Rivian Care is available in WA (Washington State)

[Riviot]

I'm still waiting, day 4 of the "you'll receive a link in the next 3 business days". But here's the best part of the email...

"Due to the eligibility guidelines given to us by Assurant (the plan administrator), if you have more than 80k miles on your Rivian, you may not be able to select our vehicle service contract, and may be limited to the preferred vehicle protection plan when that link arrives."

So back to my original theory of Rivian treating vehicles like the iPhone; sell it for less than it costs so you can make more in repairs and services.

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[SwampNut]

So back to my original theory of Rivian treating vehicles like the iPhone; sell it for less than it costs so you can make more in repairs and services.

Did you make up that bullshit yourself, or did you pick it up from some TikTok effluencer?

Also every vehicle maker factors ongoing revenue, and most car dealers sell on the premise of making the money on service.

 

[SwampNut]

Got my link. Here's the two plans offered (attached). My link expires 9/1/26, so looks like I have a month to decide.

For the Vehicle Service Contract, you have the choice of 1-6 years, and deductible $0, $250, $500, $1000.

For the Preferred Vehicle Protection, you have a range of 1-7 years, and deductible of $0 or $50

I have 55K miles on my R1S. Here are my options.

Vehicle Service Contract:

Term/Deductible	$0​	$250​	$500​	$1,000​
12mo/1yr	$3,018.02​	$2,125.88​	$1,526.70​	$1,252.53​
24mo/2yr	$4,439.69​	$3,084.35​	$2,173.41​	$1,766.59​
36mo/3yr	$6,211.80​	$4,436.37​	$3,242.43​	$2,711.79​
48mo/4yr	$9,474.14​	$6,732.50​	$4,890.73​	$4,080.40​
60mo/5yr	$13,740.26​	$9,659.86​	$6,896.11​	$5,707.70​
72mo/6yr	$16,502.90​	$11,486.15​	$8,263.61​	$6,771.19​

Preferred Vehicle Protection:

Term/Deductible	$0​	$50​
12mo/1yr	$1,789.80​	$1,621.77​
24mo/2yr	$2,069.50​	$1,872.72​
36mo/3yr	$2,314.92​	$2,093.82​
39mo/3.25yr	$2,363.56​	$2,138.04​
48mo/4yr	$2,473​	$2,235.32​
60mo/5yr	$2,727.27​	$2,465.27​
72mo/6yr	$3,169.47​	$2,863.25​
84mo/7yr	$3,505.54​	$3,166.15​

I assume this is TOTAL time, not ADDED to the existing warranty?

I'm still waiting on my quote, but those numbers look absolutely terrible. It's interesting that Rivian thinks their vehicles are far worse than the other extended service providers do.

 

[AndrewSEA]

I assume this is TOTAL time, not ADDED to the existing warranty?

I'm still waiting on my quote, but those numbers look absolutely terrible. It's interesting that Rivian thinks their vehicles are far worse than the other extended service providers do.

This TOTAL time starting from the day you pay. Somehow it takes into account your current warranty? I have the launch edition 2023 R1S, so my factory warranty is 5 year/60,000 miles, so I'm close to being out of factory soon.

Luckily, my suspension went out under warranty this year. Had to take it to the service center 3 times, but now I have new suspension, so should be good for another 3 yrs/50k?:

March 10-21:
Issue: Left Suspension not raising
Work: LH and RH damper retrofit to new style, replace LH/RH front hydraulic suspension jounce lines, RH output shaft seal leaking, replaced.
Comprehensive Inspection

May 11-20:
Issue: Rear suspension stuck in Low Mode
Cause: Driver rear air spring leak
Work: Suspension general diagostic, Air Springs, Rear, LH/RH (Retrofit)

June 5-10:
Issue: System failure icon shows when car auto changes height on freeway
Work: Compressor, Air Suspension (Remove and Replace)

Each of these visits would probably cost between $1000-$2500 for the work done. I can't see how much the original quote was anymore, because they zero out the cost at the end since it's covered under warranty.

So maybe I got $5000 worth of suspension work done in the last 6 months, but over 3 visits. So if had a high deductible ($1000), it would have cost me $3000 and insurance would only have to pay about $2000.

I paid the comprehensive inspection on my first visit hoping to catch everything else that was going to fail, but it didn't catch the next two issues.

Given I have new suspension, what are the other repair costs I'm likely going to see down the road. With the plan costing so much, not sure what makes sense. I haven't been following the board in a while, so not familiar with what other failures people are encountering and the cost. Maybe need to get AI to analyze and give me a recommendation.

 

[SwampNut]

And I thought, maybe the prices will be great since they don't have to pay themselves their ridiculous parts and labor prices.

Silly me.

 

[AndrewSEA]

.... I haven't been following the board in a while, so not familiar with what other failures people are encountering and the cost. Maybe need to get AI to analyze and give me a recommendation.

Some excerpts from Google Gemini:

Prompt: What is the most common repair issue for the R1S
Response:
Based on NHTSA consumer complaint databases and owner forum data, the most common repair issues for the Rivian R1S span a few core categories:

• 12V Battery & Electrical System Malfunctions: The 12-volt battery system frequently fails or suffers from parasitic phantom drain, causing the vehicle to completely lose power ("brick") or throw error codes requiring replacement.
• HVAC & Thermal Management Faults: Owners frequently report severe vibrations or loud humming from the AC compressor. Software glitches also cause climate systems to blow cold air instead of heat, or fail to regulate cabin temperatures properly during specific modes (like Pet Comfort).
• Exterior Lighting Failures: Headlight and turn signal malfunctions have led to multiple safety recalls, with the low beams occasionally failing to turn on in cold temperatures or snow buildup completely blocking the light output.
• Suspension & Steering Issues: Problems include early wear or clicking noises from the air suspension system, steering wheels pulling or vibrating, and historical recalls related to loose steering knuckle control arm bolts.
• Software Glitches & Fitment: Unresponsive infotainment screens, pairing failures with the phone-as-a-key system, and minor cosmetic delivery issues like misaligned door panels or body trim gaps.

Prompt: What is the cost of repair for these
Response:

Because Rivian operates on a direct-to-consumer model using its own Service Centers, repair costs are highly standardized but generally premium. Most of these issues are covered under Rivian's 4-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty (or the 5-year/60,000-mile launch warranty for early adopters).
If you are paying out of pocket or trying to gauge post-warranty liabilities, the estimated costs break down as follows:
12V Battery & Electrical System Malfunctions

• Out-of-Pocket Cost: $400 – $600
• Details: If a Service Center handles it, the cost includes the specialized lead-acid or lithium 12V units plus labor. Aftermarket drop-in upgrades (like Ohmmu's Sodium 12V upgrade) cost roughly $360 – $500 for the parts alone if you opt to DIY.

HVAC & Thermal Management Faults

• Out-of-Pocket Cost: $1,800 – $3,500
• Details: Minor software glitches are fixed via free over-the-air (OTA) updates. However, if the loud humming or vibration requires a physical replacement of the AC compressor or lines, parts and labor quickly scale up due to the complexity of the EV thermal management loop.

Suspension & Steering Issues

• Out-of-Pocket Cost: $300 – $4,500+
• Details: Standard component issues, such as replacing clicking half-shafts, typically run $400 – $800. If a catastrophic failure occurs out of warranty—such as replacing an entire air suspension damper, air compressor unit, or valve block assembly—the bill frequently exceeds $3,000.

Exterior Lighting & Software Failures

• Out-of-Pocket Cost: $0 – $1,500
• Details: Known safety risks (like the cold-weather headlight failure) are typically handled via official, free safety recalls. If an individual headlight housing cracks out of warranty, a full physical assembly replacement costs over $1,000 for the part alone. Screen resets and software bugs cost nothing to fix using hard reset procedures.

Prompt: Which RivianCare option is most optimal given the expected repairs in the future
Response:
To protect against the specific future repairs typical of the R1S, the Vehicle Service Contract (VSC) is the most optimal choice.
Rivian offers its official extended coverage program, Rivian Care, under two distinct structures:

• Vehicle Service Contract (VSC): This functions as a traditional comprehensive extended warranty. It extends coverage for major mechanical components, safety systems, electrical systems, and the advanced drivetrain.
• Preferred Vehicle Protection (PVP): This is localized coverage meant primarily for cosmetic or minor road hazards, such as paintless dent repair, windshield damage, and tire/wheel road hazards.

Why the VSC is the Optimal Choice
Given the most common R1S out-of-pocket failure points, the VSC directly offsets the highest financial risks:

• Electrical & HVAC Systems: The frequent 12V parasitic battery drains and expensive HVAC compressor failures (ranging from $1,800 to $3,500) are fully classified as electrical/mechanical breakdowns, which are explicitly covered under the VSC.
• Air Suspension Componentry: Out-of-warranty suspension failures can scale past $4,500 if an entire damper assembly or air compressor blows. The VSC captures these mechanical suspension components.
• Battery & Drive Units: While Rivian provides a robust 8-year/150,000-mile factory powertrain warranty, the VSC provides secondary overlap and extension (up to 150,000 miles depending on the tier) for these complex high-voltage components.

The PVP option will not cover any of these mechanical or electrical system failures, making it a poor primary choice unless you are exclusively worried about external cosmetic wear or live in an area highly prone to rock-chipped windshields.
(Note: Rivian Care is administered via Assurant and has rolled out to a vast majority of states. If you seek a lower premium or your specific region lacks coverage, specialized third-party EV providers like XCare EV Protection offer comparable full-vehicle protection plans that are honored at Rivian Service Centers).

Prompt: Which term and deductible are the best choice?
Response:

The optimal term and deductible structure for the Rivian Care Vehicle Service Contract (VSC) balances the vehicle's unique high-mileage degradation risks against out-of-pocket costs. Because Rivian Care offers an appealing unlimited mileage provision during the contract period, your driving habits dictate the best choices:
The Most Optimal Choice: 3 to 5-Year Term with a $500 Deductible

• Why the $500 Deductible is Optimal: Rivian Care options (ranging up to a $500 deductible) offer a dramatic drop in the upfront contract premium compared to the $0 or $100 deductible tiers. Given that major R1S out-of-warranty repairs like air suspension overhauls or HVAC thermal loop replacements range from $1,800 to $4,500+, paying a $500 deductible still saves you thousands per incident while keeping your initial plan cost low (often around $3,000–$4,200 total).
• Why a 3 or 5-Year Term is Optimal: If you are a high-mileage driver pacing past the factory limits quickly, the 3-year or 5-year plans act as a massive safety net due to the lack of mileage caps.
  • Choose the 3-Year Term if you intend to trade up or upgrade your R1S within the next few years. It secures the vehicle through its most vulnerable post-warranty suspension/12V wear cycle at the lowest total premium.
  • Choose the 5-Year Term if you plan to keep the vehicle for the long haul (7–8+ years), locking in the lower pricing tier before the vehicle accrues higher mileage.

Recommendation: Purchase the $500 deductible plan with either a 3 or 5-year term (depending on your ownership timeline) while your factory bumper-to-bumper warranty is still active to lock in the lowest possible premium rate via Rivian Care.

Prompt: What about the 6-year Term, why is it not optimal
Response:
A 6-year (72-month) term is generally not optimal because the extreme jump in upfront premium cost heavily outweighs the financial risk protection it provides.
Looking closely at the actual quotes posted by AndrewSEA on the Rivian Forums:

• Diminishing Financial Returns: For a $500 deductible plan, moving from a 5-year term ($6,896.11) to a 6-year term ($8,263.61) costs an extra $1,367.50 for just one additional year of coverage.
• Outpacing the Premium Value: At that premium level, you are essentially pre-paying for a major out-of-warranty repair (like an entire air suspension overhaul or HVAC loop replacement) that may never happen during that specific 12-month window.
• The $0 Deductible Penalty: If you look at the $0 deductible tier, the 6-year term skyrockets to an astronomical $16,502.90.

For almost all owners, capping the plan at 3 to 5 years strikes the most efficient financial balance before the contract pricing hits a steep curve of diminishing returns.

 

[AndrewSEA]

Prompt: How does Rivian Care and XCare EV Protection compare and what do you recommend for a 2023 Rivian R1S with 55K miles.
Response:

Both options offer robust coverage, but they differ significantly in administration and flexibility. Given that a 2023 Launch Edition R1S has a 5-year/60,000-mile comprehensive warranty, a vehicle at 55,000 miles is right on the edge of losing factory bumper-to-bumper protection.
Rivian Care VSC vs. XCare EV Protection

• Administration & Approval: Rivian Care is Rivian's official extended warranty backed by Assurant. Claims are processed directly through the Rivian Service Center network without requiring separate third-party authorization. XCare is an independent EV-specific protection plan. While fully accepted at Rivian Service Centers, you or the service advisor must submit the repair estimate to XCare for approval before work begins.
• Mileage Structure: Rivian Care options use an unlimited mileage format for the duration of the chosen term year. XCare uses traditional structured mileage caps (e.g., adding a specific number of years or miles to the current odometer reading).
• Eligibility Restrictions: According to Rivian Forum discussions, Assurant sets a strict limit: if a vehicle passes 80,000 miles, it is no longer eligible to buy the comprehensive Vehicle Service Contract (VSC) and gets restricted to cosmetic/hazard plans. XCare generally offers broader mileage limits for onboarding older vehicles, though premiums scale up with age.

Recommendation for a 2023 R1S with 55K Miles
Go with the Rivian Care VSC ($500 Deductible, 3 or 5-Year Term).
Because the vehicle is at 55,000 miles, there is a narrow window to secure the official VSC before crossing the 60,000-mile factory expiration or the 80,000-mile hard cap. The unlimited mileage provision on the official plan provides the ultimate safety net if the vehicle is driven heavily.
Opting for the $500 deductible is the most cost-effective path. As shown in the active Rivian Care pricing table, a 3-year plan with a $500 deductible costs $3,242.43, whereas a $0 deductible tier for the same term jumps to $6,211.80. Since individual out-of-warranty air suspension or HVAC component failures cost anywhere from $1,800 to $4,500+, paying a $500 deductible per visit still yields massive savings while keeping the upfront contract cost reasonable.
Alternative Action: If the official Rivian Care quote premium feels too high, use the official pricing table as a baseline to get a competitive quote from XCare before the factory warranty officially expires at 60,000 miles.

 

[AndrewSEA]

Prompt: The 6-year vs 5-year term explanation applies to the 5-year to 4-year as well.
Response:
The jump from the 4-year to the 5-year term also shows a steep drop in financial value, but the pricing curve acts a bit differently depending on your chosen deductible.
For the $500 Deductible plan on the Rivian Forums pricing table:

• 4-Year Term: $4,890.73
• 5-Year Term: $6,896.11
• The Premium Difference: Moving from 4 to 5 years costs an extra $2,005.38 for that single additional year of coverage.

By comparison, jumping from the 5-year to the 6-year term costs $1,367.50. This means the step up from year 4 to year 5 is actually the most expensive single-year upgrade in the entire $500 deductible matrix. Pre-paying an extra $2,005 up front means you are betting heavily that you will experience a catastrophic out-of-warranty mechanical or electrical failure specifically during that 12-month window.
However, if you look at the $0 Deductible tier, the logic scales exponentially just like the 6-year term:

• 4-Year Term: $9,474.14
• 5-Year Term: $13,740.26
• The Premium Difference: An additional $4,266.12 for one year of coverage.

Whether you are looking at the 5-to-6 year jump or the 4-to-5 year jump, Rivian Care's pricing structure heavily penalizes the longer terms. Capping the plan at a 3-year term ($3,242.43) or a 4-year term ($4,890.73) with the $500 deductible keeps your upfront risk exposure much lower while still providing a shield against high-ticket EV failure points like the air suspension or HVAC thermal loops.

Prompt: I plan on keeping the Rivian forever, which Term should I get
Response:

Your plan to keep the R1S forever fundamentally changes the strategy. Instead of looking for the "sweet spot" to hedge against a trade-in window, your goal is to push out the date of your first catastrophic, completely unshielded out-of-pocket EV repair as far into the future as possible.
The 4-Year Term with the $500 Deductible is the absolute best choice for a lifetime ownership strategy.
The step-by-step math from the Rivian Forums contract table explains why the 4-year term maximizes your protection value:

• The Year 3-to-4 Value: Moving from the 3-year plan ($3,242.43) to the 4-year plan ($4,890.73) costs an additional $1,648.30. Because the plan features unlimited mileage, you are paying roughly $137 a month for that 4th year of total coverage. If your air suspension compressor blows or an infotainment screen goes dark in year 4, a single repair instantly cancels out that premium difference.
• The Year 4-to-5 Penalty: Moving from the 4-year plan ($4,890.73) to the 5-year plan ($6,896.11) costs an additional $2,005.38. This is the single highest price spike for a 12-month extension in the entire chart. Pushing into year 5 forces you to pre-pay the equivalent of a major HVAC component replacement up front.
• The Year 5-to-6 Diminishing Return: Pushing all the way to the 6-year plan ($8,263.61) requires an extra $3,372.88 over the 4-year plan.

The Forever-Ownership Blueprint
Because these service contracts run concurrent with the remainder of your factory coverage, buying the 4-Year Term secures your vehicle through its most volatile mileage accumulation phase. By the time this contract wraps up, the aftermarket repair ecosystem for the R1S will be significantly more mature, giving you access to cheaper remanufactured parts and independent EV mechanic options for the rest of the vehicle's life.

 

[CrazyOne]

Got my link. Here's the two plans offered (attached). My link expires 9/1/26, so looks like I have a month to decide.

For the Vehicle Service Contract, you have the choice of 1-6 years, and deductible $0, $250, $500, $1000.

For the Preferred Vehicle Protection, you have a range of 1-7 years, and deductible of $0 or $50

I have 55K miles on my R1S. Here are my options.

Vehicle Service Contract:

Term/Deductible	$0​	$250​	$500​	$1,000​
12mo/1yr	$3,018.02​	$2,125.88​	$1,526.70​	$1,252.53​
24mo/2yr	$4,439.69​	$3,084.35​	$2,173.41​	$1,766.59​
36mo/3yr	$6,211.80​	$4,436.37​	$3,242.43​	$2,711.79​
48mo/4yr	$9,474.14​	$6,732.50​	$4,890.73​	$4,080.40​
60mo/5yr	$13,740.26​	$9,659.86​	$6,896.11​	$5,707.70​
72mo/6yr	$16,502.90​	$11,486.15​	$8,263.61​	$6,771.19​

Preferred Vehicle Protection:

Term/Deductible	$0​	$50​
12mo/1yr	$1,789.80​	$1,621.77​
24mo/2yr	$2,069.50​	$1,872.72​
36mo/3yr	$2,314.92​	$2,093.82​
39mo/3.25yr	$2,363.56​	$2,138.04​
48mo/4yr	$2,473​	$2,235.32​
60mo/5yr	$2,727.27​	$2,465.27​
72mo/6yr	$3,169.47​	$2,863.25​
84mo/7yr	$3,505.54​	$3,166.15​

Thanks for sharing, what are the mileage limits?

I have one more year of the 5 year warranty left, so I will likely get this just before it ends.

 

[CrazyOne]

Prompt: The 6-year vs 5-year term explanation applies to the 5-year to 4-year as well.
Response:
The jump from the 4-year to the 5-year term also shows a steep drop in financial value, but the pricing curve acts a bit differently depending on your chosen deductible.
For the $500 Deductible plan on the Rivian Forums pricing table:

• 4-Year Term: $4,890.73
• 5-Year Term: $6,896.11
• The Premium Difference: Moving from 4 to 5 years costs an extra $2,005.38 for that single additional year of coverage.

By comparison, jumping from the 5-year to the 6-year term costs $1,367.50. This means the step up from year 4 to year 5 is actually the most expensive single-year upgrade in the entire $500 deductible matrix. Pre-paying an extra $2,005 up front means you are betting heavily that you will experience a catastrophic out-of-warranty mechanical or electrical failure specifically during that 12-month window.
However, if you look at the $0 Deductible tier, the logic scales exponentially just like the 6-year term:

• 4-Year Term: $9,474.14
• 5-Year Term: $13,740.26
• The Premium Difference: An additional $4,266.12 for one year of coverage.

Whether you are looking at the 5-to-6 year jump or the 4-to-5 year jump, Rivian Care's pricing structure heavily penalizes the longer terms. Capping the plan at a 3-year term ($3,242.43) or a 4-year term ($4,890.73) with the $500 deductible keeps your upfront risk exposure much lower while still providing a shield against high-ticket EV failure points like the air suspension or HVAC thermal loops.

Prompt: I plan on keeping the Rivian forever, which Term should I get
Response:

Your plan to keep the R1S forever fundamentally changes the strategy. Instead of looking for the "sweet spot" to hedge against a trade-in window, your goal is to push out the date of your first catastrophic, completely unshielded out-of-pocket EV repair as far into the future as possible.
The 4-Year Term with the $500 Deductible is the absolute best choice for a lifetime ownership strategy.
The step-by-step math from the Rivian Forums contract table explains why the 4-year term maximizes your protection value:

• The Year 3-to-4 Value: Moving from the 3-year plan ($3,242.43) to the 4-year plan ($4,890.73) costs an additional $1,648.30. Because the plan features unlimited mileage, you are paying roughly $137 a month for that 4th year of total coverage. If your air suspension compressor blows or an infotainment screen goes dark in year 4, a single repair instantly cancels out that premium difference.
• The Year 4-to-5 Penalty: Moving from the 4-year plan ($4,890.73) to the 5-year plan ($6,896.11) costs an additional $2,005.38. This is the single highest price spike for a 12-month extension in the entire chart. Pushing into year 5 forces you to pre-pay the equivalent of a major HVAC component replacement up front.
• The Year 5-to-6 Diminishing Return: Pushing all the way to the 6-year plan ($8,263.61) requires an extra $3,372.88 over the 4-year plan.

The Forever-Ownership Blueprint
Because these service contracts run concurrent with the remainder of your factory coverage, buying the 4-Year Term secures your vehicle through its most volatile mileage accumulation phase. By the time this contract wraps up, the aftermarket repair ecosystem for the R1S will be significantly more mature, giving you access to cheaper remanufactured parts and independent EV mechanic options for the rest of the vehicle's life.

Great points, but it's hard to say that 4 years will change the repair scenario. In years(admittedly most were under warranty) the support for repairing these is close to zero, afaik. $1500 is nothing in Rivian land.

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