PSA: some service centers are booking four months out again

[NineElectrics]

I miss the network of five dealers in my greater metropolitan area, who competed for my service business. None of this central planning/monopoly stuff.

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[Sgt Beavis]

There is no monopoly.

 

[NineElectrics]

There is no monopoly.

On the service of my Rivian? I can assure you, sir, there is. Otherwise I would have taken my R1S elsewhere for service. Who wants to wait four months?

 

[R1Tom]

I miss the network of five dealers in my greater metropolitan area, who competed for my service business. None of this central planning/monopoly stuff.

The way Rivian is performing at the service level is a solid argument for dealership model.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

The way Rivian is performing at the service level is a solid argument for dealership model.

It really isn't. You're comparing apples and oranges and the dealership model isn't superior there simply are more dealerships. At this stage in the game an upstart manufacturer would have LESS service opportunities with a dealership model than they do with direct sales. If you were a dealership owner you wouldn't carry and service vehicles from a manufacturer who's only been delivering cars for a year at this point. It would be much slower adoption than what we have today.

 

[R1Tom]

It really isn't. You're comparing apples and oranges and the dealership model isn't superior there simply are more dealerships. At this stage in the game an upstart manufacturer would have LESS service opportunities with a dealership model than they do with direct sales. If you were a dealership owner you wouldn't carry and service vehicles from a manufacturer who's only been delivering cars for a year at this point. It would be much slower adoption than what we have today.

From the customer standpoint, it is apples to apples. I have a vehicle I purchased and it needs service. If I had purchased it at a dealership, I would call my dealership, set up an appointment, likely less than a week out and drop it off. I would get a loaner, take it drive it while they work on my vehicle, they call me when it is done, typically later same day, and I go pick it up. It is washed and vacuumed.

With my Rivian, I call or use app, wait for a call back, schedule a mobile service, get a call from center telling me they want me to bring it to Chicago instead (which is 2 hours each way), drop it off, wait maybe a week for them to look at it (last time it was I recall 4 days before it moved), get a call that they can only address 2 of the 4 items on my list, if I want the paint issue addressed, they would have to make an appointment at body shop, which is currently about 4 weeks out (which I had scheduled dropping off the truck at service 4 weeks prior...why wasn't this arranged), so I said forget it...I will live with the paint issue for now...then get truck back, need to wash it and vacuum it out. Bird crap on hood etching in. It was filthy...because it sat in their lot for almost a week before they looked at it.

So...from my experience at this point in time, the dealers I work with, have been vastly superior to the direct sale.

I wasn't really comparing it to a what if Rivian had offered dealership opportunities across the country, would they be better off now than they are attempting to go it alone on manufacturing, distribution, retail sales, and service? But even in that what if....I am still not sure it wouldn't have been a better result.

From what I read on internet, it doesn't sound like Tesla has been very enjoyable to do business with. But I can honestly say....I have really enjoyed doing business at the local Acura and Lexus dealers. But they don't have any products I want anymore...at least yet....

 

[usulio]

From the customer standpoint, it is apples to apples. I have a vehicle I purchased and it needs service. If I had purchased it at a dealership, I would call my dealership, set up an appointment, likely less than a week out and drop it off.

I think the previous person was saying there probably wouldn't be any dealerships where you could buy a startup car like a Rivian.

But Rivian could also have solved this by making the car more open and repairable. Rivian chose to go the Apple route -- everything unique, proprietary, secret, not allowed to be serviced by anyone else. They also tied so many things to the software, and of course the software is proprietary, not open or accessible to anyone else. Least appealing aspect of the car IMO.

 

[R1Tom]

I think the previous person was saying there probably wouldn't be any dealerships where you could buy a startup car like a Rivian.

But Rivian could also have solved this by making the car more open and repairable. Rivian chose to go the Apple route -- everything unique, proprietary, secret, not allowed to be serviced by anyone else. They also tied so many things to the software, and of course the software is proprietary, not open or accessible to anyone else. Least appealing aspect of the car IMO.

I think so too, but even in that event, with the level of success RJ has had at building an army of followers, he is truly gifted. And with that ability, I can't imagine he wouldn't have been able to build a similar army to build a dealer network.

 

[JWreck]

From the customer standpoint, it is apples to apples. I have a vehicle I purchased and it needs service. If I had purchased it at a dealership, I would call my dealership, set up an appointment, likely less than a week out and drop it off. I would get a loaner, take it drive it while they work on my vehicle, they call me when it is done, typically later same day, and I go pick it up. It is washed and vacuumed.

With my Rivian, I call or use app, wait for a call back, schedule a mobile service, get a call from center telling me they want me to bring it to Chicago instead (which is 2 hours each way), drop it off, wait maybe a week for them to look at it (last time it was I recall 4 days before it moved), get a call that they can only address 2 of the 4 items on my list, if I want the paint issue addressed, they would have to make an appointment at body shop, which is currently about 4 weeks out (which I had scheduled dropping off the truck at service 4 weeks prior...why wasn't this arranged), so I said forget it...I will live with the paint issue for now...then get truck back, need to wash it and vacuum it out. Bird crap on hood etching in. It was filthy...because it sat in their lot for almost a week before they looked at it.

So...from my experience at this point in time, the dealers I work with, have been vastly superior to the direct sale.

I wasn't really comparing it to a what if Rivian had offered dealership opportunities across the country, would they be better off now than they are attempting to go it alone on manufacturing, distribution, retail sales, and service? But even in that what if....I am still not sure it wouldn't have been a better result.

From what I read on internet, it doesn't sound like Tesla has been very enjoyable to do business with. But I can honestly say....I have really enjoyed doing business at the local Acura and Lexus dealers. But they don't have any products I want anymore...at least yet....

A dealer with only a week lead time? (Said in a Ron Burgundy voice…) I don’t believe you. ?

The only thing that makes an argument for the locally owned dealership model is at least at my Porsche dealer, I can directly communicate to my SA any time I want via call or text. With Rivian, I have to go through the corporate queue, still somehow be asked to provide a valid reason to contact the local service center directly and wait for a call back.

Otherwise, here in the Austin area where dealers refused to proactively grow their business to support all the incoming customers moving from out of state (either by sheer ignorance or incompetence), the wait times have generally been similar.

 

[Guy]

A dealer with only a week lead time? (Said in a Ron Burgundy voice…) I don’t believe you. ?

The only thing that makes an argument for the locally owned dealership model is at least at my Porsche dealer, I can directly communicate to my SA any time I want via call or text. With Rivian, I have to go through the corporate queue, still somehow be asked to provide a valid reason to contact the local service center directly and wait for a call back.

Otherwise, here in the Austin area where dealers refused to proactively grow their business to support all the incoming customers moving from out of state (either by sheer ignorance or incompetence), the wait times have generally been similar.

My wait times have been under a month for both Toyota and Mazda in the suburban Philadelphia area and that is without shopping dealers and just sticking with my existing dealer for service. Service has been a generally good experience for me with the dealers but I know there are a range of experiences out there.

 

[R1Tom]

A dealer with only a week lead time? (Said in a Ron Burgundy voice…) I don’t believe you. ?

The only thing that makes an argument for the locally owned dealership model is at least at my Porsche dealer, I can directly communicate to my SA any time I want via call or text. With Rivian, I have to go through the corporate queue, still somehow be asked to provide a valid reason to contact the local service center directly and wait for a call back.

Otherwise, here in the Austin area where dealers refused to proactively grow their business to support all the incoming customers moving from out of state (either by sheer ignorance or incompetence), the wait times have generally been similar.

I just had my local Jeep dealer put a lift and bigger tires on my wife's Rubicon and they were ably to source all needed parts and were ready to do the install in 3 days. I actually needed 5 to get an opening in my calander.

My Acura (which just traded for another Jeep...) was able to always be serviced in days, maybe once they went out to a week.

Surprised your dealers refused to grow. Around here a brand new Nissan dealer is about to open, the closest Ford dealer just renovated their building completely, and the Jeep dealer is about to.

I am more a domestic muscle car person for toy, so I dont frequent the Porshe dealer, but that place looks brand new too.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

On the service of my Rivian? I can assure you, sir, there is. Otherwise I would have taken my R1S elsewhere for service. Who wants to wait four months?

That is not a monopoly.
That is a new company that is still building out their service network. You knew this before you bought your truck. There is competition out there, in the form of other OEMs, and you chose to not use them. Even Tesla didn’t have independent service depts for a fairly long while but they‘re out there now. Eventually they are going to be out there in large numbers.

You’re comparing Rivian to companies that have OVER 100 YEARS to build both their dealer and independent service networks. You can go buy a Ford at any time and use their service network (and you WILL be using it). That’s why it isn’t a monopoly.

 

[R1Tom]

That is not a monopoly.
That is a new company that is still building out their service network. You knew this before you bought your truck. There is competition out there, in the form of other OEMs, and you chose to not use them. Even Tesla didn’t have independent service depts for a fairly long while but they‘re out there now. Eventually they are going to be out there in large numbers.

You’re comparing Rivian to companies that have OVER 100 YEARS to build both their dealer and independent service networks. You can go buy a Ford at any time and use their service network (and you WILL be using it). That’s why it isn’t a monopoly.

This is mostly true. And exactly why I don't recommend Rivian to people in my area that has no service center local and it is unclear when one will come. Unless retired or live off investment income with no set daily schedule or endless vacation, etc... Like you said...others had 100 years to build their network. Hopefully it won't take Rivian that long, but to think it will be anytime soon, is also foolish.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

From the customer standpoint, it is apples to apples. I have a vehicle I purchased and it needs service. If I had purchased it at a dealership, I would call my dealership, set up an appointment, likely less than a week out and drop it off. I would get a loaner, take it drive it while they work on my vehicle, they call me when it is done, typically later same day, and I go pick it up. It is washed and vacuumed.

With my Rivian, I call or use app, wait for a call back, schedule a mobile service, get a call from center telling me they want me to bring it to Chicago instead (which is 2 hours each way), drop it off, wait maybe a week for them to look at it (last time it was I recall 4 days before it moved), get a call that they can only address 2 of the 4 items on my list, if I want the paint issue addressed, they would have to make an appointment at body shop, which is currently about 4 weeks out (which I had scheduled dropping off the truck at service 4 weeks prior...why wasn't this arranged), so I said forget it...I will live with the paint issue for now...then get truck back, need to wash it and vacuum it out. Bird crap on hood etching in. It was filthy...because it sat in their lot for almost a week before they looked at it.

So...from my experience at this point in time, the dealers I work with, have been vastly superior to the direct sale.

I wasn't really comparing it to a what if Rivian had offered dealership opportunities across the country, would they be better off now than they are attempting to go it alone on manufacturing, distribution, retail sales, and service? But even in that what if....I am still not sure it wouldn't have been a better result.

From what I read on internet, it doesn't sound like Tesla has been very enjoyable to do business with. But I can honestly say....I have really enjoyed doing business at the local Acura and Lexus dealers. But they don't have any products I want anymore...at least yet....

It takes me a month to book out an oil change at the local Audi dealer. All the nice car dealers have similar backlogs. Whether it be Mercedes Porsche or BMW.

You can’t compare it to Toyota or Subaru. Of course those dealers are going to have way more service available because there are way more of those cars. So more cars mean more dealers and more dealers mean less service backlog.

Cars that usually only have one or two dealerships in a medium city, luxury car brands, all have similar service times to Rivian. Again, apples to apples.

 

[Swilly]

I miss the network of five dealers in my greater metropolitan area, who competed for my service business. None of this central planning/monopoly stuff.

Can you imagine the markups that those dealerships would be charging us? No thanks.

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