Question for Arizona Rivian Owners

[KirkB66]

Welcome to the forums! I'm in Gilbert as well and have 52,000 miles on my R1T, which I've owned since Mar 2022. My experience has been nearly flawless, so much so, we bought an R1S as well, which has (knock on wood) never had a service visit.

Ceramic window tint all windows and if you are heat sensitive the front windshield as well. My wife has a sunscreen for the roof and I don't. The Phoenix service center is approximately 40-45 miles away, but don't worry.

The TEMPE service center (3x a large) will be open late Feb., early March (it's already being fitted out). When you get a charge only do a hard-wire with a 60A breaker, so you can charge at the full 48A. It'ss worth the speed of charge. I have a certified electrician that does the install for a very fair value, and super professional if you need someone.

If you are on SRP, get on a EV plan and when you charge at night you'll pay between 5.6 cents and 9 cents a KWh to charge (dirt cheap) at home. I can answer any question you have, as well as other locals.....

Mark

Hi Mark,

appreciate the response and useful tips. I was not aware of the Tempe SC opening up. That will be a HUGE factor in my decision process. That and I am doing a demo drive tomorrow. I am a devoted car lover, and not sure I will give up all of my ICE vehicles anytime soon. But the Rivians have caught my eye for some time now. And though it might be the right vehicle to start my EV experience. But I don't want to dive $70k-$80k into a bunch of problems. Your feedback is very helpful and reassuring.

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[KirkB66]

Tucson here, Gen 1 R1T. Been over 2 years and I have a few observations.

1) Service center is super. Yeah, the wait time is not great (like all of them) but I've been impressed by their level of service and willingness to work the issues with you.

I also utilize their mobile service as much as possible and the guys that service Tucson are rock stars

2) I wish the AC blew with ferocity, but it works just fine

3) get a sunroof shade. I have heatshield brand that's ugly but works well

4) if you plan on leaving pavement, get the tires for it. I have the old 21s and regretted it. I can't wait for these to wear down so I can replace them with the Michelin defenders. I know these tires are no longer offered, but the natural environment here is no joke when you're putting 7.5k lbs over sharp rocks whether you air down or not. I've had 4 flats (3 had to be replaced) in 2 years after having 0 punctures in the last 10 years prior to my Rivian with no change in driving habits.

5) need more chargers!!!!!!!! It's better in Phoenix and northward, but is hellish down here in the SE corner and Eastern AZ in general. It's doable but can be difficult.


I'm not sure what home charging issues people are having.... I charge at 40A at times, summer or no, but I guess the Phoenix Metro is a couple degrees hotter than Tucson...

Thanks! Your feedback is very helpful!

 

[KirkB66]

No issue with my Rivian ownership in AZ. It’s been solid. Every new car is gonna have little issues, Rivian is not an exception. They are pretty good about fixing any issues though. But the service center is pretty slammed. Usually booked 3 months out, unless it’s a safety thing then they try to get you in asap. Yes, AZ does have a service center. It think people are confusing a dealership with a service center. Rivian doesn’t have a dealership. They do have a service center. I did a demo drive there, picked my Rivian up there, and I also just had the tonneau installed there two weeks ago. And from what I understand a new, larger service center is set to open in Tempe soon.

As for AC charging in the summer. It will derate if the charge handle / port gets too warm. When my garage is hot, I put floor fan pointed right at the charger handle which helps cool the handle enough to not derate charging speed. That’s overnight, not sure if that’d work in the dead of day heat. Yeah it’s a workaround and an extra step but does the trick and not that big of a deal for me.

The positives by far outweigh the little things for me.

Thanks for the info. It's very helpful. The summer charging issue seems to be a recurrent theme. I assume it is the same for all BEV's. If/when I take the plunge, I may have a mini-split installed in the garage at the same time as the charger.

 

[KirkB66]

Many people will understandably not buy the first model year of any vehicle, from any manufacturer, due to reliability concerns. I personally *have* done this four times, and only one of those turned out to be a problem vehicle (ironically, the problem vehicle was a Consumer Reports "Top pick" recommended buy, so ...)

Rivian is still a new manufacturer with their first vehicle model. There is a higher risk that you will have a problem with your vehicle than there is with a model from an established manufacturer. That's not to imply that a vehicle from an established manufacturer will be problem-free either, and it doesn't mean that a huge percentage of Rivian's will have problems - even the least reliable vehicles being sold these days are leaps and bounds more reliable than the average vehicle that was sold 20 or 30 years ago. Although they're also more complex, and have more ways to fail.

So it is important to consider how you can get any problems addressed, should you have them. Rivian is very good about fixing things under warranty IMO, and in many cases they go above and beyond what I would expect from other manufacturers.

If you live near a service center like I do, then there is little cause for concern other than long wait times for service because Rivian *will* fix your car if it has a problem.

But if you live in a state like Arizona which forbids Rivian from operating a service center, then you are going to have to make a judgement based on your own risk tolerance. If something happens, are you willing to deal with a service center hundreds of miles away? Because that's the tradeoff you will be making.

My Rivian has been trouble free for 2+ years / 25k miles. I only go to the service center for tire rotations, but you can get those anywhere these days. I like to use the service center because they will check other things that a place like Discount Tire can't. And I *absolutely* considered proximity to the service center before I decided to purchase a Rivian. I'm lucky to be pretty close to a service center, so that greatly influeced my decision. If I lived hundreds of miles away from a service center I may have made a different decision. But I am absolutely positive now that I would have regretted NOT buying my Rivian.

I feel that Rivians have become more reliable over the years, since Rivian addresses manufacturing and design issues that have been identified. There are many thing that used go wrong with some small frequency that don't seem to be much of a problem any more. Of course there are new things cropping up too, but they have made major changes over the years to improve reliability.

To be clear, the number of people with issues are a minority, but a larger minority than is desired. I feel that a lot of the issues are things that wouldn't even be mentioned or noticed other vehicles - Rivian owners seem to be more picky and vocal than most.

So I can't tell you what to do, I can just spell out some of the tradeoffs. But my Rivian is the best vehicle I have ever owned, and it is a huge improvement over my previous favorite vehicle, and I really would have regretted it if I put off buying my Rivian out of fear of ... whatever.

Great feedback. Much appreciated!

 

[PaythePiper]

Thanks for the info. It's very helpful. The summer charging issue seems to be a recurrent theme. I assume it is the same for all BEV's. If/when I take the plunge, I may have a mini-split installed in the garage at the same time as the charger.

No it is not the same with all EVs. Rivians thermals are notoriously bad especially on DC fast charging. My Tesla has zero problems charging all summer long at full 48 amps. I turn the rivian Down to about 38 or so to prevent throttling.

these cars have constant suspension problems and reboots of the software are needed frequently.

and service? Currently FOUR MONTHS out. Think long and hard before diving in at these price points.

 

[VSG]

Rivians thermals are notoriously bad especially on DC fast charging. My Tesla has zero problems charging all summer long at full 48 amps.

Fake news.

Level 2 charging at 48 Amps / 240V / 11.5 kW is nothing.
Rivans can easily charge at 200 kW (= ~500 Amps at ~400V)

My Rivian has never had a problem at 48A, and has never had a problem getting >200kW between ~0% and 40% SoC.

You may claim that "Rivian thermals" are "notoriously bad" but frankly this argument (which I reject) only refers to Level 3 charging, not L2 charging at 48A. And in L3 conditions Rivan's "thermals" are pretty typical. FAR FROM "notoriously bad". The Rivian charge curve is similar to the best 400V charge curves on current platforms.

Rivians have NO PROBLEM AT ALL charging at 48A under any conditions. Period. It is riduculous to suggest otherwise.

I will grant that there are a few specific Rivians that have a problem with the charge port overheating during L2 charging, but this is a problem in those few specific Rivians, not a problem with the design as a whole. The NACS specification *requires* that the vehicle reduce the charge rate if the plug gets too hot - that is NOT something that Teslas or other EVs routinely do because Teslas and other EVs are NOT in general NACS compliant.

 

[VSG]

these cars have constant suspension problems and reboots of the software are needed frequently.

Bullshit. I have had 0 "suspension problems" in 2.5 years / 25k miles of ownership. "Suspension problems" do occur, of course, but only in a small minority of vehicles. Reboots? I have never needed to do that. But since it's a software-centric vehicle, I am totally open to doing a reboot as a first step in diagnosing/fixing a suspected problem. If that's all you've got to complain about, that's pretty weak - that's something you have to do with all computers/phones these days. I personally WISH that some of the problems with my other vehicles could be fixed with a reboot or a software update, but alas all of them work/don't work the same way they did when I bought them off the lot, and they will never ever get better.

and service? Currently FOUR MONTHS out. Think long and hard before diving in at these price points.

Long wait times for service are a problem. BUT Rivian *does* prioritize issues, and *does* handle routine maintenance (e.g. rotations) in a reasonable amount of time if you ask. But if you think that your panel gaps deserve priority and refuse to wait for months to ge them fixed, then I guess you might be dissatisfied. But I personally have *never* demanded service for panel gaps.

My R1T is the best vehicle I have ever owned BY FAR. I would not trade it for anything. I plan to own it until it dies or I die, whichever comes first.

@PaythePiper is an undisguised Tesla fanboi - read his previous posts. I frankly don't know why someone who hates Rivian so much participates in these forums and tries to discredit Rivian whenever possible.

I personally like Rivian because of my experience with my Rivian, which has been better than my experience with any other vehicle manufacturer and with any other vehicle. If your experience is not the same, then that's no cause to go out of your way to try to cut down Rivian. That's just hate and resentment, and hints at a deeper problem with you because If it were simply a bad experience you wouldn't feel compelled to "get back" at Rivian.

 

[JoMo]

Yes, I have installed a two-ton mini-split in the garage of my Tucson home. Set for 60 in the winter and 77 in the summer. Charging is easy and working in the garage is comfortable.
Getting ready for my 7500 mile service - any suggestions?

 

[SwampNut]

I've got an EV motorcycle and the Rivian now, which replaced a Tesla. I'm in far NW Peoria, so the SC is pretty easy to get to for me. They are a mixed bag. People are awesome, delay times can be long. But the only really important thing I had--12v battery issue--was solve VERY quickly. The others have been annoyances like the bed cover. I consider that low priority.

I only have a Rivian because we need a truck, and the Cybertruck is such a joke. Otherwise I'd still have a Tesla for sure. The Rivian is so far behind on so many things in comparison. Unless you need a truck, you're best served with a Tesla. Even just pulling a trailer to Tucson has the complexity that the Tesla chargers in that direction are still Tesla only, and the other chargers are crap. Driving to CA is no issue however.

Home charging in our area is insanely cheap.

 

[BeanEW]

I'm primarily in California but do have a second home in Goodyear. I used the Rivian SC in, I believe, north 303 or 101. Twice, I did not have an appointment and just drove in; and twice, they took me in right away; and twice, I was out the door within an hour. The first time was my R1S lost the LTE and it required a complete reboot which only the SC could perform (included recalibration). Second time was the sun visor bracket was installed incorrectly at factory and they reinstalled it. Keep in mind that my R1S is 004xx, which is a very early built and those were the only two times my R1S required any services besides the simple recalls.

 

[madhat]

I've got an EV motorcycle and the Rivian now, which replaced a Tesla. I'm in far NW Peoria, so the SC is pretty easy to get to for me. They are a mixed bag. People are awesome, delay times can be long. But the only really important thing I had--12v battery issue--was solve VERY quickly. The others have been annoyances like the bed cover. I consider that low priority.

I only have a Rivian because we need a truck, and the Cybertruck is such a joke. Otherwise I'd still have a Tesla for sure. The Rivian is so far behind on so many things in comparison. Unless you need a truck, you're best served with a Tesla. Even just pulling a trailer to Tucson has the complexity that the Tesla chargers in that direction are still Tesla only, and the other chargers are crap. Driving to CA is no issue however.

Home charging in our area is insanely cheap.

Best served with a Tesla is somewhat biased; I wouldn’t have bought a Tesla truck even if it was more conventional than a cybertruck. What they offer isn’t what I am interested in. It really depends on what you’re looking for in the vehicle. I was considering playing safe and getting a CX-50…and toying with the idea of getting a Macan.

final comment on the charging for me - as long as you’re not using 30% or more per day like me you’ll be fine in the summer if you plug in every night (you should).

 

[SwampNut]

Best served with a Tesla is somewhat biased

In what way exactly? After many years and trips I think I can make a plausible statement.

 

[madhat]

In what way exactly? After many years and trips I think I can make a plausible statement.

Well, you said so yourself the only reason you bought a rivian is because Tesla doesn’t build a truck you could live with. I’m not saying you’re a Tesla troll or anything, just that you seem to favor Tesla since you have experience with it. Have you tried for any length other makes? Tesla is the most ubiquitous for sure, but they aren’t the “best” EV for everyone or everyone would have one. I looked at other makes that didn’t give me the “fizz” rivian did…Tesla was just a washing machine to me.

 

[KirkB66]

No it is not the same with all EVs. Rivians thermals are notoriously bad especially on DC fast charging. My Tesla has zero problems charging all summer long at full 48 amps. I turn the rivian Down to about 38 or so to prevent throttling.

these cars have constant suspension problems and reboots of the software are needed frequently.

and service? Currently FOUR MONTHS out. Think long and hard before diving in at these price points.

Thanks for the info! That's why I reached out on this forum, to gather feedback from experienced Rivian owners in AZ to factor into my decision making. Not sure about a Tesla though. I was a very early CT reservation holder (2 x CT dual motor reserved) and have ignored executing on either since I first came up in Nov/Dec last year for the Foundation Series. Was very disappointed with the end result of the CT (e.g. final design, range, options, price point, reservation order hierarchy, etc.) and will likely let both reservations go. Don't want/need Model 3 or Y. Really want a pick-up, and don't like the Chevy or the Ford either. We'll see how it goes.

 

[PaythePiper]

Fake news.

Level 2 charging at 48 Amps / 240V / 11.5 kW is nothing.
Rivans can easily charge at 200 kW (= ~500 Amps at ~400V)

My Rivian has never had a problem at 48A, and has never had a problem getting >200kW between ~0% and 40% SoC.

You may claim that "Rivian thermals" are "notoriously bad" but frankly this argument (which I reject) only refers to Level 3 charging, not L2 charging at 48A. And in L3 conditions Rivan's "thermals" are pretty typical. FAR FROM "notoriously bad". The Rivian charge curve is similar to the best 400V charge curves on current platforms.

Rivians have NO PROBLEM AT ALL charging at 48A under any conditions. Period. It is riduculous to suggest otherwise.

I will grant that there are a few specific Rivians that have a problem with the charge port overheating during L2 charging, but this is a problem in those few specific Rivians, not a problem with the design as a whole. The NACS specification *requires* that the vehicle reduce the charge rate if the plug gets too hot - that is NOT something that Teslas or other EVs routinely do because Teslas and other EVs are NOT in general NACS compliant.

The car throttles when it gets ‘too hot’. Weird how my Tesla never does on the same damn charger ….. weird

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