Decisions, Decisions - keep R1T or Lightning with planned R2 purchase

[Teledatageek]

Trying to decide on which vehicle to keep.

Have had a Lightning Lariat since June 2024. Picked up a '23 Quad R1T on Cars & Bids in June of this year. Love the R1T when I drive it. I find myself using the Lightning much more because of all the cargo space - frunk; bed; and the back seat area which is great with the fold up rear seat.

My plan at the time was to keep the Lightning as long as we have our elderly Lab (15+ years and still going...) as a total no go in the rear seat area of the R1T. My wife drives a MachE, so not the greatest for transporting a large dog.

Enter R2... have had a Day 1 reservation and I think a vehicle that will be a good fit for us - road trips, future dogs, etc. I think if the R1T had a large, flat load floor like the F150, I wouldn't entertain getting an R2.

Wife does not like driving the Lightning given the size. Likes the R1T, but doesn't want to give up her MachE for an R2. So that means having three vehicles unless I want to give up a pickup all together. That thought has crossed my mind and just get a small trailer for the few times I need to transport large items.

I think pro/cons of Lightning vs R1T have been on plenty of threads, so no need to rehash.

Appreciate the feedback!

Sponsored

 

[Rade]

We came to that decision gate in August when my husbands 2015 Nissan Rogue finally aged out. We have a reservation in for an R2S, but he needed a car for work, so ended up leasing a 2026 Tesla Model Y (it really is a nice car!). We got the car before the EV tax credits expired. Our logic was that we're not to keen on "launch edition" vehicles, so he'll keep the Y to end of term; by that time, the architecture of the R2S gets baked in and refined, and we will have had the opportunity to perhaps test drive one.

I think your question will boil down to the economics when you look at resale value of (x) vehicle against the purchase of (y) vehicle. What does the budget say? For us, it was seeing an uncertain $1,500+ repair bill every 2 months on a 10 year old vehicle versus $450 month lease for something new (I own the R1T outright). I have a 2025 R1T and have really grown to love it. Heard hints of an R2T in the pipeline; perhaps in 5-6 years I will be ready to upgrade to that?

I know me well enough to know that... for as much as I love my R1T, in 4-5 years I will begin jonesing for something new.

We went an entire summer of looking at vehicles; test driving, auto shows, etc. For the moment, it's kind of nice to NOT be in "car buying" mode.

 

[beatle]

Doesn't sound like the R1T fits your needs, so I'd keep the Lightning.

 

[COdogman]

Quite a few people here have large older pups and the T works just fine. No, the seat doesn’t flip exactly like the Lightning, but it does flip and some add one of the aftermarket platforms that cover the under seat storage. The other option is to purchase the storage bolsters that can be placed in the rear seat footwells to create a larger flat area. With both options you can use a dog hammock over the top. That is what I would do.

The Lightning is a good truck, but for me it’s too big so it would be an easy decision to keep the T if I had to choose.

 

[Great Gatsby]

Sounds like the Lightning and R2 would fit your needs most based on your situation. My wife also has a Mach-E and I am trying to convince her to get the R2, but Rivian's style does not speak to her. Why does your wife not want to make the switch from the Mach-E to the R2?

 

[Yellow Buddy]

Trying to decide on which vehicle to keep.

Have had a Lightning Lariat since June 2024. Picked up a '23 Quad R1T on Cars & Bids in June of this year. Love the R1T when I drive it. I find myself using the Lightning much more because of all the cargo space - frunk; bed; and the back seat area which is great with the fold up rear seat.

My plan at the time was to keep the Lightning as long as we have our elderly Lab (15+ years and still going...) as a total no go in the rear seat area of the R1T. My wife drives a MachE, so not the greatest for transporting a large dog.

Enter R2... have had a Day 1 reservation and I think a vehicle that will be a good fit for us - road trips, future dogs, etc. I think if the R1T had a large, flat load floor like the F150, I wouldn't entertain getting an R2.

Wife does not like driving the Lightning given the size. Likes the R1T, but doesn't want to give up her MachE for an R2. So that means having three vehicles unless I want to give up a pickup all together. That thought has crossed my mind and just get a small trailer for the few times I need to transport large items.

I think pro/cons of Lightning vs R1T have been on plenty of threads, so no need to rehash.

Appreciate the feedback!

As someone who bought a Lightning first (2022 Pro) I have to say it’s a phenomenal truck and I say you keep it.

As someone who then sold it and took delivery of my R1T (2022 Quad) I have to say it’s a great truck and you should keep it the R1T

As someone who then sold the R1T and bought a Lightning (2022 Lariat ER) I think you’ll miss the space in the R1T and think you should keep the Lightning.

As someone who just sold the Lightning and went back to a R1T, I think you need to consider if you have to use the rear seats for children as the IIHS crash test showed some concerning aspects of the Lightning recently and you should keep the R1T.

..ask me again next year

 

[Riviot]

It took 70k miles and a replaced rear drive unit... But it's finally starting to lose it's luster. Reliability and service times have become my biggest concerns with my truck, let alone Rivian at large. I thought it was just Gen1, but I think I'm seeing more complaints with Gen2s.

My vote, keep the Lightning. Part of me regrets cashing in my early 2022 Platinum for profit. My brother-in-law's only issue with his in the same timeframe has been charging door latch failure.

I'd be lying if I said I haven't looked at trading it in, either for a new/new-er Rivian or another EV truck. But with a $40k offer from Rivian and 18 payments left on my loan, the sunken cost fallacy has been winning.

My new wave to other Rivian drivers is crossed fingers. End rant.

 

[mkg3]

Sounds like you F-150, wife Mach-E and family and road tripper R2 is in your future.

 

[VC_Rivian]

I have an R2 reservation, and my R1T is paid off. Rivian has offered $40ish, but that is today. I have a big golden and bought this off Amazon, which works well and supports her. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C93QVJZX?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_6&th=1

The plan for me is to see what the R2 offers, if not get a Gen 2 Quad.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Don't R1 owners get some sort of priority status once R2 configurations are live? If you get rid of the R1 now... And while the wife does not want to give up the Mach-E now, once R2 becomes more real and she gets a taste of newer and better...

 

[Teledatageek]

As someone who bought a Lightning first (2022 Pro) I have to say it’s a phenomenal truck and I say you keep it.

As someone who then sold it and took delivery of my R1T (2022 Quad) I have to say it’s a great truck and you should keep it the R1T

As someone who then sold the R1T and bought a Lightning (2022 Lariat ER) I think you’ll miss the space in the R1T and think you should keep the Lightning.

As someone who just sold the Lightning and went back to a R1T, I think you need to consider if you have to use the rear seats for children as the IIHS crash test showed some concerning aspects of the Lightning recently and you should keep the R1T.

..ask me again next year

Haha - that's quite a lot of switching. I change my mind weekly about this... been pretty handy having the Lightning for our move the last several weeks. By this time next week - everything will be moved and I won't have a need to haul so much cargo every day like now.

 

[Teledatageek]

Don't R1 owners get some sort of priority status once R2 configurations are live? If you get rid of the R1 now... And while the wife does not want to give up the Mach-E now, once R2 becomes more real and she gets a taste of newer and better...

A very good point. Yes, R1 owners do get priority, so I would expect to be able to get an R2, the first half of next year. That is my secret hope - that my wife just loves the R2 so much that the MachE goes. The MachE is a fabulous vehicle and a lot of fun to drive (GT) though..

 

[Yellow Buddy]

Haha - that's quite a lot of switching. I change my mind weekly about this... been pretty handy having the Lightning for our move the last several weeks. By this time next week - everything will be moved and I won't have a need to haul so much cargo every day like now.

It’s a tough one. I maintain - by unpopular opinion - that the two trucks sit in different classes.

When I went Lighting to R1T, I missed the Lightning regularly. Things regularly frustrated me when it was missing (some has been fixed with OTA and Gen2) When I went from the R1T to the Lightning, I rarely missed the R1T.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

A very good point. Yes, R1 owners do get priority, so I would expect to be able to get an R2, the first half of next year. That is my secret hope - that my wife just loves the R2 so much that the MachE goes. The MachE is a fabulous vehicle and a lot of fun to drive (GT) though..

R2 Tri Motor won't be a slouch and—I predict—more refined in all ways than the Mach-E.

Sponsored