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LoneStar

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Sort of writing out my inner monologue here....

Do I sincerely want to spend upwards of $85k dollars (maybe more if I can't whittle the options down) purchasing and paying tax on a vehicle from a brand-new automaker? I've followed Rivian rather closely for more than a year so I appreciate the extensive development time and the long road traveled (literally) proving out early ones. Nevertheless, not until there are Hundreds and eventually THOUsands of Rivians running wild will any underlying demons be revealed. I certainly didn't react well watching the Yellow R1T bouncing like a slinky across the dunes in the second Rebelle Rally. Sure it got fixed overnight and supposedly was a 'pre-production part' but did it hint at an Achille's heel?

This article ends with rather ominous truthful statements about the big OEM's quickly joining the EV-truck/SUV marketplace. There's undeniably an upside to getting an established OEM product - no matter how screwed up they are they're there to fix it. Can Rivian withstand the next few crucial years of real competition and survive? Am I letting the allure of getting the first "Apple-truck" cloud my judgement?

My love-affair for Rivian is genuine. My R1T artwork hangs on my office wall in clear view of all who enter and ask about it. But so is a quality photo of the F-150 Lightning right next to it. The fantasy of constraining my selection to a mid-level XLT with large battery and towing options for maybe $60-65k knags me frequently. I know the Rivian has unmatched appeal and design prowess. Yet the Ford has unmatched establishment cred.


Saying all this out-loud only because this article points to a degree of Rivian frailty that's present even today....
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ubani

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Sort of writing out my inner monologue here....

Do I sincerely want to spend upwards of $85k dollars (maybe more if I can't whittle the options down) purchasing and paying tax on a vehicle from a brand-new automaker?
...
This article ends with rather ominous truthful statements about the big OEM's quickly joining the EV-truck/SUV marketplace. There's undeniably an upside to getting an established OEM product - no matter how screwed up they are they're there to fix it. Can Rivian withstand the next few crucial years of real competition and survive? Am I letting the allure of getting the first "Apple-truck" cloud my judgement?
...
Saying all this out-loud only because this article points to a degree of Rivian frailty that's present even today....
You make a solid point about very legitimate fears that come with trusting a new automaker on their first car. 100% legitimate.

My only thought is, someone has to be the first to try this truck. A set of people have to be willing to trust and test something as new as this. And there's no pressure on you to be in the initial group. You can definitely wait to hear from the first reservation holders experiences before getting an R1T or R1S.

There's a very slim chance there are no issues, but most likely they will have a lot of minor to major flaws to work out. My hope is that they've fixed the world-ending ones and with their network of service centers that are planned, that they'll be able to fix things as they appear. My excitement is also pretty high, I've been following Rivian for a couple years and am excited to be an early adopter and hope that my experience and feedback can make other people comfortable enough to join the Rivian family in the future.
 
 




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