Rivian Ordering and Delivery Summary (Complaint) - Motor Trend

[idiocyafoot]

My situation might have been a little different due to jumping on the Rivian Shop offer…but I have to say…other than one minor exception, the 8 step process was flawless and easy (and quick).

The only issue I had was having to provide a binder/proof of coverage for a vehicle I only had a ‘6-8 weeks or sooner’ expectation of delivery on. (In my case if turned out to be only 2 weeks, but still.)

On the other hand I can potentially see some ‘FOB’ insurance challenges they might be running into with no real dealerships in each state and the plates being issued from IL. My Tesla delivery (even in 2016) wasn’t like that…I got local temp plates and didn’t need a binder until day of like most car purchases.

Ultimately not a big issue in the scope of things and everything else was more than acceptable, especially given how early we and Rivian are in all this.

I guess my final thought on this is..”If you expect everything to be perfect, then don’t be an early adopter. Perhaps a little farther across the chasm would be more comfortable for you.”

So far my only early adopter purgatory in this is that I want to STRANGLE Alexa every time I ask her to do anything (and end up just getting Siri to do it…from the non-charging console). “I’m sorry…”

But it’ll all get worked out.

In the meantime we get to tool around in one of the coolest and most forward-thinking vehicles ever…before everyone else.

If it leaves me on the side of the road I might be back here with some other thoughts…until then I’m good with a hiccup or two.

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[Zoidz]

Surprised to read about so many people on this forum are upset someone wrote something critical about the buying process. It sounds like it can be improved. There have been several posts of buyers on this forum with their own questions about the 8 step process.

If it was a genuine critical complaint, that's fine. This was not genuine critical complaint, this was whining because he was a dumb-a$$. How could this knuckhead enter into an agreement to buy a vehicle and not know he needed a cashier's check to make payment at delivery? He had TWO WEEKS to sort it out! Even if they didn't explicitly tell him, any competent adult would inherently know they have to bring payment. Obviously the author is less than competent.

"I'm told by my friendly Guide to make sure I bring a certified or cashier's check with me on Tuesday. "What?!?" I rudely exclaim. "You're telling me this now? I'm in Colorado, and flying back tomorrow, landing after my bank is closed and I have to work the morning of the 14th? How can I get a cashier's check?"

 

[srazz]

Does it really force you to sign up for the Rivian insurance as he says in the article? WTF?

Absolutely does not.

 

[ads75]

If it was a genuine critical complaint, that's fine. This was not genuine critical compaint, this was whining because he was a dumb-a$$. How could this knuckhead enter into an agreement to buy a vehicle and not know he needed a cashier's check to make payment at delivery? He had TWO WEEKS to sort it out! Even if they didn't explicitly tell him, any competent adult would inherently know they have to bring payment. Obviously the author is less than competent.

"I'm told by my friendly Guide to make sure I bring a certified or cashier's check with me on Tuesday. "What?!?" I rudely exclaim. "You're telling me this now? I'm in Colorado, and flying back tomorrow, landing after my bank is closed and I have to work the morning of the 14th? How can I get a cashier's check?"

The writer said he was traveling. Not all banks are in all states. Not everyone schedules their lives around vehicle deliveries.

The author has bought presumably vehicles before. And it sounds like many of them went smoother than his experience with Rivian. But some people don’t want to acknowledge their experiences may not match everyone else’s.

 

[mabowden]

It won't. Took me about 20 minutes to get through steps 1-6. This guy is just a lazy idiot. Rivian sends an email ahead of time, linking to a buying checklist that answers most if not all questions.

He didn't mention this email and (wild guess) didn't bother to read it either. He just sat on his ass and waited for his guide to spoon-feed him everything, then got mad when reality didn't align to his expectations and cried about it in a public forum.

Almost all of my other car purchases have been with dealers and have consumed a ridiculous amount of time and energy. I bought one car once through a broker that was pretty seamless but this experience so far is tied for first place. (Ask me again once I actually take delivery.)

Let me rephrase: After those two hours I leave with a new car...

 

[The J-Man]

I pick up my truck tomorrow and yes it sucked going through the purchase process. It was a huge headache. It was a week long headache vs. a 4 hour headache at a traditional dealer. The Rivian method was far far far far far worse. That being said, I'd still choose direct to consumer vs giving another single cent to a traditional stealership. I'll make a full post about my purchase experience after I pick up the truck.

 

[Carmelbythesea]

I’ve bought two teslas and now a rivian. I would say rivian was just as easy. The second Tesla circa ‘21 they told me was on a flatbed on its way to me, when I clicked accept delivery it appeared at their factory. I had to Uber 2 hours to get it.

The whole bank debacle he describes is the same program “plaid” that Tesla uses. I knew rivian was using plaid, so I moved my money beforehand to a bank I knew worked with plaid. Some banks refuse to work with it.

Also he is complaining at the same point alluding he skipped the line…not the best look.

Everyone complaining about a facet of the 8 steps. You are sitting in your house buying a car. Maybe 3 manufacturers allow this. I ended up selling my trade in to a friend who had her car totaled in bc a hit and run. I was on vacation on the beach in Mexico and rivian called me and we sorted out the swap of a trade in for cash. I docu signed on my iPhone feet in the sand.

Try that with a regular dealer, never happening. They will bring you to tiny side room and I’d try yo sell you an extended warranty.

Rivian has delivered 7800ish automobiles give them a break.

 

[bholliday5150]

The wife and I just went to Normal for factory pickup yesterday. Not one issue with process to purchase. We got to Normal for our 11am appointment and man what a day. We were treated like royalty. We got a factory tour from Lucas (awesome guy btw). We saw lines of R1Ts finishing production. We saw at least 8 to 10 R1Ss in line with their R1T big brothers. Our guide, Martin, joined us for tour as well. He’s awesome also.

After tour, James had me sign a whopping 4 pages in person and then a review of truck and test drive. James was great as well.

pics inside factory not allowed but believe me folks…take a factory pickup and delivery. Awesome all the way around.

All you R1S pre orders…..they are coming. Saw some of the mighty Amazon vans finishing production as well. Such a neat company atmosphere as well.


I’ll post pics of our new R1T at factory later…too busy driving it.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

The whole bank debacle he describes is the same program “plaid” that Tesla uses. I knew rivian was using plaid, so I moved my money beforehand to a bank I knew worked with plaid. Some banks refuse to work with it.

ah yes, that was a bit annoying. I tried to pay with a Discover Savings account and it wouldn’t work. Plaid insisted they worked with Discover, but a phone call to Discover revealed they do not. I don’t blame a rivian for this, but it was annoying that Discover would refuse to work with Plaid (not sure why?) and also annoying that plaid would mis-represent it. Thankfully I was able to use another bank…. But I could see how it may cause issues for someone.

 

[SeaGeo]

bringing my own financing was also not clear regarding acquiring the documentation needed by both Rivian and the Bank.

Not Rivian's fault, but it definitely threw the credit union I used for a loop too. Their system kept replacing Rivian with.... Infiniti (?) as the brand so they had to work it out with managers a couple of days later and have us come back. They also required a couple of forms that Rivian had to sign before issuing us the check. Rivian was actually pretty helpful through the process.

 

[AdamsFan1983]

The writer said he was traveling. Not all banks are in all states. Not everyone schedules their lives around vehicle deliveries.

The author has bought presumably vehicles before. And it sounds like many of them went smoother than his experience with Rivian. But some people don’t want to acknowledge their experiences may not match everyone else’s.

nobody asked him to; that’s the date he scheduled for himself…..

 

[Zoidz]

The writer said he was traveling. Not all banks are in all states. Not everyone schedules their lives around vehicle deliveries.

The author has bought presumably vehicles before. And it sounds like many of them went smoother than his experience with Rivian. But some people don’t want to acknowledge their experiences may not match everyone else’s.

That in no way justifies his response. Again, he had two weeks advance notice - he could have planned around his travel, etc. He did not. He just responded RUDELY as though it was Rivian's fault. It's not defensible.

"What?!?" I rudely exclaim. "You're telling me this now? "

 

[Airbuswillie]

That buying process does sound terrible but it’s tough to feel bad for him since in the write up he makes it sound like he just barely made it under the air to get his $1000 deposit in before the price hike. If that’s the case then he did that about a year and a half after me and got his truck about 6 months earlier than I’m supposed to be getting mine. He’s got to be about the 6th or 7th “car person” on YouTube or who writes for a big magazine that has skipped the line ahead of hundred if not thousands of other people. That’s bullshit.

 

[bemulligan]

Does it really force you to sign up for the Rivian insurance as he says in the article? WTF?

No. He obviously wanted to finish all the steps the same day. It took me an extra day to get a quote from my insurance agent and it was better so I went with them.

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