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7 of 12 - Chester Services 402 miles completed today and 37 mpg in the old girl. 3 Stops in liverpool for photos and to meet up with friends and then had to stop off and Ellesmere port for a photo next to the big #vauxhall sign. Then the services before the 3.5 hour drive home - Took Stanley as the co-pilot this time and he didn't complain once about the singing and conversation or the amount of rubbish i ate - might take him along again. No rest for #thegreencavvy as next week we have #FestivaloftheUnexceptional

After 3.5+ years living over 5000 miles away, we’re finally coming home to the UK. And that means becoming active with MK2CAV.COM properly again. Somehow, our weird little website started back in 1998 is STILL alive. Which honestly feels slightly miraculous considering the modern internet now mainly consists of doomscrolling, AI slop cat ninjas, ragebait and “what wheels fit?” posted 140 times a day by people who apparently fear the search function more than terminal rust. Comparatively - MK2CAV.COM may be ancient, but it matters. Today, socials posts vanish with the swipe of a thumb and are forgotten 2 minutes later, while old forum threads from 2004 are STILL helping people keep these cars alive today. Somewhere on the forum there are still 17-page arguments on Weber conversions vs original Varajet carbs that remain more useful than 99% of modern social media. And honestly… our archive of human experience (and even joy) matters of now more than ever. Because MK2CAV.COM was never just a website, classifieds page, or somewhere to argue about wheel offset and dashboard rattles It became: an archive and wealth of technical knowhow. a place that documented restorations and saved cars a social club and occasionally group therapy for people emotionally attached to rusty 1980s Vauxhalls But equally, the reality is our previous club and hosting setup simply is not sustainable long-term given membership numbers and general cost-of-living madness. So over the coming months we’ll be: reviewing forum and club operations looking at the future role of the website preserving our archives properly modernising and streamlining further rethinking merch, stickers and perks and moving more strongly towards preserving a whole bygone era of motoring Importantly: That does NOT mean deleting the forum or abandoning what made the club special. Quite the opposite. The goal is to preserve 20+ years of history, guides, photos, technical resources and friendships properly while also making the club feel alive again. Because while Facebook groups can absolutely continue doing their thing, I still believe there’s still room for something deeper for those who want more meaningful engagement: road trips restorations technical writeups random roadside and barn-find saves retro reminiscing and the strange things that only seem to happen when you own an 80s Vauxhall The internet changed. Forums died. Photobucket murdered half our old build threads. Social media replaced conversations with algorithms. And now half the internet appears to be mainly bots stirring up hatred while AI-generated memes lull us into a collective stupor. Yet somehow this place still survives, and it reminds me of happier more outgoing times, before social media made us all feel "too busy". Like our cavs, the club site is a bit rusty. Occasionally broken. Held together largely by stubbornness and irrational optimism (also like our cavs). So, one thing I’ve also realised recently is that the club was always strongest when it had its own content and media personality, not just FB scrolling pictures of cavs in fields. So I’ve started creating retro-themed club artwork and posters for paid members inspired by: 1980s / GM culture old VHS action films dealer graphics and tax discs period brochures retro magazines motorway service stations at 2am and general nostalgic nonsense If you’re a paid-up member, PM me on MK2CAV.COM to request: personalised avatars / retro poster magazine cover / pop-culture parody scenes and other club-style artwork featuring your Cav (Completely unique and free for you to use on social media, clothing, garages, banners or wherever else you wish to proudly display your questionable life choices and Cavalier-flavoured love of 1980s motoring). Subject of course to my time and availability while relocating half my life back across the planet* Also… IMPORTANT! Our annual VBOA Sywell weekend is nearly upon us. So if you want to attend with the club, check the forum events section and get involved. I’m genuinely chuffed that all the club admins (even me!) should be there this year. Let’s see who else still has enough unburnt petrol fumes and irrational optimism left in them to make the trip. (Mk1, Mk2, Mk3 Cav or no Cav at all - you’re always welcome.) And finally: thank you to YOU for sticking around. At present there are at least five MK2 Cavalier Facebook groups doing similar things. And honestly, that’s absolutely fine. Some were even founded by old members from this site. In a world increasingly lacking shared pursuits and common interests, I genuinely think the more the merrier. But we are now: 27 years for the club. 45 years for the Mk2 Cavalier itself. And somehow it’s now only 5 years until the Mk2 turns 50, which is frankly terrifying. Still… that feels like enough time to keep the life-support machine pumping a little longer. Forums are supposedly dead. Small car clubs are supposedly dead. And AI bots, dead internet theory and endless scrolling are making even good Facebook groups increasingly disposable. But MK2CAV.COM was never really about the cars. It was about preserving a strange little slice of the 1980s and the friendships that came about from our quirky obsession. So somehow, nearly 30 years later… we’re still here. Still trying to keep these rusty old boxes on the road. And honestly? We’re going to have a bloody good time doing so for the next few years. Everyone is invited. Andy c/o MK2CAV.COM

2 of 12 complete Stop number 2 of the Motorway Services calendar completed yesterday in the #greencavvy - 336 miles and she didn't miss a beat. This time for the journey i took my good friend Martin Drummie as well as my son and we met up with the lads at The Crap Car Collective (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1246037256564774) for tea and biscuits and an update on the Marina. Reading next month but i think #greencavvy has earned a rest and an oil change. #vauxhall #vauxhallcavaliermk2 #cavaliermk2 #a32ltm #greencavvy #servicestations #oncedrivenforeversmitten #BetterByDesign

I got my son a motorway service station calendar for xmas as a stocking filler and January is Ferrybridge Services on the m62 - a mere 229 miles round trip. Armed with the latest ebay purchase of 'now thats what i call music' (correct age for the car) we started out at 10am and the #greencavvy #a32ltm was absolutely magnificent as always despite the filthy weather. Got back at 15:40 and averaged about 33.5 mpg Leeds Skelton to do in febuaray

Number 6/June/50% Ticked off - Wetherby on the A1(M) 392 Miles according the google maps and averaged 38.8mpg! First stop was to see a friend with a mint mk2 Cavalier LX, then on to the services at Wetherby to enjoy the delights of a Greggs Breakfast, before driving over to Northwich to pick up some tyres & rims for another mates Cavalier as they were 'on the way' Now she can have a nice rest before conquering Chester services in July. PS i missed the 60k turn over as well and i hate myself!

Stayed at a Travelodge in Kendal and then on the 1st of September went up to Annadale water services to tick off September - a trot of only 84 miles. Then tackled the 280 ish miles home which was much nicer with short stops off at Markham moor & leeming bar services. 641 miles covered in total in 2 days according to google maps, and apart from a couple of non starts (attached jump pack and she fires up so will get an new starter motor) #thegreencavvy was faultless and averaged 39.7 mpg on the homeward leg

8 of 12 Completed - Killington Lake 31st of August travel up to Killington Lake services, 265 miles, took the family this time which was a nice change but the traffic was rubbish on the A1 and M62 (yeah i know bank holiday). Then drove to Kendal to stay in a travel lodge before going to September's services

May Services ticked off - Stafford Southbound on the M6. 306 miles round trip @ 36 mpg, not bad for an old 1300 4 speed and even included a little trip Coventry First stop was to visit the car dealership that sold her back on the 5/6/1984 (name changed from George Cox Cars to W noble Motors) and then the old MOT station she used to frequent (BillandBobMOT) before maccy's at Welcome Break Stafford