Want to hear about a new use of soy foam? Ok. Drop the “R” and and another “O” and instead of “Ford” you get “Food”. Coincidence? I think not. The two actually go hand in hand! Here’s something you may not know: the material that the comfy seats found in Ford Vehicles are actually composed with Soybeans! The “soy foam” used in the seats is a mixture of soy oils and other materials bringing an eco-friendly alternative to the rather dated petroleum based foams that were used. The introduction of soy foam was first realized on the 2008 Mustang. Now EVERY Ford Vehicle uses the foam which is about 5 million pounds of soybean oil. What’s the benefit? A huge plus is that the foam reduces c02 emissions by about 20 million pounds every year and it doesn’t stink like the Petroleum foam! The foam easily meets all specifications for durability and performance and has [...]
Dan Ouimet of Spring Green Wisconsin came in to buy a brand new ’13 Ford F-150 from our Manchester Salesman, Aaron Young. While he was here he got to experience, first hand, the great Runde experience we provide to our customers. Dan enjoyed his experience so much that he was willing to let the world know how good he was treated by doing a short interview for the Runde Blog. How would you rate your experience on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best and 1 being the absolute worst? We would rate our experience at 10. We felt we were treated fairly and courteously. We were allowed time to think about the vehicle as a major purchase without [...]
Jacob Voss from East Dubuque recently joined up with Runde Auto Group where he’s been making a great impression on his customers and colleagues. Jacob is a native of this area so he fits right in here at Runde Chevrolet and he’s pretty familiar with the local community. He may be young, but his mind and heart are committed to making his customers have the best car buying experience. Where are you from? Born and raised in East Dubuque… Lived there my whole life but moved around a few places within the city. How many houses have you lived in? Probably about 4 or 5. How old are you? 19, going to be 20 by the end of April. Do you have any brothers or sisters? I have 2 younger brothers and an older sister. We’re all within about a year and a half apart. One brother is 17, the [...]
Over the past few years zombies seem to have become more popular and as their popularity continues to increase, the public’s perception of them has changed to the point that they are now viewed by many as cool. And because cool individuals are often trendsetters, we have come up with a new word … Zomba, which means “so cool a zombie would drive it”. With the new 2014 Stingray Corvette set to be revealed in Geneva, Switzerland shortly after midnight tonight (even though photos of it that have already been leaked to the public), we would like to dub this car as being Totally Zomba! Note: Zombies are ficticious characters and do not exist in real life. And furthermore if they were alive, many people have argued that they wouldn’t be able to [...]
The new Buick Encore is a vehicle that’s definitely worthy of applause. The word ‘encore’ is defined as a demand by an audience for an additional performance, usually expressed by applause. In 2008 General Motors came out with the Buick Enclave and audiences expressed their overwhelming enthusiasm and admiration by buying lots of them. The Enclave thrilled US buyers with it’s stylish looks, it’s voracious powertrain, its nimble interior design and its ample cargo space. Now as a reaction to the large demand for another attractive Buick AWD vehicle, GM has come out with an Encore. As a smaller and more fuel efficient alternative to the Enclave, Buick’s new Encore is currently available at Runde Buick in Platteville and it brings more diversity to the already stellar Buick line-up. The Encore was on display at the Chicago [...]
One of the last things on anyone’s mind, post-natural disaster, is “all those poor vehicles!”. But what’s interesting is that those damaged, battered and torn up vehicles can actually be put to good use! Case-in-point – GM is donating 300 destroyed vehicles from Hurricane Sandy to Guardian Center in Perry, GA to help train first response workers. “When Hurricane Sandy hit the northeast in November we had a number of new vehicles at ports and on dealer lots that were flooded,” said Chris Perry, U.S. vice president, Chevrolet Marketing. “We could not sell them, so instead of crushing them, Chevrolet is using these vehicles to help train those who respond to just such disasters.” The 830-acre Guardian Center facility trains first-responders in disaster situations through a modern simulator. They hone their plans, skill sets, equipment and leadership in the worst situations. “The destroyed vehicles we received from Chevrolet are an essential component of [...]
Ken Wiederholt was recently hired to sell used cars in Hazel Green at the Runde PreDriven store and he’s very excited about the opportunity. He’s purchase quite a few vehicles from Runde’s over the years and he’s always had a good experience. Having owned and managed his own business Ken knows what it is to put in a long day of work. After recently selling his company and having the opportunity to try something that he always wanted to try, Ken decided to pick up a sales position at Runde’s. Here’s a little more about Ken: Are you from the area? Yes I am, I’m from the Hazel Green area. So you’ve known about Runde’s for quite a while being from around here? Yes. [...]
We are running a contest on Facebook for TWO FREE tickets to see Maroon 5 in concert! How do you enter? Easy! Click on the following link (link is no longer available as the contest has ended and the actual concert has already taken place) to go to our Facebook Contest Page. You must be a fan of our Facebook Page in order to see the questionnaire needed to enter the contest. Simply fill out the form and hit submit and you are done! We will be raffling the winner of the tickets on Tuesday, February 26th. We will notify you by email if you are the winner! Good Luck! The concert is on Friday, March 1st at the I Wireless Center in Davenport, IA. Persons under the age of 18, employees or immediate family of a Runde’s employees are not permitted in the contest.
Woman hits owl on the highway and the owl lives to tell about it: Driving on a highway is a great icebreaker to introduce your vehicle to bugs and other foreign objects that your vehicle wouldn’t otherwise mingle with. Stretching that statement nearly as far out as I can think of – a Florida woman created the first unintentional Owl habitat under a vehicle hood. The woman was traveling at 60 MPH late on a Thursday night in her Ford Expedition when she hit a bird. She didn’t realize that the bird she hit was, in fact, a Great Horned Owl that was still alive. It wasn’t until a family told her that something was behind the grill of her car when she was doing errands the next day that she realized the situation. After seeing the owl, the woman called for a Wildlife officer who came and rescued the bird. Unbelievably, the owl didn’t [...]
Today’s results from the JD Power and Associates 2013 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) show just how much GM has improved in long-term reliability and durability. The Vehicle Dependability Study focuses on problems customers experienced in the past 12 months with three-year old vehicles. This year’s study was based on feedback from 37,000 owners of 2010 model year vehicles. J.D. Power measures overall dependability by the level of problems experienced per 100 vehicles. The lower the PPH score, the higher the dependability. Highlights of the 2013 VDS include: Four segment award winners: Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra HD and Buick Lucerne Seven additional GM vehicles scored in the top three in their segments GM had the lowest rate of component replacement (e.g., batteries, switches, etc.) From an owner loyalty perspective, J.D. Power found that 54 percent of customers who experienced no vehicle problems stayed loyal to the brand. This number drops to 41 [...]
The Superbowl displayed one of the greatest games between two phenomenal teams. Being down 28-6 shortly after halftime, things were looking pretty dreary to the 49ers. But with new-found momentum and an urge to win, the 49ers had a wildly impressive comeback putting the heat on the Ravens. While the Ravens still won with the score being tight at 34-31, it was quite a sight to see the 49ers completely dominate the second half of the game. A sight which inspired fans as well as players such as the upcoming linebacker Darius Fleming who was there with his team watching his comrades fight back. Darius would have probably been battling with his 49er commrades out on the field down in N’awlins if it weren’t for a season ending knee injury that he suffered earlier in the season. If you follow what’s up with NFL players and their vehicles, you may know that Darius used to drive a decked out 2010 Black Camaro that [...]
You’re out school or just beginning your career and looking at affordable vehicles because you need something reliable to get you from place to place. Maybe you came to the decision that you would want something that is brand new and with a warranty so you know it will be reliable for you for many years to come. Not a bad decision, but, if you’re like most recent grads just out of school and starting your career, money is the biggest issue. I’m sure you won’t be reaching for Maserati keys in your pocket anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have something quality for not much buck for the bang. No need to burn money you can’t afford to lose – the following list of affordable vehicles are particularly nice options for those fresh car shoppers limited to under $20,000. This makes a perfect small family or single person’s vehicle. It’s [...]
Having a Job is a necessary thing (…for most of us, at least), we all need cash to support our lives and the lives of those with us. To some people a job is just a means to get money, others really take in their job and care about bettering the company they work for and believe in that company’s mission. I would hope to think that most workers would care about what their company stands for and what they do beyond making money. Better yet, to have a company that reaches out to communities and helps, not only in monetary ways, but also by physically lending a hand. GM is one of those companies. Since its beginning, GM has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to educational organizations, American charities, and to disaster relief efforts [...]
Famous comedian Jay Leno discusses his new 2014 C7 Corvette Stingray – Mr. big chin meets new Chevrolet all-American muscle car. One of America’s most recognized comedians and television hosts, Jay Leno, stepped foot into unfamiliar territory to give the new 2014 C7 Corvette Stingray the once over. If you weren’t aware, Jay Leno has a few vehicles… and is a big fan of the Corvette line (he bought the very first production 2009 Corvette ZR1!) so to say Jay and Corvette’s belong together is kind of an understatement. It’s almost meant to be… like pen meeting paper or a puppies destroying your shoes. The introduction of the New Corvette to Leno did not take place in his garage as it usually would. This time Leno stepped inside a [...]
Michael Gratz is a veteran salesperson with over 50 years of experience under his belt. He knows how to treat his customer’s right and has gained several friends along the way. Michael is now part of our sales staff at Runde GMC in Platteville and he’s ready to serve you! How long have you worked as a salesperson in the car biz? Since 1963 – 50 years now. Have you mostly worked selling Chevy’s in the industry? Yes. My dad and I owned a GMC dealership up for almost 71 years. We started out selling Oldsmobile and GMC then we acquired Pontiac and Chevrolet. We sold that in ’06 and then I came down to Platteville and have been here since December of 2008 . I’m a big fan of Chevrolet. What [...]
The car that makes people giddy is definitely the 2014 Corvette C7 Stingray. The newest Corvette is taking the world by storm! Sporting an aggressive look, the 2014 Corvette C7 Stingray promises to be better than any Corvette you’ve experienced and has thus deserved the famed “Stingray” title. GM Managed to take off 99 lbs out of the body structure and making it 60% stiffer, it corners at over 1g and is supposed to be faster than the previous years Grand Sport! Chevrolet clearly one-upped themselves in practically every department with the new Corvette iteration – Appearance, Performance, Quality and Technology. The Powertrain packs the small block 6.2L LT1 V8 engine boasting an estimated 450 horsepower, 450 lb.-ft. of torque and is said to be able to go from 0-60 in [...]
Every once in awhile the ad department over at Chevrolet gets an itch to try out a new slogan. There have been some great ones throughout the years, such as “Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie & Chevrolet”, “Like a Rock”, and of course “Chevy Runs Deep”. Chevy is currently employing the global tagline of “Find New Roads”. “Chevy’s current slogan Find New Roads embraces the spirit of ingenuity that has been in Chevrolet’s DNA since the beginning and it will continue to guide every aspect of our business moving forward,” said Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors. “We have sold Chevrolet vehicles around the world for almost a century, but this is the first time we have aligned behind one global vision.” “As we develop new Chevrolet vehicles, our designers and [...]
Runde Auto Group is proud to welcome Shane Buss to the Runde’s sales staff. He may be relatively young, but he definitely ain’t no spring chicken when it comes to the car business. Shane Buss has worked in the automotive industry for nearly half of his life. His exuberance is surpassed only by his quest for excellence. He’s energized, passionate and ready for anything that comes his way and will do everything to give you the experience you dreamed of when it comes to buying a car and maybe having a few laughs. How long have you worked in the automotive industry? Ever since I was 17, so 15 years now. I started out managing a used car lot down in Potosi, WI. Are you originally from the Platteville area? I’m a Burton boy – it’s between Potosi and Cassville, WI. What do you enjoy most about working in the automotive industry? [...]
The year has come and gone and there were a lot of exciting 2012 vehicles that became available in the auto market. Lots of exciting things happened throughout the year. New models, impressive new technology and even some changes at Runde’s. Here is a recap of what happened this year! This year brought home quite a few new models to the lineup, here are some of the fresh and exciting 2012 vehicles. Chevrolet Spark – The Chevy Spark showed us that “little” and “inexpensive” does not equal “weak” and “cheap”. With its 135HP 1.8L engine or optional 138HP 1.4L Turbocharged engine the sonic packs a punch that is unexpected for a car of its size with a price tag that won’t break the bank. 2014 Silverado & Sierra Announced! – It might be long overdue in some people’s mind, but [...]
Runde GMC in Platteville becomes a Reality Press Release 12-24-12 Runde Auto Group is pleased to announce the acquisition of Mound View Motors in Platteville, WI from Mr. Everett Gillilan. Everett “Honest Todd” has been in the car business over 60 years and we wish him well. The operations will combine with those of our Cuba City Buick location and all employees from that location will remain with us in Platteville. Most of the employees from the Mound View operation will be retained as well. We sincerely regret the impact this may have on the city of Cuba City. We are hoping to soon find another use for the facility; we are currently looking at outside options as well as within our organization. The Cuba City operation was successful for over ten years. [...]
We have a big and bad snowstorm coming our way tonight and hopefully most of you will be inside all safe and snug. However, some of you may find yourself out driving in snow … a lot of snow. It can be a scary situation when your wipers can’t seem to wipe away the snow fast enough for you to see through, the wind seems to become the bully of nature, trying to shake your car from side to side and you feel as if you don’t know when you are in control of your vehicle. The best thing to do is not panic, but here are some useful driving tips that may help keep you in control on potentially slick roads during the winter time: 1. Don’t assume your vehicle is going to be able to handle a certain situation with ease (including all-wheel-vehicles!). Even a slight turn could end up in a disastrous [...]
Joanne Helms of Mineral Point, WI came in to Runde PreDriven in Hazel Green today to buy a vehicle with her son-in-law, Rob Busser, who was there to assist her. Joanne is a coffee shop aficionado and loves her new Equinox. See what Joanne and Dave are saying about their experience at Runde’s and how small town gossip can lead to big time satisfaction. What led you into Runde’s? I know my sister-in-law bought a car from here a number of years ago and I’ve been hearing good things lately from more and more people buying and talking about Runde’s from where I’m from. What area are you from? I’m from Mineral Point, WI. Which has a population of about 3000 people. I go to [...]
The best truck in the market is about to get better as GM officially announced the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 sporting a new, rugged exterior styling. While most of the time a change in body style or performance is highly debated either as good or bad, in this early stage of development, it’s hard to deny that the redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has any shortcomings over its predecessor. Lets start at the Box: The rear-bumper now has a “Cornerstep” which you can use as a stepladder. They are introducing a Roll-formed steel pickup box that’s stronger, lighter and more durable than stamped steel. New available movable Cargo Tie-Down Hooks rated up to 500lbs each that let you configure your cargo load more precisely. The Crew Cab Models are [...]
Sometimes a car accident is simply unavoidable. Granted we all try to be good drivers (maybe some more than others…). We check our mirrors, are cautious of our surroundings, we obey the speed limit and don’t even talk on our phones… well… you know, ideally. Regardless, we all generally have the same goal – Don’t hit, or get hit by anything else – vehicle or otherwise (defensive driving). But despite our efforts, sometimes we can’t escape the inevitability of a crash. If that time comes, there are some things you need to keep in mind.With your adrenaline in full gear, heart pounding, and a thousand thoughts running through your mind it’s easy to not be rational or logical. Keep your cool and assess the situation logically. Use the following tips and precautions to guide you through the aftermath of the accident. 1. Get off the road! 2. Check Supplies (precautionary [...]
Pat and Pam May are some of the cheeriest people you could ever meet. In fact, there’s not a trace of melancholy within miles and miles of these two twins. They came in to purchase a pair of Chevolet Sonics from the Sales Manager at Runde Chevy, John Riley, and they were ecstatic to share how wonderful of an experience they had. You two are twins, correct? How can I tell you two apart? Yes. Pam has the short hair and Pat has the ponytail. Which one of you was born first? We were born two minutes apart. Pam: I’m the smarter one. Pat: She’s the older one, too! *Both Laugh* How was it being twins growing up? It was great. We always got along really good. [...]
