Shift Property Styling moves forward with Isuzu

Established in 2006 by founders Donielle and Adam Luttrell, the award-winning Shift Property Styling has gained a reputation throughout Tasmania as the state’s leading interior property stylist. 

The innovative couple began curating spaces as a passion project but quickly developed a following—captivating agents, purchasers, and sellers with their ability to completely transform houses into homes. ​ 

Property styling is becoming ever more popular as sellers seek to show properties in the best possible light. 

Of course, Donielle, Adam and their team need to move furniture and household accessories all around the Apple Isle and to do that, they need a reliable method of transport. It didn’t take long for them to realise that the most reliable trucks for the job came from Isuzu.

The Shift Property Styling team in Tasmania

“We started off with two trucks,” said Adam. ​ 

“An older Isuzu and another brand, but they were getting tired, and we were thinking of updating. ​ 

“Initially, we were only going to get one new truck, so we went into Webster Trucks in Hobart and talked to Shane Hilder, who was really helpful. ​ 

“In fact, he was so helpful we decided to buy two new trucks! 

“We really liked what Shane had to offer and the reputation and range of the Isuzu brand.” ​ 

Fit for purpose 

“We figured it was a good time to move forward, and it made sense to upgrade both vehicles to ensure that we had lower running costs, reliability and a fresher fleet, which was beneficial for us from a brand perspective. 

“Also, we could spec them to what we need them to be,” Adam said. 

The company’s trucks are both 7,500 kg GVM NPR 75-190s with Isuzu’s proven 5.2-litre 16-valve SOHC engine, so his drivers are never going to be short of power or torque.

Isuzu's NPR 75-190 is the truck of choice for Shift Property Styling

The 4HK1-TCC engine outputs 140 kW (190 PS) at 2,600 rpm and torque of 513 Nm @ 1,600 - 2,600 rpm. 

“We wanted to make sure we had vehicles that would suit our purpose, which is why we chose the trucks with 7.5-tonne GVM. 

“Our drivers have all done their light-rigid licence tests and are very proud of that; it has also allowed them to improve their professional skill set,” added Adam. 

The trucks are used to cart premium furniture and household goods all over Tasmania and have been specially outfitted to carry out the task safely and efficiently.

“We’ll set up an empty house and use the trucks to transport all the goods we need for that job, including furniture, accessories and household goods. ​ 

“We had the trucks specially lined with padded panelling and tie-down points as well as a one-tonne tailgate loader on the rear. 

“We’ve also installed some lighting inside the bodies and toolboxes.” 

Safety first 

Adam said that another reason he wanted to upgrade the transport side of the business relates to operator safety. ​ 

Shift Property Styling’s NPR 75-190s come equipped with Isuzu’s Advanced Driver Assistance System or ‘ADAS’, including autonomous emergency braking that can recognise pedestrians and other road users, and a lane departure warning system that provides audible and visual alarms for the driver if the vehicle begins to wander out of the lane marking or over the road edge. 

A distance warning system will alert the driver if they get too close to the vehicle in front. 

Company co-founder Adam Luttrell gets behind the wheel

“There are a lot of safety features in the trucks that weren’t available when we purchased our older models,” said Adam. ​ 

“Things like cruise control, lane departure warning and the distance warning... they’re just a whole world safer and more comfortable than what we’d come out of previously. 

“We do trips from Hobart to Launceston, which takes about two-and-a-half to three hours, and the trucks are just great on those longer runs. ​ 

“The comfort in the cab, the improved suspension; the trucks are just so much better on the road.” 

Driver satisfaction 

Adam said the drivers love the new trucks and take a lot of personal pride in them. ​ 

“It’s been a huge change for our drivers,” he said. 

“They take a lot of pride in being able to drive them. It’s something new and fresh for sure, and they don’t leave their hamburger wrappers in them anymore. ​ 

“They keep them clean and treat them like their own vehicles. They just love them.” ​ 

Aftersales benefits 

One of the big attractions of owning an Isuzu for Shift Property Styling was the exceptional aftersales service offered at Webster Trucks. 

They opted for Isuzu Service Agreements to cover their ongoing maintenance needs. These agreements ensure that the trucks remain in peak condition and are backed by Isuzu Care, which includes access to Isuzu’s expert technicians at the head office and the local dealership. ​ 

This protects their investment and provides peace of mind with the knowledge that the vehicles are being cared for by expert hands. 

“Shane was fantastic with his knowledge of the Isuzu brand,” remarked Adam. ​ 

“He lives and breathes it. He offered us the Isuzu Service Agreements, which are great, and we took them up on both trucks. 

“This means that we don’t have to worry about the cost of servicing the trucks; it’s all built in. 

“Isuzu’s amazing warranty and roadside assist mean that if something does go wrong, or even if one of the boys runs out of fuel, we’re covered—no matter what happens out there, we’ve got the backup to help us. 

“When we were shopping around for the trucks, this is something that the other brands didn’t offer, and it’s definitely one of the reasons we went with Isuzu. ​ 

“We’ll be sticking with Isuzu trucks for our future needs for sure,” Adam concluded.