Runde Chevrolet announces that it has been named a 2023 Top-Rated Dealer by CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG), the No. 1 visited digital auto platform for shopping, buying, and selling new and used vehicles (Traffic Report, Q4 2022, U.S.). The prestigious annual award is the longest-running program of its kind, honoring an exclusive group of dealers who consistently deliver exceptional customer service to car shoppers. Runde Chevrolet achieved Top-Rated Dealer status by maintaining a minimum 4.5 out 5-star average rating and earning at least five verified customer reviews through the CarGurus platform in 2022. “Like CarGurus, our Top-Rated Dealers recognize the importance of being a trusted resource in helping customers shop, buy, and sell with certainty and ease,” said Spencer Scott, Executive Vice President of Sales and Service at CarGurus. “We commend Runde Chevrolet for continuing to [...]

Top Notch + Top Of The Line + Top of the Mountain = High Country Chevrolet’s plush top-of-the-line trim level, namely the 2023 High Country Silverado, has countless unique features that really distance it from other trucks. For example, the streamlined chrome grille on the new front end and the upscale aluminum wheel options. There are a number of wheel choices available and all you have to do is decide on what color you want (machined aluminum, black, carbon, or chrome) and whether you want the 20″ or 22″ (of course the 22’s will fill out the wheel well a little more).  Both of these really set it apart from the other Silverado trim levels as well as from [...]

If you’ve been down to Creative Adventure Lab you have probable seen kids building different cars to zoom down the Runde Speedway. To celebrate the holiday season we will be hosting a Runde Race Day. The event will take place on Thursday, December 29 and will have three different categories. Prizes will be given away for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each category.  3 – 3:25 p.m.: Fastest Racer Competition Design a car that will zoom down the speedway! 3:30 – 3:55 p.m.: Slowest Racer Competition Design a car that will make its way down the speedway as slowly as possible but still gets to the bottom. 4 – 4:25 p.m.: Craziest Car Design Design the most unique car that you can imagine that will still make it down the speedway! This will be a great activity for all the kids and give them something to look [...]

The Chevy Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD will undergo a model makeover for the 2024 model year. The exterior styling will be revamped, and this will also bring about some exciting new upgrades as well as some new features. One feature that has the national media buzzing is the new GCW Alert. GCW is short for a truck’s Gross Combined Weight and basically a driver never wants the GCW to exceed the gross combined weight rating which varies and is specific to each truck depending on how it’s equipped. But how many truck owners actually pay attention to this. They chop down a tree and then throw as much wood as possible in the back of the truck and then load up the trailer they’re towing with as much wood [...]

In your temporary state of tryptophan-induced comatose bliss this past Thanksgiving, you may have accidentally scrumbled (that’s a cross between scrolled and stumbled) across GM’s newest design sketch on your Instagram feed.   In the Mood for a New Buick The new design features a long, sleek Buick sedan with oversized aluminum wheels with extremely low profile tires.  The front end definitely has a supercar look and feel and let’s just say the car gives off good vibes to fans of the Buick brand.  This was somewhat curious coming from a manufacturer that doesn’t currently offer a sedan or coupe in its model lineup. The Buick brand has been historically known for its line of cars from the LeSabre, Invicta & Electra trio from back in the day [...]

Whether it is new shoes or a new car, you will spend a large amount of time making sure it as clean as the day you bought it. To help keep your car looking brand new Runde Auto Group offers a variety of services that can help protect your vehicle’s interior and exterior. Upholstery Protection: This protection can be applied to both leather and cloth interiors. Not only will it help reduce the signs of aging it will help protect your interior from things like drink spills and pet stains. Paint Protection: In a similar fashion to the upholstery protection we can apply a sealant to the exterior of your vehicle which can help protect it from bird droppings and tree sap. Windshield Protection: At Runde we offer a service called Diamon-Fusion windshield protection. This protective coating helps fill in the pores a windshield normally has to allow it to better repel rain and mud. The [...]

The Dubuque Symphony Orchestra (DSO) will be hosting their Ultimate Country Hits on Friday, June 3rd and Saturday, June 4th at 8:00pm at the Mississippi Moon Bar located in the Diamond Jo Casino. “When you come to a Dubuque Symphony Orchestra Ultimate Country Hits concert, you’re getting the best of both worlds – you’ll experience nearly 20 of the region’s best orchestral musicians join in with about as many of the area’s best Country singers and musicians all on stage and playing some of Country’s greatest hits.  This year, we’ll feature songs from across the Country spectrum including hits like Seminole Wind, Chicken Fried, and Folsom Prison. There is nothing like seeing some of your favorite local Country artists, backed by an [...]

Electric vehicles are becoming more and more popular, and for good reason.   They’re environmentally friendly, efficient, and stylish. If you’re going to be in the market for a newer vehicle sometime over the course of the next 3 or 4 years, you should consider buying a vehicle that runs solely off electricity.  GM just debuted their pre-production Chevy Silverado EV and it’s causing a lot of buzz at the Chicago Auto Show. Here are 6 reasons why you might want to give some consideration toward eventually buying one. 1: The Chevy Silverado EV is good for the environment.  No matter where you stand in your view of electric vehicles and where they fit in with the future of everyday transportation, you can’t argue with zero emissions.  What’s good for the planet is good for [...]

With 2022 just a few days away it is time to make some New Year’s Resolutions and it is important to include some goals for your vehicle. Below you will find a list of resolutions that are easy to keep and will help keep your car’s value at its highest. It’s time to clean   Everyone dreads cleaning, but once you get done with the initial cleaning it becomes quicker and easier to keep your vehicle clean. You can start by getting rid of all the empty water bottles, candy wrappers, and other items that have no place being in your vehicle. When you have the trash cleaned it up, it is time to get out the vacuum and other cleaning supplies. Make sure to get into all the small, hard to reach places where you know all the lost chips are hiding. Wipe down the dash, center console, cup holders, and anywhere dust [...]

Like most people, I’ll never forget buying my first car.  When the 1994 Pontiac Grand Am you were gifted at 16 refuses to die, you don’t have your first experience at a car dealership until you are 24. After realizing the cost of doing repairs was costing way more than the car was worth, I knew I was going to get my chance of shopping for a nice used car and I was especially looking forward to having power windows and a working a/c. For the next few months, I spent my time doing vehicle research online and test driving various cars. Finally, I decided I wanted a blue Kia Forte. Luckily, I was able to find the exact one I wanted and with the promise of a big Fourth of July savings [...]

As many of you are aware by now there is a semiconductor chip shortage for the entire automotive industry. To help get new vehicles out to their consumers, manufacturers are looking into multiple options on how to use the chips they do have most effectively. General Motors has come up with a temporary workaround for the current semiconductor chip shortage.   They’ve decided to “delay equipping” their vehicles with some of their standard or optional features in an effort to conserve chips. These features are front heated/ventilated seats, front heated seats, or rear heated seats. Once chips are readily available again, we (the dealers) will be able to retrofit these features back into your vehicle. There will be no cost to the consumer to get the features retrofitted. GM [...]

Happy Veterans Day!  Runde Auto Group would like to thank all of our Veterans for their service. Please know that people who are veterans and have served the U.S. in a formal military capacity are able to take advantage of a number of new vehicle incentives. Here are links to some of the car manufacturers and the offers they have. GM: https://tinyurl.com/GM-Military-Discount Chevy: https://www.chevrolet.com/special-offers Ford: https://www.fordsalutesthosewhoserve.com/Home/Login Dodge: https://www.dodge.com/incentives/military-incentive.html Jeep: https://www.jeep.com/incentives/military-incentive.html Beyond car manufacturers there are a multitude of companies offering military discounts. A large list of these companies can be seen by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/RundeVeteran. Runde Auto Group is proud to support our Veterans, you can read about us becoming a sponsor of Project Echelon here. We are happy to assist any Veteran find the right vehicle for their [...]

The Red Basket Project will host a product drive at the three Hy-Vee locations in Dubuque on Saturday, Aug. 14  2021.  The event, set for 8 a.m. to noon, will encourage shoppers to pick up products for the Dubuque-based nonprofit while in the store and then hand them to volunteers on their way out.  “We want to make donating as simple as possible,” said Lidia Bertolini, chair of group’s Event Committee. “What better way than to include it as part of your grocery trip?” Volunteers will staff each Hy-Vee entrance the day of the drive and hand shoppers a list of products – complete with aisle numbers – that would most benefit the nonprofit’s work. A red truck, provided by Runde Auto Group, will be stationed at each Hy-Vee to collect donations. Established in 2016, The Red Basket Project provides period products to those who need them. Donations of tampons, pads, sanitary wipes, liners, and [...]

Here’s your opportunity to tour the new Voices Studio! Voices Productions, the creative powerhouse behind Voices from the Warehouse District and the city’s mural scene, recently moved into its new space at 1585 Central Ave. The group will host its first event at the new space, an 80th birthday party for Bob Dylan, from 2-6 p.m. on Sunday, May 23 at Voices Studio. This will be an outdoor event. Voices Productions suspended its 11-year tradition of the Millwork District gallery shows in 2016 to embark on a public art project, painting over 30 murals on buildings throughout Dubuque. Now they are ready to introduce the public to the next chapter of Voices community art. The event will include a live mural painting of the iconic 1975 photograph of Dylan during the Rolling Thunder Revue by Chicago artist Thérèse Mulgrew. Mulgrew, who is from just outside of [...]

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica is making waves. The minivan was recently honored by Parents Magazine in its Best Family Cars of 2021 list and by Good Housekeeping magazine in its Best Hybrid Cars list. The Good Housekeeping Institute conducted thousands of miles of testing, plus collaborated with Car and Driver, to determine just eight winners in its Best New Hybrid Cars list for 2021. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, as the first and only plug-in hybrid minivan, was named Best Hybrid Minivan. It delivers more than 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe), an all-electric range of more than 30 miles, and a total range of more than 500 miles. This is Pacifica’s fourth consecutive honor from Good Housekeeping. See the entire list of 2021 Good Housekeeping Best New Hybrid Cars here. Parents, a leading magazine for busy, millennial moms, annually recognizes a selection of new-model vehicles with high-tech performance, safety, and convenience features across multiple categories [...]

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, [...]

We recently hosted a contest asking area children ages 6 through 12 to draw this Halloween-themed Runde Auto Group Truck Month billboard. Winners in each category would be featured on a digital billboard for the rest of October. Since we had just six entries, we decided to put all of them on the billboard! The CR Signs digital boards will be running through Oct. 31 on Hwy 20 facing West (near the Hampton Inn) in Dubuque. Here they are:

Jeep revealed its two newest offerings in a live broadcast recently: the hybrid Wrangler 4xE, a half-gas/half electric version of the beloved off-road staple, and the all-new Jeep Wagoneer, a re-incarnation of the 1960s station wagon. The Wrangler 4xE is expected to arrive in showrooms in early 2021, while the Wagoneer will roll onto lots in mid-2021. Wrangler 4xE Jeep is striving to become a leader in eco-friendly premium technology, and the Wrangler is the first of its nameplates to offer electrification options. “Our Jeep 4xe vehicles will be the most efficient, responsible and capable that the brand has ever created,” said Christian Meunier, Global President of Jeep Brand – FCA, in a press release. “We are committed to making Jeep the greenest SUV brand. The electrification of the Jeep [...]

Please join us in welcoming our newest member of the service team at Runde Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Manchester: Tim Tacy! Tim and his wife Lori moved to Manchester from Dallas, Texas, about 2 ½ years ago. “I am new to the automotive industry, but have been in sales for over 30 years,” Tim says. “My background is in the Datacom and telecommunications industry.” In his spare time, he enjoys reading, fishing, playing with his Beagle, and target shooting. He is looking forward to meeting new people each day and learning the ins and outs of the auto industry. “I love working with people and figured this was the perfect industry to be able to do that,” he says. “I appreciate the opportunity to be a member of the Runde Automotive family.” If you are looking to set up a service appointment for an oil change or you need a new set of [...]

Please join us in welcoming Barry Funke to the sales staff at Runde Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Manchester! Barry is from Greeley, Iowa and now lives in Manchester. He previously worked in the trucking and auto detail business. “I’ve been a car guy all my life,” he says. “I have always enjoyed cars and trucks, new and old, and I love meeting new people.” He especially loves classic muscle cars and old pickups of all makes – his favorite being the 1970 LS6 Chevelle SS and 1986-1987 Chevy square body pickups. In his spare time, Barry Funke enjoys racing of all types – Nascar, motocross, sprint cars, dirt late models and mods. “I enjoy going to the races or just watching them on TV,” he says. “I also enjoy [...]

Please join us in welcoming Chris McGrane to the sales team at Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque! Chris, who was born and raised in Dubuque, has many years of experience selling Harley-Davidson motorcycles for McGrath in Dubuque. He also spent 16 years in management at UPS before joining the sales staff at Runde Chevrolet. “It was the people and the way they do thing’s here at Runde’s that made me want to join this team,” said Chris McGrane. “They are honest, straight forward and they make the process quick and easy, which is what people want. Other than that, I mean who doesn’t like a new car?” In his spare time, Chris enjoys family time with his wife Angie, daughters Emily, 18, and Tana, 12, and his 13-year-old son [...]

We are pleased to announce the addition of Taylor Whittle to the sales staff at Runde Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Manchester! Taylor, who is originally from Volga, IA, lives in Strawberry Point with his wife, Ellen. Before working here, he was a sub-contractor doing mostly roofing and siding. “Automotive sales always seemed like a relatively fast paced position, which is something I desired,” he said. “The position is also one where each day brings new challenges. Every day is different, which I enjoy.” His favorite vehicle, other than his trusty 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix, is the Ford Raptor. Taylor is looking forward to selling from Runde Auto Group’s large inventory of new Fords, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, as well as used vehicles. “My experience here so far has been a very good one,” he [...]

Please join us in welcoming Brian Oswald to the sales staff at Runde Chevrolet Buick GMC in Platteville! Brian recently moved from Cuba City to Platteville.  He previously worked in the mortgage industry. “I have always wanted to sell cars and trucks,” he said. “You get to meet a lot of people and I have always heard Runde’s has a great reputation.” He is excited to sell from Runde Auto Group’s inventory of more than 1,650 vehicles. “I have always tried to make sure the customer has a positive experience and I pride myself on delivering great customer service, which means helping people meet their needs in a way that is efficient, pleasant, and informative,” he said. In his spare time, Brian enjoys coaching basketball, playing tennis, watching all [...]

We are pleased to announce that Rick Petitgout has joined the sales staff at Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque! Rick has been in the automotive industry for 17 years and has been selling vehicles for 14 years. “It is not a car buying experience, it is a relationship-building experience,” he says. “I’m excited to be a part of Runde Auto Group and am looking forward to many, many, many years of building successful relationships.” Originally from East Dubuque, Rick lives in Asbury with his wife Marjorie, his four-year-old daughter Ariana, and their two miniature dachshunds. In his free time, Rick enjoys golfing, cheering on Notre Dame football, the Chicago Cubs, and the San Francisco 49ers. “I’m also a self-proclaimed chef on my Big Green Egg grill,” he says. Rick, whose nickname [...]

What: 2nd Annual DBQ Con comic book and gaming convention When: Sat-Sun, Oct. 1-2, 2016 Where: Five Flags Center, Dubuque Cost: $12/one-day pass or $15/two-day pass, Children under 7 admitted free The second year of DBQ Con is going to be bigger and better this year! The comic book and all things gaming convention, set for Saturday-Sunday, Oct 1-2, will again be at the Five Flags Center in Dubuque. Show hours are Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. More than 1,300 people attended last year’s event. “The first year was very well received,” said John Ohnesorge, owner of Top Billing Entertainment, who is in charge of the event. “The overall consensus was very good.” The event will feature comic books and related items, video and table top gaming [...]