4 hr trip for a "first mile" - is it worth it WA to OR

[DB-EV]

Since apparently WA continues to have its head up its butt *they bill has repeated not passed thanks to a bunch of jackhole dealership complainers*, we can't seem to do first mile trips here for whatever reason.

So, that being said - on the Rivian site, my first mile invite has finally opened up, but it's in Portland Oregon, so a nearly 4 hour trip each way for me.

Is it worth it? I have yet to ride in a Rivian, let alone sit in one. I've seen them, touched them etc. The local exotic car dealer seems put off by the idea of test drives (apparently you're supposed to just buy one).

How important was the first mile drive for you, was it a decision maker/breaker? Is it worth what at best will be a full day trip, if not an overnight.

4 hours is a lot to give up. Had the luck of two test drives - the truck a long time ago and then the S a few months before I got mine.

If you are losing faith and can make some fun time in Portland (from what I hear, easy to do), that suggests you should make it work.

If you are taking it or rejecting it no matter what, then save yourself some time.

Oddly, the Truck drove great and the S drove poorly on my test drives. But I drove the truck in sport and the S in all purpose high for kicks. This thing really wasn't intended to be in High on the highway and feels a bit high (don't worry, even low is plenty high).

Good luck.

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[DB-EV]

PS - I love the S - just want to make that clear. It is an animal. You can see my little 950 mile mountain to see post. Just didn't have the best test drive experience in the S. That was October 22 so maybe they were still tuning the software. I love the drive. I had to get in my wife's care last night as it was a check up on the paint protection film and we had to drop off the Rivian. I literally disliked driving in an ICE. I am usually not that snobby guy, but S spoils you. I have never really driven a fancy ICE, but I am not sure I could go back to ICE after this.

 

[RBR1S]

4 hours is a lot to give up. Had the luck of two test drives - the truck a long time ago and then the S a few months before I got mine.

If you are losing faith and can make some fun time in Portland (from what I hear, easy to do), that suggests you should make it work.

If you are taking it or rejecting it no matter what, then save yourself some time.

Oddly, the Truck drove great and the S drove poorly on my test drives. But I drove the truck in sport and the S in all purpose high for kicks. This thing really wasn't intended to be in High on the highway and feels a bit high (don't worry, even low is plenty high).

Good luck.

Thanks for the input, honestly that's what scares me a bit, if I don't like the feel, but maybe that's not the case.

I don't know that it's a complete make or break, but waiting has certainly eroded my confidence in my decision.



And to clarify for everyone, it's 4 hours EACH way, so 8 hours of driving for what would likely be a short test drive. Seriously Washington, you are getting on my nerves more daily with your nonsense laws against EVs.

 

[RBR1S]

My advice is try to find someone local to show you their car. 8 hours for a 45 minute dog and pony show doesn’t make sense to me.

If all it becomes is a "dog and pony" show - I've seen the dog and the horse and it's tricks I wanna know what it feels like to ride the horse....

I've watched WAY to many videos (if someone mentions the stupid flashlight again, it's not going in the door - enough already, we get it) and know more about it as a car than I ever thought I wanted to know about any vehicle (I'm not a car person, I'm a driver).

 

[Gamma rays]

The R1S is available for first drives in Portland, but it’s in higher demand so you have to schedule it out further, especially on weekends.

My Seattle first drive got canceled a few days ahead of its planned date, and they never gave me a reason. A few months later my guide confirmed it was because Rivian doesn’t have a dealer law. A very kind forum member (actually a couple) contacted me and we were able to meet up with an R1T owner and check out the car for probably an hour, plus a drive. It was very helpful. I’ve been mulling over whether we go to Portland so we can compare the R1S and R1T side by side. I think we will, but I’m waiting until I need to go to Portland for something else as well.

My advice is try to find someone local to show you their car. 8 hours for a 45 minute dog and pony show doesn’t make sense to me.

Do you need a guide to set up the First Mile? I don't mind scheduling far out since my estimated delivery is last quarter of the year.

GR

 

[techn0mad]

This definitely hit close to the bone for me. I've been waiting since Oct '21, and in January, a box arrived from Rivian with a charger in it. I was surprised, and wondered what was going on, since I had not been assigned a Guide yet, and had not done the First Mile. I was feeling pretty adamant about not laying down $80K for a product I'd never seen in the flesh.

Shortly afterwards, I was assigned a Guide, and I asked about the First Mile. I was eventually told that my only choice was to go to Portland, OR. I live in the San Juan Islands in WA, so getting to Portland would be at least one (long) day for me. I did a bit of homework and was surprised to find out that the first SC in Canada had just opened in Vancouver, about 100 miles north of me.

So I asked my Guide if I could arrange to do the First Mile there. He pulled some strings, and sure enough, my wife and I went up there and had a great time during the First Mile. FWIW, it pretty much cemented my decision to proceed, and I expect to get delivery in the next week or two.

Not sure what to say about the politics of the dealership wars. Sure, dealers might be able to temporarily retard the advance of BEVs, but in the long run, one of their attributes will probably signal the death-knell for the traditional auto dealer; namely the notion of making their living off of post delivery sales and service of complex and relatively fragile ICE systems and their associated consumables.

I am fascinated at the notion of having a vehicle with none of the usual array of ICE subsystems, parts, and consumables, and imagine operating a vehicle where the only maintenance required is to occasionally fill the washer fluid, rotate the tires, and perhaps replace the tires every few years.

 

[Forager]

Do you need a guide to set up the First Mile? I don't mind scheduling far out since my estimated delivery is last quarter of the year.

GR

The drives are invitation only. You will probably get an invite before you receive a guide, but you cannot set one up yourself.

 

[Rivdog]

8 hours is a long way, especially if you’re sure you want it. If you’re under pre-March 1 pricing, it would be hard to not take delivery. I specifically avoided doing a first mile drive because I wanted my first mile to be in my actual Rivian…but I was also 100% sure I was buying it, no doubt. It made delivery day even more exciting for me, IMO.

 

[EVBlue]

There's a meet & greet social event at Bellevue Square on 4/1. I'm sure there are going to be owners there who'll be more than happy to show you their R1S.

 

[Rivianation]

This thread is strange to me. Florida also has a dealership lobby that is yet to be conquered, so my bill of sale says sold by "Rivian LLC, Normal IL", the biggest 'dealership' in the world by square footage . However, I was able to get a first mile test drive without issues. They came to me from 50 miles south (Miami).

 

[SeaGeo]

This thread is strange to me. Florida also has a dealership lobby that is yet to be conquered, so my bill of sale says sold by "Rivian LLC, Normal IL", the biggest 'dealership' in the world by square footage . However, I was able to get a first mile test drive without issues. They came to me from 50 miles south (Miami).

Our dealers apparently threw a fit that Rivian was doing things tangential to sales.

 

[RIV206]

This definitely hit close to the bone for me. I've been waiting since Oct '21, and in January, a box arrived from Rivian with a charger in it. I was surprised, and wondered what was going on, since I had not been assigned a Guide yet, and had not done the First Mile. I was feeling pretty adamant about not laying down $80K for a product I'd never seen in the flesh.

Shortly afterwards, I was assigned a Guide, and I asked about the First Mile. I was eventually told that my only choice was to go to Portland, OR.

I ordered the same month and still don't have a guide. Did you do anything special to request/get one?

 

[techn0mad]

I ordered the same month and still don't have a guide. Did you do anything special to request/get one?

When I read that the Vancouver, BC SC had been opened, I just asked my guide if it would be possible to schedule a "First Mile" drive there. He went off and consulted with various others and came back and told me yes, and set an appointment for me.

 

[RIV206]

When I read that the Vancouver, BC SC had been opened, I just asked my guide if it would be possible to schedule a "First Mile" drive there. He went off and consulted with various others and came back and told me yes, and set an appointment for me.

Thanks.,
I was just curious how you got a guide, I don't even have that yet.

 

[techn0mad]

Thanks.,
I was just curious how you got a guide, I don't even have that yet.

No magic there; nothing I did (or could do, AFAIK) to get a guide. I'd assume that when you get close enough to delivery, they will assign one to you.

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