Tire replacement at a Rivian service center for $668.31

[Asimov4]

I noticed the low tire pressure warning on I-405 down from Kirkland to Bellevue with the front right tire losing about 1 psi every 10 seconds. Muscle memory got me back to the Rivian Service center where I was able to park at about 30 psi. I then watched the tire deflate completely to 5 psi while I was on the call with roadside assistance.

On the call I was told that Bellevue was the busiest service center and that they would see what they could do to fit me into their schedule today. My hopes were pretty low given that it was a holiday weekend. I was super happy when they called me back and said they could take a look at the tire. I was able to use the compressor to get the tire back to 30 psi for them to move it into the center.

Turns out there was a nail sticking through the side of the tire in an area that could not be repaired. 2 hours later, I had a brand new tire, got my other tires rotated (at about 8k miles), and was set back $734.37. Glad that I get to drive my R1S for New Years Eve!

The flat tire on the service center parking lot:

The invoice:

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[technerd]

$200 to mount and balance a tire?! How...

 

[sub]

$200 to mount and balance a tire?! How...

When you pay a HV certified mechanic to do it. 1 hr of labor doesn't sound that bad. When I do my seasonal tire swaps it usually takes about an hour with 3-4 people working on it to dismount, mount, and balance 4 tires. The problem is the $200/hr billing rate.

Of course it is cheaper when you pay a highschool dropout at the tire shop to do it, but Rivian doesn't have anyone with such a low billable rate employed at the service center since they expect most of their work to be slightly more complex than that.

This is what you should expect when you hire a highly skilled mechanic to do a simple job.

 

[flush]

Your 21" tire cost is cheaper than Tire Rack (407 vs 452).

Labor is labor - you pay to play, an independent mechanic in Bellevue is marginally cheaper, 150/hr-ish.

Alternatively, you could have gone to a Discount Tire to have gotten it replaced too, for same distance you drove to the Bellevue Service Center (there's a Discount Tire and a Les Schwab on Bel-Red). Just more wait time to get in line AND it's still 452 at Discount Tire, assuming they have it in stock and you will still pay some fee to have it balanced and mounted (no tire rotation included).

p.s. you really should rotate your tires more often than "when the service people tell me" (aka every 5k miles).

 

[SeaGeo]

Your 21" tire cost is cheaper than Tire Rack (407 vs 452).

Labor is labor - you pay to play, an independent mechanic in Bellevue is marginally cheaper, 150/hr-ish.

Alternatively, you could have gone to a Discount Tire to have gotten it replaced too, for same distance you drove to the Bellevue Service Center (there's a Discount Tire and a Les Schwab on Bel-Red). Just more wait time to get in line AND it's still 452 at Discount Tire, assuming they have it in stock and you will still pay some fee to have it balanced and mounted (no tire rotation included).

p.s. you really should rotate your tires more often than "when the service people tell me" (aka every 5k miles).

Discount will balance and rotate tires for free.

 

[_evtrk]

typically labor is $100 for tire mount/balance, i think they took advantage with the "general tire diagnostic" fee, at my local SC in Miami, the price is the $407 + Labor + taxes/fees. if you go the discount tire route(which rivian customer service gives you as an option to go there when you call them to schedule tire patch/replace, they have some sort of partnership, they also have the pucks to lift the vehicles) but for the same price you get lifetime tire rotation and balancing and you get the tire road hazard warranty, or if you opt to no get the road hazard warranty you save around $60 per tire for mount/balance.

 

[Tim-in-CA]

When I purchased my R1S, the following day I went to Americas Tire and bought the road hazard warranty. $70ish per tire. Worth it. Did the same for my Lucid Air

 

[lefkonj]

That seems very reasonable. Sorry but had a similar thing happen to an Audi and the tire replacement and service was about $800.

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

I noticed the low tire pressure warning on I-405 down from Kirkland to Bellevue with the front right tire losing about 1 psi every 10 seconds. Muscle memory got me back to the Rivian Service center where I was able to park at about 30 psi. I then watched the tire deflate completely to 5 psi while I was on the call with roadside assistance.

On the call I was told that Bellevue was the busiest service center and that they would see what they could do to fit me into their schedule today. My hopes were pretty low given that it was a holiday weekend. I was super happy when they called me back and said they could take a look at the tire. I was able to use the compressor to get the tire back to 30 psi for them to move it into the center.

Turns out there was a nail sticking through the side of the tire in an area that could not be repaired. 2 hours later, I had a brand new tire, got my other tires rotated (at about 8k miles), and was set back $734.37. Glad that I get to drive my R1S for New Years Eve!

The flat tire on the service center parking lot:

The invoice:

Price wasn't too bad. Those tires were at least $450 per the last time I checked tire rack. Might have saved $100 at a tire place.... But many of them still haven't seen Rivian's so it's a huge risk. I think you did the right thing

 

[docwhiz]

I noticed the low tire pressure warning on I-405 down from Kirkland to Bellevue with the front right tire losing about 1 psi every 10 seconds. Muscle memory got me back to the Rivian Service center where I was able to park at about 30 psi. I then watched the tire deflate completely to 5 psi while I was on the call with roadside assistance.

On the call I was told that Bellevue was the busiest service center and that they would see what they could do to fit me into their schedule today. My hopes were pretty low given that it was a holiday weekend. I was super happy when they called me back and said they could take a look at the tire. I was able to use the compressor to get the tire back to 30 psi for them to move it into the center.

Turns out there was a nail sticking through the side of the tire in an area that could not be repaired. 2 hours later, I had a brand new tire, got my other tires rotated (at about 8k miles), and was set back $734.37. Glad that I get to drive my R1S for New Years Eve!

The flat tire on the service center parking lot:

The invoice:

Stupid click bait.
Tire rotation was $60.
The rest was a new tire.

 

[Asimov4]

Stupid click bait.
Tire rotation was $60.
The rest was a new tire.

Is "tire replacement" less ambiguous than "tire change"? I'm just trying to share some information I wish I found on the forum when I noticed the flat tire.

 

[moosetags]

I'm thinking that you could have gone to Discount Tire and come out at least $100 better. They sell the Pirelli 21" for $452. I'm pretty sure that if You buy a new tire from them, they will include mounting it. Not sure what they would charge for rotation and balance, but lets say $75. Through in sales tax. That should put you out the door below $600.

This price that the OP paid at the Rivian SC seems excessive considering that Discount Tire can perform these services at least as well, if not better than the Rivian SC.

Brian

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I'm with everyone else that said you should have went to the tire store. It happens though I'm glad you got sorted out.

 

[docwhiz]

Is "tire replacement" less ambiguous than "tire change"? I'm just trying to share some information I wish I found on the forum when I noticed the flat tire.

Yes, thanks. Much better.

 

[HaveBlue]

Yes but did it really take them half an hour ($100) to see the tire was flat? Only takes me 10 minutes to diagnose that the tire is flat on the bottom.

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