The best and worst vehicle to move with. [RANDOM RANT]

[Ingo B]

Being in San Francisco at the time, that is actually a yes.

I got really good with that 6spd manual transmission on those hills.

Second this. When folks hear that I learned to drive stick in SF, I immediately earn respect.

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[Ingo B]

Wife and I bought a house about 6mi away from our rental. So, we're making a ton of small trips to get the small "stuff" over there before movers get here. I've moved a ton of times in my life, with a pickup truck, on a weekend. Rewards of a mis-spent youth I suppose.

This thing is the single most awesome and the single most infuriating piece of equipment I've ever used. As soon as one awesome thing works, something else awful appears.

• I've jammed the tailgate shut twice because of the asinine tailgate flap thing hitting a box/tote/etc.
• The tailgate flap thing makes the bed longer, which is nice.
• The bed is the size of a postage stamp to to start with, which sucks.
• The bed rail mounts work great for light tie downs
• The tailgate sounds like it's off a 1950's C10, it's hollow, and metallic and sounds like a crappy after thought.
• The gear tunnel and frunk are AMAZING for stuff that can't or shouldn't go in the bed.
• The frunk is oddly shaped and nothing, and I mean NOTHING sits flush on the bottom.
• The rear seat folds forward with underseat storage.
• The underseat storage is just large enough to fit one thing, and then is oddly shaped like the frunk
• The rear camera on the cab is great for watching your stuff fly out (that was a bad 15min)
• The constant "lock/unlock" with my phone in my pocket at the new house is wildly agitating
• leaving the phone in the truck means the HVAC runs while we're loading/unloading, ugh.
• If I'm at home, and the truck goes to sleep while I'm loading, then I hop in, I have to repair BT for the key to work. WTF?!?!
• The plastic bed liners scratch/gouge easily
• it's this side of impossible to get into the bed with the truck at standad height. Even in "kneel" height it's a jump. I never thought I would miss a feature as simple as the step built into the bumper of my Sierra.
• The seams in the never ending bed flaps for extendo tailgate and spare tire storage means NOTHING slides into the bed easily.

I can't imagine trying to use this thing as a work truck where I have to get in/out of it multiple times a day, and actually use the bed for "truck stuff". It's singly handedly the WORST bed I've ever interacted with. Clearly not designed by anyone that has used a bed for anything meaningful on a regular basis. it works, but it's just chocked full of compromises. BUT....WAIT.....There are flashes of brilliance here. Those tie downs on the bed rails are great. the rear cab camera is great. Then there's the "dry" storage, it's like moving with an SUV in the rain. papers, and delicate "stuff" was safe from the snow/crap that was going on outdoors. Pillows and clothes were moved safely and relatively efficiently.

This continues to be the most polarizing vehicle I've ever owned. I mean, I got the stuff down yesterday, but it was an emotional roller coaster of a day. Wildly pissed at the dumbass tailgate one moment, then super excited to have a Frunk the next.

Thanks for coming to my rant. Hope everyone has a splendid week.

I LOL'd at your post.

As a now-retired DJ who moved a bunch of gear every week, I heartily co-sign your comments, esp the part where the R1T seems to have been designed by people who have never really done "truck stuff" (I'd even argue, "driven before" when it comes to some features). The Honda Ridgeline is a far superior moving vehicle. The two-way tailgate, fold up seats with nothing underneath, and even the sliding rear window were phenomenal for creative packing and hauling, and even better for unloading. I have a tonneau on my Rivian and god forbid I have to get something that was pushed towards the cab. Depending on where it is, I either have to do a standing downward dog or hit some inverted jiu-jitsu movements to get in there and retrieve. Neither are impossible, but every time I wonder (sometimes aloud) why we need to regress when the solutions have already been proven?

Not sure if it's a proprietary thing, but no idea why Rivian didn't simply replicate these features. I almost feel like their culture is "change for the sake of change without really thinking about practicality just so we can talk about how we make changes, even if the net result is a big step backwards". If Honda were to come out with an EV Ridgeline, I'd be all over it. The R1T is great, but the misses are indeed aggravating.

 

[2kwik4u]

..... I almost feel like their culture is "change for the sake of change without really thinking about practicality just so we can talk about how we make changes, even if the net result is a big step backwards". If Honda were to come out with an EV Ridgeline, I'd be all over it. The R1T is great, but the misses are indeed aggravating.

Virtual vent control, PaaK, and no interior door handles feel like they should be on this list to, but that's for another thread.

Glad I'm not as crazy as everyone seems to think I am. Cheers!

 

[SwampNut]

Glad I'm not as crazy as everyone seems to think I am.

....Hmmmm...too easy, LOL.

I've owned quite a number of trucks and rented/borrowed a lot more. The truck things I do are very well served with the Rivian, and I wanted the opposite of what you want. I'd say this is the wrong truck for you. I specifically wanted a short bed, PaaK, digital everything and no buttons, including the vents, etc. My wife and I instantly discarded the Lightning as an option because it had none of that. We gave it 45 seconds to realize that we didn't want new paint on my dad's 1990 F250; we wanted a modern truck.

As far as reach and holding things, my easy solutions are airline track along the bed sides, and a grabber hook. Done. Same things I added to my previous trucks.

 

[2kwik4u]

I've owned quite a number of trucks and rented/borrowed a lot more. The truck things I do are very well served with the Rivian, and I wanted the opposite of what you want. I'd say this is the wrong truck for you. I specifically wanted a short bed, PaaK, digital everything and no buttons, including the vents, etc. My wife and I instantly discarded the Lightning as an option because it had none of that. We gave it 45 seconds to realize that we didn't want new paint on my dad's 1990 F250; we wanted a modern truck.

I too have owned quite a few pickups and used them for everything from farm work, to home work, to construction support. This one sucks for all of those things. It's a great "adventure toy", but when you try to get some stuff done, it fights you at ever step.

I agree. This is absolutely NOT the truck for me.

I was dazzled with the EV driveline, cool high-tech suspension, and off-road prowess. I was also swayed with the myriad of "This is the best truck I've ever owned" and "This thing tows amazing" posts I've seen all over the internet. Which I'm finding now are largely by people that haven't owned a premium pickup/vehicle before.

Now that I've lived with and used the thing, it's awful as a truck, the technology is unreliable at best, and there's far too much change for the sake of change. When I signed up to lease, I honestly thought my biggest complaint would be the lack of an opening sunroof. Now I'm learning that it's soo much worse than that.

And this is before we even touch on the revolving door that is the service center. 12 visits in 17mo is NOT helping it's case.

This isn't the worst vehicle I've owned, but I've never actively looked forward to a vehicle leaving my life like this one. It's a downright awful experience, and I can't wait for it to be over.

**few edits for clarity**

 

[SwampNut]

My wife and I agree it's our best vehicle ever, other than the convertible BMW sports car. Obviously totally different, but there was just as much to love about it, for being so fun. None of our previous trucks were low-grade, just older tech.

 

[2kwik4u]

My wife and I agree it's our best vehicle ever, other than the convertible BMW sports car. Obviously totally different, but there we just as much to love about it. None of our previous trucks were low-grade, just older tech.

Super glad you like it. I'm pretty clearly in the minority here. Most owners seem to love their trucks.

Maybe I got a bad example? Maybe I'm an old curmudgeon of an owner? Maybe my expectations are too high? Who knows why.

I can only state where I'm at, and this has been, without a doubt, the worst ownership experience I've had. I would trade it today if it wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg to get out of. Lease has 19mo left, and I'm going to hold out until the end, for financial reasons only. At that point I'll gladly hand over the fob and key card, delete the app and never look back. I can only hope it gets totaled between now and then (without injuring anyone) to free me from the experience early.

 

[SwampNut]

Maybe I got a bad example?

Well, you DO have an unusual number of repairs, right?

 

[CharonPDX]

Stake pockets are handholds. And they are quite literally called "Step Bumpers". Shits been around longer than most of us arguing about here have been alive.

"Step bumpers" where the steps are on the corners (therefore usable when the tailgate is down) aren't universal. By any means. Center-bumper steps are, but they're useless when the tailgate is down. (Those also historically were used for a hitch, hence the term "bumper-pull" - but even though my mid '90s F-250 had a hole in the bumper step where I could have put a ball, I had a proper hitch receiver.)

Stake pockets make lousy handholds. But yes, you could put a 1x3 in one and use THAT as a handhold. But not even all pickups have stake pockets any more! Again, my F-250 didn't. The effort required to get in the bed of my Rivian from the back is exactly the same as my F-250.

And my Rivian *DOES* have side steps - far better ones than old "step side" pickups did.

And guess what? 4.5' bed pickups as compact/midsize has been the norm for years. You bought a midsize pickup. It can do far more than *MOST* midsize pickups, but the bed is still a midsize pickup bed.

 

[2kwik4u]

"Step bumpers" where the steps are on the corners (therefore usable when the tailgate is down) aren't universal.

Jesus Christ.....AM I really this old?

Step Bumper looks like this. Note this particular one is for a '72 model.

here's a bumper from 1960. Know what you can do? Step on it!

Here's one from a '16 F150......Guess what. You can step on this one too!

Rivian removed the bumper and added what used to be known as a "rear rolled pan" or a "roll pan" depending on how old you are. Which is fine, it's a stylistic choice, but it removes a quite functional part of the truck.

Stake pockets make lousy handholds.

Yes it appears I am just that old. Just put your hand in the stake pocket. May be lousy, but it exists. Doesn't really do any good though if you have to step directly onto the tailgate that's as high as my hip. I'm not climbing into that with a single step anyway.

And my Rivian *DOES* have side steps - far better ones than old "step side" pickups did.

You mean the gear tunnel doors, that are rated for 250lbs. Guess I'm old AND fat now. Not to mention the exceptionally pointy parts that dig into your skin if you bonk you leg on them. Who let that design through anyway? Also, hope you have access to the top of the bed rail for the button, AND you don't have gloves on because they don't open by themselves AND you have 12V power (or have your phone nearby and the truck hasn't relocked itself in the 2 minutes you walked away). What a wildly over complicated solution to step into the bed.

I will admit, the gear tunnel is nice and it needs doors. Doubling them as steps is fine, but you absolutely can't argue they are a replacement for the rear steps with an actual validity. It's very clearly a "Hey, since these are folded down, lets make them steps" not a "I need a way to climb into the bed" solution.

And guess what? 4.5' bed pickups as compact/midsize has been the norm for years. You bought a midsize pickup. It can do far more than *MOST* midsize pickups, but the bed is still a midsize pickup bed.

Yea, they also say 54in bed, without an asterisk for a stupid folding panel that also takes up an inch of space, because they couldn't make a tailgate just rotate, it has to extend as well to "add versatility"......All it added was cost and complexity to something that has been solved for literal decades. Beyond that, it sounds like a damn rattly tin can when you close it, which you know, really adds to feeling of quality and robustness.

It's an adventure toy, not a work tool. Period.

 

[SwampNut]

No, it's a great work tool, period. Says my neighbor who specifically got the Rivian BECAUSE of a lot of this, and it's his daily WORK truck full of his work gear.

Gear tunnel doors are excellent steps, while the older-style steps are barely a step. I can stand on the door while strapping in a dirt bike, which is vastly more useful than a step in the back. That said, the step in the back is probably better for certain loads.

All of my close friends and neighbors have trucks. These various steps and things are far from universal. They are all different compromises.

I added this thinking it would make up for the missing step bumper, as well as provide off road protection. I've never once needed to step on it; that's a useless feature.

I do wish I had the rear-side bumper steps that one friend has. But he wishes he had my gear tunnel and those door steps.

Oh, and where are you going to store your dead hookers in a regular truck? HUH? See?

 

[2kwik4u]

Gear tunnel doors are excellent steps

Great steps unless you're over the weight limit. Like I am. Unless I'm naked, and I'm pretty sure that's not good for anyone except me.

 

[2kwik4u]

Oh, and where are you going to store your dead hookers in a regular truck? HUH? See?

I will miss the frunk and gear tunnel when I move on. Those are game changing features, and aside from the gear tunnel doors not popping open by themselves, generally implemented well.

Guess dead hookers are gonna have to go in the bed. At least I won't have to fold them up anymore.

 

[VandalSibs]

@SwampNut, I can't get over just how good that wrap looks on your truck!

 

[2kwik4u]

@SwampNut, I can't get over just how good that wrap looks on your truck!

Didn't even realize it was a wrap. That does look nice!

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