Would you still buy your Rivian today?

[cgsmith]

I'm on the fence.

Pro's:

• I still I look forward to and love driving it.
• Still the only non-full-size truck that meets my requirements.
• The utility of the frunk and gear tunnel are beyond practical.

Con's:

• I feel like the vampire drain is a significant (Gen1) issue. Yes, there are ways to reduce/resolve this, but having to purchase and plug-in a tender nightly is, to say the least, disappointing.
• If Adaptive Cruise Control isn't available, either via clogged/blind sensors or software glitch, you have no Cruise Control.
• Although I knew this going in: the omission of CarPlay/Android Auto, for me, really diminishes the experience. Probably not an issue coming from a Tesla.
• SiriusXM via streaming: only works where/when there's a cell signal.
• Couldn't justify the price as it stands today.

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[SwampNut]

She probably won't like to hear the issues with the A/C. That's a problem in my Model S today- not enough fan motor for her liking.

I don't understand the AC complaints, I live in Phoenix and find that the AC is exemplary, super fast, super cold.

Would I get an honest answer if I asked how busy their SC was?

Probably not.

 

[C.R. Rivian]

First post, sorry for the doozy question. I'm sure I'll get some passionate responses.

Owned a Model S since 2014 and while it's been incredibly reliable even at 154,000 miles the time is coming to replace it. I love EV's, my experience despite crazy Elon mode has been mostly positive. Definitely more positive than my ICE cars in the past. So, I'm looking at Rivian as an option.

I'm used to the fact that EV's are still new technology, getting service can be a challenge (In VA, the auto dealers association continues to fight the direct sales /service model in the courts but there's a Rivian SC 15 minutes from my house), and I know all about how long it takes to charge. I've taken my family from VA to Disney twice, done Atlanta a few times, etc.

My wife swears she'd never see me in a pickup truck, but I'm keeping options open so the car may be R1T or R1S. I'm still sorting that out.

Won't go back to Tesla and Lucid seems like a risky option considering it's almost 60% owned by the Saudi PIF. Curious about Scout, too.

For people who own a Rivian, would you buy your car again?
If yes, what (if any) changes would you make?
If no, why?

Yep...and your wife might change her mind about a truck.

 

[ozziegt]

2023 R1S here.

We got the introductory pricing for our Quad so that made it a better deal and we aren't taking as huge of a hit on depreciation.
Top requirements for us were:

• Full EV
• Seats 6 comfortably
• Lots of storage for road trips
• Quiet, comfortable ride
• Nice interior

Personally, I also wanted:

• Practical for other things like camping, home depot runs, etc.
• Ability to tow a trailer
• EV level of performance

Even today there aren't that many vehicles on the market which meet all these requirements, and those vehicles aren't without their own set of issues. I think we could maybe have ended up an EV9, but I'm not totally convinced my or my wife would have been totally happy with it. I was also eying the EX90 but with all the software issues I dunno.

I think we could have ended up with a dual motor R1S today, but I haven't driven those other vehicles I mentioned yet either. I will say I am disappointed with the amount of NVH, and poor body control over bumps, even after the updates which are supposed to help fix those issues. The experience with the SC has been pretty abysmal as well. I don't know if Volve or Kia would have been better, but Rivian does set a pretty low bar. I think overall we are happy with it and my wife hasn't had a single complaint (except the crappy loaners) so she loves it.

 

[RivianRiverRat]

If you buy or lease
Helpful checklist
https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/rivian-r1s-r1t-delivery-checklist.27519/

 

[mrodriguez]

I've had my Gen 1 R1S for 2.5 years. It has been in service a few times over that time, most recently and the biggest problem was my AC going out earlier this summer which ended up being a condenser leak. The other issues I consider minor. While it has been in service I would ABSOLUTELY buy another.

I don't think I could justify another Quad especially considering the pre-price hike pricing I got the first time around, but I would debate between a dual and a tri for sure.

My family has a reservation in for the R2 which would be my spouse's replacement vehicle. That one we are on the fence though. Not because we don't believe in the brand or anything, but simply because of the timing. TBD on whether we pull the trigger there.

I intend on driving my Gen 1 for a while longer (about 25k miles now). I suspect the Gen 3 R1S is 5 years away considering R2 is 2026-2027 and R3 is likely 2027-2028. In my mind that puts Gen 3 R1S/T in 2029 time window. That's probably the time I would consider whether it was worth it and how things have held up.

Regardless, I think the Rivian brand is one I wish to support and I have been happy with mine for over 2 years now. I still enjoy getting in and driving which is something I haven't experienced with a vehicle before.

 

[Singletracker]

I took delivery of my ‘23 R1T QM Adventure series in September of 2023. I was fortunate enough to get the early pre-order pricing, about $76K. I now have 24K miles on it. I have owned many vehicles, from sports cars to pickups to vans to compacts to SUV’s to truly capable off-roaders. Traded in my beloved Toyota FJ for the Rivian.

I LOVE my R1T - my first EV, BTW. I just love driving the darn thing. It’s a drug, even after two years. I’ve never had a vehicle that I felt this way about. It’s crazy how capable it is, in almost every driving situation. It rocks off-road. Rips the winding mountain passes. Glides down the highway. Hauls all my camping gear and RTT with ease. Never breaks a sweat. Being my first EV, I’m shocked how cheap it is to run. I charge at home and have never had a problem while traveling.

Fortunately, I have not experienced any major issues with it - some minor things, but no big deal. Any dealings I have had with my SC have all been more than positive. Having the SC an hour away from me is not ideal, but it is what it is. Most of the time mobile service has come to my house and taken care of whatever was needed. How cool is that? Regular monthly, over the air updates have dramatically evolved the truck into an even better vehicle, than the day I bought it.

So, to answer the question - would I buy it again? The only reason I would balk at buying again would be the current price. At the $76K I paid for my R1T, I would do it again, in a heartbeat!

 

[BigSkies]

I'm a strong yes. There's nothing in the market that compares.

I'd probably buy a used Gen 1 over a Gen 2 for a few reasons, but the differences between them are relatively minor.

I do have my complaints I've made elsewhere on these forums, but the positives strongly outweigh the negatives.

The one thing I'd switch for (if it actually existed) would be a high-quality Tacoma like EV. I'd prefer a simple mid-size truck without the luxury interior and without fancy gadgetry everywhere. It would also have to get the other EV specific things right, like the charging curve, route-planning, charge management software, etc. Unfortunately I don't see something like this coming to the US market in the next few years.

 

[mkg3]

...looks like I should focus on Gen 2. Don't need serious off-road capability but will likely tow some but not long distances.

...She probably won't like to hear the issues with the A/C. That's a problem in my Model S today- not enough fan motor for her liking.

Most definitely gen 2. We own gen 1 and I clearly have noticed build, fit and finish quality improvements in gen 2 over gen 1.

As for AC, its vent control sucks. I wished Rivian used good old fashioned vents and vent direction control veins. When AC is put on high, there is loud noise and maybe this is cured in gen 2 but not the effective means to control the flow direction. We have 4 vehicles and 2 have old fashion vents and Tesla and Rivian with touch screen - both sucks.

As a side note, there are deal to be had on new Wagoneer S, EV9, F150 Lightning so look around. For the price of used R1, you probably can get into a new vehicle.

 

[bigsky]

2024 R1S Quad Gen 1. Like it a lot. What an SUV should be and look like. And more.
No regrets whatsoever.

Main things I like:
1. Has been trouble-free, at least in the critical powertrain area. No problems of any kind 21 months in.
2. Loooove the glass roof.
2. No clusterf of ICE-age buttons and knobs. Amen. Would never buy an EV with ICE-legacy buttons and knobs plastered all over the dash.
3. Looove being able to use my phone as a key. It works flawlessly. Have never used the ICE-legacy garbage key fob. Never will, no way. Don't even know where it is. EV is PAAK, period.
4. Loove the neck-snapping performance. It truly is a rocket on wheels.
5. Digitally controlled AC/heat louvers. Excellent. Thank you!
6. A few settings for wipers from sprinkle to fast to Auto. Check!
7. Headlights are awesome, uniform distribution. Auto high beams are perfect. I see no reason for having diminishing-returns gimmicky matrix headlights.
8. Extremely comfortable ride, quietness
9. Outstanding support at service centers

Some things I do not like:
1. Half-assed implementation of Homelink. If it is smart enough to know that my R1S is near my home (garage opener buttons show up on display), it ought to both open garage door automatically upon arrival and close it behind me when I leave also. Gotta push steering-wheel button. It is more like ICE-legacy Homelink.
2. Homelink cannot be programmed to open gates either, let alone open them automatically upon proximity.
Talk to Tesla on how to do this; still the software-integration master leader.
3. Nearest Rivian SC is 300 miles away. Have only used it once, not really a big issue (knew it going in) plus stunning scenery along the way. Rivian gave me a loaner and delivered my R1S back to my home. Plus I have all the time in the world to make the trip whenever I might need to.

Bottom line: there's just no way in hell I ever would trade my R1S Quad magnificent beast for anything else in the world, not even a Gen 3 Quad, or Gen 4, much less a Gen 2.

 

[lefkonj]

I actually did and would do it again. Gen1 R1S then Gen2, fantastic vehicle won't regret it.

 

[Sonoma]

yes

 

[portdirect]

Maybe - its seems like luck of the draw between a great one, and well... ...this:

 

[CharonPDX]

For people who own a Rivian, would you buy your car again?
If yes, what (if any) changes would you make?
If no, why?

Yes. Absolutely. My Rivian is the best vehicle I've ever owned. For me, it replaced both an old diesel pickup and a Model S. (Although we ended up getting another Model S later, because my wife preferred the Model S to our Ford Mach-E. See unrelated bit at the end.)

If by "what changes would you make" you mean "what changes that are within my control as a buyer," nothing. If you mean "what changes would I make to the vehicle if I was in charge at Rivian" - a few, there are many threads on this. CarPlay is a big one. Better longer-term support of older hardware. (Tesla has this same problem, as I'm sure you're aware as an owner of a 2014.)

Note that much like with Tesla Service Centers, the quality of Rivian Service Centers can vary by location. The one I use is good, although for non-urgent issues, the wait times can be multiple months. But I've heard horror stories from people in some other locations. I'd definitely search the forum for reports by people who use your local SC. (For Rivian, I have the benefit of having two service centers nearby, while there's only one Tesla.)

 

[nemith]

Absolutely not. Not because of the truck. I love my R1T and i will continue to love it.

It's the service/support.

Every time I have a problem i have to:

1. Argue with an AI bot onwhat is actually wrong with options that are absolutely insane.
2. Spend a whole bunch time taking picture and diagnosing the issue myself
3. Getting a phone call to talk about the same problem again and go through the issues. Again not actually talking to a technician who could actually understand any issue
4. WAIT 4 FUCKING MONTHS FOR AN APPOINTMENT
5. Get no less than 3-4 contracts to sign on the work being done. (Again no one has yet actually DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE)
6. Get Uber credits instead of an actual loaner. I live an hour away and it take significant time out of my day
7. Get hounded to pay for any work before i have actually picked up the truck and inspected the work.


Seriously I fucking hate it so much. My wife's etron i drop it off, explain what is wrong. I get a video update on what has been fixed and everyone is friendly. It was half the cost of a new R1S and you get treated like a customer.

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