Anyone else have a disappointing delivery experience?

[moosetags]

While I am sorry that the OP did not have a good delivery experience with his R1S, it sure has generated a bunch of Forums posts. Even though the R1S itself was far from perfect, the delivery interaction was also not very good. This is a shame because Rvian needs to have really competent folks doing these deliveries.

We took Factory Delivery of Opal (our R1T) in April of this year. The delivery process began in the Delivery Center at the Factory. Opal was clean and shiny upon our arrival. We were given ample time to inspect her prior to getting into the actual delivery process. We spent a very short time on the paperwork process. The Rivian employee that gave us the run down was an R1T owner who has vast Rivian driving experience. He assisted us in getting our phones introduced to Opal. He also demonstrated use of the key cards and key fob. He then sat int the vehicle with us and went through all of the operations. We spent well over an hour doing this. By the time he was done, we felt as well briefed as we could be in this amount of time.

Another delivery specialist then took us out in Opal for a test drive. I decided to remain in the Factory Lobby while SuEllyn did the test drive. Opal is her truck. She spent about another hour out driving Opal on the roads in the vicinity of the Factory.

Overall, we were impressed with the delivery process. Neither of us had ever driven an EV before and were concerned about the differences. We adapted to EV driving pretty quickly and have really come to like it.

Brian

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[cohall]

When I picked up my R1T, it had a few things I wanted fixed. Hood alignment, chargeport cover alignment, etc. I filled out a "Dealer Owes" form, had them create a ticket, and got everything fixed a short time later. No biggie - I've needed to do this with almost every car I've ever bought from a dealer, including Audis, Volvos, Infinitis, etc.

I understand your frustration, but I think your reaction seems a bit extreme. I have all my new cars professionally detailed right after purchase anyway, as I've never seen a dealer do a good job.

If that's not a satisfactory solution, I'd suggest another more well established brand might be a better fit. And I mean that sincerely. A Lexus dealer is going to take much better care of your concerns than Rivian ever will, IMO. If your priority is perfect gaps and the best customer care, Rivian is not likely to be the brand you'll be happiest with.

 

[iBang]

Www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com. buy one of these if you're going to nitpick a vehicle this much.

That remark was mean.

 

[COdogman]

The water spots are caked into the paint and materials of the vehicle. They aren’t water spots that you can take off with a standard detail it needs to be paint corrected. And with my experience having paint corrected several vehicles and one of my friends being a professional Detailer I can tell you that the clear coat and vehicle is never the same after a paint correction. There’s only so many times you can “correct” a vehicle. Buffing and what not eats into the clear coat and protection of the vehicle that’s just facts.

To comment on your other points, I won’t disagree that I may have come off overly passionate so to speak about my experience but that’s because of the level of hope I’ve had for this company to succeed. When I experienced what I experienced I really thought to myself how in the world is this company going to survive if this is their every day practice. They’re only suppose to build and delivery more vehicles (hopefully) and if they’re already this behind their game then what type of future/epectations are they laying out for us?

As for the service members doing their best I’m sure they are. However perception is everything. They seemed to be all about getting me in my vehicle as quickly as possible yet when it came down to it they tried getting me in a vehicle that wasn’t ready and that’s the honest truth. There’s one basic requirement in a delivery and that is the product should be presentable. Nothing about that vehicle was presentable. Asking for people to settle and come back at a later time to fix their issues is a poor business model and while it might work for some time now it will ultimately burn them and their future success.

I have to disagree with you in terms of customer appreciation/satisfaction. The service center is tailored to fixing vehicles yes but they have taken responsibility for customer interaction therefore customer service should be at the top of their list. Regardless of how tall a mountain they have to climb to blend both service and customer service that is ultimately where they need to be if they are to be interacting with customers. That is why the traditional dealership model has been so successful. Purchasing a vehicle goes beyond the manufacturing process, you’re paying for the brand and its responsibility to its customers. One of those responsibilities is to make sure their customers are happy with their product and to remedy any issues they may have under warranty.

You’re saying they have no responsibility to make customers feel appreciated? Let me ask you this when you buy something from Walmart or Amazon and return it because it has a defect or because you simply changed your mind does that not make you feel appreciated? Do you not come back to shop with them because you know you’re being taken care of. While that’s a very basic example, I would argue that whoever’s gone through a similar experience would leave the situation feeling appreciated and valued as a customer.

So to further beat the dead horse here, car manufacturers have 100% of a requirement to make their customers feel valued and appreciated. If not then why would anyone buy a Rivian over another manufacturer? If this is simply a transactional process where A. I pay and B. they deliver vehicle what separates Rivian from the crowd? Customer service is everything.

No offense, but that is straight up your opinion on the water spots. And even if you are correct about that, you simply have to make a decision whether to give them a chance to fix it or not. And that is totally fair if you don't. Same applies to the other issues. I agreed I would have them fix those issues as well. That isn't why you are getting criticized here.

I can say without hesitation that never in my thought process during ANY transaction does the question come into my head "do I feel appreciated". Not once ever. So if that is something on your mind that often I think you are setting yourself up to be disappointed on a regular basis. And it also explains how we got this thread in the first place.

I'm not sure if I understand your point on the dealerships. Are you saying the dealership model has been successful BECAUSE they make people "feel appreciated"? Because all that tells me is you have been working with different dealers than I have in my life. I can honestly say I have never once had a good experience at a dealer. In comparison, the Rivian delivery was trouble free and painless and they had me out of there in record time. And that is all I expect of them. Not to be made to feel special or appreciated or important.

 

[Fairviewspiff]

Oh my. Water spots???

 

[Zeusy Zeus]

I have a higher than most standard on rattles, delivery quality, etc... like you I suspect.

Mine has a paint burn on the rear tail gate where somebody who didn't know how to use an orbital buffer...went to far. I was going to have them repaint and decided I would be better off just living with it.

And all the people talking about how water spots are no big deal....either are people who don't give a shit about their paint finishes in general or have not ever experienced hard water deposits etched into paint.

But...all that said....I definitely feel I had to lower my standards of build quality, not from Rolls/Bentley, but rather Lexus/Acura, and not just quality but for certain....service(not the people..but the processes and overload). And honestly from what I have seen on posts...my Jeeps and Ford are build with better tolerances than some Rivians.

But....all that said....I absolutely love Rivian and my Rivian. I am not one of the many fan boys on here that feel Rivian can do no wrong or get all concerned over your post passion or wording...they seem more worried about how you presented the message rather than the message anyway...so many must agree the message is solid. I worry Rivian is threading the needle a bit to lean on customer satisfaction. Hopefully not to point of failure...

So if you can accept working thru things, they are all really good people, and ultimately you are rewarded with a vehicle like nothing else. I have almost 30k on mine and can't wait to drive it each time.

But...i have adjusted some things...taken the frunk out looking for noises...partially removed the dash grill...looking for noises...etc...

Perfect....no.....amazing...yes.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences… I’m happy to hear you’re enjoying the car it makes me hopeful. I actually just spoke with the guide again asking if I can a loaner Rivian in the meantime since I’m paying to the car already. This way I can atleast drive and have fun with the vehicle in the meantime.

 

[Zeusy Zeus]

I don’t think anyone is saying that those aren’t frustrating issues - I would have been annoyed as well. You’ve changed the title of the thread to tone it down a bit and are taking a more reasonable approach at this point, which is what the other folks responding were ultimately suggesting. Rivian does need to improve the QC, and we all hope it’s getting there…but pitchforks isn’t gonna happen for water spots and panel alignment imperfections, especially for those with pre-March 2022 pricing. At current pricing, I think expectations should indeed be higher, but that massive discount we got is part of the tradeoff.

FWIW, I had much more significant paint issues than water spots - a very poorly repaired chip on the front fender and a hazy spot on the hood that I can’t seem to buff out. Panel alignment on the hood is questionable. My front doors don’t really close as smoothly as they should. They prepped the interior with some sort of cleaning solution that left white spots/residue all over every bit of plastic in the truck that took numerous scrubbings over several months to finally eradicate. Was I annoyed? Sure, but oh well. It’s part of the game when buying one of the first vehicles from a startup at a steep discount. The SC would have fixed them if I asked, but after a year of driving any vehicle, it’s gonna have a rock chip or two anyway.

FWIW, vehicles like Ferrari and Lambos often have some of the worst factory paint jobs out there. Not only do they need serious paint correction, the paint is really thin and susceptible to burning. A Toyota Tundra has superior factory paint than many $500,000 supercars.

Yeah definitely I have a good friend that’s a professional detailer that works on high end vehicles. Yesterday he mentioned he was working on a $500,000 Ferrari that was completely beat up so he definitely tamed my expectations when I heard that. I guess it just really boiled down to having some serious goodluck in the past. My last 2 luxury cars I bought in Los Angeles and I have noticed that the quality there was superior in every way to Miami. Oh well I’ll continue moving forward I’ll let you all know how it all works out. I’ve asked for a loaner in the meantime to atleast have something to get my hands behind the wheel.

 

[Zeusy Zeus]

Tools not jewels fella. Why don’t you take delivery of your awesome truck and get out there and drive it off road or to the beach or whatever, have a ton of fun and you won’t be looking for phantom swirl marks and driving yourself insane. Also the people at the service center aren’t part of your private staff. If you go around giving them ultimatums the are gonna move on to someone else and let you work out your emotions on your own time.

lol I wouldn’t say I have them an ultimatum but a chance to make it right. I’m sure the car is going to be bad ass once I finally get my hands on it but there is a standard that should be met and they didn’t meet that. If they want to move on from me as a customer I won’t lose any sleep over it tbh I have no urgency to get into this vehicle which is a great feeling to have.

 

[Zeusy Zeus]

I mean this sincerely and kindly: then go by an iX or EQS and move on happily with your life. Time on this earth is too short for you to be miserable about owning a Rivian. Know thyself.

I hear what you’re saying but I don’t think I’ve experienced the Rivian to even make that decision at this point in time. I may love the Rivian once I finally get behind the wheel and never look back… that is my hope. I’ve honestly needed a break from the luxury and have wanted something a little more “adventure” or rugged like. I just want the car to feel new and not used… or atleast like someone went joyriding with it and it’s like here you go sir enjoy the vehicle we sure as hell did. lol

 

[Zeusy Zeus]

I picked up a R1S last Thursday in Brooklyn SC. First the location could not be any worse as it is an industrial area with the exit out of the SC onto the street very difficult. When I arrived my vehicle was parked on the sidewalk. There was somebody washing the drivers side window which I thought was strange but later realized something was wiped on the side of that car that needed some detailing compound to remove. The car was in pretty good condition with one piece of trim that needed to be fixed. Lots of confusion about doing it now or would I have to come back (nightmare as I live in Pennsylvania) and they did manage to fix it fairly promptly. The Rivian service representative was very nice and seemed like she had not managed this process too many times prior which was no big deal other than the fact she did not know allot about the vehicle. My issue is more I can't believe Rivian or any company would locate their SC here and have customers bear the pain and suffering of going there. I lived in New York and went to college less than 3 miles away from the SC so it is not that it is in Brooklyn. It is in Brooklyn on a street that you can barely navigate and where you have customers drive their car away off a sidewalk. That is just poor. I am 63 years old and been fortunate to purchase many new cars in my life. This was by far the worst condition of a new car I have ever purchased in regards the detailing of it. Fortunately I detail my own cars and have products to remove water hardness off the windows and roof, glue from stickers that must have been removed, and even some blue plastic wrap that was left in the doors. Spent 2 hours just cleaning a brand new vehicle I purchased which is insane. I don't agree with some of the comments in regards we should take what we can get. I own my own business. If you treat customers like this, they will go some place else as this is disrespecting the customer. We deserve better and I fear having to ever bring my R1S back to that facility and find it dirty and parked on the sidewalk when I go to pick it up. Rivian needs to be better than that or they will not be in business long.

Thank you for sharing your experience Somers, I agree it’s a little disheartening when I hear of situations like yours. All I and most others on here can only say is we hope Rivian improves. Right now it’s evident they are biting off more than they can chew. Does that mean it will only get worse? Possibly but maybe it gets better. Maybe they learn from these situations and improve. I know that’s what we are all hoping. Rivian isn’t a new company as they’ve been in business I believe about 11 years now? But they did just start mass producing vehicles about 2 years ago. I’d like to think they’re working out the kinks and improving on every front. Of course situations like ours make us feel hesitant for the brand and that’s hard to swallow. I’m really hoping Rivian handles their business and figures this out quick. I don’t think they have the time to sit around competition is just now starting to ramp up.

Someone here recommended I jump into a BMW electric car… that may very well be what others decide to do when they have these types of experiences. Rivian needs to tread very carefully here moving forward in my opinion.

 

[Zeusy Zeus]

My delivery in San Diego was a great experience. Spent 45 min walking me thru the vehicle. I came w the checklist from this forum and all checked out. My experience w delivery and the vehicle quality has been great. 2500 miles so far and delighted with the R1S.

Awesome happy to hear that. This checklist you speak of can you link it? Or is it just an informal one you made up? I definitely want to go prepared next time and atleast document some issues to get fixed.

 

[Zeusy Zeus]

You’ve certainly gotten your moneys worth on this post. Regarding my delivery experience, it was good, not great. There were quite a few items that were added to a list that would be fixed by a Mobile Tech. I’m not really picky, so didn’t have much concern about that.

Let me say that I love love love most everything about the vehicle. I’ve owned over 30 vehicles so have a good deal of experience. Would also have to say that I hate hate hate everything about the Rivian service experience. The mobile tech came out pretty promptly, but were not able to repair about half a dozen of the items, even simple things like replacing a wheel logo had to be done in the shop. About six months later, when I finally took it into the shop, about four hour round-trip experience, it sat on the SC lot for four weeks and then took another two weeks to get parts and do the repairs. Went to pick it up and there were still problems with the parts that they replaced ( dented). Some were worse than when I took it in.
Would I recommend Rivian now to anyone who lives in my neighborhood, absolutely not. If they get their service centers up and running properly, that would make a world of difference. Let us all know if you end up buying.
PS also a shareholder, got in at just over 14?.

Awesome will do brother. Yeah it seems to be the case great vehicles just the SC’s aren’t where they need to be to really compete with the other hard hitters in the business. I got in at $100 but I’m DCA to $50 now so yes definitely in the dumps right now ??. Rolling with the punches but as you can only imagine that’s why I want this company to succeed more than others. That definitely added to my level of “disappointment” sadly.

 

[Zeusy Zeus]

I think you just hit on the actual point many are trying to get across to OP (at least the one I was trying to get across). Most agreed they would ask the service center to fix those issues. Most thought the entitled way in which it was announced here was overblown. Just tell them you want it fixed and move on. If you come here an post a thread with a dramatic title implying you had THE worst delivery experience of all Rivian delivery experiences, etc., etc., etc., then you are going to get responses you don't really like. And you brought that on yourself. Many others have posted about bad experiences and issues with their vehicles without that entitled tone and everyone agreed with every word they said.

It's input/ output. You get out what you put into it.

I don’t think anything I said was entitled. My original title was “I had the worst delivery experience” meaning my worst experience. Not relating or comparing it to anyone else’s.
The only other “entitled” comment may have been when I wrote receiving the vehicle in that condition felt like complete disrespect. That was my opinion as a customer and as someone who knows what a delivery is suppose to look like (past car purchases). We are all different and get offended differently, it seems many on here were threatened and attacked by my few “passionate” remarks so I toned it down a little. In either case like @AlanP mentioned I definitely got my moneys worth on this post. Great to hear the different experiences and insights from others. Of course we are subject to hear more complaints than praises that’s just human nature but overall the consensus has been everyone loves the vehicles just understands SC’s need a lot of work to get where they should be.

 

[Ducsinarow]

Here in Oregon, I happened to have a fantastic experience with the delivery process, both times! The first time they brought the wrong color in an unexplained mix up with my order. The delivery driver was incredibly helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable.
On the other hand, the 3 years leading up to the delivery were a horrible experience, from my point of view. That process made it difficult for me to even want take delivery.
Sorry to hear some people had bad experiences with delivery; that's a bummer.

 

[Zeusy Zeus]

No offense, but that is straight up your opinion on the water spots. And even if you are correct about that, you simply have to make a decision whether to give them a chance to fix it or not. And that is totally fair if you don't. Same applies to the other issues. I agreed I would have them fix those issues as well. That isn't why you are getting criticized here.

I can say without hesitation that never in my thought process during ANY transaction does the question come into my head "do I feel appreciated". Not once ever. So if that is something on your mind that often I think you are setting yourself up to be disappointed on a regular basis. And it also explains how we got this thread in the first place.

I'm not sure if I understand your point on the dealerships. Are you saying the dealership model has been successful BECAUSE they make people "feel appreciated"? Because all that tells me is you have been working with different dealers than I have in my life. I can honestly say I have never once had a good experience at a dealer. In comparison, the Rivian delivery was trouble free and painless and they had me out of there in record time. And that is all I expect of them. Not to be made to feel special or appreciated or important.

No offense taken like I’ve mentioned before we are all different people, from different walks of life and different real world experiences. It’s pretty obvious from reading some of the comments I must have been completely spoiled in my last few purchases. My last few cars were in similar price points $95k and up so maybe that doesn’t help? As for feeling appreciated I mean that as more of a principle than anything. Meaning if I come in to take delivery I want to know thought went into making sure the vehicle looks as good as it can. I mean just think if Rivian hired a good detailer to detail these vehicles to everyone prior to delivery. I would take the vehicle and say hey these other minor issues I can fix those later. I will agree with what someone else wrote on here in Miami we are more critical on how a vehicle looks than some other places. A Rivian in Miami is a basic car compared to many other places in the country and maybe that’s why.

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