Kunes Collective EP 3 — 3,300 Jobs & Are 3rd Rows Dead?

Shot on-location in the Delavan Holdings lunch room—no lights, no script, just the real conversation. In this week’s episode, Marcos and Eddie kick it around about two big topics that hit close to home: a massive wave of manufacturing jobs coming back to our region, and the spicy question every SUV shopper asks (or should): do you actually need a third row?

Headline number: 3,300 jobs.
Timeline: Plant reopening targeted for 2027.
Products: Next-gen Jeep Cherokee (teased for 2026) and Compass to ramp up there, with some EV/battery work potentially in the mix.

For those of us who lived through the Janesville GM closure era, this is more than a news blurb—it’s a turning point. Eddie started selling cars a couple years after that shutdown, and he remembers the ripple effects clearly. A big plant closing doesn’t just idle a line; it slows a town. The reverse is true too. When a plant lights back up, the whole ecosystem wakes up—parts suppliers, logistics, tool & die, machine shops, diners, coffee counters, and yes, dealerships.

“It’s not just the 3,300 people in the building. It’s the burrito place feeding the second shift. It’s the apartments that finally pencil out. It’s a full-town morale boost.”

• Shorter ship times: When product is built close by, those long waits shrink. Eddie remembers Belvidere-built units hitting our stores within three weeks.
• Bigger selection: More allocations closer to home equals more trims and colors on the ground.
• Community pride: Families with roots in the plant bring that pride to the driveway—you see it in the brand loyalty and the stories.

And that pride is contagious. From downtowns that still look like postcards to the super-scale factory rising at the edge of town, Belvidere feels Midwest in all the right ways—steady, skilled, and ready.

We also dug into the EV market correction you’re seeing on lots and in headlines. A few themes bubbled up:

• Expectations got ahead of demand. Automakers (and some policymakers) assumed a faster flip from gas to electric, pushed hard, and overshot the runway in certain segments and price points.
• Hybrids are having a moment. The public is warming to the “best of both” logic—great efficiency, familiar fueling, less range anxiety. Many new models are launching hybrid-only (no separate gas variant), because that’s where shoppers are actually saying “yes.”
• Extended-range EVs (EREVs) are the sleeper hit. The idea: 100 miles of real electric commuting, with a generator onboard for road trips. That’s the pattern that fits how America drives most days—electric for the routine; no drama for the long haul.

“Don’t force a replacement—offer an option. Hybrids and range-extended setups make people say yes because they feel practical.”

Dealer-level translation: You’ll see us leaning into vehicles that drive electric most of the week and go anywhere on the weekend. It’s not about winning a spec sheet; it’s about winning Tuesday morning.

Let’s get to the hot take: do you actually need a third row?

We all love the idea of “room for everyone.” But when Eddie and Marcos walked through the trade-offs, a few truths stood out:

• Weight & efficiency: Extra seats bring extra mass, especially in EVs. That can mean higher cost and lower efficiency for space you’ll use 4–6 times a year.
• Cargo vs. passengers: Many families end up folding that third row down most of the time so strollers, sports gear, or Costco runs will fit.
• Insurance & ownership costs: More vehicle tends to mean more to insure, maintain, and replace tires on.

“Third rows are awesome when you truly need them—but a lot of us think we need one because we might someday. The right answer might be a smarter second row and a bigger cargo hold.”

• Carpool heroes doing team runs twice a week
• Multi-generation households hauling grandparents
• Folks who road trip with more than four adults consistently

• Daily solo commuters and families with one or two kids
• Anyone who constantly fights for cargo space with the third row up
• Buyers who want better efficiency and a lower payment

Pro tip: If you’re on the fence, test your life. Bring your stroller, cooler, hockey bag—the whole circus—to the dealership. We’ll load it in together and try two setups: two-row SUV with generous cargo vs. three-row with row three up and down. Your gear will tell the story in five minutes.

We had to give flowers where they’re due: Grand Wagoneer’s interior still slaps. The materials and design set a high bar, especially when it launched. But the team also vented about naming shuffle fatigue and price creep. The good news: some lineups are getting simplified trims and lower starting MSRPs after pandemic-era sticker shock. That’s a win for shoppers and a nudge toward sanity in the spec war.

“Stop trying to be ‘first in class’ at everything. Just build something great that fits real lives.”

Part of the fun of recording in our own cafeteria is, well, it’s our cafeteria—the same microwaves, soda machines, and tables where the team refuels between deals. From there, the chat wandered (as it does) to what’s happening around here:

• Lake Geneva Ice Castles & Ice Bar vibes: Winter in Walworth County brings sculpture strolls and pop-up experiences that make the cold fun.
• Car shows: After strong turnouts this past season in Delavan and Greenfield, we’re planning a spring Jeep/RAM/Hellcat meet at our Elkhorn Jeep store (targeting May–June). If you’ve got a lifted RAM, vintage CJ, or just a clean daily, keep an eye out—we want you there.

Kunes has two dealerships right in Belvidere—a Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram store and a GM store—so we feel this reopening in our bones. Here’s how it shows up for you:

• Faster turns from factory to lot
• More trims on the ground (not just “take it or leave it” builds)
• Service expertise aligned with what’s actually being produced nearby
• Community programs tied to the people building the vehicles you drive

And honestly, morale matters. When a city’s biggest employer roars back, you feel it in the showrooms and service lanes. Pride makes its way into handshakes.

Short answer: No.

Real answer: They’re becoming specialists rather than standard issue.

• Families that truly fill seven seats? Third rows remain clutch.
• Everyone else? You might love a two-row hybrid or EREV with adult-friendly second-row space and a cargo hold that actually swallows the weekend.

The SUV market isn’t losing choices—it’s finding better fits.

• Bring your real cargo. Stroller, hockey bag, cello case, Costco haul—whatever “life” looks like.
• Test two setups: a capable two-row and a three-row you’re eyeing.
• Drive a hybrid and an EREV. Feel the smoothness and see the range story on the dash, not in a brochure.
• Time to order? With Belvidere revving back up, we expect shorter waits and more local builds. Let’s lock your spec and keep delivery times tight.

We recorded among our teammates’ coffee cups and to-do lists because that’s the point: this is where the work happens. The jobs are real, the vehicles are real, and the choices families make about third rows and drivetrains are real. Our job is to help you get the right one—without the noise.

Thanks for watching and reading.