Help Runde Auto Group win Dubuque’s Best Fest Competition’s Best Car/Truck Dealership and Best Place for Auto Repair in the Tri-States AGAIN by voting this year!  Being the best you can be requires a high level of commitment and that is evident at Runde Auto Group where our dealership continues to grow each year. Of course, bigger is not necessarily better, and that’s why at Runde’s we know that being the best requires continually improving by offering top notch customer service and also by listening to our customer base in order to learn better ways to do things.  Dubuque’s Best Fest is an annual benefit that supports Hospice of Dubuque. It encourages the community to vote for their favorite Dubuque-area products, services, food, entertainment, and more. There is a limit of one entry [...]

Runde Chevrolet – Proud Dubuque Event Sponsor This year marks the 25th year of Reflections in the Park – Hillcrest Lights Festival! The event, which raises funds for Hillcrest Family Services, runs through Jan. 4, 2020. It is open 5-10 p.m. daily at Louis Murphy Park in Dubuque. The price is $10 per vehicle at the gate. Don’t miss the Runde Auto Group Silverado display!  Runde Chevrolet is proud to be a sponsor again for this event. Santa will be on hand every Monday in December before Christmas between 5 and 8 p.m. to distribute candy to the youngsters. Dog treats will also be given to canine visitors. Last year, Reflections in the Park was a record-setting [...]

The 2021 Mustang Mach-E is the Future of Transportation The newest member of the Ford Mustang family is not a sports car, but an all-electric SUV. The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, expected to hit showrooms in late 2020, combines the spirit of the Mustang with the future of electric vehicle technology. “At the first-ever Detroit auto show, Henry Ford said he was working on something that would strike like forked lightning,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company, in a press release. “That was the Model T. Today, the Ford Motor Company is proud to unveil a car that strikes like forked lightning all over again. The all-new, all-electric Mustang Mach-E. It’s fast. It’s fun. It’s freedom. For a new generation of Mustang [...]

You don’t have to wait until Black Friday to get a great deal on a vehicle at Runde Auto Group – our savings are happening all month long. Here’s a look at some of the offers available at our dealerships until Dec. 2, 2019:   Chevrolet Chevrolet is offering great deals on Silverados – with their standalone offers combined with Runde pricing, you can save up to 26% on a 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 Dbl Cab! Looking for a crew cab? Save up to 24% on a 2019 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab! Now is the time to shop remaining 2019s with their deep discounts, including up to 23% off 2019 Chevrolet Impalas (yes, we still have them!), up to 24% off 2019 Chevrolet Equinox (ONE LEFT!), up to 18% off 2020 Chevy Equinox, up to 24% off 2019 Chevy [...]

2020 Ford Escape Now Available at Runde Ford in Manchester, IA VIEW INVENTORY It’s always an exciting time of the year at Runde Ford when the next model year vehicles begin to arrive and are unloaded from vehicle transports.  This year the Runde Ford sales staff has been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the next generation Ford Escape.  You may not recognize the all-new 2020 Ford Escape because of the recent makeover!  While it’s not a complete departure from the overall statement of the previous body style, the new design is definitely a fresh looking vehicle that’s very easy on the eyes. the 2020 Escape has a new sloped roofline, refreshed grille, and optimized liftgate spoiler – all creating the most aerodynamic Escape [...]

Runde Ford in Manchester Awaits the All-New Ford Bronco The All-New Ford Bronco world premiere will be in the spring of 2020! With today’s announcement, Ford debuted a new bucking horse logo for the Bronco. Check out the evolution of the logo through the years on this Ford.com future vehicles page. Introduced in 1966, the Ford Bronco was the world’s first SUV.  A lot of us remember the Bronco and the Bronco II.   Two door SUV’s like the Bronco and the K5 Chevy Blazer were eventually phased out by the demand for 4-door SUV’s as the Sport Utility became a popular mode of transportation by urban and suburban families.  The Bronco was eventually replaced altogether by the Ford Expedition, which is still quite popular today. Since the unveil isn’t until the spring of 2020, it’s still not clear [...]

Be Prepared For Winter Weather Before you hit the road during the winter months, it’s always a good idea to check the forecast and the road conditions for the route you plan to take. You should also keep an emergency kit in your trunk (here are some ideas of what to put in it). Keep these links handy to track current road conditions in the tri-state area of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa.   Iowa DOT Wisconsin DOT  Illinois DOT From everyone at Runde Auto Group, we’d like to remind you to drive safely this winter. Gauge the winter road conditions before heading to your destination and drive accordingly!

We at Runde Auto Group love to celebrate Halloween and we’re sure that you do too.  If you have a Halloween event or local trick-or-treating times you’d like added to this list, send the information to Marketing@RundeAutoGroup.com!   ASBURY Trick-or-Treating 5:30 to 7 p.m., Thurs, Oct. 31 — CASCADE, IA Trick-or-Treating 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thurs, Oct. 31 — CUBA CITY, WI Trick-or-Treating 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thurs, Oct. 31 — DICKEYVILLE, WI Trick-or-Treating 5:30-7 p.m. Thurs, Oct. 31 — DUBUQUE, IA Trunk or Treat 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thurs, Oct. 24 Dubuque County Fairgrounds $1 per person   Dubuque Halloween Parade 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28 on Main [...]

You will never be in search of a cupholder in the 2020 Ford Expedition. Ford’s largest SUV, the Expedition comes with 15 cupholders standard! What’s one to do with all that space? Dr. Pepper has a solution. The soda company has released a limited edition 15-pack inspired by the vehicle’s new “Built to Be a Better Big” advertising campaign. “We’re solving one of Expedition’s last unsolved big customer needs – what to do with 15 cupholders,” said Adam Longarzo, Ford Expedition consumer marketing manager in a press release. “We’ve teamed up with Dr Pepper to create a 15-pack that puts a drink in each holder and highlights another reason why this is a ‘better big’ vehicle.”   Ford and Dr Pepper will [...]

Chevrolet has contributed more than $13 million to the American Cancer Society over the past 10 years with its Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign. This year is no different, and it is so easy for you to participate as a part of #TeamRunde! For every post on Twitter or Instagram during the month of October that includes the hashtag #IDriveFor, Chevrolet will contribute $5 to the American Cancer Society (up to $220,000). So tell us, who do you drive for?

Chevrolet Dealer near Dubuque awaits arrival of Amazon’s Alexa   You may soon have a new passenger in your vehicle: Amazon’s Alexa. GM will make Amazon’s Alexa available on model year 2018 and newer cars, trucks, and crossovers with compatible infotainment systems. “Customers already love using Alexa at home, and soon they can bring her with them on the go, whether they’re looking for a new car or own a compatible Chevrolet, Buick or GMC vehicle already on the road,” said Ned Curic, VP of Alexa Auto at Amazon, in a press release. “We’re thrilled to be working with GM to help their customers stay more connected, more entertained, and more productive.” Runde Auto Group is also excited about this news as enhanced [...]

Car Dealership Near Dubuque adds Outgoing, Energetic Salesman   Please join us in welcoming Matt Gil to the sales staff of Runde Chevrolet Buick GMC in Platteville! Matt has had a variety of experience in sales, as well as operations and project management. He also has served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Elgin, IA! Matt Gil is originally from Idaho and he has also lived in Cameron, WI and Elgin, IA.  He now resides in Platteville, WI. He is excited to work with customers from all walks of life. “We are selling a product that has such a high level of emotion and excitement surrounding it,” he said. “We have the opportunity to sell a young person their first car, to sell someone a tool that they can [...]

Need new tires near Dubuque?  Now is the time – We’re having a tire sale! Runde Auto Group is currently having a tire sale.  Get up to a $200 mail-in rebate on a set of four tires from Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Hankook, or Pirelli when purchased with a GM or BuyPower Card! Or you can get a $100 mail-in rebate with any other form of payment. Hurry, offer ends 11-30-20! Don’t have a GM or BuyPower Card? You can apply for one here. Credit approval is required and terms and conditions apply. Stop in to Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque or Runde GMC in Platteville for details about the tire sale and to pick up a rebate form.  Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of the rebate debit card. Or you can check out the [...]

Chevrolet Bolt Dealers excited about improved fuel range The 2020 Chevrolet Bolt will offer an impressive EPA-estimated 259 miles of range on a full charge! This is an increase of 21 miles over the previous model years.  Dealers and customers alike are excited about this news. “The new Bolt EV set the benchmark for long-range, affordable electric vehicles, and we’re excited to raise the bar by offering nearly 10 percent more EPA-estimated range for the 2020 model year,” said Tim Grewe, director of Global Battery Cell Engineering and Strategy, in a press release. “At Chevrolet we’re constantly listening to customer feedback and we heard the desire for more range. The team worked diligently to find ways to improve battery energy, giving customers the confidence to go more than the extra mile.” To accomplish this goal, Chevrolet’s battery engineering team improved the energy of the cell electrodes by making changes to the cell chemistry. That way [...]

2020 Chevrolet Corvettes Arriving Soon at Runde’s near Dubuque Chevrolet has announced pricing on the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray! This mid-engine sports car, which is capable of 194 mpg top track speed, can be purchased for starting at $59,995.  Of course most Corvettes that are built will exceed that base level price.  If fact, GM has gone as far to say that if they produce a $59,995 Corvette, they will actually lose money on the car, but they wanted the car to come in at a price point that would attract enthusiasts from all ages and all walks of life. “Most people thought when we moved the Corvette to mid-engine it would no longer be attainable, but we knew we couldn’t mess with a winning formula and the 2020 Corvette [...]

Brandon Goranson, a technician at Runde Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Manchester, recently completed his Ford Senior Master Tech certification. You’re probably saying to yourself, “Well don’t all repair shops have trained mechanics?  Doesn’t that place down the street advertise having ASE certified mechanics?” Well let’s briefly examine what ASE certified means.  In a nutshell it means that a mechanic takes courses at a local college or community college and takes a test. The Senior Master Technician title is strictly for techs who have gone to the greatest lengths of the Ford Training Curriculum. Since the title of Master Tech was first introduced in 1999, only a relatively small number of technicians have actually achieved this level of accomplishment. To reach the Ford Master Technician level, a mechanic is required to complete hundreds of hours of school, pass many certification exams and be a Ford Technician for at least [...]

Check out the All-Electric F-150 Prototype: In this demonstration, Ford puts on an exhibition where the All-Electric F-150 prototype is set up to tow 10 doubledecker railroad freight cars (a total weight of over 1 million pounds) over a distance of 1000 feet. Ford claims that no other truck has ever accomplished this feat. To put it mildly, the All-Electric F-150 accomplishes this task with such ease that the Ford rep in charge of the demonstration decides to add more weight for a total combined weight of 1.25 million pounds. The Electric F-150 prototype handles this task impressively well. Ford would like to put caution to the wind for other drivers out there stating: “The F-150 battery-electric prototype is towing far beyond any production truck’s published capacity in a one-time short event demonstration. Never tow beyond a vehicle’s towing capacities. Always consult the Owner’s Manual”. We at Runde Auto Group can’t wait until the All-Electric [...]

You may have noticed many vehicles on the Runde Auto Group website labeled as Service Loaner Specials. These are vehicles that were previously part of our service loaner fleet, so they were loaned out to customers who had their vehicle in for service. They are mostly used locally and have about 2,000 to 3,000 miles on them at the time of sale. The benefit of purchasing a service loaner is that you can save up to $2,000 ON TOP of all the typical rebates that come with a new vehicle!  Many local customers from Dubuque and the surrounding area have taken advantage of these service loaner specials.  And it’s often better than purchasing a program vehicles.  Program vehicles are most often vehicles that were previously owned and rented out by [...]

Real Prices The first of the 10 Reasons to Shop at Runde Auto Group is that we pride ourselves on being upfront and honest, which starts with the way we price our vehicles. Our website clearly lists the price breakdown for new and pre-driven vehicles, always including Runde Savings. Dubuque area car buyers know they will get our best price from the start, with total transparency! No Hidden Fees Most dealerships charge you to do your paperwork. These documentation and prep fees, which often aren’t mentioned until you are signing paperwork, can add up to thousands of dollars. At Runde Auto Group, we never charge documentation or prep fees. No Pressure We will [...]

Please join us in welcoming Shawn Cooper to the sales staff of Runde Chevrolet Buick GMC in Platteville! Shawn, who is from Newport News, VA spent eight years in the United States Navy as an airplane mechanic. He has been working in the automotive industry ever since. He loves the opportunity to meet new people each day and build relationships with customers. “I believe educating people on car buying is one of the most important aspects of the job,” he says. “I’m not here to just sell a car, I want customers to understand what they are buying and the value of the dealership.” When he isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his five sons, bowling, watching movies (especially Marvel), and hiking. He also is fascinated by military history. “I love military aviation,” he says. “Reading [...]

The mid-engine Corvette will be revealed via livestream on Thursday, July 18, in Orange County, California! The livestream opens at 9:30 p.m. on July 18 and can be accessed through media.chevrolet.com/nextgenCorvette​. The stream will include Corvette video footage, a hosted pre-show, and the reveal presentation. It will be available for viewing across the globe. “There is a large contingent of Corvette fans across the world waiting for the reveal of the Next Generation. We’re happy to give these fans, and all sports car enthusiasts, a way to see and learn about the vehicle at the same [...]

“If you’re not first, you’re last.” The all-new 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, the most powerful street-legal Ford ever, lives up to that Talladega Nights motto. Producing 760 horsepower and 625 lb-ft. of torque, the vehicle can reach 60 mph in the mid-3 second range, according to CNBC. A quarter-mile takes it just under 11 seconds to complete. According Ford’s short and sweet press release regarding the new 2020 Shelby GT500, it will be their most powerful street-legal car yet with the most power- and torque-dense supercharged production V8 engine IN THE WORLD. The third generation GT500 also has a carbon fiber track package without a rear seat to reduce weight. The all-new GT500 should be arrive at [...]

Runde Auto Group is proud to once again be a title sponsor of America’s River Festival! The annual event will be held June 21 and 22 in the Port of Dubuque. Performers will include Clint Black, Pure Prairie League, the Steve Miller Band, and more! Plus, we will be handing out a FREE T-SHIRT to the first 1,000 people in the gate on Friday night! Here’s the schedule for America’s River Festival:   Friday, June 21 Elizabeth Mary – 7 p.m. Blackhawk – 8:30 p.m. Clint Black – 10 p.m. Saturday, June 22 Pure Prairie League – 7 p.m. Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives – 8:30 p.m. Steve Miller Band – 10 p.m.  Buy Tickets

Another Chevrolet nameplate from years past is making a comeback … the 2021 Trailblazer. General Motors recently debuted the 2021 Chevy Trailblazer, a small SUV that is sized between the larger Equinox and the smaller Trax. While product specifications are not yet available, the vehicle will include an RS trim with a standard two-tone roof. “The Trailblazer’s great design enables more personalization,” said Steve Majoros, director of Chevrolet passenger car and crossover marketing, in a press release. “Trailblazer is a continuation of the design language for Chevy’s crossover family and extends our momentum into one of the industry’s fastest-growing segments.” Standard active safety features will include Front Pedestrian Braking, Automatic Emergency Braking and Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning. It also offers optional [...]

If you’ve ever shopped at a car dealership (other than Runde’s), you’ve possibly laid eyes on a sheet like this. In the automotive business, this worksheet is known as “Four Square.” The sole purpose of the four square dealer strategy is to distract you from the most important part of a vehicle purchase: the price. Car buying involves a lot of numbers, and this system preys on the customer’s lack of detailed knowledge and their reluctance to admit they don’t understand. Here’s how four square typically works: The worksheet’s four boxes are filled in with a handwritten trade value of your current vehicle, price of the vehicle, downpayment amount, and monthly payment. The last two will be much more than you want to start with in order to begin the negotiations. [...]