Are we happy now?

[eggpaul]

This is the key question for me. Did they actually start to scale up production, or did they more or less hand-build just enough production VIN models to meet their September delivery deadline?

The fact that these were employee/insider deliveries, that we have no signs of current customer production at really any scale, and that nobody's confirmed a delivery date in the next two weeks (yes, I know not everyone's on the boards), makes me think they aren't fully ready to produce at volume for reasons that aren't solely supply chain-related. There were a lot of little issues noted in the reviews that make me think Rivian can't really deliver to outsiders quite yet.

So, as I've posted elsewhere, this feels like the May/June guide contacts to me. A single burst of activity that's just enough to technically meet a deadline, but that pauses shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll get more in the way of announcements until they have a solution to that doesn't imperil their IPO.

So, to answer the question posed in the title: I'm extremely happy with these reviews, which answer my "Is this a good car" questions. I'm happy to wait to take delivery until they get some very minor lingering issues worked out, and am glad the R1S is coming second for this reason. But I can't call myself really *happy* without more info about what they really think they can do this year when it comes to customer production at scale.

The May/June guide contact charade really irritates me. It's already been proven that it was just a lot of empty promises. Those who were contacted are in the same position as anyone else. They have no clue when they will get their vehicle. But at least they were able to get trucks out there for reviews recently.
If contacts start up in the next week, will they have enough time to reach thousands of preorders by Thanksgiving?


What issues were noted in the reviews? I just saw that the Tonneau cover wasn't working, and the regen was warming up on the steep grades. I've had similar issues in the morning with my Volt leaving home (steep down hill). I think that's normal.

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[paariv]

What issues were noted in the reviews? I just saw that the Tonneau cover wasn't working, and the regen was warming up on the steep grades. I've had similar issues in the morning with my Volt leaving home (steep down hill). I think that's normal.

Can't recall everything and maybe "lots" is an overstatement. The majority of niggling issues seemed UX/software-related. Hardware was pretty much tonneau, with some battery issues you note.

But part of my skepticism that they are legitimately starting production is just that they didn't have production VIN vehicles available and were still openly taking notes, soliciting feedback, and calling them preproduction vehicles. It didn't feel like a "we are locked and loaded" event. That, coupled with the radio silence on even a schedule for actual outsider customer deliveries...

 

[eggpaul]

Can't recall everything and maybe "lots" is an overstatement. The majority of niggling issues seemed UX/software-related. Hardware was pretty much tonneau, with some battery issues you note.

But part of my skepticism that they are legitimately starting production is just that they didn't have production VIN vehicles available and were still openly taking notes, soliciting feedback, and calling them preproduction vehicles. It didn't feel like a "we are locked and loaded" event. That, coupled with the radio silence on even a schedule for actual outsider customer deliveries...

There were a few members here that were told September, others were told October- Dec. We'll see what happens. I'm kind of tired of chasing this. It will happen at the right time. I definitely don't want to deal with vehicle issues. They need to fix it all prior to delivery.

 

[Trandall]

You hope. Lol. Different manufacturers do some goofy shit.

full disclosure I had to google "Monotonically"!

 

[Trandall]

Although reviews are great, until I see actual people from this forum driving one I'm not going to get too excited. I feel like the members who reported Guide contacts in May/June have been very silent. Maybe they know something they can't share?

I am one of the earlier reservation holders in L.A and I can't believe many of us haven't been contacted.

Maybe there are several forum members that received their R1T's on Monday and they are so busy adventuring the wheels off and showing all their friends, relatives, and neighbors that they completely forgot this forum and it's lowly members still waiting even exist... or maybe I'm just anticipating my likely reaction to when it shows in my driveway.
I'm sure after a few weeks I will remember this forum and actually look forward to meeting up with some members to look back at this journey and experience new ones.

 

[eggpaul]

Maybe there are several forum members that received their R1T's on Monday and they are so busy adventuring the wheels off and showing all their friends, relatives, and neighbors that they completely forgot this forum and it's lowly members still waiting even exist... or maybe I'm just anticipating my likely reaction to when it shows in my driveway.
I'm sure after a few weeks I will remember this forum and actually look forward to meeting up with some members to look back at this journey and experience new ones.

Unlikely. Takes 2 seconds to post a picture. Many members here have been speaking to each other for over a year.

 

[Zoidz]

The May/June guide contact charade really irritates me. It's already been proven that it was just a lot of empty promises. Those who were contacted are in the same position as anyone else. They have no clue when they will get their vehicle.

I get ya. Here's some food for thought, not defending Rivian, just illustrating the challenges I know first hand.

The engineering company I work for has $200,000 worth of industrial VFDs (Variable Frequency Drives) on order from Allen Bradley since April. This is fundamentally very similar to the electronics that control the Rivian motors. Allen Bradley has been telling us for months "s00n - about 4 weeks from now". It's September and they still have no realistic answer. So, in good faith, we tell our customer the same thing.

Rivian could have been told by their supplier that a $50 circuit board was being shipped to them "s00n" and they thought they were safe with contacting customers to plan deliveries. Only to find out that the $50 circuit board was delayed another 4 weeks..... and then another 4 weeks.....

The supply chain is just really messed up right now...

 

[Zoidz]

Maybe there are several forum members that received their R1T's on Monday and they are so busy adventuring the wheels off and showing all their friends, relatives, and neighbors that they completely forgot this forum and it's lowly members still waiting even exist...

Or, this forum has 3,000 members, and maybe 1,000 are active. If there are 50,000 preorders, there are 49,000 other people out there, a few of whom might have gotten a delivery but will never post here.

I see many assumptions that the first few Rivian customer deliveries are going to immediately come here and let us know. The math & logic does not indicate that's going to happen.

 

[DuckTruck]

I’ll be happy when real, paying reservation holders (who aren’t also employees) start taking deliveries. I’m one of the people on the side that believes having a few employees driving the trucks does not count as meeting their September target deadline.

From a West Coast perspective, we still have 35 hours to go...... ?

 

[crashmtb]

I wonder if production is continuing right now. They must be parking those trucks somewhere of they are building them.

They do have a 500k sqft warehouse in Normal., and 2.3 million sqft of building at the main plant. They could all be inside, they could be outside(as is normal at auto plants until they’ve got a trainload), etc.

 

[paariv]

Or, this forum has 3,000 members, and maybe 1,000 are active. If there are 50,000 preorders, there are 49,000 other people out there, a few of whom might have gotten a delivery but will never post here.

I see many assumptions that the first few Rivian customer deliveries are going to immediately come here and let us know. The math & logic does not indicate that's going to happen.

This is true but not persuasive, to me at least.

First, we knew immediately about guide contacts. We knew when they started and we could accurately guess when they petered out. There are no guarantees, but I’d guess the early reservation holders are more likely to be hardcore fans/forum members (if not posters) than reservation 50k. So it is more likely than not - not guaranteed, but more likely than not - we’d be aware of deliveries.

Second, this is because it’s not just about being an active member of this forum. The internet knows all and we’ve had good information so far from the variety of sources out there. But there are no posts anywhere about taking delivery. Nobody has seen anything even on a friend of a friend’s Instagram account. Nobody has seen a Rivian on the road without manufacturer plates. People have been to the factory and aren’t talking about new trucks in the lots. We haven’t even seen all the colors on demo models! That is not a sign of ongoing production.

Remember that we got multiple posts about the trucks on the road to the CO event. People encountered them at the event hotel without knowing where it was in advance. The eyes are out there.

It just seems unlikely (not a guarantee, just unlikely) based on this and other forums’ history that deliveries have gone to anything other than a handful of insiders.

 

[mike22co]

From a West Coast perspective, we still have 35 hours to go...... ?

Fingers crossed for ya! The next really important reviews (to me) will be people that have driven them 1000+ miles or more. Those are the ones I can't wait to hear from! (looking at YOU!)

 

[eggpaul]

They do have a 500k sqft warehouse in Normal., and 2.3 million sqft of building at the main plant. They could all be inside, they could be outside(as is normal at auto plants until they’ve got a trainload), etc.

This is true but not persuasive, to me at least.

First, we knew immediately about guide contacts. We knew when they started and we could accurately guess when they petered out. There are no guarantees, but I’d guess the early reservation holders are more likely to be hardcore fans/forum members (if not posters) than reservation 50k. So it is more likely than not - not guaranteed, but more likely than not - we’d be aware of deliveries.

Second, this is because it’s not just about being an active member of this forum. The internet knows all and we’ve had good information so far from the variety of sources out there. But there are no posts anywhere about taking delivery. Nobody has seen anything even on a friend of a friend’s Instagram account. Nobody has seen a Rivian on the road without manufacturer plates. People have been to the factory and aren’t talking about new trucks in the lots. We haven’t even seen all the colors on demo models! That is not a sign of ongoing production.

Remember that we got multiple posts about the trucks on the road to the CO event. People encountered them at the event hotel without knowing where it was in advance. The eyes are out there.

It just seems unlikely (not a guarantee, just unlikely) based on this and other forums’ history that deliveries have gone to anything other than a handful of insiders.

THIS.

 

[moosehead]

Do the Rivan Guides need more guidance?

 

[ajbrutman]

What is the most recent guide contact? If I hear guides are continuously reaching out I’d be happy.

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