Flipper Gets Schooled: Rivian R2 Resale Attempt Backfires Spectacularly

The internet’s favorite punching bag—car flippers—just took another L, this time with a Rivian R2 Performance AWD. A seller listed a brand-new 2027 model with just 71 miles on the odometer on Cars & Bids, claiming it was a lifestyle change after his wife preferred the Kia EV9’s size. But the numbers don’t lie: the final hammer price was $63,500, barely $2,000 above the original MSRP of $61,500. After accounting for sales tax and fees, the flipper not only failed to turn a profit but likely took a loss—classic flipping folly. The saga gets murkier when you consider the seller’s history. This isn’t their first rodeo with Rivian.

They previously owned a 2025 R1S (sold on Cars & Bids last year with 7,100 miles) and a 2025 R1T Tri Max (sold in April 2024 with 16,000 miles). Neither was held long enough to justify the term “investment,” and both sales reportedly resulted in losses. If size was the real issue, why not keep the R1S? The plot thickens. The buyer, meanwhile, scored a steal. In the auction comments, they revealed Rivian had quoted a delivery timeline stretching into 2028 due to 300,000 reservation holders ahead in line—though recent posts suggest some buyers are getting cars by the end of 2024.

“Too old to wait,” the buyer quipped, snagging a 2027 R2 Performance AWD with the Catalina Cove over Black paint, 21-inch wheels, Launch Package, updated Level 2 driver-assistance, tow package, 656 horsepower, 609 pound-feet of torque, and 330 miles of EPA-estimated range. The flipper’s loss is the buyer’s gain, and the internet is here for the schadenfreude. Flipping new cars is a scummy game that burns everyone involved—especially when you’re caught holding the bag. The moral? Don’t be that guy. The buyer got a killer deal, the flipper got roasted, and Rivian’s R2 continues to flex as the hottest compact EV on the block.