Rivian plans certified auto body repair network, will restrict parts

[electruck]

https://www.repairerdrivennews.com/...auto-body-repair-network-will-restrict-parts/

Lot's of good info in the article.

• Rivian intends to establish a certified collision network to fix its electric truck and SUV reaching consumers next summer.
• The network will be composed entirely of independent shops.
• Rivian will establish its own network mechanical service and repair facilities but rely on “third-party collision centers,”
• Logan said the OEM plans to restrict structural and high-voltage equipment parts, selling them only to the network facilities. Structural components would include anything “bonded, riveted or welded” to the vehicle, he said. He described the restricted high-voltage components as anything which would need special repairer training, calling it a safety issue.
• Rivan plans to have service centers in the major markets, with smaller facilities in smaller markets. But for the collision program, it was better to have body shops in “as many places as you can.”

Also noted at the very end:

Repairers seeking more information about Rivian can also watch Logan on a virtual Collision Industry Conference electric vehicle panel Wednesday. The 11 a.m.-3 p.m. industry summit is free and open to everyone.

The summit is free and open to everyone but appears to require pre-registration. Hopefully someone can listen in and share some notes.

From the summit's agenda:

11/11 @ 1:30 EST: How EV’s Will Disrupt the Collision Industry (Panel discussion):​

[Panelists Mark Allen - Audi, Andy MacDonald - Lucid, Kelly Logan - Rivian,​

Mark Zoba - Nissan].​

The committee will present how electric vehicles will affect the collision industry. As​

part of this session there will be a panel discussion with 4 EV vehicle manufacturers,​

RIVIAN, LUCID, Audi and Nissan.​

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[electruck]

I had shared this info with my local body shop yesterday suggesting that they should check into getting certified as part of Rivian's collision network. Just got an email back from them indicating that they have now submitted their application to Rivian. Hopefully that works out for them... and hopefully I don't need their services again any time soon.

 

[Pherdnut]

I had shared this info with my local body shop yesterday suggesting that they should check into getting certified as part of Rivian's collision network. Just got an email back from them indicating that they have now submitted their application to Rivian. Hopefully that works out for them... and hopefully I don't need their services again any time soon.

I like that they're proactive. Do you think they'd help me with my gear-tunnel/under-carriage-mounted full-amphibious stabilizing pontoon scheme?

 

[jjwolf120]

Do you think they'd help me with my gear-tunnel/under-carriage-mounted full-amphibious stabilizing pontoon scheme?

It depends on how much money you want to spend. Maybe you should suggest this as a show idea for The Grand Tour or Top Gear, not that they haven't previously done a similar show.

 

[Count Orlok]

This is an old thread so I apologize for the necropost but sadly today I have learned another weak link in the Rivian ownership experience.

The nearest "certified" shop is >120 miles from me and today my R1S was hit by someone! (he was cited).

What experience have other had being distant from a "certified" body shop? Any advice?

 

[johnmcgrann]

This is an old thread so I apologize for the necropost but sadly today I have learned another weak link in the Rivian ownership experience.

The nearest "certified" shop is >120 miles from me and today my R1S was hit by someone! (he was cited).

What experience have other had being distant from a "certified" body shop? Any advice?

I had a burglar break in to my R1T, smash the driver-side-rear window, and do some incidental damage to the body and the interior during the break-in. My closest shop is 60 miles away, other options were 100+.

My experience was fine, not great. Parts were slow to come, it was hard to tell along the way if the problem with parts was delivery lead time or the shop just not getting them ordered. Once parts shipped, I dropped my truck off at the shop hoping that they would prioritize it. And *maybe* they did, but it still took a few weeks for them to make these simple repairs, and they blamed that partly on needing additional parts that they didn't anticipate and had to place a second parts order.

So my advice would be to get in touch with the authorized collision center, assess how "good" they seem to be and how quickly they get things moving. From there, I'd contact them frequently, probably 1-2 times per week, to ask for updates. If you're worried about their ability to plan the repair and order parts with pictures and phone calls, find a way to visit in person.

If you get evasive answers, especially parts-related, contact your Guide and ask them for help and try to escalate this to others at Rivian. That's what made the difference for me - after 6 weeks with little progress, I contacted my Guide, who put someone else at Rivian in touch with me, and that's what got the first round of parts to ship. 4 weeks later when things were *still* moving slowly, I contacted my Guide again and that seemed to light a fire with getting the work completed. I did my best to give the shop a chance to perform without me contacting Rivian, but in the end that's what made a difference.

This was all in eastern Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. I think it's true that Rivian's parts supply chain is still developing, but I think it's also true that their collision center network is small and the shops they've set up were already very busy before they took on the Rivian commitment.

Maybe you'll have a different experience wherever you are. Good luck.

 

[atebit]

Right to repair, anyone?

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