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Text: Tony De Mesel
For Roel Geraerts, ‘From Limburger to global citizen’ is more than just a slogan – it’s a reality. As a classic car enthusiast and an inspired entrepreneur, he has developed his own concept called Car Cave. Car Cave originated in Limburg/Belgium but has since been launched in the United States, Poland and Cyprus. Car Cave also led to the creation of MIYO and GOAT.
It all began in Hasselt
Roel Geraerts explains how it all began: “As a classic car enthusiast, I realised to my regret at the time that many cars were being offered for sale without the full story being told about their history and any potentially hidden faults. Nor is the exact history of a car always known. As a result, owning a classic car often turns into a period of numerous problems, frustrations and unforeseen costs. A car’s history isn’t limited to knowing the previous owners and where the car came from. It is also important to know how and by whom the car has been maintained, what repairs have been carried out and how any restoration work was carried out. That lack of transparency made me realise that there is a gap in the market for cars with a clear, sound and accurate history and a high-quality restoration.”
That insight inspired Roel Geraerts to focus professionally on trading in high-quality classic cars: “We started cautiously in Hasselt eleven years ago to see how things would go. After three years of trial and error, it was clear that we could take the concept further, so we moved to these spacious premises in Zonhoven. The name ‘Car Cave’ was linked to our vision.”
International
The Car Cave concept is more than just a name. Cars are purchased and resold following technical work or a partial or full restoration. Car Cave also carries out repairs and maintenance.
“For every car we purchase, we’ve drawn up a ‘checklist’, and going through that checklist easily takes half a day. Based on this, the car is valued and a list is drawn up of everything that needs to be done. The aim is for the potential customer to have a clear overview of the work carried out. This way of working provides transparency for the potential customer. Our way of working is time-consuming. That’s why we aren’t the cheapest, but we do stand for quality, which is why we can also offer a one-year guarantee. In practical terms, this means that every car we offer for sale meets our concept and our standards.”
Car Cave is a registered trademark and is automatically associated with that specific way of working. Car Cave now also operates in the United States, Poland, Greece and Cyprus. These overseas companies, as it were, licence the ‘Car Cave’ name and follow the same high-quality and transparent approach. Meanwhile, since October last year, Car Cave in Belgium has been managed by Tom Knaepen with regard to ‘supercars’ and ‘classics’.
MIYO
Car Cave specialises in any classic car, old-timer or young-timer worthy of the name. However, it is striking that there is a particular fondness for Lancia, and more specifically the Fulvia Coupé, which was produced from 1965 to 1977. Another car that enjoys special favour at Car Cave is the classic Land Rover Defender, and this has even led to the creation of their own label, MIYO, which stands for ‘Make It Your Own’.
Roel Geraerts explains how this came about: “An American customer approached us about eight years ago to buy two technically inspected Defenders with V8 engines. That made us realise there was a market for this classic. That’s how we came up with the idea of creating personalised versions based on a Defender V8 and linking the name MIYO to them. The short (90 series) or long (110 series) wheelbase version is used as the basis. The donor vehicle is completely stripped down and rebuilt. Special attention is paid to the ladder frame. The electrical and electronic systems are completely new. The interior is fitted out according to the customer’s wishes; they can also choose the body colour, the type of wheels, the standard equipment and any optional extras. In short, the end result is what is known as a ‘custom car’ – essentially a personalised Defender intended first and foremost as a high-quality leisure vehicle with a distinct character of its own.”
Thierry Boutsen
In the space of four years, more than thirty MIYOs have been produced. There are four base versions from which the customer can choose. The Safari, based on the 90 and 110, is a fully open-top version with a soft top. The Classic is a partially open-top version. The Nomad is a 110 with a fixed roof and roll-up side walls. Finally, the Urban, based on the 90, is best suited to everyday use thanks to its enclosed bodywork and compact dimensions.
The MIYOs are available in Belgium, the US, Greece, Poland, France and Monaco, where Boutsen Classics – run by former Belgian racing driver Thierry Boutsen – handles sales and servicing.
Roel Geraerts sees even more possibilities for MIYO: “So far, we’ve only built cars based on the Defender V8, but we’ll soon be starting to use the Td5 as a donor vehicle – the diesel version with a five-cylinder engine. Another option is to fit Defenders with the General Motors LS engine. In the future, we’ll also be launching bespoke 4x4s based on the Toyota Land Cruiser.”
Out and about together
Classic car owners often want to take a trip in their 4x4s but don’t always have the time to organise it themselves. To meet this need, Roel Geraerts founded GOAT (Greatest Of All Tours) four years ago. Participants can enjoy an ‘all-inclusive’ tour in their own car without having to worry about the route, accommodation or catering. GOAT takes care of all that. This year’s programme features a trip through the Alps, with Cannes and Monaco as highlights.
