I just grabbed this video off of YouTube and it pulled me in because I had to find out what the question was.   It’s titled: Fifty People, One Question.  At first I had to keep watching to find out what the question was.  And as I continued to watch, I couldn’t help but notice the cross-section of America that was captured in this little 7 minute video.  The people in the video were just everyday normal people who could have been from anywhere in this great country of ours.  The could have been from Lancaster, Wisconsin or Stockton, Illinois.  The point I’m trying to make is that people are people – no matter where they’re from and you’ll find similarities in various cross-sections of people regardless of geography or socio-economic standing.  People are people and we are all related to each other in that we’re all Americans … one nation, under God, with liberty and justice [...]

We would like all of our Runde Auto Group customers and acquaintances who have become attached to their satellite radio to know there is a rate increase on the horizon that will be coming  from both Sirius and XM Radio.   The increase will be $2.00 a month per subscription.  Also plan on paying $2.99 more a month for Internet streaming radio and the monthly increase is scheduled to go into effect on 3-11-09.   XM & Sirius have said that customers can lock-in their current rates by renewing their subscription before that date.  Customers can extend their subscription by as much as 3 years at a time.  Inflation, inflation, inflation … If you are like me and have grown to enjoy the satellite channels, you’ll probably want to take advantage of locking in the old rates while you can.   I love the minimization of commercials and I also love the fact that I don’t have to mess [...]

Chrysler buyers and the American Auto Industry got a shot of adrenalin earlier this week.  Because of the U.S Treasury’s recent move to provide Chrysler Financial with up to $1.5 billion in loan dollars, the lender will now offer 0% financing on select Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge models. Qualified new vehicle buyers can apply for 0% interest for up to 60 months on ’08 and ’09 model-year Jeep Grand Cherokee, Commander, Wrangler, Chrysler Town & Country, 300,  Dodge Grand Caravan, Charger, Magnum, Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram HD, and Challenger. Chrysler vice chairman and president Jim Press had this to say about the announcement, “From both a customer and dealer perspective, it is exciting news that the Treasury Department is providing funding to Chrysler Financial. Now our customers, including those with scores in the 620 range, will be able to [...]

Most of us caught at least some of the Presidential Inauguration on Tuesday.   The closest I got to Washington D.C. was in front of my own RCA  27″ television set.  (I’ve never quite figured out why they call it a set if there’s only one TV).  Anyway, I heard one of the newscasters rattle off the definition of the word inauguration and I thought she said something about it being a commencement of something in light.  I could have sworn that she used the term “in light”.  However, when I looked up the definition a little later, I didn’t see anything in reference to that.    Webster’s actually defines the term inauguration as the formal beginning of a new movement, a new system, or a new condition.  If we’re in store for a new condition, we’ll that’s probably music to many ears.  Like any hard-working American, I’ll take the good with the bad (and we actually witnessed plenty of both in 2008).  [...]

The completely redesigned 2010 Buick LaCrosse will begin production this summer. The Buick Enclave started Buick’s plan for redefining their brand. The LaCrosse has definite potential in the female market segment, and GM is very excited about their restored product. Susan Docherty, the new North America VP of Buick, Pontiac, and GMC, met with Jody DeVere, President and CEO of AskPatty.com, to discuss the new LaCrosse and its features. Susan Docherty had this to say about the All-New luxury sedan:  “The new LaCrosse was created with great attention to detail, craftsmanship and advanced technology. It builds on the success of Enclave as the next step in Buick’s transformation. And, as with Enclave, our goal is to attract a whole new buyer to our dealerships for LaCrosse.” The LaCrosse will offer the capabilities of an all-wheel drive vehicle in a family car. You get your choice of 2 V6 engines, as well as some impressive [...]

We received the following note of thanks this week from the daughter of one of our newest customers … Barbara Schroeder.   We just want to let you now we are so happy with our mother’s purchase.  Wayne Konrardy of your Dubuque area store was great.    Our mother (Barbara Schroeder) was in a car accident and totaled her Chevrolet Malibu which she had purchased through Wayne, and we were able to have Wayne help us again to get her another Malibu which she really wanted because she really liked her other one.   Wayne was great with MOM and made her feel great even though it was a bad situation.  He was able to get her into something 4 years newer and very close in options plus she got heated seats and [...]

Next Saturday, January 17, 2009, the first regular retail production 2010 Camaro coupe – featuring a VIN ending with 100001 — will be auctioned to the highest bidder at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the American Heart Association in their fight against heart disease and strokes. Last year at Barrett-Jackson, GM auctioned off the first production unit of the ZR1 Corvette which went for a cool million. In the event you are unable to make it to Scottsdale, Arizona for the event, remember you can watch all the live action on the “SPEED” channel so be sure to check local listings for time and channel.   Regular production of Chevy’s new pony car will commence a month after the auction takes [...]

The new Runde Auto Group car wash is currently running a special that will only last for a limited time. About a month ago, Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque opened the doors of its new automated car wash to the public.  The opening of the car wash seemed to come at just the right time as the winter weather is currently doing an excellent job of dirtying the vehicles we Tri-State residents try so diligently to keep clean.  The automated car wash is a touch-free drive-thru that provides washes for as low as $5.00.  For convenience, the machine at the front entrance accepts cash or credit card payments.  The car wash is located at 501 St. Mary’s drive just across the road from St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School. It’s open daily from 6 am to 10 pm.  This new facility actually houses both a touch-free car wash [...]

December 22nd, 2008 was a day that will forever be remembered by a family in Cedar Rapids. Their lives were changed by the summer floods. They lost a lot in that disaster. But last Monday, an employee of the Archdiocese of Dubuque did a very selfless deed. She had recently gotten married. She and her husband each had their own house, which means 2 sets of everything. She decided to donate her furniture to a family that was unfortunate enough to lose most of their belongings in the flood. So on the Monday before Christmas Gene Foust, a former Runde employee who is now employed by the Archdiocese, borrowed our Community Service vehicle to deliver the furniture to the family in Cedar Rapids.  Gene works for the Archdiocese [...]

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 [...]

Chevrolet provided Motortrend.com with their ‘First Look’ of the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. They made obvious changes to the exterior, giving it the same grill as the late-model Malibu and Traverse and sharpening up the edges. Mechanically, the base model of the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox is equipped with a 2.4L four-cylinder that produces 182 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. The 6-speed is supposed to equal the former 3.4L V-6’s performance, while producing 21/30 mpg in the FWD, and 20/27 in the AWD. The 2009 model-year gets about 17/24 in both the FWD and AWD. Chevy also added an ECO button on the dash that minimizes fuel usage while coasting. The upgraded 3.0L V-6 steps up to 255 hp and 214 lb-ft of torque. The fuel economy is still increased to  18/25 MPG in the FWD, and 17/24 in the AWD. This is an improvement from the 16-17/24 MPG featured by the previous model. Chevy [...]

Time for a tires 101 course?  Most people know what features they want on their vehicle, or even what kind of vehicle they want. But what most of us don’t know, is what kind of tires need to be put on, and what each marking around the tire stands for. So, I thought I would do a little research on the subject and pass that on to our readers for future reference! At the end of the day, you’ll all be able to say you’ve had your vocabulary lessons for today. Tire Type: P=Passenger Vehicle LT=Light Truck Tire Width: Measured in Millimeters Aspect Ratio: The ratio of the height of the tire’s cross-section to its width Construction: R=Radial (Ply runs straight across tire from inside to outside B=Bias [...]

… TO LET YOUR CONGRESSMAN KNOW HOW YOU FEEL! The National Automobile Dealers Association is calling on all of its dealerships and their customers to call their members of Congress immediately, both in the House and Senate. Although some progress has been made on a proposal to provide bridge loans to the Detroit Three automakers, some members of Congress still need to be convinced. Congress needs to hear from everyone out there immediately on this issue and urge action. To locate your members of Congress and contact them directly, click here for a phone directory of House members. For a phone directory of Senate members, click here. You can contact your members of Congress through the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, but the number is often busy. This issue is still very much up in the air and until the votes have been cast, the fate of the US Automakers still hang in the balance.  Your [...]

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, [...]

The following appeared in the October edition of the Camp Courageous monthly newsletter regarding our salesman, Al Kloft: “Al Kloft and his wife, Sherry, of Dubuque dropped off cases of footballs, hats, stuffed toy Runde monkeys, and clothes for camp.  The Klofts have been long time supporters of camp.  A special thank you to Tim Runde and Runde Auto Group for providing many of the items for campers … the campers love the gifts!”   Camp Courageous is a year-round recreational and respite care facility for individuals of all ages with disabilities.  The camp is located in Monticello, IA and it is a not-for-profit organization.    It was founded on and continues to run on donations. Anyone with a disability can attend.  Vision, mental, physical, and other disabilities are typical of [...]

Dave Frazier who works in the Chevy Sales department at our store in East Dubuque welcomed the arrival of his 1st son, Jackson Frazier, last month.  Dave says that he is doing well and he’s currently 20″ tall and weighs about 9 pounds.   Runde Auto Chat: What are your son’s hobbies are so far? Dave Frazier:  Jackson enjoys laying around, eating, pooping, and sleeping.    RAC:  I guess it’s getting sort of cold for long walks in the park.  Does he have any hidden talents? DF:  I’m not sure about that, but he sure has a lot of hair. RAC:  What’s his favorite food? DF:  Right now he’s hitting the Similac Formula pretty hard. RAC:  You have a daughter, correct?  How is she reacting to the new baby?

Ford is planning the world debut of the all-new 2010 Ford Fusion for November, at the Los Angeles International Auto Show in November. There will be five models of the Fusion, making it customizable to any consumer’s needs.A 2.5L 4-cylinder is available in the base model. The 172 horsepower engine is expected to have more power than the Toyota Camry, and outdo the Camry and the Honda Accord in fuel economy.The midlevel Fusion is powered by a 3.0L V-6. This engine is capable of 240 horsepower (250 hp with E85). Ford is also working on a fuel shut-off system for deceleration.The Ford Fusion Sport runs on a 3.5L Duratec V-6 (also found in the new Ford Flex) that also adds 240 horsepower. The all-new Fusion Hybrid is just around the corner. It can run [...]

The results of the U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) study revealed that Ford is now the best in the industry for customer satisfaction in the 2008 model year. The survey was conducted by RDA Group in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and is composed of survey statistics from owners of all major makes and models after owning them for at least 3 months.  Ford lowered their “things gone wrong” (TGW) rating by 7.7% (reduced by 108 TGW) compared to last year, and are statistically even with Honda and Toyota.  From 2004 to 2008, Ford has improved their vehicle quality by a total of 33%.  Customer satisfaction reached 77%, which is the highest in history.   The Ford Focus has caught up to the Toyota Corolla, leading the compact cars category.    Overall, 18 of 24 Ford domestic brand vehicles improved in their TGW count, and they are striving to continue the trend. They have improved [...]

Kelly Francois and her 7-month old son Cole visited Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque today.  Kelly is very familiar to most of us here at Runde’s because she used to work here for nearly 2 years.  She now works at Dubuque Data Services as an administrative assistant and she’s doing very well for herself.  Kelly enjoys stopping by the dealership every once in awhile, but this is one visit that she would have forgone if she’d had her druthers.  You see Kelly’s boyfriend, Mike, was backing up her car and backed over a metal fire pit.   So Kelly came in and had Mike Runde write up a bodyshop estimate for the repairs.  We sat down and chatted with Kelly and Cole while they waited for the write-up. Runde Auto Chat:  What happened to your car? Kelly Francois:  A fire pit jumped up and bit the back bumper of my car. RAC:  What kind of car do you drive? KF:  A [...]

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 [...]

The Chevy Aveo is #1 car on the market in terms of lowest total ownership costs.  When one thinks of hybrid vehicles, the first thing that comes to mind is fuel efficiency. Though the concept is great, are the savings in fuel going to outweigh the overall price of the hybrid? Edmunds.com ran this exact study in attempt to find the long-run cost of owning a hybrid car as opposed to a normal gas-powered compact or subcompact car. They then created a list of ‘top tens’ to see where the hybrids ranked in the group. Ownership costs should include depreciation, financing, taxes, fees, insurance premiums, maintenance, repairs, and fuel costs. Edmunds figured all of their numbers on a five-year ownership plan, and assumed fuel prices of $4.06, $5.00, and $6.00 per gallon. [...]

If you’re a television buff, you’ll have to pay close attention this fall as Ford goes Hollywood.   As the new seasons of America’s hottest TV shows quickly approach, Ford Motor Company is feeling much anticipation of Ford’s small screen debut. This year, Ford vehicles are featured in one of the most-watched dramas on television, “Desperate Housewives”, as well as new series’ “Fringe” and “Knight Rider”.   Wisteria Lane has become one of the most famous street names on television, and this year it will extend it’s popularity to the newest crossover of the Ford family…the Flex. Tom Scavo, Lynette’s husband, will be cruising around the suburbs in the 2009 Flex in this season. Bob Witter of Ford Global Brand Entertainment said, “A lot of people drive a car because it’s an extension of their personality, and in the world of Hollywood, that’s one of the ways that they develop characters. We work together with [...]

Our Manchester location, Runde Ford has received it’s first Ford Flex crossover! Our Flex SEL is a Front-Wheel-Drive 3.5L V6 automatic. It has leather trimmed bucket seats, power driver seat, and keyless entry. It also has Sirius Radio and Microsoft’s Sync Multimedia Handsfree Bluetooth software installed, which allows the driver to say an artist’s name or song title and it will play it from an MP3 player automatically. The Ford Flex also provides the capacity to talk on a blue tooth cell phone without even touching it. It will dial using voice commands, and will automatically connect to a current phone call as soon as the vehicle is started. It can also connect to up to 12 phones, so if your spouse has the vehicle that day, it will recognize his/her phone as well. Check out the Flex Video Walk-Around!   Please contact the Runde Ford sales staff at [...]

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, [...]

Meet the Jeep Patriot!  It’s the newest addition to the Jeep family that already consists of rugged, high-quality vehicles like the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee. The Patriot was recently voted as the Least Expensive SUV To Own by Edmunds.com What can be better than combining the quality of Jeep with the Lifetime Limited Powertrain Warranty? How about lower price and more options? The Jeep Patriot Limited comes fully equipped with leather interior, heated front seats, power moonroof, Sirius satellite radio, iPod auxiliary jack, Excellent Crash Test Ratings, and between 22 and 28 Miles Per Gallon on the highway*. *Trim and specs will effect fuel efficiency.   Take a look at my Jeep Patriot Walk-Around video!