Rivian R1T Build & Paint Quality Video: Initial Impressions

[kanundrum]

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[svet-am]

I need to watch in more detail, but look at that - a working tonneau cover.

 

[DaveA]

Oh boy, as if I wasn't OCD enough...this video is killing me.

 

[Guy]

Good review, have seen this presenter on detailing before and he does a good job and its very detailed (not surprising given his job)
Good paint quality and a few minor fitment issues which hopefully will get fixed over time. Nice to see some paint protection film already on the truck. (I don't know of any other manufacturer that installs PPF straight from the factory). Some interesting points about the tonneau cover and potential for scratches. But overall a good job with great paint.

 

[koersontap]

This is pretty interesting, actually. Happy to see how highly he praised their paint finish. Makes me feel more confident about upgrading my paint selection. His nitpicking over the wheels is making me think. I really like the black finish. I hadn't known/realized that they were actually 2-tone black like that. Which is the challenge, because I'm SO torn over wheel selection, and almost daily change my wheel/rim choice. This makes me worry about how the black finish will hold up over time.

Not really concerned about the tonneau, as I'm getting the S.

Sounds like the interior quality is even better than the exterior. Although to be honest, by the time he got inside, he was mostly just in "ooohhh, I want one" mode. Like a kid in a candy store.

I literally LOL'd when they had to silence the music due to copyright. ? I know there's a lot of talk/hype about the Meridian system, and here he really seems to blah on it. But then he said that his criteria for what he's looking for was mostly loudness... I don't need a system to just be loud. Ideally, it's quiet enough in there that I don't *need* it to be loud. I need it to be clear, well balanced, and tuned to the surroundings. Which by all metrics I think this system still should be.

Finally, if he called it a "center council" ONE more time.....

I'd be really curious to see the end result. Overall, even the biggest gripes he had were really quite minor.

 

[Scott]

Summary: minor fit problems with some plastic trim on the exterior. 1 alignment issue with the door that I thought was actually bad. No interior problems at all. Impressed with paint quality.
All in all better than I would have expected

 

[Rivianites]

The door and rocker cladding "gaps" are by design. They are shingled by a millimeter or two from front to back to help with aerodynamics. Now you know and a correction would be nice, LOL.

 

[Diddy123]

That front door fitment is embarrassing. Can't believe that made it through QC.

Glad to see the paint and interior are excellent.

Not stoked that the sound system is worse than a Tesla's.

 

[TessP100D]

So NIce to see the truck up close.

looks like lots of fit and finish issues - just like a Tesla had or still has.

i hope Rivian watches this video, then takes a step back to consider how to improve the quality.

 

[Max]

Regarding sound, there seem to be mixed reviews with more Tesla owners not being impressed. I wonder how much fiddling with sound settings could have an impact. I am waiting for an Explore and have no idea what is that like. It may be a year before someone can compare sound of an Explore next to an Adventure. It would be interesting if Explore sound better.

I am not an audiophile and my hearing is probably not as good as when I was a teenager but to me it sounds like getting a gazillion speaker sounds bouncing off complicated surface shapes arriving at your ear which would be at different heights for different people without interference may be doable on paper but very difficult to pull off in real world. I know unless the sound is recorded very well specifically for multichannel playback, I often prefer Stereo or maximum of three speakers and a subwoofer at home rather than surround. To my ear, in my environment, it is less of a jumble with more definition.

 

[fotoflux]

Now I am going to be on the lookout for a White R1T in the area....

The biggest concern I have based on his comments are durability of the novel moving parts like the gear tunnel that wouldn't open or the dust buildup in the tonneau cover and long term reliability.

 

[virgnia_rivian]

Here's what I have to say about the little tiny details... go to any dealer lot and look at new cars and you'll find issues. Overall he didn't find anything in this video that concerned me.

I just sold my 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. (Original MSRP $55k) It had a ton of manufacturer defects. Interior panels in the cargo area didn't line up, one was loose almost from day 1. Front end, plastic trim around the tow hooks loose on day 1. Multiple dealers just shrugged when I pointed it out. Paint imperfections around the front wheels. The plastic "chrome" on the gear shifter started peeling off after a few months of ownership. My Jeep hadn't been sitting on the dealer lot long, and in fact I made the salesman unwrap a new one for me. (I actually helped) Jeep makes these vehicles by the hundreds of thousands and the quality isn't perfect.

Probably the best car I've ever owned in terms of quality is my Porsche Macan. The fit and finish of everything is fantastic.

Oh, and watch Doug DeMuro's video on the Tesla Plaid and see the terrible paint job on a car someone paid $120k for! ;-)

 

[crashmtb]

The door and rocker cladding "gaps" are by design. They are shingled by a millimeter or two from front to back to help with aerodynamics. Now you know and a correction would be nice, LOL.

Where is this documented?

 

[DaveA]

Dude had the door open when messing with the sound system. Pretty sure this system sounds best with windows up and doors closed.

 

[Guy]

So. Ice to see the truck up close.

looks like lots of fit and finish issues - just like a Tesla had or still has.

i hope Rivian watches this video, then takes a step back to consider how to improve the quality.

a lot less issues than a Tesla - paint and interior way better and exterior panel gaps seem a lot less.

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