CDT Performance and Off-Road

Thomas Andrews and Michael Liles are co-owners of CDT Performance and Off-Road. Sometimes it’s what you love that creates your future, and no matter what destiny is behind the wheel. Such is the case for friends Thomas Andrews and Michael Liles, whose careers took a wild left-hand turn. What started out as a passion turned into a business. In 2012, the pair started a truck club and went to various meets to show their love for diesel. They started the business selling apparel at local truck shows and events, which continued for a few years.

As their clientele grew so did the requests for parts like the ones they had on their own vehicles. “Our customers were telling us that they’d rather buy parts from us than Amazon,” said Thomas. “In 2014, we started selling parts. Customers really wanted what we had… and then they wanted us to install it for them too! Consequently, in 2016, we started doing installs of those parts at night and on weekends. We did it in a little 18’ x 25’ one-bay shed on a family farm. After Michael quit his job as a master technician at a local automotive shop we went full-time installing here.” As the business grew and the requests for installation and service increased the writing was on the wall, and the time for Thomas to quit his job as a security engineer in IT to work at the business full-time came in 2018.

Growing Fast

Things have changed and Carolina Diesel Trucks has grown substantially. The business has moved from its humble beginnings on the farm to an eight-bay, 10,000 sq. ft. facility that includes a showroom. What started out as a passion quickly gained traction and turned into a thriving business due to the demands of the people Thomas and Michael met and did work for. To their customers, their understanding and love for trucks made them feel that they were more than just a dollar sign… they felt like friends.

They created quite a following and eventually expanded their outreach to the ever-popular Jeep market and supporting off-road gasoline-powered trucks. The business name eventually was changed from Carolina Diesel Trucks to CDT Performance and Off-Road in late 2018 to incorporate the addition of the Jeeps and gas trucks. While today they continue to service and repair diesel trucks, they do not go beyond wheels, tires and suspension on anything with a gasoline power plant… yet. As history has shown if the demand is there, Thomas and Michael will embrace destiny. It’s this dedication to the customer that continues to provide CDT Performance and Off-Road with great growth potential.

CDT Performance and Off-Road
62 Progress Drive
Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
(910) 698-7118
carolinadieseltrucks.com