The Worst Thing Rivian Lifted from Tesla

[mkg3]

We test drove 4 different Model Ys before purchasing, which was totaled shortly after purchase. Of the 6, I can tell you all drove and sounded different straight away. One had terrible ear pain from the hatch vibrating, one had tons of wind noise on the highway, one pulled to the right. These are easy things to check for on a 10 minute test drive. My Alfa dealer wouldn't even let me sign until I took it for a spin.

Given your take on Tesla and Rivian, don't buy from them. Probably none of the EVs.

I think that you should stick with the traditional automaker and buy from dealers.

I live in a area where Teslas are everywhere and I personally know over dozen people with Teslas, including myself. None of them, or myself, have your issues.

I also know someone has Giulia and is in the shop often at the dealer. So its hard to generalize the entire brand as this or that, given a small sampling.

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[Jehorton]

The one thing I truly despise about purchasing a Tesla was how ridiculous it is to have to purchase such an expensive vehicle from a company with known terrible quality control without being able to drive it first. For example, many of the newer Model Ys have started exhibiting motor whine that is much louder than previous models. This is no doubt a result of Tesla relentlessly cutting costs, trying to find the absolute bottom customers will accept. The consumer has no way to screen for dynamic defects like these before signing, and just has to drive away with any squeaks, rattles, whistles, vibrations, and misalignments their copy was blessed with. This approach hugely lowers the bar for manufacturing, essentially leaving it up to the customer to wrestle with service to work out the last 5-10% of QC. At the end of the day, for us, all the anxiety they've removed by streamlining the actual purchase process was just deferred to the drive home, nervously waiting to see what it is you are actually stuck with.

I am very disappointed to see Rivian copy this model that is so hostile to the consumer. If you have faith in your product, you should let people test drive THEIR ACTUAL TRUCK before signing for it, similar to legacy auto makers. Their claimed "full refund" return period, similar to Tesla's old policy, is of no real value given that it always takes weeks to receive your first service appointment. It sounds like there are several somewhat common issues with people's trucks pulling to the right, vibrating at speed, whistling due to bad window seals, and squeaking or tocking suspension that would make a test drive incredibly informative. People should know what they are signing up for.

Just want to say that is all subjective. I just received my model Y and it’s flawless with no issues or motor noise.

 

[Jehorton]

I was good with the purchase process. My list of "silly things people do because that's what Tesla does" is glass roofs, no start button, and no CarPlay/AA.

Start button?

 

[IThinkFreely]

Just want to say that is all subjective. I just received my model Y and it’s flawless with no issues or motor noise.

This. Expecting companies to change their entire set up and industry due to a handful of subjective experiences.

I have had 3 Teslas including a Model 3 that I had never even sat it prior to taking delivery. For some people there are likely several things 'wrong' with it. Loose plastic here and there, insulation spilling out here and there. IDGAF. The 'delivery check lists' I've seen on this and other forums are laughable nonsense. "Check panel gap at rear quarter is 3mm max" or some tosh like that.

Get in the car. Drive it. If you hate the noise/wind/feel or whatever it is then get rid of it. Get some tissues. Go buy a Toyota. No amount of test driving will solve that sensitivity.

 

[cbuckley]

I definitely understand the OP’s point, wanting a chance to test drive his actual truck before signing. I’ve just accepted that is not how things work now, and as long as there is a generous return period I can “test” it out thoroughly on my own after delivery.

I'm curious if anyone has successfully returned/refused their vehicle after delivery. The contract that Rivian has you sign before purchase gave me pause because there is language in there that could make it tough to completely back out if the vehicle shows up sub-par.

I have an R1T with a VIN in the 2700's and feel somewhat lucky because I was never offered a first mile or other chance to see a Rivian before purchase. I had some minor paint issues and a front passenger shock that leaked hydraulic dampening fluid but both have been satisfactorily fixed and my truck is otherwise perfect.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

I'm curious if anyone has successfully returned/refused their vehicle after delivery. The contract that Rivian has you sign before purchase gave me pause because there is language in there that could make it tough to completely back out if the vehicle shows up sub-par.

There probably has been a few (statistically it seems improbable that there wouldn't be) but I suspect it's incredibly rare. It's a fairly high cost of entry, so you'd have to really hate the vehicle to want to get rid of it... And even if you did hate it, they're selling for quite a bit more than original reservation pricing, so I think a reasonable person would sell it, rather than return it.

 

[mpw81]

Besides hating the entire dealership model and process, I'm always fascinated by the "test drive" part of the process. I don't think people that work at dealers see the test drive as an opportunity for the customer to test the vehicle for the things the OP is talking about. I think at this point in time (and probably for a long time) the test drive is just part of the sales/negotiation process. Especially for the large number of people who impulse buy cars. People who impulse buy cars are likely very under represented on a forum where most everyone has been waiting 6 months to 3+ years for a truck.

I bought a 4runner 3 years ago and despite owning 3 others previously and doing months of additional research, the sales person and manager kept trying to get me to test drive the specific VIN I found online and came to purchase. It took multiple assurances that I was just ready to start signing paperwork so I could leave for them to drop it. At no point did it seem like they wanted me to test drive just to confirm everything was fine with the car. It was just part of the entire clown show most people in this country accept as a normal purchasing process. I look forward to never doing it again and I'll be happy when it's dead.

 

[COdogman]

I'm curious if anyone has successfully returned/refused their vehicle after delivery. The contract that Rivian has you sign before purchase gave me pause because there is language in there that could make it tough to completely back out if the vehicle shows up sub-par.

I have an R1T with a VIN in the 2700's and feel somewhat lucky because I was never offered a first mile or other chance to see a Rivian before purchase. I had some minor paint issues and a front passenger shock that leaked hydraulic dampening fluid but both have been satisfactorily fixed and my truck is otherwise perfect.

Yeah, I would be curious about that as well. I haven’t seen that contract but I assumed it wasn’t going to be overly customer friendly, but I have yet to see one of those that is. I’m also not a lawyer so I am never clear on when that line has been crossed and I should run away or it’s simply just the usual legalese….

And kudos to you for taking that leap - I know I would have done the same but it does take some intestinal fortitude to buy a truck that expensive sight unseen.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Besides hating the entire dealership model and process, I'm always fascinated by the "test drive" part of the process. I don't think people that work at dealers see the test drive as an opportunity for the customer to test the vehicle for the things the OP is talking about. I think at this point in time (and probably for a long time) the test drive is just part of the sales/negotiation process. Especially for the large number of people who impulse buy cars. People who impulse buy cars are likely very under represented on a forum where most everyone has been waiting 6 months to 3+ years for a truck.

The test drive is absolutely a sales tool. Dealers want buyers to become emotionally invested in the vehicle. You already may need a vehicle (or not -- doesn't really matter)... But the dealer benefits if you want that one.

 

[rodhx]

Start button?

I said "no start button", intending to reference the absence of one.

 

[Dark-Fx]

The test drive is absolutely a sales tool. Dealers want buyers to become emotionally invested in the vehicle. You already may need a vehicle (or not -- doesn't really matter)... But the dealer benefits if you want that one.

I wasn't able to even sit in my Hummer before I had to sign all the paperwork. Limited production vehicles are probably all going to be that way right now.

 

[Jehorton]

I said "no start button", intending to reference the absence of one.

Why would you need one in an EV? It’s always ready

 

[rodhx]

Why would you need one in an EV? It’s always ready

okay okay...a stop button then ?. There are many occasions where I just simply want to turn it "off" and keep it off. Don't need it turning on the stereo and AC every time I open it's door. Having a "start" button didn't negatively impact the experience with my previous two EVs.

 

[Arky]

That's what the first mile events and 10 days return are for. I think the worst thing they took was the anti repair mentality and no parts availability to owners.

Yeah seriously, this is a much bigger problem. Something sold as an 'off road capable adventure vehicle' with no serviceability or parts support? Ridiculous.

It's a very yuppie car, no doubt about it. I plan to use it almost entirely on road but the implication that "don't worry, nothing ever breaks and we have service if it does" doesn't give me a great vibe for owning this thing out of warranty.

 

[Engi_Nerd]

Just want to say that is all subjective. I just received my model Y and it’s flawless with no issues or motor noise.

Your single vehicle in no way means that concerns about quality control are subjective. As I said, I've owned two Model Ys in short order. The first had a super high pitched whine while it was preconditioning to supercharge that was incredibly uncomfortable. The second does not and is all around great. Andy Slye's recent video discusses issues he's found with his very recent MY, some of which can be found on vehicles going several years back :



Would I have found the whine on that first Model Y if I test drove? Possibly if it was a common issue and I read about it online. I can tell you for sure I would have refused Andy's vehicle.

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