Pull the Trigger on the R1S?

[CaptainMax]

I've had access to the R1 Store for a few days (which doesn't have the color/motor combo I'm looking for) and now have access to the configurator which estimates a delivery time of 4 months or less. I do not have pre-order pricing so paying full freight. I was hoping to get lucky and pick up an R1S in the near term off the store for some road trips in the next couple of months and to avoid having to pay for another year's rather pricey registration on my current car due in May.

Yesterday I came across the rumors of the Ascend build on the horizon. That along with the news that the factory is shutting down for a week or two in Q2 2024 to implement some efficiency changes (battery, wiring harness?), I'm wondering if I should wait to see what comes along since it doesn't look like I will get it in time for my planned road trips. If the Ascend doesn't happen and the manufacturing efficiency improvements don't impact the end product, then the wait will have been for nothing, but if they actually make modifications (fix the charging pad, improve driving efficiency by improved batteries (LFP?) and/or revised aerodynamics, added creature comforts, go to all Enduro motors for quad, etc.) that could be worth the wait.

There likely aren't any answers out there yet, but being newer to Rivian and quickly climbing up the learning curve about the vehicles and company, I'm wondering perhaps when we could expect any announcements about pending changes?

Generally, I'm a "but it now or you will always be waiting for the next improvement to come along" type of guy when it comes to technology, but this seems so close and it looks like I'll be waiting anyway.

Sponsored

 

[DuoRivians]

Are you getting an R1T? Confused because you mention R1S and truck at the same time.

If you’re getting an R1T, suggest leasing one now for 2 year term and seeing what happens at the end of the lease. Still get $7500 lease credit.

 

[CaptainMax]

R1S.

 

[dexterberkeley]

I don't know for sure but if you order using the configurator you may end up being able to get one from the store down the line. That's what happened to me, I configured my order and pulled the trigger, got a delivery estimate of Feb-March this year. But in the mean time I got store access and found a R1S in the exact same spec, except QM, not DMP I had ordered. So ended up taking delivery of that one last month in place of my order.

 

[CaptainMax]

I don't know for sure but if you order using the configurator you may end up being able to get one from the store down the line. That's what happened to me, I configured my order and pulled the trigger, got a delivery estimate of Feb-March this year. But in the mean time I got store access and found a R1S in the exact same spec, except QM, not DMP I had ordered. So ended up taking delivery of that one last month in place of my order.

That is interesting. I thought I read from others that once they configured their vehicle, they lost store access. Hmm...

 

[dexterberkeley]

That is interesting. I thought I read from others that once they configured their vehicle, they lost store access. Hmm...

So this may be where my experience is different. I did not have store access prior to configuring, only afterwards once I had pulled the trigger. YMMV

 

[mkg3]

I've had access to the R1 Store for a few days (which doesn't have the color/motor combo I'm looking for) and now have access to the configurator which estimates a delivery time of 4 months or less. I do not have pre-order pricing so paying full freight. I was hoping to get lucky and pick up an R1S in the near term off the store for some road trips in the next couple of months and to avoid having to pay for another year's rather pricey registration on my current car due in May.

Yesterday I came across the rumors of the Ascend build on the horizon. That along with the news that the factory is shutting down for a week or two in Q2 2024 to implement some efficiency changes (battery, wiring harness?), I'm wondering if I should wait to see what comes along since it doesn't look like I will get it in time for my planned road trips. If the Ascend doesn't happen and the manufacturing efficiency improvements don't impact the end product, then the wait will have been for nothing, but if they actually make modifications (fix the charging pad, improve driving efficiency by improved batteries (LFP?) and/or revised aerodynamics, added creature comforts, go to all Enduro motors for quad, etc.) that could be worth the wait.

There likely aren't any answers out there yet, but being newer to Rivian and quickly climbing up the learning curve about the vehicles and company, I'm wondering perhaps when we could expect any announcements about pending changes?

Generally, I'm a "but it now or you will always be waiting for the next improvement to come along" type of guy when it comes to technology, but this seems so close and it looks like I'll be waiting anyway.

I think you are being swayed by lots of speculations.

While the production line shutdown has been announced to simplify and improve production, all other stuff (e.g., Endro QM, LFP) are speculation based on things Rivian has said they are looking at. Not confirmed at all for R1 yet.

If you like R1S, as is, then why mentally masterbate over something that "might be"?

The LFP is linked to standard battery pack, not to others I believe. Quad motor using Enduro will be a brand new version with no date or specs or price announced. Many believe it's a Bosch motor replacement, and probably is, but who knows when? Even if it's announced in April, when will it make it into the production?

So, just get to a comfortable place with whatever decision you make and execute!

 

[CaptainMax]

Just noticed the configurator doesn't have the quad option at all - only dual.

 

[carsly]

The Q2 shutdown isn't a rumor, it was announced and it look like April. Makes sense as they probably need to push hard in Q1 and generate cash, shutdown early in Q2 and then have the rest of the quarter to ramp back up. Quotes from a recent earnings call...

"RJ Scaringe: Yes. Claire spoke to this in her opening statements, but we have – we're planning a longer shutdown in the second quarter of 2024, to implement a whole host of changes that introduced a dramatic reduction in our material costs of building materials for the R1 platform. But those changes also improve the operations of the plant and allow us to produce vehicles with less labor per vehicle, and therefore, less cost per vehicle. Preceding that shutdown in Q2 2024, we have a one-week shutdown in Q4. And that's planned to do some of the longer lead changes in the plant, and it requires us to shut down all production for approximately a week. "

"And the shutdown that we have in second quarter of next year of 2024, will allow us to implement a large bundling of all of those changes, both in terms of suppliers, part design changes, component changes. I've talked about this a lot in the past, but massive consolidation of our ECU topology, massive simplification of our harness, simplification of our body structure, simplification of the HVAC system in the vehicle. So there's big changes that are going to be coming as part of that shutdown."

"I think Claire and I both spoke to this, but it's important to call out, when we talk about material cost reductions and pulling overall our BOM costs down, These are contractual, meaning, this isn't like, us sitting over here, hoping that this is going to come down. These are detailed contractual negotiations, part by part, supplier by supplier, and the effectivity data in some of these where it's, let's say, just a pure negotiation on a part that's not going to change or on a supply that's not going to change, we've been able to accelerate the effectivity date to have already happened or to be happening prior to the shutdown in Q2 of 2024. But for some of the larger changes and things like, let's say, for example, the significant consolidation of ECUs that were driving or the massive refactoring harness that takes roughly 25% of the harness length out. Those involve engineering changes that involve new suppliers and completely new supplier contracts. And so the bundling of some of those big multi-thousand dollar changes that have effectivity dates in April, it's – we have the 100% confidence those are going to occur. Those are, again, I'm using the word here is – clearly, again, these are contractual agreements. But the contractual agreements have an effectivity date and they tie to when we start production with those new components. "

https://www.investing.com/news/stoc...ance-plans-expansion-amid-losses-93CH-3226493

 

[COdogman]

Pretty sure there will be a high end model for sale, but since that would include upgrades in multiple areas who knows when that will actually happen.

R1S leasing is also on the horizon and if you are the type who worries about your vehicle becoming obsolete, that might be a good option for you. Also no specifics on when that starts for the S.

My feeling is that with EVs there is always something cooler on the horizon so get what makes you happy now and worry about that next thing when it actually happens. Imagine if we all waited for solid state batteries to become real?

 

[runningdenver]

If you're a serious buyer ready to act now - contact Rivian. I only did the initial reservation in 2023, but then early December saw people here asking if they could delay configuration / commitment, so I contacted Rivian - literally through the chat on the website. Told them I was a serious buyer, and if they could find me what I was looking for, I could buy immediately. I hadn't been asked to configure, or given shop access, but literally 2 hours later was locked into the compass yellow, ocean interior that I'd wanted from the beginning, but had assumed I'd have no shot at. It was hanging out in Normal, but I was driving it within 2 weeks. So if you have a configuration in mind, but can't find it, but would buy it if they 'found it' - go ahead and ask them. Can't hurt...

 

[CaptainMax]

If you're a serious buyer ready to act now - contact Rivian. I only did the initial reservation in 2023, but then early December saw people here asking if they could delay configuration / commitment, so I contacted Rivian - literally through the chat on the website. Told them I was a serious buyer, and if they could find me what I was looking for, I could buy immediately. I hadn't been asked to configure, or given shop access, but literally 2 hours later was locked into the compass yellow, ocean interior that I'd wanted from the beginning, but had assumed I'd have no shot at. It was hanging out in Normal, but I was driving it within 2 weeks. So if you have a configuration in mind, but can't find it, but would buy it if they 'found it' - go ahead and ask them. Can't hurt...

I did just that. Their communication (and sometimes lack thereof) has been painful. They had my desired setup except for the wheels. Despite seeing comments from other buyers that got wheel swaps, Rivian refused. Then a few hours later when I was at the local showroom, they said an all company email went out authorizing wheel swaps. By the time I heard back from my sales contact, the vehicle was gone and nothing like it in the works at Normal.

 

[runningdenver]

I did just that. Their communication (and sometimes lack thereof) has been painful. They had my desired setup except for the wheels. Despite seeing comments from other buyers that got wheel swaps, Rivian refused. Then a few hours later when I was at the local showroom, they said an all company email went out authorizing wheel swaps. By the time I heard back from my sales contact, the vehicle was gone and nothing like it in the works at Normal.

gah - sorry. They swapped my wheels. It had on 22s, but I knew I was going to buy a set of wheels with snow tires too, so had them go back to the 'free' 21s to save a few $. Sounds like your person wasn't very helpful.

 

[OldManRiver]

I've had access to the R1 Store for a few days (which doesn't have the color/motor combo I'm looking for) and now have access to the configurator which estimates a delivery time of 4 months or less. I do not have pre-order pricing so paying full freight. I was hoping to get lucky and pick up an R1S in the near term off the store for some road trips in the next couple of months and to avoid having to pay for another year's rather pricey registration on my current car due in May.

Yesterday I came across the rumors of the Ascend build on the horizon. That along with the news that the factory is shutting down for a week or two in Q2 2024 to implement some efficiency changes (battery, wiring harness?), I'm wondering if I should wait to see what comes along since it doesn't look like I will get it in time for my planned road trips. If the Ascend doesn't happen and the manufacturing efficiency improvements don't impact the end product, then the wait will have been for nothing, but if they actually make modifications (fix the charging pad, improve driving efficiency by improved batteries (LFP?) and/or revised aerodynamics, added creature comforts, go to all Enduro motors for quad, etc.) that could be worth the wait.

There likely aren't any answers out there yet, but being newer to Rivian and quickly climbing up the learning curve about the vehicles and company, I'm wondering perhaps when we could expect any announcements about pending changes?

Generally, I'm a "but it now or you will always be waiting for the next improvement to come along" type of guy when it comes to technology, but this seems so close and it looks like I'll be waiting anyway.

I have an immaculate 2023 R1S with only 6200 miles I'm planning to sell. If interested I'm at 404-840-4999. John

Sponsored