Not allowed to drive R1S before purchase

[Killer95Stang]

You can’t properly inspect the car without a drive. Rattles, knocks, squeaks, shakes, shudders, misaligned steering, etc.

I've never owned one... but how does Tesla do it? I thought they just hand over a key and tell you were it is at in a parking lot. Not even a walk around. It must work for them, since they have number 1 selling cars now.

I'm not even trying to argue... I just picked up a car from service today and it introduced a couple problems that weren't there before I dropped the R1S off. Wind noise and ding in my door.

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[rpo]

I've never owned one... but how does Tesla do it? I thought they just hand over a key and tell you were it is at in a parking lot. Not even a walk around. It must work for them, since they have number 1 selling cars now.

I'm not even trying to argue... I just picked up a car from service today and it introduced a couple problems that weren't there before I dropped the R1S off. Wind noise and ding in my door.

When I picked up my 2023 Model X eight months ago, I was not just unable to drive it first, but they would not even let me SEE it until I had accepted delivery. I signed the paperwork, and then the very helpful Tesla rep told me to go find it in the lot because he did not know where it was. Truly abysmal customer service.

That Tesla is now sitting in my alley rotting for the past six months because it is a lemon and the electrical systems have completely failed. Tesla can't even get their sh*t together enough to send me the buy back offer they promised me back in February. And that's why I bought an R1S which was a great decision.

 

[Killer95Stang]

When I picked up my 2023 Model X eight months ago, I was not just unable to drive it first, but they would not even let me SEE it until I had accepted delivery. I signed the paperwork, and then the very helpful Tesla rep told me to go find it in the lot because he did not know where it was. Truly abysmal customer service.

That Tesla is now sitting in my alley rotting for the past six months because it is a lemon and the electrical systems have completely failed. Tesla can't even get their sh*t together enough to send me the buy back offer they promised me back in February. And that's why I bought an R1S which was a great decision.

I'm with you... I had zero mechanical issues with my R1S and love it, but I decided to take it in for body panel alignment issue that I would never have even bothered with in any of the 20 Ford's I've owned. Sure enough, panel fit is great now, but because they moved the door to match the fender, the top edge is now proud of the A pillar, causing horrendous wind noise. not to mention, they put a door ding in my door above the door handle. I'm not necessarily mad at the service rep, but c'mon service tech... It is pretty obvious the door isn't right... and who knows how they cause the dent.

 

[twistedpair]

Doing a test drive would require dealer plates if it’s not registered……. Since they aren’t dealers…. No dealer plates.

 

[LL75]

Doing a test drive would require dealer plates if it’s not registered……. Since they aren’t dealers…. No dealer plates.

^^^. This right here. Neither tesla or rivian are dealership. I remembered picking up my model 3. They handed me the damn key as well. Don't even do a walk thru for inspection or anything at all.

 

[R1TCntrlMaIzzy]

I suggest you politely ask for a test drive of your car. If told no, move on, take the delivery then test it as much as you can in the first 5 days.

I had a quick drive on my delivery day. But, I had never seen an R1T in person and much less driven one. Otherwise I would have only done a brief inspection of the car.

To those stating not a dealer, so no plates, test drives. How do they lawfully arrange for demo drive days, with multiple vehicles being driven around? Where is the law that states only dealers can allow test drives?

And yes, I know what Tesla started, did, does. Riv is trying to do better than them, so I think.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Doing a test drive would require dealer plates if it’s not registered……. Since they aren’t dealers…. No dealer plates.

They could use manufacturer plates... like their loaners run.

Or just don't use plates, at all, since they didn't seem to give a F when my IL temp tag expired and they couldn't get me registration for another 3 months and I was told to just drive around anyway.

 

[NY_Rob]

No one test drove the vehicle they were picking up from Rivian. They did provide the ability to do first drives, were you not able to arrange for one of those?

Not everyone is afforded the opportunity for a First Ride... I asked for one 2X before my R1T was delivered and was turned down 2X. I then asked if I could drive one of the loaner R1T's at the Brooklyn SC and was told they don't have any available.

My first ride in a Rivian was in my R1T.. which thankfully was flawless!

 

[Neuneleven]

the first Rivian I ever set my butt in (first sit if that exists + first ride) was the one I purchased. I did not even drive the purchased car as the first driver...my wife did. I sat not even in the middle row (kids did) but in the third row. Talk about paying for the goods and getting the worst seat in the house... so much for lamentations...

 

[Mathme]

You have a 7-day return policy, so a test drive before delivery isn't really a show stopper. As others have said, it's more important to look over the vehicle for any production variances (panel fit, paint, etc.).

I've had my R1T for a week - build 23xxx - and overall it's been great! I did find and log one small paint blemish and it has an interior rattle by the dash speaker. minor overall.

I highly recommend spending some time in the next week waxing your vehicle by hand. This is a great way to look closely over all body panels, door sills, and so forth. It's also a good way to pamper your new baby after it's rough ride across the country strapped to a truck/train and then left out in the sun to sit!

 

[Sevn86]

I took a test drive in a demo vehicle almost 4 months before taking delivery but, like everyone else, my first drive in the vehicle I purchased was when I drove away from the service center after taking delivery.

Same here! Demo drive in Jan and picked up in June. Drove my actual car for the first time after accepting delivery.

 

[defcon888]

I am scheduled to pick up my R1S on Monday (pre-order Sept 2019), so I asked the Rivian person who texted me that my R1S was almost ready for pickup at the Phoenix Service Center if I could drive the vehicle and do a quick inspection before purchase. He said they don't allow customers to drive prior to completing the purchase, but an inspection would be good for me to do.

Has anyone else (or everyone else?) experienced being prohibited from driving the vehicle you ordered before you actually buy it?
Don't people test drive cars before they buy them at regular car dealers all the time?

Doing a test drive for 30 minutes to an hour won't help much (other than the assembly of the vehicle). We got ours and after 2 weeks, the "headlight system not working". It has been at the SC for almost 3 weeks. They did give us an R1T LE to drive in the meantime.

It would be nice to test drive, but really that only proves the drivability of the vehicle and not the other things that could go wrong. You have 7 days to test drive it....I would suggest that you pick it up and plan on a few hundred-mile trip.

 

[Nolf]

This comes with many hidden costs, like insurance, and finance charges when Rivian takes months to refund your money…

Not sure a startup car company is for you then. People want perfection and I find it so confusing. No car is perfect. Just enjoy the damn thing.

 

[iansriv]

You have 7 days. Test drive it for 7 days. Return it if you don't like it for any reason

What LL75 said. I plan to take my friend (owns 4 body shops) to help look at the car. If all goes well-I will drive the snot out of it the first 7 days to make sure all is well. Keep in mind that I have purchased four of my past cars sight-unseen over a few emails.

 

[911.1 Guy]

It will take months to receive a refund if you decide to return it in the 7 day period.

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