02reaper Posted February 15, 2004 Report Share Posted February 15, 2004 Well I may as well put in my two cents. I think the kit is close to the radix even with the tuning except for maybe a couple of things that could be improved upon. First is switching the valve covers around so that the oil fill tube is sitting up under the firewall (tearing the paper shielding) where it is hard to fill, this is just plain riggish and ugly. Another thing is that if you have to extract the radiator tube from the water inlet or outlet and press another one in, that sucks too. I still don't buy the fact that your type of supercharger and the whipple doesn't need an inter-cooler, it does, period. Other than that for now, I think that your kit would be very comparable to the radix if you could just get those things straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fun Guy Posted February 15, 2004 Report Share Posted February 15, 2004 Well, it certainly could have started much different than it did. Instead of coming in here like a 'School Marm' scolding the class for shooting paper wads, Mr. Kenne Bell Rep could have asked this very helpful sub-population for input and comments on the company's product and services. His behavior in here has done nothing to endear me either to the product, or the company. Reviews of the product have been mixed at best, and reviews here (and elsewhere) of the company and its support have been decidedly negative. To me, this person's presentation has only confirmed and furthered Kenne Bell's negative reputation. This is what really got me: We are totally familiar with the GM computer and quite frankly don’t want “tuners” inexperienced with the Kenne Bell supercharger calibration “tinkering and doodling” with our program. Well, I have news for Mr. Kenne Bell Rep - once a customer purchases your product, it is the customers product, it is no longer yours. Nothing you can say or do will make tuners and tweakers of product stop them from tuning or tweaking their product. If you were smart, you would draw upon the extensive knowledge and experience base of the people in this forum and ask them for help instead of scolding them. Who doesn't like free R&D, and input from people using product in real-world applications? Apparently, Kenne Bell. IMO the person who started this thread would have much better off just staying away. He has won no converts as far as I can tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawk Posted February 15, 2004 Report Share Posted February 15, 2004 Fun Guy, I agree 100% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MN C5 Posted February 16, 2004 Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 I think you missed the point FUN GUY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fun Guy Posted February 16, 2004 Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 I think you missed the point FUN GUY I'm not so sure MN C5. First Mr. Kenne Bell Rep comes in here attacking someone obviously without talking to them first. Talking to someone directly is always the first and best course of action if you want a good, ongoing relationship. This is whether the other party is a neighbor playing music too loud, or a customer modifying your product. This is Relationships 101, not rocket science. If I want to be friends with my neighbor I'm going to try to talk with him before I call the police. Of course, if I don't care about an ongoing relationship, I will simply call the police first. Strike number one for Mr. Kenne Bell Rep. In that same first post was a pompous, condescending assessment of both aftermarket tuners and the intelligence of silveradoss.com members. There was an obvious dig on Nelson by quoting the word "tuners" and using childish terms like "tinkering and doodling", as if no one knows engines and superchargers except Kenne Bell. Then there is some allusion to "serious problems" resulting from this tinkering and doodling like....well, like what? He never did say what problems. Why not? Are we not intelligent enough to understand what those things are if he tells us? I was very much taken aback by that whole first post. Strikes two and three for Mr. Kenne Bell Rep. Underneath all of this was the assumption that no one here knows that once things are played with (or modified, or "tuned", etc.), that warranties are now void or in question. I'm guessing that nothing could be further from the truth. Most every member here that I have interacted with seems to be highly intelligent and experienced. Part of the joy and excitement of modification is the idea that you are operating on the edge, and that there might be consequences. Magnuson warrants their Radix (a loose term if you read their actual warranty) but not if you pull the pulley and put on a smaller one. That's fair. I take the action, I'm willing to accept the risk. (As an aside, Magnuson took time out to tune my blower in person because of some specific problems I was having. I do not have the stock tune now. And they said that they will use what they learned in the next iteration of the Superchips tune that comes with the Radix. Sounds like a company that wants good relations with its customers, yes?) Subsequent posts by Mr. Kenne Bell Rep did nothing to help his case. The TV Tube analogy was very poor and irrelevant, as shown by deezel. There was no acknowledgement of the perception of their customer base that their support leaves a lot to be desired. All that was offered was that Kenne Bell themselves thinks their support doesn't suck. Huh? They know better that their customers what their customers' perceptions are? Or their own perceptions are more important than their customers? I had to ask myself if he wasn't joking, it was just so unbelievable. Their complete and utter naiveté with regards to PR and customer relations is just dumbfounding. Before this visit by Mr. Kenne Bell Rep I had heard relatively little about the company. I heard that their technology (twin screw) was superior for our application (heavy vehicle, daily driver) than either the centrifugal (ATI, Procharger) or modified roots (Magnuson) blowers, but the lack of an intercooler was a concern. It was more a product for risk-seekers than those who are risk-averse. Because of this, those who want performance with smaller risk stayed away from Kenne Bell and got the Radix. This bore out here with most Silverado SS owners opting for the Magnuson product. But what little I heard about the Kenne Bell company (apart from the product) was negative. I heard that their support was poor, that they often left their customers hanging, didn't respond to inquiries or correspondence, etc. Not having experienced them myself, I didn't know, but being risk averse, I got the Radix since it got good reviews all around, along with Magnuson themselves. I am glad I did. The visit by Mr. Kenne Bell Rep here this week shows me I made a good decision, since they seem to be lacking an open, customer-centered focus. Which brings me to what I think is really going on here. Is it possible that Kenne Bell possesses this bizarre, jealous, protectionist stance toward it's product? It certainly seems to be the case after this visit by Mr. Kenne Bell Rep. Is it possible that Kenne Bell has some serious issues with their support, and (most importantly) their attitude toward their customers? I think actions speak much louder that words, and each reader can arrive at his own conclusion. So that's my take on it MN C5. I think that I did, in fact, get the point - however, I am willing to be wrong. Perhaps you can summarize or tell us what you think the point is, and then I can see what I missed. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawk Posted February 16, 2004 Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 Fun Guy, We think my eyes hurt now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted February 16, 2004 Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 Fun Guy, We think my eyes hurt now... lol, me too. i do feel like i should go buy some leggo's now. i like to tinker and doodle, apparently that's a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitebowtie Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 Morceau? LOL! "Mon mauvais" for getting off topic, guys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawk Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 whitebowtie, ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 il fait frais, il se produit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MN C5 Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 I think you missed the point FUN GUY So that's my take on it MN C5. I think that I did, in fact, get the point - however, I am willing to be wrong. Perhaps you can summarize or tell us what you think the point is, and then I can see what I missed. Thanks! In that same first post was a pompous, condescending assessment of both aftermarket tuners and the intelligence of silveradoss.com I didn't take it that way, actually I though it was a hoax.. i.e. A Marketing ploy Underneath all of this was the assumption that no one here knows that once things are played with (or modified, or "tuned", etc.), that warranties are now void or in question. I'm guessing that nothing could be further from the truth. Most every member here that I have interacted with seems to be highly intelligent and experienced. Part of the joy and excitement of modification is the idea that you are operating on the edge, and that there might be consequences. Magnuson warrants their Radix (a loose term if you read their actual warranty) but not if you pull the pulley and put on a smaller one. That's fair. I take the action, I'm willing to accept the risk. This is were I think you missed the point. Not everyone is as honest as you IMHO. A select few would try to put things back in order to see if they could get it covered under warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawk Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 il fait frais, il se produit. Oh the tangled webs “we” weave… ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blownchevy Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 Sorry had to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenne Bell Posted February 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 Mr. Kenne Bell Rep comes in here attacking someone obviously without talking to them first. Just an update for those who are interested. We've spent quite a bit of time putting together some more information that is almost finalized and will be posted soon. Our primary goal is to keep the friends and supporters we currently have as well as hopefully make some new ones, although we realize not everyone will agree with what we have to say. That's OK, we don't expect everyone to. We would like the ability to state our position regarding our products, that's all. While some may disagree, still it's important to us to make our stand clear. Fun Guy, we did, in fact, "talk to them first" and there were several very justifiable explanations of why this thread started out the way it did, but to drag it back out in the open would not be appropriate, so any further personal references to individuals or companies ends here and now (unless of course giving credit). Let's move on. The objective should never be to make people mad, only to state a position, based on experiences and facts. We'll try hard to stick to that rule. Thanks again for the opportunity to be a part of the SilveradoSS community! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fun Guy Posted February 21, 2004 Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 Mr. Kenne Bell Rep comes in here attacking someone obviously without talking to them first. Just an update for those who are interested. We've spent quite a bit of time putting together some more information that is almost finalized and will be posted soon. Our primary goal is to keep the friends and supporters we currently have as well as hopefully make some new ones, although we realize not everyone will agree with what we have to say. That's OK, we don't expect everyone to. We would like the ability to state our position regarding our products, that's all. While some may disagree, still it's important to us to make our stand clear. Fun Guy, we did, in fact, "talk to them first" and there were several very justifiable explanations of why this thread started out the way it did, but to drag it back out in the open would not be appropriate, so any further personal references to individuals or companies ends here and now (unless of course giving credit). Let's move on. The objective should never be to make people mad, only to state a position, based on experiences and facts. We'll try hard to stick to that rule. Thanks again for the opportunity to be a part of the SilveradoSS community! It sounds like you think your attitude and behavior were appropriate. If your primary goal was indeed to 'keep friends and supporters' and 'make new ones', I bet you fell short here. There are lots of ways you could have made a positive first impression, but I don't think this was one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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