Today we had the pleasure of meeting two great gals – Lynn Scherr and her grandmother, Viola McLaughlin. These ladies came in to get a new Chevy Aveo for Lynn to get around in and picked out the perfect vehicle for her! What brought you ladies out to Runde’s today? Lynn: I came out and looked around the night before and found a vehicle I liked so I came out today and drove it around and decided to go with it. How did you like your salesperson, Al Kloft? Oh, he is awesome, I love him. He’s the best. On a scale of 1-10 what would you rank your experience at Runde’s? I’d give it a 10. Are you from the area? Yeah, we’re from Dubuque. Any family in the area? We have a huge family all living close to Dubuque. Lynn: I have two brothers and our [...]

The show stopper at the New York Auto Show might come as a surprise to some, the 2013 SRT Viper. Why is it turning so many heads? Well… 640 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque might be a pretty good reason. Maybe the beautiful 8.4-liter V10 under the hood supported by a cross bar? What’s more impressive than that?  It gets all that power without a turbocharger or supercharger…………. it leaves me type-less………… This sexy car comes in two styles, the SRT Viper and the Viper GTS… explained (with lack of detail, from the official press-release) “The SRT Viper model is meant to offer a perfect blend of extreme performance and a deliberate preservation of what has become the iconic DNA of the Viper,” Gilles added. “We strove to deliver a super car that continues to bring the driver as close as possible to the machine.” The SRT Viper GTS builds on the DNA of the SRT Viper model with more technologically [...]

Sam Hesseling and his wife Deb recently bought a late model used vehicle from Runde PreDriven.  They have been loyal customers of Runde Auto Group for 4 decades. Sam has seen Runde’s grow from a small Dubuque area Chevy dealership into the impressive dealership it is today with 4 locations. The Hesselings are thankful to the Runde Family for providing quality vehicles and as long-time loyal customers, they are a part of what made Runde’s the large dealer group it eventually grew into. We got a chance to talk with Sam and had a wonderful conversation with him about his experiences with Runde’s and his salesman, Al Kloft. Hello Sam, So Al Kloft has been telling us that Sam is not your real name? I go by Sam, my real name is Robert, [...]

This year Moab saw 6 New Jeep Concepts all on one day.  The Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah is where people with an itch to take on some of the most challenging trails go to ride between March 31 – April 8. In celebration of the 46th year of the Safari, Jeep, teamed with Mopar, has released six smokin’-hot concepts for enthusiasts to drool over. Check ’em out below with a snippet from the official press release going over what you can expect of each.  “The Jeep Grand Cherokee is well known for its benchmark off-road capability, courtesy of its Quadra-Lift™ air suspension, Selec-Terrain™ traction control system, Off-Road Adventure packages, tow/recovery hooks tested to twice the vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight, and class-leading 4×4 systems – including Jeep’s Quadra-Drive® II system [...]

Kynzee Olson came in to buy a vehicle from our PreDriven dealership after being on the hunt for a sweet new sports ride that just had to be black. Accompanying Kynzee was his dad, Terry and Terry’s wife, Brenda. What brought you into Runde’s used car store today? We came in to buy a vehicle. What vehicle did you end up getting today? I got a ’07 Pontiac G5. A Black one, I like it because it’s more of a sporty car. It’s for you, Kynzee, I’m assuming? Yep. How did you find the vehicle? We first searched on the Runde website and found one we liked then we came down to your PreDriven dealership and checked it out. How did you like your salesman, Al Kloft?

During Ford Accelerated Action Day, over 300 Ford volunteers are helping by building, painting, restoring and cleaning up  shelters, schools and family centers. Along with the labor, Ford has granted $50,000 dollars to pay for tools and materials for the various projects. The projects they chose to help with are based on their non-profit partners reports of things that needed to get done in the community, in order of urgency. “There is no better use of our dollars and our deeds than to invest in children,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “Our investment in the community will help bring comfort to families today, while laying the groundwork for better days ahead.” From the press release, here’s a list of things they will be doing today: Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, Detroit – paint playroom, assemble shelves & equipment First Step Domestic Violence Program, Wayne – create art therapy room for children [...]

Karisa Adams and Jenny Neurauter are Fellow East Dubuquer’s.  Karisa was in need of a vehicle that offered more space for her kids to ride in so naturally they visited the best place to buy a vehicle in the Tri-State area. They had a wonderful experience here at Runde’s and were ecstatic to share that experience with the world! What brought you into Runde’s today? I saw a car that I wanted and I bought it. I was looking on Kelly Blue Book for a Chrysler Pacifica and they had an option to find some in your area. I found two other dealerships which had the Pacifica but we got the best pricing at Runde’s. How was your experience once you got here? It was great. Before [...]

Yeah technology has come a long way. From the light-bulb to a flat panel LCD, engineers have figured out ingenious ways to make technology better, lighter, stronger and more useful. It has come the time that we use technology to create a world of cyborg’s! All kidding aside, GM has revealed their “Robo-Glove” which will help workers when it comes to “hands on” work. The Robo-Glove weighs about a pound each and is supposed to enable its user to hold tools with 1/3 – 1/2 more force running on a standard lithium-ion battery. The goal is to aid workers in being comfortable while holding their tools for a long time and reduce the risk of stress injury. “We are continuously looking for ways to improve safety and productivity on the shop floor,” Komin said. “Our goal is to bring this technology to the shop floor in the near future.” Check out the video to see [...]

Don and Bridget Sweenie from Morrison Illinois entrusted their kids and pets to not demolish the house as they came to Runde’s to pick up their new Equinox. They had a great experience while they were here and were more than willing to share that experience. What brought you into Runde’s today? Selection. We did some searching around on the internet and found that Runde’s had the most used Equinox SUV’s to pick from. How did you find out about us? We found you online, actually. I think we went to Autotrader.com first but then we ended up on the Runde website. We initially sent in an email but we decided to take a day trip to come up and see all [...]

We soon may be filling up our car or truck with compressed natural gas.  You know it’s bad when you speed by a gas station in fear and find yourself scared of the thought that you’ll have to go back to that horrible place and get harassed by that danged money counter speeding up in numbers ever so quickly. Best way to avoid filling up with gasoline? Not using gasoline. Introducing America’s first compressed Natural Gas Truck (CNG) – the Ram 2500. It’s actually titled as a bi-fuel vehicle which runs on compressed natural gas and then kicks in with gasoline once the CNG is out. You can think of it kind of like an electric vehicle with the gas-powered generator kicking in once the electric range is completed. Compressed Natural Gas(CNG) [...]

Katie Bundy and her parents Maureen & Steve Keen along with Katie’s roommate, Hazel Cybart-Fuson came in together to purchase a Chevy Cobalt for Katie. They were having a great time chatting together while their plates were being exchanged and decided that they would love to be on our blog! I’m assuming you’re all family? Katie: Hazel is my roommate. She has to drive an old car home! My parents are here to help me co-sign for the car. What brought you into Runde’s today? Katie: To buy a new car because the car I drove wasn’t doing so well. It’s been through a lot, I’ve had the car since I was 16 and I’m 21 now, so a new car was definitely needed. How did you find Runde’s? I [...]

If you think that ambient lighting doesn’t have any kind of effect on your day and your mood, well you’ve got another thing coming.  I’m gonna throw a term at you some people wouldn’t know how to catch: chromotherapy. Simply put, it’s the use of colors to heal.  A psychology lesson in an auto blog?  … well, yes.  With more cars coming out with new flashier and more colorful interiors, it’s important to realize that the light and colors you probably took for granted might be positively or adversely affecting your mood.  And this could ultimately affect how you drive. Imagine yourself in a room filled with one of the following colors: Red, Green or Black.  Imagine, standing in that room filled with nothing but that color for hours, what do you think you’d feel? Red making you a little on nerve? Green calming you down? Black making you feel uneasy or fearful? According to http://psychology.about.com: “Red is [...]

George Kapparos may have not expected to leave with a Chevy Impala when he came to Runde Auto Group, but the smile on his face as he left with his Impala said “I’m glad that happened!.” George was pleasantly surprised by the level of service he received and was more than willing to share that experience with the world! What brought you into Rune’s today? My wife and I needed a new vehicle so I drove through the other day and looked around for a while. I was going to look at another place but my wife insisted that I come here. Have you dealt with Runde’s before? I actually took Tim Runde and Jeff Runde to a Chicago Cub game when they were 14 years old. They were great kids. [...]

I got the chance to test out the new Buick Verano a few days ago and absolutely loved it.  It was sort of like a belated Valentine (that I unfortunately wasn’t able to take home and cuddle with).  The interior had a very intuitive design where everything seemed to be at my fingertips.  All the controls were within my reach and the seats were sleek and cozy.  It’s a fun car to drive, but I noticed that my speedometer kept exceeding the legal limit so I engaged the cruise to ensure that I wouldn’t have to pay a lofty fine for over-enjoying my test-drive. I was comfy, warm and I felt somewhat like Danica Patrick as I glided across a long strip of highway, feeling the power of the car.  Quiet too.  The car seemed very quiet to the point where I could have been able to hear my own thoughts if [...]

Needless to say that this new design for the new Ford Fusion has been very well received at the Chicago Auto Show this week and people’s comments have been very favorable toward it.  The video below was shot by Runde Auto Group  — The noise in the background of the vid was coming from the new Shelby Mustang presentation across the room and we’ll post the video of that soon.  People were definitely all a-buzz about the Shelby, but this new Fusion is definitely gorgeous. The new Ford Fusion design is only about 1 inch longer and 1/2 inch wider than the previous Fusion, but it looks a lot longer than its predecessor mainly due to an extended wheelbase that’s almost 5 inches longer than the 2012 version.  A new inline 4-cylinder 1.6 Liter EcoBoost engine will be available on the all-new Fusion.  And this optional turbo engine will produce 179 horsepower and 172 lb-ft [...]

It’s Valentine’s time again this year and maybe you’re finding yourself not quite up to snuff in the romance department. Lucky for you we have a romance pro here at Runde Chevrolet who has treated his wife with love and care for over 45 years. Wayne Konrardy is the definition of a nice guy, an expert when it comes to caring for his family’s happiness &  a voice of authority regarding where to go for vacations. This year he traveled to the Dominican Republic with his wife  Mary to celebrate their 45th anniversary. Take some notes from Wayne and learn how to do vacation right and keep your significant other happy during a trip! Where did you go for vacation this time Wayne? The Dominican Republic Was that [...]

Dennis and Phyllis Houston came into Runde’s today to pick up a used Buick Enclave for Phyllis to drive around in. Dennis was so impressed by how tough and maintenance free his Silverado was that he bought from here back in ’03 so he knew exactly where to go when they needed a new vehicle. This time around they had a chance to sit down for a little interview to go over their experience. What brought you into Runde’s today? Mostly the internet. We searched online for a vehicle and found one that we liked here. I bought from here before so we decided to come here for our vehicle. Where are you guys from? We’re from Wyoming, IA. Between Maquoketa and Anamosa, IA. Who and what is the vehicle for?

The importance of good driving skills should never be taken for granted.  What’s the point of being the biggest, baddest kid on the block with your new drivers licence if all you’re going to do is get into an accident and get that license taken away? To prevent such things from happening, proper driving techniques must be used. To help instill these techniques in the drivers of tomorrow (- high school students).  Ford offers the Global Driving Skills for Life Program (DSFL). Ford Keeps creeping up and surprising people with their impressive technology, safety and power they offer in their vehicles. The DSFL program is yet another thing that Ford pleasantly surprises us with. If you were like me, you don’t have a clue about what this program involves or that it has been around for 9 years. If that is the case, it’s time to get educated, as this program is important for the [...]

SLOW DOWN UTAH. This video has garnered a million views in just two days. It shows cars and trucks siding & cashing in Bountiful, UT during a snowstorm 2 days ago. Drivers were warned not to go down this hill, by people at the top, but some still tried and failed miserably. WARNING – Parts of the video may make you cringe. Kids, this is why we need to slow down when driving in snow. Hopefully seeing this video helps at least a handful of younger drivers.  I know it sometimes gets bad driving on snow-covered roads in the Dubuque area during winter time and people can often find themselves in a predicament they wish they could have avoided. Please heed this warning and don’t drive someplace when the weather is bad thinking nothing bad will happen, because no one can predict what can or will happen.  Be prepared for anything because “anything” [...]

New car technology is quickly becoming more and more advanced.  What do you remember doing as a backseat passenger on those long family trips as kid? You probably played a couple of games, tried to name off every car that passed by and pinched and poked your brothers or sisters. But, inevitably, you became a victim which claims millions of backseat riders on said trips:  Backseat Bordom. I’m sure you’ve all experienced it – it’s when you’re stuck there in a lull, eyes glazed over, staring out the window about to doze off. GM is toying with the idea of changing some of those long-distance drags you may have experience as a passenger into something that is quite entertaining. Imagine the rear passenger windows being a translucent digital display, giving you access to fun visual, entertaining and educational apps. Enter in the Windows of Opportunity (WOO). The WOO will enable backseat drivers to interact with their windows in a variety of ways through [...]

Looks like the 2013 Dodge Dart has been turning some heads at the North American International Auto Show. The small sedan was voted “Most Significant Vehicle” in the show by AutoWeek! What gave the Dart this prestigious acknowledgement? Could be the starting manufacturer’s retail price of under $16,000. Or perhaps the class-leading safety features including an unsurpassed 10 air bags and “clever functionality”. Or maybe it’s the great power options, where you can choose from a new 16-valve 2.0L (160 hp) Tigershark, a 16-valve 1.4L (160 hp & 184 lb-ft torque) MultiAir Intercooled Turbo, and a new 16-valve 2.4L (184 hp) Tigershark MultiAir® four-cylinder engine. Then there’s the impressive fuel efficiency behind the attractive, bold, body of the Dart. Whichever the case, all we know is that we are excited to see the [...]

What brought you gals into Runde’s today? Lourie – My husband and I have bought a couple Runde trucks from here and when Kari said she was looking for a truck I told her that she needed to come down to Runde’s because they have quite the selection of Runde trucks.  I came mostly for moral support.  Kari is the one that did all the buying. What did you end up buying today Kari? I ended up buying a Chevy Silverado HD. Have you been here before? I have never been here before but we were looking around on the internet for the last couple of weeks and you guys are the best dealership with the best selection.  Simply put, there are a lot of Runde trucks on your lot. How was your [...]

Welcome back from what was hopefully a wonderful Holiday Break! In continuation of spotlighting local charitable organizations that better our community, we are honored to feature Camp Courageous and The Dubuque Food Pantry.  Camp Courageous- Camp Director, Charlie Becker: Everyone at Camp Courageous is very excited over the planned Lake Project. Camp Courageous recently purchased 30-acres of land from camp’s neighbor to the immediate west of base camp. The purpose of this land was to establish a lake. One needs to be at least 2-miles from the runway of an airport…and this land falls just outside those 2-miles of the Monticello Airport. Currently campers are bussed 22-miles (round trip) to Central Park to do lake activities. The buses not only carry the precious cargo of campers and staff, but also trailers full of canoes. This purchase and subsequent construction of a lake will greatly lessen the camp’s risk, with everything being within walking distance or [...]

We’d like to take a moment to recognize a couple of the local charity organizations like Saint Marks Community Center and the Multicultural Center in Dubuque that are both staying active around the holidays.  We had the opportunity to get a hold of some local organizations to see what programs they have in place for the Holidays to help serve the community. We will be spotlighting new organizations throughout the week!  Last year the Runde Auto Group blog published an overview of various local charitable organizations that were helping the holiday’s be more cheery for people who need it. Multicultural Center Dubuque– Director of the Multicultural Family Center – Tara Velez: “During the holiday season, the MFC provides holiday gifts to youth in our mentoring and tutoring programs.  Additionally all the teens from teen night receive a hygiene pack which includes shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, soap, face wash, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other necessary hygiene products. We also host [...]

Today was Prescott Elementary School’s Luncheon to support various FREE after-school art programs for Prescott Elementary students. Continued support from the community helps Prescott keep these classes available to the students free of charge. Everyone enjoyed the wonderful lunch which included soup, bread, various desserts and a drink. Prescott students were there to help out by distributing desserts, picking up dishes and answering questions for people. Those who attended were also treated to a full orchestra and choir of Prescott students as they played and sang while people enjoyed their food. Everyone was welcome to the event, no reservation was required AND you got to take home an original piece of pottery made by a Prescott student. This year’s luncheon is over, but if you are in for some good food, great atmosphere and a wonderful cause, [...]