by Rivians and other electric vehicles can be quite expensive to repair after an accident, so one owner found a solution.
He independently replaced the damaged taillight and used paintless dent repair to fix the body damage.
This solution may be a beneficial option for R1S and R1T owners who face similar situations.
How many times have we seen Rivian owners complain about the high repair costs after a minor collision or mishap? Dominic Wilkerson uses his as a ready-for-off-road pickup. As a result, he has encountered troubles on trails several times.
Instead of taking the car to Rivian for an expensive repair, he decided to handle it himself. The result? The total cost was less than $1,000, and the pickup looks almost like new.
As Wilkerson notes, many Rivian owners (understandably) constantly live in perpetual fear that any damage, regardless of its size, could lead to a total loss. And, frankly, these people are not losing their minds at all. Rear damage to a Rivian can be both expensive and challenging to repair. But Wilkerson had no intention of just succumbing to this fate. He took matters into his own hands.
In one recent instance, he accidentally damaged the taillight and tailgate. Instead of having it fixed at Rivian for a hefty fee, he decided to tackle it himself. The result? The total cost was less than $1,000, and the pickup looks almost like new.
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Moreover, insurance companies have now made total car write-offs more common than they were a few years ago. Although Wilkerson’s incident didn’t lead to such a result, his method ensured that it became impossible.
Why Not Use Insurance?
Some readers may ask why Wilkerson didn’t just file an insurance claim. Well, he addressed that too. “When I go through this whole process, I’ll end up being without a car for several weeks,” he explained. And it’s a very valid concern. Considering the well-known long wait times for repairs at Rivian service centers, it’s no surprise many owners prefer to avoid the hassle altogether.
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Moreover, insurance companies now total cars more often than they used to. The latest study shows a higher tendency towards total loss than it was just a few years ago. While Wilkerson’s case may not have resulted in such an outcome, his DIY solution ensured it became impossible.
