A Rivian buyer got his dream car after a 3-year wait. Days later, the car was dead and he faced a $2,100 bill.

• Rivian's customer service disappointed one early adopter during a time of need.
• Rivian has been struggling with a touch-and-go relationship with its early boosters.
• "I'm just not the right person to be an early adopter," the Rivian owner said.

When Chase Merrill took his first ride in his new Rivian R1S, it was instantly his favorite car he had ever driven.

Merrill, 24, put down a deposit on an R1S three years ago at the urging of family members who also own Rivians. He was unsure about making the switch from his 2015 Ford Edge to a fully electric SUV, especially since he lives in a relatively remote area in the Adirondack Mountains in New York. 

But once he got behind the wheel on March 10 of the $85,626 car, those worries melted away.