Won the Rivian lottery and then lost it?

[sickhews]

Just wanted to share an on-going experience in case there are others like me out there. I was contacted by a guide on 5/18, confirmed my configuration on the call and signed the PBA on the call. My guide seemed to think that I was in line to get a truck relatively quickly: "when things start moving, they move fast" is a line I remember him saying. He gave me an estimate of 4-8 weeks to delivery but told me he had seen it happen much quicker than that for his other customers. He also asked if I had any major vacation plans that might impact delivery, I told him I didn't, and have since avoided making any plans to get out and adventure this summer to give myself as much flexibility as possible. I like to be prepared, so I scrambled and started to look at financing, getting quotes to sell my current vehicle, and contacted a reputable electrician in the area to have as many ducks in a row as I could in the event it showed up much sooner than his estimate.

After the first two weeks I was pretty sure it was imminent, could happen any day. After the four week mark I started to accept that I was maybe an outlier but was still optimistic about getting it within the window he estimated for me. Coming up on eight weeks next week, with no VIN/8-steps, or internal vehicleId in my API responses on the profile page, I'm beginning to wonder if I was contacted prematurely/by mistake. As far as my guide and I can tell, I don't have truck in production yet. Just perpetually stuck in PENDING_FULFILLMENT.

Here's the interesting bits. I preordered 9/21. I originally placed a preorder for a Max Pack, Adventure, 20" AT, FG, BM build. On 5/13 I changed from Max Pack to Large pack, and was contacted five days later by my guide. As far as I can tell, there's no good reason why I was contacted given my relatively late preorder date and location (NC). Best guess I have is that someone had backed out of an order that matched with my config (or maybe near to it), but that order was snatched by someone else before my guide could get it to me. The R1 Shop email went out 6/6 and I think that this signaled an obvious change in strategy from Rivian in terms of who would be getting their trucks. After the R1 Shop debuted, I think my late preorder date got shuffled to the back of the line and earlier preorders are getting their rightful chance to grab trucks from the shop, even if those trucks match my exact config (which based on screenshots I've seen from the shop, seems to be the case).

I'm not really upset that earlier preorders are getting their trucks. IMO that's how it should've been from the start. I guess I'm just disappointed that I now have no idea what to expect timeline-wise, and have zero avenues for getting any clarity there. Since signing my PBA I changed my config per all of the trends I've seen online. I now have an Adventure, El Cap, BM, 21" configured and am patiently waiting as interest rates continue to rise (as does my down payment fund). I've heard Rivian shut down the factory this week for maintenance and the holiday, so I'm hoping next week brings me good news.

I guess the irony here is when I had my Max Pack reservation I got a 2H 2023 delivery estimate back when that initial email blast went out, and I was perfectly content to wait that long. After having a guide for almost two months and waking up every morning wondering if today was the day, I'm feeling a little burnt out on the excitement front. I just wish someone at Rivian could tell my guide what's going on so that he could better inform me of when I need to actually prepare for purchase.

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[Dark-Fx]

If I were in your shoes I'd probably try to put pressure on my guide to do something. Good luck though.

 

[sickhews]

If I were in your shoes I'd probably try to put pressure on my guide to do something. Good luck though.

I'm pretty sure his hands are tied and he can't do anything, or he's swamped and doesn't have the capacity to do anything even if he can. At least that's the impression I've gotten from him, he doesn't seem willing to entertain any conversations outside of "you'll be matched with a truck when they build your config".

This is probably the most bizarre scenario I've ever faced when trying to buy a vehicle though lol. I definitely understand the situation and all of the context here, but trying to explain to friends and family why I haven't gotten the truck yet is always a fun one.

 

[Carmelbythesea]

9/1/21 order here. Something went crazy with the system prior to the shop launch. So the same day - 5/18 rivian reached out to me. Unlike you I had a VIN that day and the truck was en route. I quickly paid and asked no questions. When I went to pick up the guy asked me my order date and he was perplexed. Anyway got the truck and still can’t believe it.

why can’t your guide give you a shop invite?

 

[MountainBikeDude]

I'm pretty sure his hands are tied and he can't do anything, or he's swamped and doesn't have the capacity to do anything even if he can. At least that's the impression I've gotten from him, he doesn't seem willing to entertain any conversations outside of "you'll be matched with a truck when they build your config".

This is probably the most bizarre scenario I've ever faced when trying to buy a vehicle though lol. I definitely understand the situation and all of the context here, but trying to explain to friends and family why I haven't gotten the truck yet is always a fun one.

I think, If you originally wanted the Max pack, and having preordered 9/21, why not just wait for the second half of '23? I preordered back in '19 and am still going to have to wait until, fingers crossed, first half of next year.

It's frustrating to be as close as you are to still have nothing, but for me in the end, I weighed what I needed way back when I placed the order, and made the decision when asked if I wanted to move up with a Large pack, not to let my impatience get in the way of a then, more logical and less of an emotion/hype driven choice.

Edit slight tweak to sentence structure

 

[sickhews]

9/1/21 order here. Something went crazy with the system prior to the shop launch. So the same day - 5/18 rivian reached out to me. Unlike you I had a VIN that day and the truck was en route. I quickly paid and asked no questions. When I went to pick up the guy asked me my order date and he was perplexed. Anyway got the truck and still can’t believe it.

Wow, that's crazy to think it could have been a glitch that I just barely missed out on lol. If I would've gotten a VIN I would've done the same haha.

why can’t your guide give you a shop invite?

I asked about this and he told me it was only for customers with preorders from 2018 and 2019. That was back on June 15th so who knows if that's still the case or not but he told me that if he could get me access he would, but "it's triggered automatically".

I think, If you originally wanted the Max pack, and having preordered 9/21, why not just wait for the second half of '23? I preordered back in '19 and am still going to have to wait until, fingers crossed, first half of next year.

It's frustrating to be as close as you are to still have nothing, but for me in the end, I weighed what I needed way back when I placed the order, and made the decision when asked if I wanted to move up with a Large pack, not to let my impatience get in the way of a then, more logical and less of an emotion/hype driven choice.

Edit slight tweak to sentence structure

I weighed out the options and I would rarely need the extra range of the 400+ mile Max Pack. On my longest distance I ever drive, I would have to stop to charge with both the Large and Max packs. The extra $10k, and having to wait another year just doesn't make sense given that. Most of my destinations are within a ~200 mile round trip distance. The range boost of the 21"s is going to be more than enough to me, but I definitely understand where you're coming from!

 

[Carmelbythesea]

Wow. So I really did hit some type of glitch. It’s really odd that we got the guide contact on 5/18. I wonder if any other outliers are out there. I think I’ve seen a few people.

So sad you can’t get a shop invite.

 

[MountainBikeDude]

@sickhews Worst part about the wait for me has been the money sunk into my current vehicle keeping it going, while the delivery date keeps getting pushed back. When I pre-ordered, the start of delivery was fall '20, then early '21, then late '21, then early '22. Now first half '23 in my case.

Not faulting Rivian on this, just the reason I chose not to get a vehicle in between. In hindsight, knowing how long I would be waiting, I would have bought something else to fill that time in between.

 

[Firemaneric]

Same situation. Got my guide on 5/4 and PBA on 5/9. I really feel like i have no idea what is going on. I have emailed, texted and called my guide with no response. i was finally recommended to call the general support number and ask for a Guide team lead. When i called I finally connected directly to my guide and he told me i was moved from the May/June list to the June/July list. I have since emailed asking for any update with still zero response.

I get the struggles with a new company but it seems the biggest problem is communication.

 

[astonius]

Wow. So I really did hit some type of glitch. It’s really odd that we got the guide contact on 5/18. I wonder if any other outliers are out there. I think I’ve seen a few people.

So sad you can’t get a shop invite.

I can't recall the exact date, but it was definitely around that time when I got the text from my guide that my March 2022 order was selected for fulfillment.

 

[sickhews]

Same situation. Got my guide on 5/4 and PBA on 5/9. I really feel like i have no idea what is going on. I have emailed, texted and called my guide with no response. i was finally recommended to call the general support number and ask for a Guide team lead. When i called I finally connected directly to my guide and he told me i was moved from the May/June list to the June/July list. I have since emailed asking for any update with still zero response.

I get the struggles with a new company but it seems the biggest problem is communication.

I’m wondering if I’m in the exact same boat as you given that we’re both in NC. July is quickly disappearing especially when you consider transport times from Normal to Atlanta/Richmond and then from there to our homes. I really want the full Rivian delivery experience but I’m strongly considering making the drive to the SC when my truck eventually shows up there if it means getting it weeks sooner.

It definitely feels like they’re understaffed or something because if you’re not actively getting your truck delivered you’re left completely in the dark as to what the hold up is.

 

[goldburger]

I can't recall the exact date, but it was definitely around that time when I got the text from my guide that my March 2022 order was selected for fulfillment.

Your March 2022 order is fulfilled but not your May 2019? Is that just a price thing? Not an LE?

 

[goldburger]

9/1/21 order here. Something went crazy with the system prior to the shop launch. So the same day - 5/18 rivian reached out to me. Unlike you I had a VIN that day and the truck was en route. I quickly paid and asked no questions. When I went to pick up the guy asked me my order date and he was perplexed. Anyway got the truck and still can’t believe it.

why would he be perplexed when people ordered in June getting their truck within weeks lol.

 

[Craigins]

I'm in the same boat as you. And with a year earlier preorder date.

Hasn't been a fun experience.

 

[astonius]

Your March 2022 order is fulfilled but not your May 2019? Is that just a price thing? Not an LE?

It was because I had OC interior on the May 2019 LE, otherwise it would have been fulfilled in April. I could have switched it to BM, but at the new pricing OC is a $2k option, so I decided to switch the March 2022 reservation to the same as my LE config but with BM interior. Now my 2019 is an LE R1S with OC interior, slated for 1H2023.

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