Don’t buy a Rivian and why? SORRY!!!!

[rivianfun]

Ok, here is the reason I posted this thread. I have owned my 2025 R1S for just shy of one year. As many of you I did my research because it was my first EV and the Rivian was the only one that really fit my needs etc. I don’t lease cars but this one I did because if I ended up not liking it I could turn it in after the lease. I was an hour away from service centers which I was fine with.

right off the bat I had some issues not huge but enough, I had no idea that you could not contact your sales guy or service department until after I signed the dotted line.

The communication between the service center and my self was horrible, they didn’t know how to fix the car. It eventually got resolved but not having a clear communication line to the service center like a traditional dealership was not my cup of tea. I have had brand new cars like, Ford, Chevy, Honda, Toyota, infinity, Jaguars. Audi, Lexus etc. and each had customer service issues in some sort of way. But I was always able to connect with the store. Once I got the repair fixed the car had its usual bug fixes which were really no big deal.

Customer service is huge for me because it has monitory value. This sealed my decision if I was going to keep the car at the end of the lease.

What started my thread was because I set up service to do the recall work for 4/22. I live an hour away so like my last service time I asked for a car. Because when I bought the car and before I signed the dotted line I enquired about a loaner car if I needed service do you provide one and they said yes. So, when I scheduled the 4/22 service date I asked for a car because I use it for work. The night before I received a note in the app saying my Uber/Lyft voucher is available. I called the one and only service number that morning to ask why it said that and they explained a new policy if the repair takes 48hr or less they do vouchers . I explained to them that this was already worked out in March when I scheduled the service. They said sorry no can do. They said something about a mobile service and couldn’t offer that because again less than 48hrs to repair.
To some that may not be an issue but for me that was my issue .

And yes, this relates to customer service. This forum post many different types of posts from informational to the disappointed and even hatred to the car.

I simply gave my opinion on the general forum. I was accused of:

- not posting enough information
- posting a wrong opinion on the matter
- posting a post that was not informational

I guess I was a little dumb founded that people replied back the way they did.

it is, it was a post that was allowed. I have read this forum since before i got mine and I will continue to read it.

But in no way I was trying to bash what you thought about your rivian other than what I thought about mine. I thought the Corvette people were passionate about their cars when I had mine but Rivian has them beat!

Sorry to cause such a stir:-(

Sponsored

 

[Killer95Stang]

The short answer... if they promised you a loaner, then they should probably get you one. But... all this time, I never saw a contract where they said they would provide a loaner or rental car when a vehicle was in for service. They just kinda gave them out as a curtesy. Unfortunately, they finally implimented a concrete policy, which I'm guessing has a little to do with the introduction of the R2 model and its lower price tag.

 

[stackofdimes]

Alternative Take:
Don’t buy “a” Rivian… buy TWO. I did, and I haven’t regretted it a single day

 

[JacobAZ]

To RivianFun ... Just my perspective, but the negative response you got was not because you voiced your opinion. Rather it's because you were telling people what to do ... Its the title. I looked at your other posts as well as today's. You ask questions and present opinions which generate discussions. This is good. But when you start telling people what to do ... well, most people don't like strangers telling them what to do.

 

[Riviot]

I don't even read these anymore, but every time I see the titles, I think of:

 

[rivianfun]

To RivianFun ... Just my perspective, but the negative response you got was not because you voiced your opinion. Rather it's because you were telling people what to do ... Its the title. I looked at your other posts as well as today's. You ask questions and present opinions which generate discussions. This is good. But when you start telling people what to do ... well, most people don't like strangers telling them what to do.

it said why not to buy. Not you better not buy……..what a strange man you are and the strangest group of people ever on a site. So sad.

 

[dduffey]

I agree with you, getting Uber credits is poor customer service. That's said, it's the same as another EV company and pretty typical across brands from my experience.

Getting a Rivian loaner is pretty rare for me, but I have ?almost? always gotten a rental.

Because I got my R1T before there was even a service center, many of them know me and I am always firm but polite and friendly. That may be why I am treated well.

Once I get past the annoying robo-advisor in the app I have found that you get connected to a real human very quickly. I prefer the chat because I find it much easier to communicate asynchronously due to busy schedules.

Thanks for being brave and sharing your story in a forum with many fans.

 

[RivAW]

Regardless of policy change and whether one agrees with it, if OP was promised a loaner car when he made his appointment, it should have been honored. I also agree with the general (direct) customer service communications being unreasonable and in need of reconsideration and updating.

 

[Windblade]

Ok, here is the reason ------ Sorry to cause such a stir:-(

Thanks for taking the time to explain the full story behind your thread — I appreciate the extra context.

I’ve been driving my Rivian since March 2023 (over three years now), so I’ve seen the company evolve a lot. I get how frustrating service communication can feel, especially when you’re an hour away and need the truck for work. The shift to Uber/Lyft vouchers for shorter repairs is a newer policy, and it sounds like it caught you off guard after you’d already been promised a loaner back in March. That would annoy me too.

That said, I’ve had the complete opposite experience on the loaner side. Every time I’ve needed service (including recalls), they’ve provided a loaner without issue. Communication has definitely improved since the early days — the app, service chat, and mobile techs have come a long way — but I agree it’s still not as straightforward as a traditional dealership with “your guy” you can just call.

I’m glad you did the smart thing by leasing so you could test it out. Sounds like customer service is the make-or-break factor for you at lease end. Totally fair. A lot of us weigh that heavily too.

One thing I’ve noticed on the forum is that the most vocal negative posts often come from people who are still driving their Rivians. If the truck and experience are truly that bad, why keep it?

Genuine question — I’m not trying to poke at you. I’m just curious because after three years I still love mine and would buy another in a heartbeat.

 

[windblowlc]

it said why not to buy. Not you better not buy……..what a strange man you are and the strangest group of people ever on a site. So sad.

You better read your own title again - it said explicitly "Don't buy a Rivian" before telling people why not to buy. What a strange man you are - you didn't say "you better not buy" but "Don't buy a Rivian" is even more emphatic. Rather sad.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Thanks for taking the time to explain the full story behind your thread — I appreciate the extra context.

I’ve been driving my Rivian since March 2023 (over three years now), so I’ve seen the company evolve a lot. I get how frustrating service communication can feel, especially when you’re an hour away and need the truck for work. The shift to Uber/Lyft vouchers for shorter repairs is a newer policy, and it sounds like it caught you off guard after you’d already been promised a loaner back in March. That would annoy me too.

That said, I’ve had the complete opposite experience on the loaner side. Every time I’ve needed service (including recalls), they’ve provided a loaner without issue. Communication has definitely improved since the early days — the app, service chat, and mobile techs have come a long way — but I agree it’s still not as straightforward as a traditional dealership with “your guy” you can just call.

I’m glad you did the smart thing by leasing so you could test it out. Sounds like customer service is the make-or-break factor for you at lease end. Totally fair. A lot of us weigh that heavily too.

One thing I’ve noticed on the forum is that the most vocal negative posts often come from people who are still driving their Rivians. If the truck and experience are truly that bad, why keep it?

Genuine question — I’m not trying to poke at you. I’m just curious because after three years I still love mine and would buy another in a heartbeat.

I know this wasn't addressed to me, but I'd like to address the part of your post I highlighted in green. The truck is great, I love my R1S, just like I loved my R1T before it. The problem is the belt-tightening with service, and these new "too bad so sad" customer service policies. I have had a Rivian as a daily driver since 2022, and over that time, service has gradually eroded to the point where Rivian is now trying to offer the same level of service as anyone else.

My latest experience has been pretty negative, and it has me wanting to get rid of it. First, I had to play Let's Make a Deal just to get a loaner, then I had to drive 7 hours to drop it off, and an additional 6.5 hours to pick it back up. 13.5 hours of driving in a couple of days is a big ask, but that is the way of the world sometimes.

Now, this latest service has caused a new issue due to poor reassembly of components, and Rivian wants me to invest the same amount of time in rectifying it instead of sending a mobile tech out first to minimize further disruption to my life. This is the same level of service I can get from Kia, Stellantis, Chevy, and Ford. The difference is that I have dealerships for all of those brands, including all the mainstream luxury brands, within a 40-min drive.

So now I'm stuck with either spending another 13 hours in the car or taking a 20K dollar hit and buying something else. It's pretty clear that the new service model is pro-Rivian, no longer pro customer, and they are okay with losing some legacy customers over it. I need to decide how much more effort I want to put in, as this will be THREE service trips totaling close to 30 hours of drive time in less than two years. I'm not sure throwing more time into it is worth it, and perhaps I should invest in something that's just transportation but has a reasonable service experience.

 

[Noplacelikeloam]

Its a shame some people cant engage in healthy argument with getting angry. Alternative points of view create richness. While I didnt agree with you I appreciated the POV.

 

[2kwik4u]

Alternative Take:
Don’t buy “a” Rivian… buy TWO. I did, and I haven’t regretted it a single day

I LEASED one and wish I could give it back early.

With that said. Customer service with Rivian has been better than any other I've owned in the last 2 decades; and it's not even close.

Such a polarizing vehicle. From appearance, to service experiences, to product satisfaction, to quality control, to software implementation, it's all over the map, with most of it being subjective at best. The lack of consistency, I guess, is what you get from a startup.

Much to @Donald Stanfield point, at least with the larger manufacturers, you know what you get ahead of time instead of gambling on a good experience with a startup. Sometimes it's better to pick the devil you know instead of the one you don't?!?!

 

[derekmw]

it said why not to buy. Not you better not buy……..what a strange man you are and the strangest group of people ever on a site. So sad.

On every forum I've ever been on (automotive or not), there's always someone complaining that it's the worst forum on the internet. lol

 

[Hereforthesnacks]

I’ve never understood the uproar over the rental. If they are paying for gas, why do I care if it’s an ICE? Or if they give me another Rivian, who cares if it’s not the exact one I own.

It’s all temporary to help out.

Sponsored