Ben Sullins: Rivian R1T After 1 Year - Would I Buy it Again?

[Sgt Beavis]

He points out many of the issues we’ve all seen. At the end he believes he would have bought the Ford Lightning instead. He did have an pretty early R1T.

Among his chief complaints:
1. Poor service at the beginning (calling it ”wonky and weird”), but he says that did improve greatly.
2. Broken Tonneau cover
3. No Carplay or Android Auto (he calls it hubris for Rivian to think they can do better than Apple or Google)
4. The infotainment in general.
5. Rust in the spare tire area
6. No regular cruise control when automatic CC or Driver+ fails.
7. Automatic cruise control failing from glare from the sun (supposedly fixed in next update.)

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[COdogman]

I will never understand dinging a company in a review for things you already knew before you purchased.

The other stuff is definitely fair game.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I am so sick of the CarPlay thing. You bought the truck knowing they didn't have it, knowing that RJ said he has NO plans to put it in, and knowing you couldn't install it yourself. If it is that big of an issue for you DO NOT buy a Rivian. Do the guys constantly whining about this go to McDonald's and piss and moan for hours until they make you a Whopper?

 

[DaveA]

He points out many of the issues we’ve all seen. At the end he believes he would have bought the Ford Lightning instead. He did have an pretty early R1T.

Among his chief complaints:
1. Poor service at the beginning (calling it ”wonky and weird”), but he says that did improve greatly.
2. Broken Tonneau cover
3. No Carplay or Android Auto (he calls it hubris for Rivian to think they can do better than Apple or Google)
4. The infotainment in general.
5. Rust in the spare tire area
6. No regular cruise control when automatic CC or Driver+ fails.
7. Automatic cruise control failing from glare from the sun (supposedly fixed in next update.)

Rust was from his tow hitch he put in there....not something on the truck rusting.

 

[Lizardo]

No idea what he's talking about rust in the spare tire area. No such issue in my truck.

Car play/Android --didn't buy it expecting it to be provided. Its one thing if Rivian promised it and didn't deliver, but they never promised it.

 

[racekarl]

Car play/Android --didn't buy it expecting it to be provided. Its one thing if Rivian promised it and didn't deliver, but they never promised it.

I think it's fair to say that an owner bought the truck knowing that it did not have CarPlay, but hoping that Rivian might offer enough first-party functionality (via OTA if it was not there originally) to make up for enough of it to be passable.

Rivian did "promise" that keeping control of the system would allow them to deliver the best experience, but they have not (yet) delivered sufficient first-party functionality to honestly say that they have kept that promise.

 

[Lizardo]

I think it's fair to say that an owner bought the truck knowing that it did not have CarPlay, but hoping that Rivian might offer enough first-party functionality (via OTA if it was not there originally) to make up for enough of it to be passable.

Rivian did "promise" that keeping control of the system would allow them to deliver the best experience, but they have not (yet) delivered sufficient first-party functionality to honestly say that they have kept that promise.

Different issue. But sure it wouldn't generate as many clicks or views. Or get picked up by any algorithms.

 

[Zorg]

Ben is no longer putting out relevant content

 

[bummin]

Didn't watch the video, got enough in 1-7. It is the 1st ever vehicle, and stupidly impressive at that. CP is more Apple fault for being so far behind in landscape screen support, so RJ smart not to put an awkward interface on his creation (yet). Agree cruise should work on all roads like most cars, but must be a reason we are not seeing yet. Standard cruise, people would probably sue when they rear end someone forgetting old school cruise requires your attention.

The glare thing, how many people hit their brakes when driving into the sun? If you can't do it, don't bitch at the computer. Tonneau cover is fair, it had to have failed during testing yet mine still works.

 

[Trandall]

My understanding of the primary reasoning for not including CP/AA is that it comes with strings attached that Rivian is not agreeable to. Rivian saying they can better control end to end experience is not the same as them saying we feel we can do everything better from a end user standpoint.
I agree that continuing to bash Rivian for lack of CP/AA support at this point is tantamount to demanding a Whopper from McDonalds as @Donald Stanfield stated above.

 

[Attesan997]

I am so sick of the CarPlay thing. You bought the truck knowing they didn't have it, knowing that RJ said he has NO plans to put it in, and knowing you couldn't install it yourself. If it is that big of an issue for you DO NOT buy a Rivian. Do the guys constantly whining about this go to McDonald's and piss and moan for hours until they make you a Whopper?

In fairness to the normies who may have a more legitimate leg to stand on, BS whines for a living. I can't imagine he's payed much if anything for his Rivian out of pocket when you factor in his ad reveue.

 

[PappaBolt]

I think it's fair to say that an owner bought the truck knowing that it did not have CarPlay, but hoping that Rivian might offer enough first-party functionality (via OTA if it was not there originally) to make up for enough of it to be passable.

Rivian did "promise" that keeping control of the system would allow them to deliver the best experience, but they have not (yet) delivered sufficient first-party functionality to honestly say that they have kept that promise.

The hubris part is Rivian saying they can bring a better experience while objectively under delivering on that goal and sticking to the narrative. RJ says Rivian wants to be head chef of the experience. I say so far, the infotainment menu the chef has delivered is underwhelming.

 

[bgoldber88]

Imo we need to have thicker skin. This is Rivian’s first vehicle and many of these issues are things we in the forums talk about too. This kind of feedback isn’t inherently bad and it’s useful for Rivian to hear imo. We all love our Rivians but there are a lot of future sales to be made, and iterating based on this feedback will be helpful for the company as it widens its reach beyond hardcore fans like us.

 

[cjones1130]

The doucheness abounds

 

[lefkonj]

Once again click bait. Sorry but I have driven from NJ to Boston and back, as well as NJ to central CT, NYC several times. Cruise control works great. Do I wish Drive+ was in more locations, sure but it works more than 50% of the time, which is fine.

Service has been fine and what I had done was not fun for anyone but they were great.

I agree no Carplay/AA but that has been spoken about way too many times.

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