Major automakers are funneling millions of dollars into building electric vehicles and an infrastructure to charge them, but many drivers are still hesitant to make the switch from the traditional gas-powered vehicles they have driven all their lives to a battery-powered ride. They have questions about range, charging, and driving long distances, as well as confusion about EV concepts like regen paddles, one-pedal driving, and more. Who better to ask these questions, than electric vehicle owners themselves? In this series, we will be sharing the experiences of Runde customers who have made the transition to being an EV owner. Meet Jacob Puls, of East Dubuque, who recently leased his first electric vehicle, a 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV. As a salesperson at Runde Chevrolet, Jacob has sold his fair share of electric vehicles, but had yet to own one. “In all honesty, I talked my brother into it (his twin brother is Jared Puls, whose EV story [...]

Jared Puls is no stranger to the inner workings of Runde Auto Group. He has worked part-time in the past at Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque, and has quite a few family connections to the business. Jared is the great grandson of founder Alfred Runde, thus a fourth generation Runde. He’s also the nephew of the owners of Runde Auto Group; twin brother of Tim Runde’s sales assistant, Jacob Puls; and son of Runde IT professional, Jim Puls. Before starting his full-time career at Runde’s, he was working as an Internal Auditor for GreenState Credit Union. He is excited for the new challenge. “I want the opportunity to help people find a vehicle that best fits their needs,” Jared said. “I believe buying a vehicle can be an intimidating experience, [...]

This is the first installment of our #RundeMomReviews series. If you would like to contribute a vehicle review, email marketing@rundeautogroup.com. Jessica and Jacob Puls‘ 2019 GMC Terrain has the safety and tech features they love, along with a smooth ride and room for their one-year-old son Bo’s car seat. Don’t just take our word for it – here’s Jessica’s new GMC Terrain review: This has been the perfect starter SUV for our small family. A huge fear of mine is passing someone in their blind spot. My favorite thing about the vehicle is the safety measures including blind side alert for myself (but I also love when other cars have this feature so I know they are alerted when I am driving [...]

St. Stephen’s Food Bank will have an easier time distributing food after getting a new 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 refrigerated cube truck from salesperson Jacob Puls at Runde Chevrolet today! The vehicle is replacing their 2002 box truck that had a failing refrigeration unit. “The parts for it aren’t made anymore, so every time something happened, they had to find used parts,” said Kathy Hutton, executive director of St. Stephen’s Food Bank. “Last time, it took 12 weeks.” Twelve weeks is too long to wait when the truck has important work to do. The truck helps the nonprofit pick up food donations that they distribute to over 100 partner agencies. St. Stephen’s Food Bank distributed 1.8 million pounds of food in 2017 — up 20 percent from [...]

Do you remember purchasing your first car?  It’s definitely a memorable experience for all with emotions running at an all-time high for a teenager or 20-something.  Chances are your first car probably wasn’t a Chevy Cruze and in all likeliness, you probably didn’t buy your first car from your college roommate. Benjamin Fornek from Moline, IL is the exception.  He just bought his first new car from his college roommate!  Crazy eh? He stopped by Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque today to pick up his 2015 Chevy Cruze ECO from salesperson Jacob Puls, who went to Augustana College with him. This was Benjamin’s first new car. “My really, really old truck started to fall apart,” he said. “Jacob started talking to me about lease [...]

Zach High recently found the perfect truck at Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque: a 2010 Chevy Silverado K1500 4WD Extended Cab! The East Dubuque resident bought it from his longtime friend, salesperson Jacob Puls.  It’s definitely a perk when one of your best friends is on the sales staff at Runde’s. “It went smoothly and he knew what he was talking about,” Zach said. “He understood what I ultimately wanted and he told me exactly what to expect at Runde’s.”   Zach was looking for a reliable vehicle with four-wheel drive and low mileage. He said it will be great for day-to-day driving but he likes that it has the capability for hauling when the need arises. Being a local, Zach didn’t need to [...]

We are excited to welcome our newest salesperson at Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque, Jacob Puls!  He joined our team recently after completing his college degree. Jacob is the great grandson of founder Alfred Runde, thus a fourth generation Runde. He will be starting his career as a personal sales assistant to Tim Runde. Jacob recently graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL with a double major in Finance and Marketing, along with a minor in Economics.  Jacob loves sports and played football along side his twin brother Jared for four years at Augustana. “I am a huge football fan and I love college basketball, but also enjoy watching the Blackhawks and Cubs,” he said. “I have been a Fighting Illini fan since my grandfather Paul Runde introduced me to them when I was a young kid and really follow the football and basketball teams closely. Besides that I enjoy spending time with my [...]