Me and my car: Jay Reeve

Auckland-based Jay Reeve is a ZM radio host. He tells Driven about where his loyalties lie when it comes to vehicles

What do you drive?

A 2013 Volkswagen Amarok Ute. It's a good piece of kit, all white with a black chequer plate tray lid and black 20-inch rims with off-road tyres. It's sharp-looking, roomy, nice to drive, fits a 6'6" surfboard in the back, racks on top hold my SUP (stand up paddle board) and longboards, plus it's important to own a reliable ute when you ride unreliable old British and American motorcycles.

What's the main consideration when buying a car?

Functionality and aesthetic.

Your first car?

A 1967 XR Falcon station wagon with a 351 V8 under a primer grey and black paint job.

Your dream car ...

I'm a huge fan of the Mercedes G 63 AMG 6 wheel truck, it's just incredibly excessive. I also like the Ferrari Daytona GTB in yellow.

Favourite car colour?

Matte white.

Who taught you to drive?

I grew up on a dairy farm so was taught to drive tractors and motorcycles by my Dad at a young age, and then drove round the tanker track in a Ford Escort. Dad is patient and taught me a lot about maintaining a vehicle and how to work on cars and bikes. I think it is important to understand how a vehicle works and Dad wouldn't let me or my sisters drive without being able to change a tyre and the oil.

Manual or automatic?

Manual 100 per cent. You have better control when you are in control of all the driving elements.

How often do you clean your car?

I'm lucky, I bought my truck from Giltrap and part of the deal is that I get it valet cleaned every weekend for free, they do a way better job than I ever could.

Most memorable road trip?

My most memorable road trip was in Munich with MTV. We pretended to be a part of the All Blacks and convinced the guard at BMW that a car was arranged for us to take to the Neuschwanstein Castle. He gave us a black BMW Touring (a station wagon) to thrash the pants off on the autobahn for the day and we drove up to the castle and parked out front with a Kiwi flag on the windscreen.

Music as you drive?

I've got a couple of driving mixes that my buddy Marc Moore from Stolen Girlfriends Club clothing line put together; a random mix of old rock.

What's a great day trip out of Auckland?

The drive to Piha or Muriwai is awesome. Driving round the Firth of Thames and up the Coromandel coast is also amazing.

Does what people drive influence how you perceive them?

Nah. Some people think of a vehicle as a piece of art while others see it as a conduit from A to B. That said, I can't stand those cube-shaped cars.

Would you rather drive in Auckland or take public transport?

Unfortunately drive; I would love to take public transport but have never had a good experience using it. The council and government need to sort something ASAP.

Who else is allowed to drive your car?

My wife who is a much better driver than me.

Bike and cars ... is there space for them both on the road?

Definitely, New Zealand drivers are getting better but there is a lot of room for improvement. Use your mirrors, be courteous, look for other road users and relax.