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Guy Who Sold Tesla Model X for a Rivian R1S Reconsiders His Options, Takes His Words Back

Last December, YouTuber Ryan Pineda sold his Tesla Model X and bought a Rivian R1S, which he considered much better. Not long after that, he made another video explaining why he ditched the Rivian after one month and bought a Tesla Model Y instead.
Guy who sold Tesla Model X for a Rivian R1S reconsiders his options, buys Model Y 6 photos
Photo: Ryan Pineda via YouTube | Edited
Ray Pineda sold the Rivian R1S for a Tesla Model YRay Pineda sold this Rivian R1S for a Tesla Model YRay Pineda sold this Rivian R1S for a Tesla Model YRay Pineda sold this Rivian R1S for a Tesla Model YRay Pineda sold this Rivian R1S for a Tesla Model Y
It's OK to change your mind. That's how the "money back guarantee" phrase has been penned. Things get more complicated when some principles are involved. You cannot publicly call your boss "the worst person in the world" and then change your mind with a simple "oh, I was wrong." Similarly, influencers must remain consistent with their opinions, or nobody will want to hear what they're saying.

YouTuber Ryan Pineda is in such a predicament after he bashed Tesla in an acid video describing why he ditched the Model X and bought a Rivian R1S instead. Pineda talked euphorically about how good the Rivian was compared to the Model X. If you recall, the R1S build quality was among the things that impressed Pineda, but it was the delivery experience that blew him away. Now, he had to swallow his words because, in another video, he explained what made him sell the Rivian and buy a Tesla Model Y instead.

But it's worth looking at his background to better understand his decisions. Pineda is a former pro baseball player who became a successful entrepreneur. He makes most of his income from real estate investments. More specifically, Ryan flips and rents homes. That's why we're not surprised he treated his cars like he treats real estate property. As he admits, nothing was wrong with the Rivian, except maybe it handles like a big, heavy SUV. But Pineda sold it nevertheless to make a quick buck, considering how overvalued these SUVs are.

Ryan paid $78,000 for the R1S and collected the full $7,500 US federal EV tax credit. The YouTuber sold the SUV for $120,000, more than 50% over the sticker price. As you see, Pineda did well by selling the Rivian and did even better by getting a sweet deal on a Model Y. Yes, from the car brand he previously said had a patchy build quality. The worst part was that he had to admit to talking "a whole bunch of crap about Tesla" in his previous video.

Pineda got the Model Y at the new discounted prices, paying $58,000 for a fully loaded configuration. Thanks to his cousin, a Tesla employee, Ryan also got free Full Self-Driving Beta capability, so he's now happier than ever. The sporty Model Y is also nimbler to drive than the Rivian and his former Model X. Knowing his reasons for flipping the Rivian, did he make the right decision? Hit us in the comment section below.

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About the author: Cristian Agatie
Cristian Agatie profile photo

After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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