Turning heads in this day and age requires something out of the ordinary, which is precisely what Danny Makary of Pinpoint Electrical has managed to achieve with his Isuzu NLR 200.
Purchased back in 2014, Danny had the NLR fitted out with eye catching livery and shining alloy wheels. The NLR certainly leaves an impression of a professional operation, which is how Danny likes to run his business.
The NLR has been turning heads in Sydney since his electrical maintenance business bought it in 2014. Danny’s worked extremely hard to build Pinpoint Electrical from the ground up, developing it into a thriving Sydney business.
“In 2012, the company I’d worked at for 12 years suddenly closed and I was made redundant,” Danny said. “That pushed me to found Pinpoint, and it’s been growing ever since.
“Pinpoint services the competitive Sydney Metro area from our base in Ryde, but we stand out because of our commitment. We specialise in strata and real estate electrical maintenance, which is why I chose to buy the Isuzu.
“If I had an after-hours call out from a business before I bought the NLR, many times I couldn’t complete the job, because my vans couldn’t hold enough stock.
“This meant I’d have to return the next day, but now the truck can transport all my gear and keep it organised as well.”
The NLR 200 has a GVM rated at 4,500 kg, 110 kW @ 2,800 rpm and 375 Nm @ 1,600 – 2800 rpm. It’s driveable on a car licence, but still has a greater capacity than many of the highest selling vans and utilities on the market, making it an ideal choice for a growing business.
“We had a custom body built that holds light fittings, switchboard gear, power point switches and cable,” Danny said. “The truck is like a mini warehouse.
“I’ve got electrician mates who come to our jobs to borrow gear off us. It’s amazingly useful for after-hours work because it can carry so much.
“I chose the Automated Manual Transmission because it shifts smoothly and makes city driving a breeze.”
Isuzu’s Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) has both fully automatic or clutchless manual transmission modes. When combined with the functionality of either a short or medium wheelbase model, the NLR gives business owners maximum flexibility.
“The NLR’s turning circle is excellent,” Danny said. “I’m surprised at how good it is, there’s one other driver and he loves it as well.”
“Before I bought the NLR, one of my mates had an Isuzu, so I knew they were good quality trucks.
“I looked at another Japanese brand and it didn’t cut it. The cab space was far too small and I felt squashed in it.
“Then I checked out the NLR and it was spacious, comfortable, and had lots of features to make the working day easier,” he continued.
“I particularly like the heated mirrors because they’re so useful in winter.”
The NLR 200 has an ECE-R29 compliant, ergonomically designed cab that includes a Digital Audio Visual Equipment (DAVE) unit with a 6.2 inch LCD touchscreen, digital radio, fully integrated Bluetooth with voice recognition and 4 GB of internal storage.
“I’ve equipped the truck with 12 volt batteries, deep cycle batteries and inverters,” Danny said. “That way we can charge equipment and use power while we’re on the road.
“We installed flashing lights on the front, back and roof of the truck for after-hours emergency work. Each storage compartment and toolbox has individual LED lights, and the truck has front and rear spotlights.
“Safety was a big priority for me when I chose an Isuzu. The driver and passenger airbags stood out, because a few other truck brands still don’t offer them.
“I also had a genuine Isuzu bulbar put on the front, which adds to the safety, but also looks great,” he laughed.
The NLR 200 has an impressive array of safety features, including Anti-lock Braking (ABS), Anti Skid Regulator (ASR) traction control, Hill Start Aid (HSA) for manual models and a driver and passenger airbag with seatbelt pretensioner.
“Isuzu’s reputation for reliability is really important to me,” he continued. “I bought my last van brand new and it gave me nothing but dramas from the second I drove it out of the showroom.
“Now I’ve got a truck that’s not only capable and dependable, but acts as a great advertisement for my business as well.”
