A Rivian R1T Owner Says He Went From a Ford F-150 Raptor to a Tesla Model Y and Finally to a Used 2022 R1T Launch Edition for Under $50,000, He Adds, “I Instantly Fell in Love With the Torque That You Get With an EV”

Vehicle ownership stories are rarely linear anymore, and a recent post in r/Rivian captures just how winding the modern enthusiast’s path has become. 

One owner laid out a progression that, at first glance, sounds almost absurd: Ford F-150 Raptor to Tesla Model Y to Rivian R1T. Yet when you follow the logic, the journey makes a kind of sense that says a lot about where trucks, EVs, and expectations now intersect.

The story begins in familiar territory. A 2018 F-150 Raptor, well-optioned, smooth riding, and tuned on 93 octane. It delivered exactly what Raptors are famous for: comfort at speed, capability, and presence. But the romance faded at the pump. Spending roughly $125 per fill-up became routine, not occasional, and then came the cam phaser issue, a well-known Achilles’ heel that can turn admiration into anxiety once the warranty expires. A looming $4,500 to $6,000 repair has a way of clarifying priorities.

“I've always appreciated trucks! I had a 2018 F150 Raptor 802A. The ride was fantastic and super smooth. Spending 125$ to fill up was starting to put a strain on my wallet after two years, and the good ole cam phaser issue plagued my truck. It was goosetuned to 93.

That's when I traded in my Raptor for a Model Y. I wanted to try out electric and instantly fell in love with the torque that you get with an ev. This is when I already knew I wanted a Rivian.

Fast forward a year, and I'm seeing that R1Ts are available for under 50k. I managed to get a decent deal on a 22' LE with under 35k miles. Driving this truck has been such a great experience! I've been enjoying discovering new things as I'm watching videos and having it as a daily driver. I was a bit skeptical about buying used at first. After reading around on the forums and reddit but, I've been creating a list of things in going to bring up at my first service visit. One of the biggest takeaways from everything I learned is to make sure to have an SE at least nearby. Looking forward to getting this ride squared away and enjoying it for many years to come!

Would love to hear about other people's buying experiences!”

That moment pushed the owner into unfamiliar territory: a Tesla Model Y. The motivation was not ideological, but practical. Daily driving distances had crept into the 30 to 70 mile range, and the math stopped favoring gasoline in a dramatic way. The Model Y delivered what many first-time EV owners describe as a revelation. Instant torque. Smoothness. A sense that propulsion no longer had to involve noise, vibration, and escalating fuel receipts. It was not a truck, but it planted the seed.

Rivian R1T: Balanced Electric Utility

• The R1T’s size places it between midsize and full-size pickups, improving maneuverability in urban settings while limiting bed length and rear-seat space compared with traditional crew-cab trucks.
• Independent air suspension favors ride comfort and composure on uneven pavement, though it delivers a less planted feel when carrying heavy loads.
• Storage solutions such as the Gear Tunnel and frunk increase day-to-day practicality, but add complexity in seals, latches, and overall vehicle architecture.
• Interior design blends rugged materials with a clean layout, emphasizing usability and durability over overt luxury cues.

That seed eventually grew into a Rivian R1T, purchased used once prices dipped below the psychological $50,000 mark. A 2022 Launch Edition with under 35,000 miles became the logical endpoint of the journey. The owner admits to initial hesitation about buying used, especially given Rivian’s relative youth as a manufacturer. Time spent reading forums and Reddit threads helped set expectations, not in a negative way, but in a practical one. Know the issues. Know what to check. Know where your nearest service center is.

The tone of the ownership experience so far is notably balanced. The R1T is described as a great daily driver, one that rewards curiosity as new features and details reveal themselves through use and videos. It is not presented as flawless. There are known issues queued up for the first service visit: a steering wheel wiggle above 70 mph, some cabin wind noise, and panel alignment inconsistencies. None of these are dismissed, but neither do they overshadow the overall satisfaction. They are framed as part of getting the truck “squared away,” not as dealbreakers.

What is interesting is what the owner does not miss. Despite the Raptor’s reputation and emotional pull, there is no nostalgia for it. The idea of returning to one in a few years was floated initially, but reality intervened. The Rivian offered the utility of a truck, the efficiency and torque of an EV, and a running cost profile that made sense for daily use. In that context, the Raptor began to look less like a dream and more like an indulgence.

Community reactions mirrored that tension. Some readers were baffled by the Raptor-to-Model Y leap, seeing it as a betrayal of category loyalty. The owner’s response was calm and rational. The switch was about cost, reliability, and use case, not identity. Once those factors were accounted for, Rivian emerged as the best synthesis rather than a compromise.

There is also a subtle but important takeaway about the used EV market. Early fears about buying a pre-owned Rivian are giving way to cautious optimism as more examples rack up miles and real-world data. Issues like subframe updates, alignment fixes, and software refinements are now part of an evolving ownership playbook rather than unknown risks. For buyers willing to do their homework and accept some first-generation quirks, value is starting to appear.

The Model Y represented efficiency and simplicity. The R1T sits in the overlap, delivering truck utility without the fuel bill and EV torque without abandoning practicality. For this owner, that combination did not feel like settling. It felt like arriving.

Image Sources: Rivian Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.