Rivian service centers at Amazon distribution centers?

[electruck]

Rivian stated long ago that they want their own premium, Rivian branded experience for service and would not be leveraging Ford service centers.

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[Hilbe]

Amazon wouldn't allow this for security reasons. Too hard to control who is coming/going near their place of business.

 

[Speedrye]

Rivian stated long ago that they want their own premium, Rivian branded experience for service and would not be leveraging Ford service centers.

Thank goodness! If I'm spending this kind of money, the last treatment I want to have is the Ford service treatment. (well, actually the Hyundai/Kia is probably last, but not by much in my experience)

Give me a BMW/Lexus/Mercedes treatment as a baseline and I'll be happy.

 

[DuckTruck]

Having had the worst dealership experience of my life at a large Ford shop with my Taurus SHO, I hope to steer clear of being dependent upon them for taking care of my non-Ford product. Every time I drive close to that dealership, I feel like Damien Thorn in The Omen.

After Ford mistakenly surmised that it was a blown engine that required a $6,500 replacement, plus labor, I was pleased a NAPA shop found it to be a $6.20 thermostat. I’d let it go, but I politely assured the Ford Service Manager and the Division Rep who stood behind the mistake that I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to share my thoughts going forward. There......I feel better now.....

 

[flabyboy]

I could see the perk of them having their vans serviced right in house. Obvious the current setup at the warehouses wouldn’t be ideal, but knowing Rivian and Amazon, I’m sure they could be creative

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Ford is still looking to utilize the skateboard platform on a future Lincoln so it's not inconceivable that this would happen. The challenge is that the dealers would have to be on board with it. Ford doesn't own any of their dealers or service centers. Many dealers may be on board with that since their service dept is usually the largest profit center. It would also matter how much Rivian is willing to pay for warranty work.

I originally thought that Rivian mobile techs could "rent" bays from local Ford dealers when they needed a lift... But the biggest problem I see with that is that "Ford" (corporate) doesn't own the service centers and can't really make that agreement. The dealers are franchises, and Rivian would have to negotiate with each one for access.

Building their own centers is a lot of work, but better in the long run.

 

[trmckin1]

Rivian stated long ago that they want their own premium, Rivian branded experience for service and would not be leveraging Ford service centers.

No doubt but in the meantime... people will still need service from time to time. Main reason why I dumped our model S is that I couldn't get any repair work done within a reasonable timeframe and it became too much of a headache. It's one thing to have premium service (Rivian will eventually build it) but if you get desperate enough... any service is appreciated. I have a 2nd vehicle so I'm not worried about the truck. If I was confident I would have reliable service, I'd order a R1S for the wife today. For now, I'll gladly be a test mule.

 

[electruck]

No doubt but in the meantime... people will still need service from time to time. Main reason why I dumped our model S is that I couldn't get any repair work done within a reasonable timeframe and it became too much of a headache. It's one thing to have premium service (Rivian will eventually build it) but if you get desperate enough... any service is appreciated. I have a 2nd vehicle so I'm not worried about the truck. If I was confident I would have reliable service, I'd order a R1S for the wife today. For now, I'll gladly be a test mule.

Not my decision, just tempering the speculation with Rivian's publicly stated position on the matter.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

No doubt but in the meantime... people will still need service from time to time. Main reason why I dumped our model S is that I couldn't get any repair work done within a reasonable timeframe and it became too much of a headache. It's one thing to have premium service (Rivian will eventually build it) but if you get desperate enough... any service is appreciated. I have a 2nd vehicle so I'm not worried about the truck. If I was confident I would have reliable service, I'd order a R1S for the wife today. For now, I'll gladly be a test mule.

Just go to an independent mechanic, at that point.

I get why people go to dealerships when it's the same brand as the vehicle they drive. The dealer has tons of experience with the model and the patterns employed by that manufacturer, as well as easy access to OEM parts and can even escalate issues up the ladder and receive specialized support. But using a dealership for a vehicle that isn't of that make seems like a worst-of-all-options -- you don't benefit from the expertise, support, or parts access, yet you're paying top-dollar prices for services.

 

[trmckin1]

Just go to an independent mechanic, at that point.

I get why people go to dealerships when it's the same brand as the vehicle they drive. The dealer has tons of experience with the model and the patterns employed by that manufacturer, as well as easy access to OEM parts and can even escalate issues up the ladder and receive specialized support. But using a dealership for a vehicle that isn't of that make seems like a worst-of-all-options -- you don't benefit from the expertise, support, or parts access, yet you're paying top-dollar prices for services.

Warranty work not covered by independent mechanic though. I'm hopeful (and so far the initial impressions) is that rivian's build quality is much better. The headaches of early adoption.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Warranty work not covered by independent mechanic though. I'm hopeful (and so far the initial impressions) is that rivian's build quality is much better. The headaches of early adoption.

Unlikely. They have a mobile service fleet, so they'll want you to engage with them, even if you're away from a brick-and-mortar service center.

If you had a failure in an area where Rivian couldn't service you in a reasonable period of time, then you may want to just pay out of pocket at an independent shop. Rivian MAY do a good-will reimbursement, which I've seen other manufactures do, when circumstances warrant it. But it's a custom service gesture, rather than a requirement.

I'm hoping that warranty-related hardware failures that leave a customer stranded are exceptionally rare. For software issues, Rivian has the benefit of being able to troubleshoot remotely, so a phone call may be a big help. The large amount of telemetry they will collect and the heavy integration and reliance of software in vehicle operation will mean they have a chance of being able to recover from some issues and help customers "limp home" with remote diagnostics/service.

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