TheSamba.com :: View topic - ChurningGears

Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:20 pm

Maybe the "F" stands for F@%# everyone.

I am starting to give up hope. I will start saving my pennies to have someone else fix my trans correctly.

Be Great 8)

Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:01 pm

Is there anyone, anyone at all, within the VW community...other professionals, vendors, "people in the industry"...that can provide some insight as to what Ken is up to? And I don't mean his family difficulties. I mean why he's promised repeatedly to make good on his outstanding orders, but there is every indication he's taken the money and run.

I find it very telling that no one is coming to his defense. That's because what he's done is indefensible. It appears he's decided to commit professional suicide.

Ken's shop is in southern California, otherwise known as the Mecca of the ACVW world. Despite this it appears there is not one soul that will vouch for him at this point.

I placed an order, and it's been paid in full, since July 2007. I've been very diplomatic with Ken about his refusal to refund my money or build my trans. And I've been polite, friendly and I've tried to remain optomistic. But at this point it's clear that his intention it to take the money and run. I challenege anyone, anyeone anywhere, to provide evidence to the contrary.

Fri Apr 25, 2008 1:01 pm

I just checked and his website is no longer up. Now you can't even look at a picture of what your trans would look like if he were to finish it.

Best of Luck everyone!!

Fri May 02, 2008 2:38 am

peterj wrote: In fact I heard from Ken earlier this week and he said he will be shipping my transaxle today (Friday). Should take a week to get from the left coast to the right coast so stay tuned and I'll let you know.....

Can you provide us with an update?

Fri May 02, 2008 4:16 pm

Sure can.....No transaxle to date. Ken told me that there had been a delay and he had hoped to ship last Thursday (4/24) but it ain't here yet.

Thu May 08, 2008 9:00 am

Fri May 16, 2008 3:27 pm

Well guys, I found out from a friend that lives in ontario, California that our conartist (ken) has moved out of his house and its up for sale!!! so if you send any love letters to his pervious address there going to get returned Via Mail... Sorry for the bad News :( Im thinking he moved to San Francisco so he can marry his boy friend next month... But if anyone finds out different let me know..

Fri May 16, 2008 7:59 pm

Bigbart32 wrote: Well guys, I found out from a friend that lives in ontario, California that our conartist (ken) has moved out of his house and its up for sale!!! so if you send any love letters to his pervious address there going to get returned Via Mail... Sorry for the bad News :( Im thinking he moved to San Francisco so he can marry his boy friend next month... But if anyone finds out different let me know..

Its legal now, dont you know :roll:

Fri May 16, 2008 9:04 pm

All I can say is this - Ken is a liar and a thief. He has forgone every opportunity to prove otherwise.

I may not have my trans, and I may not have my $1400, but I do have patience. I will get my $1400 refund...in the literal sense, or the poetic sense.

Tue May 20, 2008 7:22 am

well i did get a hold of him on the phone yesterday... he didn't answer but he did call back which i am totally amazed by... supposedly he will be shipping out my trans on friday which i have heard a million times so im not holding my breath

Wed May 21, 2008 6:13 pm

I too had difficulty with Ken last year during his injury and father passing. But, I did recieve my tranny although it was about three months later than promised. I truly hope Ken is not a conartist and just having business difficulties. I have been very happy with the tranny he built per my specs. Good luck to you all that are having probs.

Thu May 22, 2008 3:45 pm

When the bank forclose on your house and the cops have over 5 calls reguarding Keneth churning. Im going to call him a conartist, lier and theif.. If you get ahold of him dont belive a word he say because this low life dont even have the balls to call me back when he owe's me $5400 dollars worth of engines and trannys..

Sun May 25, 2008 1:44 am

Ken you owe what you owe dont forget that please. as i wont.

Thu May 29, 2008 11:17 am

mjlpita wrote: well i did get a hold of him on the phone yesterday... he didn't answer but he did call back which i am totally amazed by... supposedly he will be shipping out my trans on friday which i have heard a million times so im not holding my breath

Did you get your stuff?

Fri May 30, 2008 5:20 am

haha i wish... i have not heard anything from him, received anything from him, or been able to get a hold of him.... it is the usual story unfortunately

Fri May 30, 2008 7:04 am

Same here, no transaxle and no return on my emails or phone calls. His day will come.

Tue Jun 10, 2008 12:21 pm

Maybe Ken and Serrano are kicking it together. They were friends and I know he built trannys for Steve so maybe they are kicking it on a beach somewhere counting our money.

Anyways, I hope you all get your stuff or your money. I have given up hope and I will need to go else where to get my stuff fixed right. I wish you all the best of luck. I will continue to check back to see how everything is turning out for you so please post updates if there are any.

After reading the post in the split bus forum about "My Hubby's first love-66 bus" I know there are many good poeple out there in the volkswagen community. It just happens that Kenny is not one of them. I would rather take a chance and trust a fellow VWer and get burn than to live my life distrusting everyone or believing that they are out to con me. I will not let this one man change my perception of everyone else.

Be Great Everyone!!! 8)

Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:42 pm

It sure didn't take long for this guy Churning to go from hero to zero. Personal problems aside, the kind that all of us have to deal with , like deaths and taxes, it almost seems to me like this was planned. I remember all the glowing feedback and testimonials on him and then he just closed the door and opened the mailbox ( for all the checks he received without doing any work) .This really seems to be a growing problem in the vintage VW world. People who no longer honor their word like Churning, Houston, that Mario idiot, Baguloft, and on and on. I feel for you guys that lost the money and had your trust betrayed. I can only say that there are only a few people that I will deal with anymore. You know who they are and yes they are expensive and they do excellent work. And, you might have to wait a little longer to get your work done.....but eventually you get it . Ken, there is NO excuse for this. You may have reasons but that in no way relieves you of your responsibilities as a man.

Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:36 pm

I've got a funny feeling that the world may start to close in on Ken. The old saying that you can run but you can't hide is very true. Old Ken may have rattled a few cages that contain dangerous animals. Perhaps he should consider taking a loan and paying his debts......It may be cheaper in the long run.

Pete

Wed Jun 11, 2008 12:40 am

I too have been checking this thread regularly as I had a lucky escape from the Churning cheat and feel sorry for the many people who he ripped off.

I had ordered an engine which obviously never came. When I eventually got my cash back from the credit card company I thought long and hard about trying another US engine builder. My trust was repaid with a superb engine built to my specification and delivered to my door in the UK within 6 weeks. I only had to pay a $300 deposit and the balance just before delivery. Communication was fantastic and customer satisfaction is a high priority for these guys. Who are they? Brothers VW Engine Shop who you can find in the classified ads.

I've had my engine for around a month and done almost 1,000 miles with it. It looks great, sounds awsome and runs superbly. Most of all I had no hassle and got excellent value for money.

For anyone having to start again after the Churning fiasco I would highly recommend Brothers VW. Contact Jacob at brothersmachine@hotmail.com or look at www.brothersvwmachineshop.com

Good luck

Dave