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Jimmy from the Freshly Charged team just crossed the 15,000 mile mark after owning his Rivian R1T for a full year, and in that time he has kept a running list of everything he thinks the manufacturer could still fix. To document it properly, he spent a filmed a full day living with the truck exactly as he normally would: washing it, picking friends up from the airport, and parking at his favorite off grid charging spot to edit video. While he still calls his truck incredible, what follows is the fine print potential buyers might want to know.
- Our Rivian referral code: JAMES1409338
- Get 10% off with code: FR10
The Small Daily Frustrations
Several of Jimmy's complaints are less about engineering and more about everyday livability. Chief among them are the door handles, which pop out automatically the moment the truck is unlocked. It is a small detail, but Jimmy points out that a handle popping into view is effectively a signal to everyone nearby that the truck is unlocked, which he would rather not broadcast while living in a high-theft area. On that same note, the Bluetooth door lock adds a final layer of inconsistency, occasionally locking or refusing to unlock even while Jimmy is standing right next to the truck. Ride height brought a similar mixed reaction. The R1T's adjustable suspension is a genuine perk, but at higher clearance settings his wife has a harder time climbing in, so the truck mostly lives at its lowest setting for daily use. Two more small frictions round out the list: the wireless phone charging pads simply do not charge a phone, and the deep center console doubles as what Jimmy calls a black hole where anything that sinks to the bottom is impossible to find.
Software That Still Feels Like a Work in Progress
Rivian's decision to build its own infotainment system from scratch instead of leaning on Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is Jimmy's biggest software gripe. After renting a Prius with CarPlay on a recent trip, he came away convinced Rivian is fighting a battle it does not need to fight, since a phone based interface already solves this problem for most drivers. Alexa integration had a similar early stumbling block. In its default voice activated mode, it would randomly pick up cabin conversation and prompt Jimmy for commands he never gave. Switching Alexa to a press and hold button instead of open voice listening solved it, and now it works well for quick tasks like checking the weather or pulling up directions.
Highway Assist Has Real Limits
Rivian's hands free highway driving feature, engaged with a double pull of the stalk, works well most of the time, but Jimmy flagged three specific limitations. On a recent trip through Utah, where the speed limit runs 80 miles per hour, the system would not accelerate past 85 miles per hour even though Jimmy felt a higher speed was reasonable for conditions, which he suspects is a deliberate safety ceiling. More concerning was a moment during a sunset drive on an empty, straight road when low sun angle confused the truck's cameras and the system deactivated entirely, something Jimmy notes even his daughter's Subaru handles without issue. The third limitation showed up in stop and go traffic, exactly the scenario where adaptive cruise is most useful, when the system occasionally reported itself unavailable rather than engaging.
Ownership Costs Worth Knowing About
Jimmy has not been in an accident, but he has heard through the owner community that Rivian body repairs run expensive, and he has taken preventative steps accordingly. He added paint protection film and a matte finish shortly after purchase, and it still looks new nearly a year later. The film proved its worth off road, too: a branch strike left the paint pinstriped, a common badge of honor among off roaders, but the self healing film erased the scratches on its own in the sun rather than requiring a repair. The other real cost concern is tires. The R1T's instant torque wears them down quickly, and Jimmy is already eyeing a replacement set at just 15,000 miles, a cost he chalks up to EV ownership generally rather than a Rivian specific flaw.
Truck Bed Quirks
The power tonneau cover is, in Jimmy's words, the Achilles heel of the truck. It runs on a single motor, and opening it can be dicey, with an audible popping sound during operation. Rivian is reportedly rolling out a fix, though Jimmy's own unit is still waiting on the repair, and in the meantime it occasionally needs a manual assist to open. He also flagged that debris caught between the cover's panels can scratch the surrounding surface. Separately, the rear camera goes dark any time the tailgate is down, which Jimmy would like changed, since a working view back there would help both while backing up and to confirm cargo (like ebikes) are still secured on the move.
Charging Reality Check
Using the stock mobile charger at a free RV park charging spot, Jimmy measured roughly 16 miles of range added per hour (around 8 kilowatts). Swapping to a portable Level 2 charger at the same outlet, dialed up to draw around 39 amps, pushed that closer to 20 miles per hour, and the ability to adjust the amperage to avoid tripping a breaker has made it Jimmy's preferred charger over the stock unit. His bigger infrastructure complaint is about Rivian's own fast charging network, which he says performs great wherever it exists but simply does not exist in enough places yet, particularly in off road adventure destinations like Moab.
What Keeps Him Coming Back
None of this has soured Jimmy on the truck, and he is quick to credit Rivian for how much better it has gotten. Over the air updates have measurably improved efficiency and range since delivery, and features like dash cam mode, dog mode, and camping mode did not exist when he bought it. The companion app has matured to the point where he can remotely open the windows, drop the tailgate, or pop the hood. The interior still impresses him daily — the tinted glass roof lets in light without overheating the cabin, and the gear tunnel has become his go to spot for equipping ski gear. On performance, a zero to 60 time of just over three seconds is remarkable for a truck weighing north of 7,000 pounds that can still become a capable off roader with a few taps of the touchscreen. Day to day, Jimmy leans on it as a genuine utility vehicle too, hauling gear for the channel, moving big boxes, and even helping his son move into college.
The Freshly Charged Verdict
A long list of gripes into a year of ownership, Jimmy's answer to whether he would recommend the R1T has not changed. His brother is buying a Rivian R1S on Jimmy's endorsement, and Jimmy still calls the R1T his favorite vehicle, one that works as an adventure machine, a utility hauler, and a family truck, all while driving like a sports car and functioning like a truck should.
- Our Rivian referral code: JAMES1409338
- Get 10% off with code: FR10
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