Rivian R1T Frustration

[Riptide]

The paperwork doesn’t say return and be given a new truck, it says return and receive a refund. Rivian doesn’t need to offer you access to a new truck at full price and a jump of the wait list. Any other automaker has similar policies if you decline delivery or exercise the return option if there is one. They either fix the vehicle or let you buy a new one.

I would still try hard to be given a a new truck at original pricing given that this truck should not have made it past pre-delivery inspections in the first place.

Given this, Rivian could simply offer poor quality R1T/R1S to pre-price customers, with full intent of them getting rejected, then poof everyone pays the new price and no more pesky early adopters ruining todays profit margins.

Or just Dump the “Factory Seconds” on us.

Sponsored

 

[Thedude]

Given this, Rivian could simply offer poor quality R1T/R1S to pre-price bike customers, with full intent of them getting rejected, then poof everyone pays the new price and no more pesky early adopters ruining todays profit margins.

Dump the “Factory Seconds” on the cheapskates.

I highly doubt that’s the case. A published company policy to screw over customers isn’t something that would be able to be kept secret. Rivian has had fairly consistent issues with delivering vehicles with defects, it’s nothing new.

 

[Rinzler017]

Anyone have any contact information for anyone high up at Rivian?
The guys I’m talking to claims to be the east coast regional guy but isn’t going out of his way for anything.

 

[Riptide]

I highly doubt that’s the case. A published company policy to screw over customers isn’t something that would be able to be kept secret. Rivian has had fairly consistent issues with delivering vehicles with defects, it’s nothing new.

Indeed. Knowingly delivering substandard units to customers with the hopes they simply accept or overlook the defects, have the SC fix what ever the customer complains of. There is absolutely no way their quality control from the factory is this bad. It is a business decision. Cost to deliver a quality 80k-100k vehicle VS cost to repair whatever the average layman consumer can find in 7 days.

 

[RWerksman]

There is doing what you are obligated to do and then there is doing the right thing.

There seems to be a lot of "do the right thing" and "do the minimum required" friction over the last little bit on the forum. As a consumer, we should all be advocating for the former.

Anyone have any contact information for anyone high up at Rivian?

I emailed RJ with the dumpster fire that was R1T titling 10-12 months ago. That's how I eventually was able to get it resolved -- [email protected]

 

[Rinzler017]

There seems to be a lot of "do the right thing" and "do the minimum required" friction over the last little bit on the forum. As a consumer, we should all be advocating for the former.


I emailed RJ with the dumpster fire that was R1T titling 10-12 months ago. That's how I eventually was able to get it resolved -- [email protected]

Thank you, did he respond?

 

[SASSquatch]

@Rinzler017 I'm really sorry to hear about your experience. At this point in production, with R1T demand flattening, there should be no excuse for Rivian to be rushing R1Ts off the production line and through QC. This level of QC failure is unacceptable and is hurting their brand image.

Further, being given the option to only replace the vehicle if you are willing to pay post-March 1 pricing is absurd given the number of issues and the time it would take to remedy them. The only other reasonable thing is for Rivian to put you in an R1T loaner for that duration of time - did they offer that?

I encourage you to reach out directly to RJ and express your dissatisfaction.

 

[BourboNole]

I don't know if you have any friends who are attorneys who could help you out cheap, but I'd start getting real nasty, real fast. This is a case that may be very difficult with a low probability to win if you took it all the way, but a lawsuit will be expensive for them and open them up to discovery they may not be too keen on giving up. My guess is they would fold as soon as their general counsel gets involved, but you have to get your case to his desk with the appropriate threat of litigation.

 

[Rinzler017]

I don't know if you have any friends who are attorneys who could help you out cheap, but I'd start getting real nasty, real fast. This is a case that may be very difficult with a low probability to win if you took it all the way, but a lawsuit will be expensive for them and open them up to discovery they may not be too keen on giving up. My guess is they would fold as soon as their general counsel gets involved, but you have to get your case to his desk with the appropriate threat of litigation.

Well I did opt out of arbitration..

 

[RWerksman]

Thank you, did he respond?

He did not. Someone did from executive escalations, or something like that did though. They had juice at Rivian, that was for sure.

I believe someone ended up manually going to the DMV and overnighting the paperwork to me at her request. She followed up well too.

 

[pricedm]

There is doing what you are obligated to do and then there is doing the right thing.

This situation is not the fault of the customer. It is unreasonable to expect someone to accept a substandard product or pay an extra $15-20k for the same vehicle.

Totally agree.

I really feel for OP @Rinzler017

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

This is not good. I feel for you. I wouldn't accept it. They should replace it but the way their policy is worded seems to indicate only a refund is due. Even lemon law usually only provides for an MSRP to MSRP swap.

I would start the return, email RJ, and see where it goes.

At minimum I would return and get a refund.

 

[Rad_ry]

If you’re saying Rivian failed to tell you if you returned the new vehicle would be at higher prices, that is not a good look and maybe you should push that angle. However, in terms of your vehicle, I see the misalignment but can’t really tell the paint issue (only one bubbling I can see and not sure where that is). Bottom line, they don’t seem crazy bad and nothing service tickets in time wouldn’t be able to address.

Those suggesting Rivian are somehow conspiring against early order holders - well that’s just rubbish.

 

[evhelphub]

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. From your pictures, that kind of build quality is unacceptable and should never reach a customer. I don't care if they are a new manufacturer or not. They aren't making that many vehicles and early adopters who are taking a chance with a new company should have the red carpet rolled out for them.

They should be providing a replacement vehicle at the same price. This is a massive customer service oversight and I implore you to keep trying and going through different avenues.

If they don't want to make it right, then I recommend taking your money somewhere else. Huge bummer.

 

[Goose]

Were you given the opportunity at pick-up to reject the truck? I'm not saying this is any way your fault, it's all on Rivian and they should do right by you, just curious.

This is one of those cases where the manufacturer has an opportunity to do the right thing for their customer and use it for good PR. Stuff like this is one of the reasons Power-Pole (JL Marine) is so popular in the fishing world, their customer service is legendary.

Sponsored