Misty Rosebrock and her fiance, Serafin Gonzalez came all the way from Ohio to pick up the Dodge Magnum they would later drive home in and they almost took a detour to Luigi’s Pizza in Dubuque to satisfy their hunger pangs. This young couple was happy to be at Runde PreDriven after such a long trip and was even more pleased about the service they received and the vehicle they picked out. They were nice enough to share their experience at Runde’s and a bit about their lives to me before they took the long road home in their new vehicle. Serafin, that’s a unique name, what’s it from? It’s a Spanish name. I was named after the Angel Seraphim.   [...]

There was a new face that appeared wearing a Runde shirt recently.   No this was not just an extremely loyal customer who loved wearing Runde garments … his name was Brian Pinch.  And we seized up the opportunity to interview our newest employee.   What do you do here at Runde’s?   I’m a sales consultant here for new Chevy vehicles.   How long have you worked here?   I’ve been here just a few weeks now.  Oh and I also can assist customers in leasing Chevy vehicles too. Are you originally from the area?   I’m originally from Dubuque and lived here most of my life.  I lived in Cedar Rapids until fourth grade.   What is your best experience at Runde’s to date?   My best experience really is just working with management and having other employees point me in the right direction.  Everyone is very helpful and has the great characteristics of good customer service.   What are your past times / [...]

One of our relatively recent additions to the Runde team is Mariah Diedrich. We just about caused mass mayhem by dragging her away from her phone, but Mariah gladly took a few moments to allow us to get to know her a little better. How long have you worked for Runde’s and what  do you do here? Um, it’ll be going on a year.  I can’t remember if I was hired in August or September.  I work in the accounting department and do accounts payable. What’s the best thing about your job? The people I work with.  Except for Becky.   We understand.  What is the worst thing about your job? Being interviewed by those annoying blog people.  Just kidding … I’d probably have to say Becky. Do you have a favorite spot in the Tri-State area? I live in Shullsburg about 40 minutes away in Wisconsin, so it’s like [...]

The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado is an awesome vehicle, but the jury is out on how well it will do in terms of protecting our environment from its emissions.  As fuel economy goes up, and towing capacity increases, so does the increasing amount of filth pushed through the exhaust of today’s vehicles.   However, this is not a generalization that can be made with every vehicle on the market for the 2011 model year.  The newly revamped Duramax Diesel is definitely a game-changer with their new SCR/DEF system. This amazingly clean diesel engine owes some gratitude to the new Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system that uses Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).   That’s right, a new fluid to get associated with – Exhaust Fluid. DEF is a urea based solution that is injected into the exhaust stream shortly after the turbo. [...]

If you follow the Runde Blog, you may recall a story that we ran back in the spring of this year about Mardy Gilyard, who purchased a new 2010 Camaro SS from Runde Chevrolet.  At that time, he had finished up at the University of Cincinnati, where he starred as a wide receiver and kick returner.  He was on his way to the NFL Draft Combine where he would show NFL scouts just what he was made of.   Everyone in Cincinnati and his home state of Florida already knew that Mardy was a world-class athlete and at the NFL Combine (an invite-only event) back in February, he put his talent on display for the rest of the world to see.   The St. Louis Rams took particular notice of him and, after they took Sam Bradford as the [...]

I’m sure you’ve heard of Ted Williams, but have you heard of Jenna Schneider?  No one has hit for a .400 batting average in the Major Leagues since Ted Williams last did it in 1941.  In the 69 years since that time, George Brett probably came the closest to hitting .400 over the course of a whole season when he averaged .390 back in 1980.  Heck, it seems like the only thing more out of reach in baseball than hitting .400 would be the Cubs getting to or winning the World Series.  (That is unless Ryne Sandberg comes back as a player/manager and then I’d have to say that the World Series would be a sure thing for the Cubbies). If  achieving a .400 batting average seems extremely improbable, then would would .500 be.  And what does all this have to do with Runde’s?  Well, one of our summer workers, Jenna Schneider, of East Dubuque came back to [...]

Today we had the pleasure of getting to know a family who recently bought a Chrysler Town & Country van from us. Sharon, Darlene, Alex, Emily and Gavin took a few moments to share their experience with us.  We give you … the Riesselman Family. How did you find Runde Auto Group and this Chrysler Town & Country? We found you guys on the internet. Your website was very easy to navigate and we easily found what we wanted. I really like how you can narrow by the year, model and mileage, it makes it really easy to find what you are looking for. Where is the first place you’ll take your new Chrysler Town & Country van? Darlene: Home to see [...]

Jim and Denise Kruser, from Dubuque, IA came in the other day to purchase a new vehicle. Denise had purchased from Runde’s in the past and had such a great experience that she decided to come back. Jim and Denise were kind enough to sit down with me for a few minutes and tell me a little about themselves and about their experience at Runde’s. What led you to Runde’s today? Denise: I’ve bought from here before and we were looking for a reliable winter vehicle so we decided to buy it from here again. We wound up with the ’05 Jeep Liberty. What made you come to Runde’s in the first place Denise? Denise: I was told that it was a good place to come so [...]

We sat down this morning and had a quick chat with the highly energetic and ever-ambitious Brandon Hanger. Brandon has been working nights at Runde Chevrolet for the past four years (He comes in with his mom and dad after hours and helps with facility maintenance). We were so impressed with his professional drive that we immediately added him to our sales staff. He wound up selling four new cars today and he’s already decided to put the commission money away for his retirement.  We seriously need to clone this kid.    

Dan Cotter came in the other day to Runde Chevy to buy yet another truck from Tim Runde. While he was here he explained his 2,544 mile trip from Washington to Pennsylvania as well as his plans for his future epic adventures. That seems like quite the trip Dan. What was the purpose of the trip? “My daughter was working at a veterinarian hospital in Washington but was offered a job in Pennsylvania at an emergency hospital for animals. In bigger towns they have clinics like that where you can take in your animal 24/7.” “First we went to Colorado to see a buddy of mine race in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. Then we went to Washington and made a few stops on our way to Pennsylvania. The trip took a couple of weeks in all.”

It’s not too often that we make national news around the Tri-States. When it happens, though, you know its gotta be something big. The Lake Delhi Dam failing and the resulting area flooding is something big. Devastation slowly ensued upon realization that the place so many called “home” was so severely damaged by the flooding. Homes, businesses, valuable items were lost and it left a lot of work to be done to get things cleaned up and restored.     There are good people out there, people who want to make a difference and help see others get back on their feet. Here are two great examples of just that:  Jill Reimer of Rainbo Oil coordinated the Trucks of Love donation collection. Cumulus 106.1 Super Hits broadcasted live to try to help raise donations and awareness.  I visited with Jill and she explained; “We got a list of [...]

Bob and Debora Jameson of Kenai, Alaska purchased an Express Sunseeker motorhome from Runde Auto Group earlier this summer. (When we looked up Kenai on Google Maps, we found out that it’s actually closer to Russia than it is to East Dubuque.) Their salesman was Dave “Soup” Smith up at the Runde PreDriven store in Hazel Green and the following is their own account of their Runde experience. “Typically found on the top of everyone’s bucket list, Driving the Alaska Highway is typically one of the top ten things to do before time runs out on our abilities to travel in such remote regions … we just purchased a larger motorhome from Runde Chevrolet and will be driving it back to Alaska taking our sweet ole time in doing so. We plan to sample a few of the alternate [...]

When I think about Chevy parts near Dubuque, the work “parts” stays in my mind and then it keeps repeating.  And coincidentally for some reason I had that old Wendy’s commercial pop into my head today — the parts is parts one, remember? Wendy’s really had some great commercials back in the day. Anyway, the parts is parts commercial caused me to feel a need to give a shout out to our Runde Parts Department who sell and distribute OEM Chevy parts near Dubuque. The guys who work in parts do an excellent job and their work often goes unheralded. So here’s the shout: Whether you’re looking to upfit your current truck or deck out a brand new one, be sure to check out what we currently have on hand or available at the Parts Office counter at our Chevy store in East Dubuque.  Whenever you’re searching for Chevy parts near Dubuque, think Runde [...]

How did you find Runde Auto Group and this particular vehicle? Through Al Kloft.  I told him what I was looking for and he went and found it for me. I bought a Trailblazer and my brother bought a vehicle from Al not too long ago too. Why did you decide to purchase it here?  Because I found what I liked and because I’ve known Al for a long time.  He’s a family friend so I trusted him. And I liked it so I said yeah I’d buy it.   Where is the first place you’ll take your new car? I don’t know … probably work. Really? Yeah I have have work at 9 o’clock tonight.   Where do you work at? At The Barn in Sherrill Iowa — it’s a bar and a restaurant up there. I used to go up to the barn a long time ago — we [...]

This is a brief interview with Karen Schilling who is the secretary at the Dubuque County Trailblazers horse and pony camp.  There will always be situations where you absolutely need a pickup truck. The sports fan in you is screaming “get the turbo coupe!”, the calm in you is telling you to “get the luxury vehicle!” Then there’s the practical side of you telling you to “get the truck, you’ll need it.” And if you are a farmer, construction worker or have a horse and kids that want to go to horse camp, you are absolutely correct in thinking you’ll need that pickup truck. No one knows that more than the parents of the kids attending the Tri-State’s annual horse camp.          Karen Schilling, secretary of the Dubuque County [...]

We recently had a chance to interview Perry Mason of Radio Dubuque to get an inside peek of what goes on behind the scenes of the 3rd of July Air Show. Since then Perry and his crew have picked up the 21 vehicles they needed from Runde’s and they are being put to good use by the troops. These are the vehicles that will serve their basic transportation needs as they travel around the Tri-State area over the next week or so.  After they arrived at the Dubuque Regional Airport the other day, we got a chance to take an up-close look at a few of the planes that will be in the show.  Enjoy a small glimpse of the planes that will be at the show!   And if you’re interested in checking the planes out in person or possibly taking a ride on one, we highly recommend it.      

Safe Kids USA and General Motors working together for the benefit of kids everywhere   During these hot summer days it’s great to get out and enjoy the weather. Maybe you wanted to go out somewhere but there was no one available to watch over your kids. If you do take your kids with you, wherever you go, please keep their safety at the forefront of your mindset and do NOT leave them in the car by themselves for any reason … not even for a minute.   The ambient temperature inside of a vehicle on a 80 degree day can reach up to 110 degrees in just 20 minutes. On average there are 37 infant deaths resulting from being left in hot cars per year. I’ve heard horror stories on the news about infant death resulting from being stuck inside a car and it is something that needs to be brought up and addressed [...]

Bob Bush has been a Dubuquer for his entire life. And now he has joined the Runde Chevrolet team as one of our sales gurus. Read on to learn more about Bob, what he likes and what he’d do with 100 million bucks. Where are you from? Dubuque Iowa, born and raised. Have you always known about Runde’s? Yeah, I’ve pretty much always known about Runde’s. My dad bought a used truck from the Hazel Green store not to long ago. He still has the truck and it’s still running good! How are you liking it here at Runde’s? I’m liking it. I’m getting the hang of things and it’s going great. What do you like to do around the area? Hang out with friends, go cook out, watch my buddies fight in [...]

**Update: Check out our footage of the Air Show planes HERE. Many families in the Tri-State area have made a tradition of gathering together to watch the 3rd of July air show and fireworks display. There is a lot of time, effort and hard work put into the event. Perry Mason, the General Sales Manager at Radio Dubuque, is one of the important people behind the scenes who helps organize the July 3rd event every year and is here to explain the show and what it takes to make the spectacular performance happen. Perry knows a thing or two about throwing a good show and has been involved with the air show through its entirety of 25 years. Perry explains, “This is the 25th anniversary of the air Show. We have one of the biggest shows in the nation. Going to the show not only provides a great bonding and get-together time with [...]

The Volt is just about here and Earth is anxiously waiting for its eco-friendly arrival. Why not help out the environment while experiencing one of the most high-tech rides of all-time.  And at the same time, you can save some green in gas $$$ for driving green? It all seems like a win-win to me. You know what else, though? The fact that if you buy the Volt you could be going home to a professionally installed 240-volt charge station. The Volt runs in one of three ways. 1. All electric – up to 40 miles on a single charge. 2. Extended range capability (gas/electric mixed) – designed to drive up to 350 miles without stopping to recharge or refuel. 3. Gasoline – will last another 300 miles. Needless to say, the [...]

Laura Rannals from Area Residential Care dropped in the other day to drop off the Runde’s Community Support Truck. Area Residential Care is a non-profit agency that serves people with mental or other developmental disabilities. They have grown to serve about 300 differently-abled adults and about 300 staff members in Dubuque (the headquarters), Dyersville, and Manchester. They will soon be moving into the old Econofoods building off of JFK Rd. in DBQ. The Community Support Truck was used to help move items and goods to and from A.Y. McDonald Park in Dubuque where they held the 2010 Corporate & Community Games. Laura explains that the Corporate Community game event is the annual fundraiser for A.R.C. The event takes place on the second Wednesday of every [...]

Who could have ever guessed just how big Google would become and how much usage Google Maps would get on a daily basis. And who knows how much more they will grow in the future?  Not me.  All I know is that Google does, almost everything, right.  OnStar must know this too as they recently took advantage of Google’s wealth of knowledge and voila (minus the accent): Google Maps now comes to OnStar as an app. Later this month all GM vehicles  (from 2006, up) that are equipped with Turn-by-Turn Navigation will be able to use the Google Map feature.  This feature will be available through OnStar eNav Technology and will enable users to effortlessly receive directions and turn by turn visual signals to get to [...]

Richard W. Fanning came to us from Janesville Wisconsin to purchase a brand new Silverado. He was having a great time chatting with the Runde’s staff even though his vehicle was already ready to go. I managed to sit down for a spell with Richard and he was ecstatic to share his experiences at Runde with the rest of the world. Read on to see why Richard was so satisfied. What led you to Runde’s? Originally I found my way here by word of mouth from friends that suggested this place to me. I was here last year buying a truck. It is one of the most pleasurable dealerships I’ve ever been at and that’s going on 64 years of car and truck buying. I have been [...]

Jeff Kueter, who works in the reconditioning department at Runde Chevrolet celebrated a birthday today.  He is commonly known at Runde’s as “Lenny”, although we really don’t know why. You may have noticed Lenny on some on our other Ads and Newsletters and, in a way, he’s sort of become the face of Runde Chevrolet because he’s always smiling.  Anyway, that smile is a year older now, but I’m sure that won’t get him down.  He was planning on going out and celebrating his 36th (but he doesn’t look a day over 29) B-Day tonight so if you see him out-n-about, wish him a Happy One !!!

Today we had the pleasure of getting to know Danielle Crandall from Stockton Illinois a little better. This Navy gal stopped in to find a newer vehicle to transport herself between Navy bases.  Ultimately she found the perfect car! Read on to find out more about her experience buying a used car at Runde PreDriven. How did you find Runde Auto Group? My parents had told me about you guys. They have bought from you before and recommended Runde Auto Group to me. What vehicle did you go with? Why that vehicle? I went with an ’07 Saturn Aura. I saw a Saturn Aura at Buffalo Wild Wings one time and since then I wanted one so I thought I’d check to see if you had one on your site and you did! So you bought a car because you saw it at Buffalo Wild Wings and thought you would look [...]