I haven’t seen the Ellen Show in ages, and I must admit that her show is quite amusing. She’s a natural entertainer along the lines of Jerry Springer, but her show itself is more comparable to the Oprah show in nature … Oprah-lite if you will. I ran across this on the net and thought it was kind of cool … Last week Ellen decided to give away a new 2011 Buick Regal to one of her loyal viewers. However, like most of the segments on the Ellen show, she decided to have a little fun with it first.   Now I realize that not everyone will receive a free Regal in this lifetime. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t get one the old fashion way. Runde’s in Platteville, WI currently has a good selection of 2011 Buick Regal sedans in stock that you can view 24/7 at www.RundeAutoGroup.com

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 [...]

TESTIMONIALS FROM RUNDE’S CUSTOMERS We are very very pleased with our Chevy Traverse that we recently purchased from Runde Auto Group. It is by far one of the most comfortable vehicles I have ever driven. We have been on 3 road trips and love how it handles the road!! Sure hope this Traverse lasts us a long time! We love it!!!! Thank you for making it possible when we came to see you!! I also want you to know how impressed we are with Runde’s! Awesome people and awesome service! Keep it up! Take care! Paul and Ellen S. of Dubuque, IA We still have the Jeep Commander and all is well with it. Best vehicle and experience we’ve ever [...]

John Riley, who manages our Chevy Sales Department, received the following email message from the husband of Kathie Thor this week.  Hi John: Here’s a few photos for your scrap book. Thanks for all your help with Kathie’s Christmas Surprise. She had no idea I had made a deal with you for a new vehicle. There was a lot of excitement at the Thor household Christmas morning. Thanks again, Randy Randy Thor of Cuba City, WI surprised his better half, Kathie Thor, with a sophisticated new set of wheels.  He grabbed some quick photos of Kathie beside her new ride (my guess is that he didn’t have to ask her to smile).  Kathie was completely caught off guard by the new Chevy Equinox that was waiting for her at home and the Thor’s had a very Merry X-Mas.  [...]

Here is just a sample of how a few recent customers perceive Runde Auto Group.  Check out these Customer Testimonials …   “All employees were very friendly and willing to help.  We were very much pleased with our experience with Runde.” John Mitchell Dubuque, IA   “I purchased a Chevy Colorado from Alan Kloft,  I’ve needed it repaired twice since the purchase.  Both times I have dealt with Pat Timmerman… All I can say about the sale and service experiences is AWESOME!  You guys are GREAT!  Thanks!”  Dave Fangman Dubuque, IA   “I’ve been buying trucks from you guys for eight or ten years.  I don’t do this very often but this is an exception. I just wanted to say that you guys went above and beyond the call of duty while servicing my truck. I had a truck that needed a scratch taken out. When I came in with it [...]

Below is a customer testimonial that was sent to our Runde Buick store from the Persons family from La Farge, Wisconsin. They recently purchased a Buick LeSabre Ltd from Runde’s and they after they returned home, they wrote a letter to our owners to express their gratitude and to let everyone know about the wonderful experience they had at our dealership. To the owner of Runde Auto Group:   On Thursday, March 19th at 4:30 p.m. we were near Boscobel, WI on our way to Cuba City.  We were driving our Buick LeSabre and started noticing that we were having some problems.  By the time we reached Platteville, we weren’t sure if we could make it to Cuba City, but decided to try and did make it.  Our next problem was that at 6:30 the next morning, we were leaving for [...]

Last week Justin Hanger of Runde Auto Group obtained the status of “Eagle Scout” which is the highest rank a Boy Scout can obtain. To get the Eagle Scout status, you must go through the different preceding ranks of the Scouts, first. There are eight ranks in the Scouts with the eighth being the Eagle Scout. Justin has been working for Runde’s since he was eight or nine-years old. He would, and still does, come in after hours to help his family clean the offices in the Runde Chevrolet building.  Justin says that it usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes to clean up the building during the weekdays and it takes a bit longer on the weekends, lasting up to an hour and a [...]

The Midwest can have some ‘interesting’ winter driving conditions throughout the seemingly never-ending winter season. It think it would be a lot easier if we all attended the Bridgestone Winter Driving School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and actually learned how to drive in winter conditions. They have three ice-covered tracks with soft snowbanks to use as learning tools. I think all of us can relate to the crazy All-Wheel Drive vehicles flying past us on the interstate and then finding them in the median about a mile up the road. Or there is the other end of the spectrum…the people who have their white knuckles clenched to the wheel driving 35 mph when there is just a dusting of snow on the road.   Mark Cox is the school director at Bridgestone, and he has provided some tips to making it through the winter in one piece. Cox says when drivers are about to get behind [...]

Every wonder what are the safety leaders or the safest vehicles on the market?  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) ran their annual tests on the 2009 model year vehicles. For the first time in history, they have been able to pick at least one vehicle in every class. The tests are based on 11 categories, including front side, reach crash test rations, and whether or not the vehicles have standard or optional electronic stability control. Here are Runde’s Safety Leaders!! Large Cars  Ford Taurus — Optional AWD, 28 MPG, and standard stability control Midsize Cars  Ford Fusion — Optional AWD, 29 MPG, optional stability control Large SUVs  Buick Enclave & Chevrolet Traverse — 7 or 8 passenger, FWD-24 MPG, AWD-22 MPG, 3.6-Liter V6, 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive Midsize SUVs Ford Flex & Taurus X — 7 passengers, 3.5-Liter V6, FWD-24 MPG, AWD-22 MPG, 6 speed automatic transmission with overdrive Ford Edge — [...]

More than 335,000 Americans are employed by the Big 3 Automakers in our country, and Runde Auto Group employs over 120 people in the Tri-State Area. One out of ten people in America are employed in a service that is related to the U.S. auto industry. Please show your support:   and select “I’m a Concerned American” or call: (866) 874-9356!   Imagine what the lack of competition will do the the cost of your next vehicle….no matter what the make is.  The lack of any new domestic makes, will force Americans to buy new imports or used vehicles.  Every American should ask themselves: Will I have to wait longer for my new vehicle because there is a backorder on parts for it?  Will I have to pay substantially more than the suggested list price or book value because of a possible vehicle shortage?   If we were to lose the Big 3, [...]

This week’s sales staff introduction is of the Runde Cuba City Buick store. They may be small in numbers, but these guys carry an abundance of information and ready and eager to answer any questions you may have!!   Cuba City Sales Professionals     Al has worked for Runde Auto Group for about 6 years, but prior to that he worked with his father at Dellabella Motors for about 30 years. His wife, Deb, also works for us, running parts and vehicles from store to store. They have 2 children and 2 grandchildren. Al enjoys gardening and music. He plays the harmonica, cjello, and acoustic guitar. He’s a Packers fan…go figure. If you’re ever in the Cuba City area, you’ll probably see him driving around in his Chevrolet S-10 pickup.             John has also worked for Runde’s for about [...]

What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “I’m going to lunch”?   If you immediately think of a 4000 mile round trip to a burger joint, then you’re not alone.  Many of us leave the office for our half hour or hour long lunch breaks, which is usually acceptable. I frequently drive 5 blocks home to eat lunch and let my dogs out. An Assistant Editor in Ann Arbor, Michigan had a different idea for his lunch.  Sam Smith’s Thursday started out as a fairly normal day. He was at work, and all of a sudden, he decides he needs a burger. Ok, fine, Ann Arbor probably has about 50 different burger joints to choose from, except he needs a specific burger…from a West Coast ONLY restaurant chain, In-N-Out Burger. From Ann Arbor, the closest location is in Prescott, Arizona, approximately 1900 miles away. He decided to call his buddy from [...]

As much as we hate to admit it, winter is around the corner, which means very cold weather and lots of snow (especially in Runde country). Have you thought about what you need to do to winterize your vehicle? There is a lot more to it than most people think. I have compiled a checklist for you to use. Bad winter road conditions can sneak up on us if we aren’t careful, so start thinking about it early!   To Do List Before Winter Comes!   Make sure your brakes are equalized and not pulling to one side. Flush out your cooling system and put anti-freeze in. Check containers, belts, hoses, pressure caps, and thermostat. Make sure battery connections are clean and tight. Check your engine for faulty wiring, worn out spark plugs, sticking choke or emission control devices. These make it difficult for your vehicle to start. Check the [...]

For anyone who hasn’t taken a close look at the Buick Lucerne, this article is for you.  New technology has been a big part of vehicle purchases in the last decade, and Buick stood up to the challenge when they designed their Lucerne. How many accidents occur due to blind spots or lack of visibility? Drivers are 3 times more likely to have an accident changing lanes than they are if they stay in one lane. The engineers at Buick understood this concept, and added a solution to the Lucerne. The Side Blind Zone Alert system is set up to notify the driver of a vehicle in their blind spot. You are driving down the interstate and want to pass a slow-moving tractor (in our case here in the Midwest), and you put [...]

We took a moment to sit down and talk with Mary Jane Baxter, a member of our Runde Buick staff. Here is what she had to say about working at Runde. Runde Auto Group: What does your job entail at Runde Auto Group in Cuba City and how long have you been with them? Mary Jane Baxter: I handle financing, accounting, filing, answering phones, and any other day-to-day tasks that need to be done. I have been with Runde for approximately 27 years.  Runde Auto Group: What do you like most about working at Runde? MJB: I enjoy the environment and the people I work with every day. We have a lot of fun and work well together. Runde Auto Group: If you could drive any car for a month, [...]

I sat down with Al Dellabella, the Sales Manager at Runde Buick in Cuba City. He is a tough guy to catch! I almost had to handcuff him to his chair to get the interview completed. Just Kidding! He had some very interesting stories, and is a great guy to talk to. Runde Auto Chat: How long have you worked at Runde Cuba City? Al Dellabella: Before it became Runde Buick, it was Dellabella Motors. I worked there for about 30 years, and have been working for Runde’s for about 6 years. Runde Auto Chat: What do you like most about working here? Al Dellabella: The clientele and internal personnel; We are a real team (He referred to them as the “Cuba City Connection”) Runde Auto Chat: Any favorite restaurants in the area? Al Dellabella: Brewery Creek in Mineral Point – Our son works there, and I really enjoy the atmosphere. For a quicker [...]

If you haven’t taken a look at the Buick SUV the Enclave yet, they you probably should take a moment to examine all the Enclave has to offer. Check out the following video review of the Buick Enclave from Barbara Terry. Her comments are in-line with everything that our current Enclave owners are telling us. We are selling more and more of this popular Buick SUV every year.   If you’ve been wondering what the Enclave drives like, please stop up at our Buick store in Platteville, WI and they’ll be more than happy to send you out on a test-drive. We’re sure that you’ll fall in love with the ride of the Enclave after just a few minutes in it. As for the look of the vehicle … well that speaks for itself. For more videos and information, please check out what Jean Jennings has to say about the Enclave at Motor Trend’s [...]

The new name for the satellite radio feature that most of us have in our cars is now Sirius XM Satellite Radio.  The executives of Sirius and XM radio announced the completion of the company merger on July 29th, 2008. There is much excitement surrounding the company’s future, and both parties are foreseeing great things for them in the future. The merged company is known as Sirius XM Radio, and both brands will continue to operate as they have, as two separate entities. They are in the process of creating some new packages that combine stations from both XM and Sirius. They will offer “Best Of” package that contains premium stations from both providers. Also, the “Mostly Music” and “Sports/News/Talk” packages will combine stations from both as well. Any receivers already in circulation as well [...]

We’ve reached the middle of summer, the time of year people are spending time on the river or in the pool and that means local restaurants are busy too as people don’t want to spend a lot of time inside cooking over a hot stove.  But you have to watch out when you start eating out a lot.  It’s easy to pack on a few extra pounds when you eat out more than you should.  I know a few people at Runde are starting diets or have been on them for a while. Chris Anderson of Runde PreDriven started the Atkins diet a couple weeks ago, and Chris said he feels like it is working for him.  Summer is also a very busy time for people, and eating out can become a habit. What most people don’t realize is that one meal at a chain restaurant can account for a whole day’s calories. They [...]

General Motors announced recently that it’s adding the 2009 Buick Lucerne to its E85 flex-fuel lineup. The alternative-fuel version of the Lucerne can be selected as a no-cost option and can run on gasoline or E85 or any combination of the two. This means the Lucerne thus has the distinction of becoming the first flex-fuel passenger car from Buick.   The Lucerne was named after Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. I had the good fortune of spending a couple days there in the spring of 1993 and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to travel abroad. “Timeless beauty” would accurately describe the lake and the city surrounding it. It is easily one of the most scenic locations in the heart of Europe. GM said the Lucerne will be among more than [...]

Diane Casey and her husband came in a couple weeks ago to purchase a new Chevy Silverado half-ton truck. When they were in to pick up the new truck, their salesman (Mark Fleege) let them know that Runde’s just got in some promotional “Nerf-like” mini footballs. He intended to grab a couple of the nerf balls for them and proceeded to ask them how many kids they had so he would know how many footballs to get. Diane’s husband said that Diane has about 20 kids. You see Diane is a 1st grade teacher up at Cuba City Elementary School. So Mark grabbed her a bunch of the footballs to take to her class.   A week later, Mark received the following thank-you note in the mail that we’d like to share with [...]