Don't expect a test drive before delivery

[Jagger027]

So I have a delivery window or March-April '22 and reached out to CS for any updates. As we were discussing through different topics, I brought up about a "test drive or demo or whatever you wanna call it" before delivery and CS said " Hopefully very very soon, we will get you behind the wheel. If not for a demo drive, then in your very own Rivian. "
Rest of the chat.....

So in short the expectation is to delivery as many as they can and not worry about "Drive events" at the moment which I have no problem with.

Sharing it for rest of the folks in the forum who were wondering if they will get any demo's or test drives before delivery... you might or you might not.....

Wonder during these Quarterly reports list # of returns ?

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[kanundrum]

Having never driven the past 5 vehicles I have bought since 2006 I am alright with this, I have an idea on how it drives already based off the specifications and can't wait to confirm it.

 

[Taycanfrank]

Crazy. I mentioned in another thread but it's pretty unreasonable not to give people test drives. They have the R1Ts available, they just seem really stuck up on logistics. Pay me $30/hour, park an R1T at my place, and I'll get dozens of test drives done this week. I probably know more than most guides, anyway, at this point.

I know there are people, myself included, with the means to take an $80k risk on something we might not enjoy.. but for all the families out there that look at the R1T/R1S as a giant purchase, this is really a shitty situation.

This isn't some limited run or collector-esque car, it's a mainstream family oriented vehicle and they have a bunch of them sitting around! Even if they made people travel to one of their service centers for the drive, most would do it. We know most service centers have multiple R1Ts at this point.

What's one good reason why anyone with a delivery window in the next 6 months can't show up at a service center, sign a waiver, and take an R1T out for 15 minutes?

 

[electruck]

The big drive events are expensive, so not surprising they want to avoid those costs at this point. And they're at the point now where completing a nationwide tour would start to bottleneck deliveries. I'm happy to take delivery without a test drive but Rivian really needs to offer a better virtual tour, especially for the R1S, to minimize the chances of refused deliveries and/or returns.

 

[Dark-Fx]

So I have a delivery window or March-April '22 and reached out to CS for any updates. As we were discussing through different topics, I brought up about a "test drive or demo or whatever you wanna call it" before delivery and CS said " Hopefully very very soon, we will get you behind the wheel. If not for a demo drive, then in your very own Rivian. "
Rest of the chat.....

So in short the expectation is to delivery as many as they can and not worry about "Drive events" at the moment which I have no problem with.

Sharing it for rest of the folks in the forum who were wondering if they will get any demo's or test drives before delivery... you might or you might not.....

Wonder during these Quarterly reports list # of returns ?

GM dealer wouldn't let me test drive the hummer without signing either.

 

[shamoo]

Having never driven the past 5 vehicles I have bought since 2006 I am alright with this, I have an idea on how it drives already based off the specifications and can't wait to confirm it.

Same here, although you and I may be the minority.

I'm not big on test drives, especially since a 10 minutes (or hell, even a 2 hour) drive isn't going to give me any valuable information. I'd rather do my own research reading/watching hundreds of articles/videos on the vehicle and making my decision that way.

I'd like to understand all the "quirks and features" , performance specs, how it handles, etc and that's good enough for me. Most of my vehicles have been performance oriented, so having a rougher ride at the expense of handling is preferable to me anyway. In fact, some "rarer" vehicles I've owned wouldn't let you test drive either.

 

[SoCal Rob]

Pay me $30/hour, park an R1T at my place, and I'll get dozens of test drives done this week. I probably know more than most guides, anyway, at this point.

I’d do that for free as long as I get to take a few test drives, too.

 

[E.S.]

Um. Isnt's the 7 day return period a heck of a test drive?

 

[electruck]

Oh, I have definitely decided against buying multiple vehicles based on short test drives in the past. But in those cases there were compelling alternatives that I was trying to decide between. Right now, there are no EV alternatives for me so I either accept delivery of the R1S or send them back with it.

 

[Taycanfrank]

Um. Isnt's the 7 day return period a heck of a test drive?

Is it a test drive if you're paying thousands of dollars in taxes & fees to take it? Signing a bunch of legal paperwork? Potentially taking out a loan? Not the best test drive terms I've seen.

 

[SoCal Rob]

Um. Isnt's the 7 day return period a heck of a test drive?

It is, but unless the return process gets you back to where you were before the purchase (taxes, transfer fees, etc. refunded) and takes a very short time I think it’s easy to see how a test drive is a better solution for people who need one.

 

[E.S.]

Is it a test drive if you're paying thousands of dollars in taxes & fees to take it? Signing a bunch of legal paperwork? Potentially taking out a loan? Not the best test drive terms I've seen.

All which you get back if you return the vehicle (er, except maybe the delivery fee. I'd have to read the legal paperwork's fine prints)

 

[fastwheels]

It suddenly appears that my 'test drive' will be right after they roll if off the flatbed when they deliver it to my house sometime within the coming days. It won't be the first time I have bought a vehicle without seeing the color or driving it - and at this point I am good with that!

 

[frostbit3]

My only hesitation personally is that i'm 6'5 and might have headroom issues. With that said, I owned a Silverado for a while and didn't have any issues with it and the internal dimensions seem similar enough that I'm hoping I'll have no issues. We'll see

 

[RDB]

I will certainly take delivery without a test drive, and I have purchased a car in the past without driving it. It does feel a little different buying a Honda Odyssey without driving it vs. a car that next to nobody has ever driven.

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