Runde Auto Chat

Q. How do you pronounce Kizashi?
A. "Kee-Zah-Shee"

Q: Where can I find one?
A. Runde Suzuki in Hazel Green, WI.

Q. How much do they cost?
A. The ones we have in stock range from $22,489 to $24,814.

Q. How do they ride?
A. Stop in for a test-drive and judge for yourself.

Q. Where?
A. Runde Suzuki in Hazel Green, WI.

Q. Who can I call?
A. Call Beau Blocklinger at the Suzuki store at 866-396-6832.

Q. What can he do? A. He can show you a new Kizashi.

Looking to get a great gas mileage car without putting a dent in your style or wallet? You have probably considered the Honda Fit or the Toyota Yaris, but if you wait for the Ford Fiesta you will not be disappointed.

I was very skeptical of the car at first. I 6'1 with a big build and found these little gas-mileage cars "cramping" my style. But I went to the Chicago Auto Show and experienced the Fiesta first hand and I must say I'm impressed. The car, in my opinion, looks fantastic from the outside but what really took my breath away was the interior - QUALITY. Seriously, for a vehicle that starts around $13.5k and ends well under $20k it felt like $30k+ luxury car. And the best part? I wasn't cramped!

I found it hard to find any flaws with this car, I'm very excited to get my hands on it and if you are one of those shopping for a "gas-mileage car" I urge you to just try this out before making a final decision, I know you will be as impressed as I was.

Go ahead and Google it yourself and look at all the comments, reviews and previews of the Fiesta - you'll find nothing but praise and excitement for it! Here's a quick video I grabbed while I was at the show:

I had to grab some footage of this. It looks like it automatically takes you to the beach as soon as you sit in it. Something you probably won't be seeing around the Tri-States, to say the least, but very cool!

The Makai is based on the Suzuki SX4 and I'm pretty sure it's targeted towards people that don't live anywhere near here. The Suzuki Kizashi, with it's four-wheel drive and powerful engine, however, is right up our alley!

If you keep up to date with what's going on in the vehicle industry you probably know that the GM CEO, Frederick 'Fritz' Henderson has resigned within the last couple of weeks. Ed Whitacre, who was the chairman of the board at GM, is taking the role as interim CEO.

The search for a new CEO began almost immediately after Henderson resigned. Spencer Stuart, from Headhunting Firm, was put in charge of finding the new GM CEO. Without a doubt , the search can't be easy for Stuart. The qualifications required to be the CEO of one of the most recognized companies in the world undoubtedly amounts to no small checklist. GM wants someone who is "globally minded" having "extensive global, manufacturing and turnaround" experience.

To help him out, people have been making some pretty awesome suggestions... Here's some of the best (top 10) suggestions for the new GM CEO that people have suggested:

1. Sarah Palin.

2. The Stig (The masked racing driver on the BBC show Top Gear).

3. The Former ShamWOW Guy.

4. Myself.

5. Pamela Anderson

(Baywatch was one of the most globally watched shows ever. A globally marketed image is right up her alley -- David Hasselhoff just missed making our list. *Note -- it is very challenging finding an image of Pamela where she is wearing clothes over 60% of her body). 

6. Steve Ballmer (CEO of Microsoft).

7. Mark Zuckerberg (Co-Founder of Facebook).

8.Martha Stewart.

9. "Neo" from the Matrix trilogy.

10. The Terminator.

Some great suggestions floating out there... if only we could see GM led by the mother of crafts and home decor... we would see vehicles in every color of the pantone book and vehicle options that include useful things like toaster ovens, rear hanging Venetial blinds, and a sewing machine with an optional 2nd sewing pedal next to the brake pedal. If you can think of better candidates let's hear 'em!

We recently had a chance to interview Nicole Thor. Sitting patiently in the showroom while her car was being serviced, Nicole looked like she wanted to have a chat. They say everyone has a story to tell ... so I decided to sit down and listen to her story.

Thor, that's a sweet last name.

Yea it's like the God of Thunder, roooar!

What brought you to Runde's today?

I am just here for an oil change.

I hear you've bought vehicles from here before?

Yep. I bought my '08 Suzuki Grand Vitara from Runde's. How were you treated?

It was awesome! Nice the whole way through.

How's the Grand Vitara runnin' for ya?

You know, I have never had a car with a less amount of trouble. I really enjoy the service and the warranty it has.

When did you buy the car?

January. I've had it for about six months now.

And no problems with it so far?

None at all! Before the Grand Vitara, I had a BMW X5 that I had a bunch of problems with. I bought it from a dealer that mislead me and told me that it had one owner but it actually had eight. I was literally in the shop every week for repairs on it. I really like the CarFax that Runde's gives on each of their vehicles online.

What would you say is the best part of your experience at Runde's?

I just really like the honesty. They just lay it out like: "this is what we can offer you, here's what we can do for you, would you like it? Ok, let’s go" there is not circling around or swindling, they are just straight forward.

If you were to rank Runde's on a scale of 1-10 what would you give it?

I'd give you a 10. Especially after I had such a bad experience at one dealership to come back to this dealership and have a good experience - that's awesome.

What have you been using the vehicle for?

I actually commute, every day, to Platteville for work. I use it every day for that ride which is about 35 miles roundtrip and it has been a smooth ride, every time.

Are you from the area?

I actually live in Peosta but I'm originally from Dubuque.

Have any pets?

We have two cats! Simba and Larry and we love them!

Is Simba named after a familiar Disney movie?

You got it! He looks just like him! And Larry is just named after an old man.

Do you have a favorite area in the Tri-States that you like to visit?

The Mississippi! I like to boat, my boyfriend owns one and we like to go out as much as possible.

Do you have a favorite movie?

I just saw The Hangover, it was just one of those typical, stereotypical funny movies.

Do you have a favorite restaurant?

Fried Green Tomatoes. I love their food.

What kind of music do you like?

I like OAR.

If you were to win the lottery what would you do with the money?

I'd go shopping, a lot.

That's all I got for ya Nicole, anything else you'd like to add?

It was great service! I love it here. Everything was fantastic.