Cold Front Diesel: Where Precision Meets Pride

Cold Front Diesel Impresses with the Details

Diesel and detail might not be the most common combination, but it’s one that works for Cold Front Diesel, a shop in Northern Michigan that specializes in repairs and modifications to diesel pickup trucks.

“At CFD, we pride ourselves in our attention to the fine details of customers’ repairs and installations as well as offering a white glove service to the blue-collar world,” says David Schaefer II, business cofounder.

He and Caden Hess started CFD as a twist on a 20-plus-year-old legacy business. Initially owned and operated by David’s father, Dave Schaefer Sr., as an automotive repair shop that specialized in gasoline vehicles, CFD shifted into a parallel market—diesel trucks—where David’s and Caden’s passions laid.

Though many aspects of the businesses crossed over, the core strategies and clientele were quite different.

In the infancy of the business, David and Caden utilized the fully equipped shop to begin their business on the side while maintaining their careers at a CAT dealership. They made the move to full-time business operations in January 2022. As Dave Sr. prepared for retirement, CFD was ramping up, eventually purchasing the property upon Dave Sr’s retirement in spring 2024.

The shop is a 7,700-square-foot building with five main service bays, one alignment bay, and one wash-and-detail bay, and they’re all outfitted with top-tier tooling and equipment.

“Every truck that is worked on here receives some level of detailing before it is returned to the customer,” David says. “Although it is a free service, that doesn’t mean it’s a cheap service.”

CFD uses professional products and equipment, and all employees are trained to use proper techniques, David adds. Offerings include interior detailing, engine bay cleaning, exterior washes, and application of up to one-year coatings.

“A driving motivation for this is to promote and maintain pride in ownership and create an experience rather than just a transaction,” David says. “At the end of the day, these trucks may be one of the biggest investments made by the owner, so going that extra step to maintain and protect that investment can make all the difference to a client.

“If we as an industry and fan base maintain these trucks, they can continue to be relied on and put to work or be passed down to the upcoming generation of diesel enthusiasts,” David says.

On the wall are CFD’s cover and feature story from the October 2024 issue of Diesel World.

SOURCES

Cold Front Diesel
www.coldfrontdiesel.com
@coldfrontdiesel