the too-tight cupholders too.

The lack of liftgate kick is disappointing after having it in every vehicle for the last 25 years. Not a killer, but I definitely miss it. However all the great storage capacity is worth it. The under-floor (where the 3rd row seats fold if you have them) is my fav spot now for groceries.
 
Vizard said:
@papiDR the studio offered it during the test drive (I did not ask), despite my hesitation I kept it overnight, but we did not end up doing much driving with it, just a short joy ride around home and back. It was helpful to see how it fit in the garage, the car is huge, but fits, I also charged it on level 2 overnight. It was a pleasant experience overall, way better than other dealerships.
Our initial pick and plan was to try TX PHEV, but that’s no longer being built.
Click to expand...
I have the mazda cx90 phev version is the same SUV.Is nice but is no gravity for sure.
 
It’s encouraging that Lucid has fleet potential for robo taxi with Uber.
However my better half countered that how would it feel/judged to drive an expensive car which is used for taxi?
Oouch!
 
Vizard said:
...how would it feel/judged to drive an expensive car which is used for taxi?
Click to expand...
It'll be a while, and likely a different vehicle by the time there are large numbers of them.
 
Vizard said:
It’s encouraging that Lucid has fleet potential for robo taxi with Uber.
However my better half countered that how would it feel/judged to drive an expensive car which is used for taxi?
Oouch!
Click to expand...
The Gravity is going to be used for Uber Black/Black XL, so don't think is necessarily bad.
 
Vizard said:
It’s encouraging that Lucid has fleet potential for robo taxi with Uber.
However my better half countered that how would it feel/judged to drive an expensive car which is used for taxi?
Oouch!
Click to expand...
I think it's the opposite, it'd make it look higher tech
 
Vizard said:
It’s encouraging that Lucid has fleet potential for robo taxi with Uber.
However my better half countered that how would it feel/judged to drive an expensive car which is used for taxi?
Oouch!
Click to expand...
Taxi is not the same as a RoboTaxi.

Yes, if it became popular for cabs or Lyft drivers, that might be odd. But if it's robotaxis, I don't think it would be a bad thing at all, especially since I imagine they will be underspecc'd compared to the one you can buy.
 
I dunno- the first Waymo's were Jaguars and I still have the same low opinion of the driver I always did when I see a Jag
 
@BrianBigNFun Thanks for asking. The responses have all been really helpful.

Short answer: we haven’t made a decision yet. If we go with Lucid, the GGT is the leading contender.

Longer answer: this is ultimately my better half’s decision. Her biggest concern is whether Lucid will still be around a few years from now. I was transparent about the recent stock situation because it’s really a question of trust in the company’s future. I can’t honestly vouch for that, no matter how much I like the car. I may still buy and hold some Lucid stock because I like the product.

We may also looking at the Mercedes EQS, BMW iX, and, somewhat reluctantly, Audi. If I had to guess today, it’ll probably come down to the Volvo XC90 PHEV or the Lucid Gravity Grand Touring. Range anxiety is real for her (my infrastructure fact sharing has helped, GGT’s fast charging is remarkable, but the range keeps coming back up), and she preferred the XC90’s interior and found the seats noticeably more comfortable. Lucid’s financial uncertainty remains the biggest concern.

Separate from the purchase decision, my biggest concern about the GGT is ownership experience:
  • Day-to-day reliability in the basic things you expect from a car.
  • Service. As a first-generation vehicle, theirs is unfortunate feedback loop where reliability issues are overwhelming the sparse/short staffed service network, making ownership more frustrating than it should be. I am unsure if Lucid has the capital to make new cars and expand services concurrently.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top