Rivian Owner’s DIY Repair Saves Thousands After Mishap And Teaches Us A Lesson

Those who don’t want to wait weeks for a repair or risk insurance totaling their Rivian SUV or truck could try this approach

How many times have we seen Rivian owners grumble about spending a small – or sometimes large -fortune on seemingly minor repairs after a fender bender or mishap? Dominic Wilkerson uses his Rivian R1T like the off-road-ready truck that it is. As such, he’s had a mishap or two on the trails.

In one recent incident, he accidentally damaged his rear tail light and tailgate. Rather than take it to Rivian for an expensive repair, he decided to tackle the job himself. The result? The total cost came in under $1,000, and the truck looks almost as good as new.

More: Can You Believe This Rivian R1T Damage Repair Cost $21,000?

As Wilkerson points out, many Rivian owners (rightly) live in constant fear that any kind of damage, no matter how minor, will result in a total loss. And, honestly, those folks aren’t totally out of their minds. Rear-end damage to a Rivian can be both expensive and complicated to fix, as we’ve seen time and time again. But Wilkerson wasn’t about to roll over and accept that fate. He took matters into his own hands.

The Repair Process: Not As Hard As It Sounds

First, he needed a tail light, which he sourced from Rivian’s Seattle service center for $700. In the video below, he demonstrates exactly what it takes to replace the part. In short, it’s a simple procedure that most gearheads and shadetree mechanics can accomplish. The really tricky part of the entire process was fixing the dents he’d put in his tailgate.

As it turns out, though, he’s familiar with paintless dent repair. No, he didn’t tackle the job himself, but rather he sourced a high-quality PDR professional to do the work. For just $200, the technician managed to pull out the big dents in his tailgate and even straighten some imperfections in the middle of it.

While Wilkerson admits that it’s not technically perfect, it’s the kind of fix that most people wouldn’t notice from 10 feet away. His attitude about it now is that, while he might eventually get the rest fixed, part of him appreciates the “battle scars” that show his truck is actually used for what it was made for.

Why Not Use Insurance?

Now, some readers might be asking why Wilkerson didn’t just file an insurance claim. Well, he addressed that too. “By the time I go through the whole process, I’d be without my vehicle for weeks,” he explained. And that’s a very valid concern. Given the notoriously long repair wait times at Rivian service centers, it’s not surprising that many owners would rather avoid the hassle entirely.

Review: The 2025 Rivian R1S Is An Imperfect But Promising Look At The Future

On top of that, insurance companies are totaling more vehicles than ever before. A recent study says that there’s a 42 percent chance of damage leading to a total loss than there was just a few years ago. While Wilkerson’s incident might not have led to that outcome, doing it the way he did assured that it wasn’t even possible.