carsales Drive-Thru car chats with Hayden Quinn
"People can eat in the car – as long as it doesn’t smell." You heard it here first from Australian Masterchef star, Hayden Quinn.Hayden Quinn is what we call an overachiever. At the ripe age of 34 Quinn has two cook books to his name, he hosts The Roving Mic podcast, he’s co-owner and founder of The Cube gym, a qualified lifeguard and partner in Kooks Wines, he’s the creator, host and executive producer of Taste of Australia with Hayden Quinn television series, he contributes to Delicious magazine and taste.com.au, he also holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology. You can currently catch him on Season 12 of MasterChef Australia on Network 10, his second appearance on the reality television show that first brought this all-round nice guy into our homes in 2011.
It was behind the wheel of the family’s Mitsubishi Starwagon on the northern NSW coast where Quinn first learnt to drive, but for close to a decade he’s been devoted to the Jeep brand and as an ambassador, currently enjoys the 4x4 life in a Jeep Wrangler Overland.
In a rare moment of downtime after a 4am start, Quinn chats to carsales about cars and life - and for a guy who is always on the road, there would not be one without the other.
Who taught you to drive?
"My old man taught me to drive with a bit of Mum [help] thrown in as well. I learnt in a Mitsubishi Starwagon that had a really good turning circle!"
Can you drive a manual?
"I can drive anything and I’m not even joking – a tractor, motorbike, quad bike - anything with four wheels or legs!"
As a kid, what car did you lust after?
"Growing up it was a turquoise EH Holden wagon – the classic surf mobile."
Family road trip memories?
"Always to the Gold Coast. Mum and Dad had friends and they managed apartments up there so we’d stay with them - it was kinda fun. A road trip to the Goldie in the van… it was worth the drive."
First car?
"I bought the Mitsubishi Starwagon off my folks! Then a Mitsubishi Lancer, a Toyota LandCruiser FJ50 and Subaru Outback. For last nine years I’ve been in Jeeps! I’ve got a white [Wrangler] Overland now. Normally for me it’s a real work and leisure car and the opportunity to get out and explore – 50 per cent around the city and home, then on the road shooting for Taste of Australia.
"Today we’ve been on the beach, two days ago [we were] on the farm in the mud, climbing up hills. Personally we take it on the beach, surfing and camping so it’s always so full of stuff. I can fit so much stuff in the back. It enables me to live my outdoor lifestyle."
Do you let people eat in your car?
"People can eat in the car – as long as it doesn’t smell."
Best in car snack?
"Best snack is licorice bullets. I love them - it’s a bit of an addiction! I’m a very happy man."
How would you rate your parallel parking skills on a scale of 1-10?
"Oh, 8.5 I don’t even need cameras! My rims are 100% per cent safe."
How awful is your driver’s licence photo – on a scale of 1-10?
"I look like I’ve just robbed someone – absolute mug shot - 0."
How would you rate your navigational skills – on a scale of 1-10?
"A little bit above zero - 3.5. But we don’t really need that [skill] now."
Do you taxi or Uber?
"I prefer taxi but generally drive myself to the airport. It’s usually taxi or public transport."
Have you seen all or any of the Fast and the Furious movies?
"All of them up until when Paul Walker passed away."
Which TV show would you choose to watch – Top Gear or Australian Idol?
"Top Gear."
In heavy traffic do you merge patiently or sneak up the inside lane and pray someone takes pity and lets you in?
"I merge patiently. There’s a lot of circumstantial stuff to consider but I’m generally patient."
Which famous person would you love to road trip with and why?
"With [American comedian] Joe Rogan because he would have amazing stories to tell and he’s a funny guy."
What are two things we’d find in your car?
"A Yeti drink bottle. My phone cord."
Do you regularly top up with petrol or do you wait until the light is flashing and engine failure imminent?
"If its less than half, I fill up."
What’s a feature in your car you couldn’t live/drive well without?
"Fold flat seats! I rarely drive with more than one other person and at the moment it’s a full food production vehicle with a barbeque, food, esky and all sorts of stuff.
"Also one time [we were] shooting a feature near Glen Innes (around 1300m above sea level) and the Wrangler auto senses [the cold] and turns on the seat heaters and steering wheel [heat]. It’s a smart car."
Best road trips?
"WA, Margaret River down to Esperance and the south west corridor - and then from
Darwin down through Litchfield National Park, seeing all the water falls. They’re good roads for over a day or a couple of days – it’s not massive outback but a full on experience. I also really enjoy driving from central north NSW across to the coast and down the NSW coast. For anyone who lives in Sydney, driving that route, the M1 coastal, up north or south is pretty iconic."
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