We all know that the Texas heat can wreak havoc, and your car is no exception. Interiors can crack and fade in the sun, and your car's paint and plastic headlights can oxidize and discolor.
Let’s talk about yellow, dull headlights and the DIY headlight restoration kits. Store bought headlight restoration kits are designed to quickly and easily remove the oxidation, haziness, and discoloration that build up on polycarbonate headlights over time. These conditions reduce light transmission and potentially create safety hazards. Available at a range of price points, these kits promise to restore your headlights to their former glory.
Dull, cloudy paint might be the most obvious sign of weathering, but crazed, yellowed headlight lenses not only look unappealing, they also significantly reduce light transmission, which has clear safety implications. If your headlights are so cloudy and faded that they no longer illuminate the road properly, you and everyone else on the road might be at risk.
Unfortunately, there's little you can do to prevent your headlights from weathering over time.
The internet is awash with DIY techniques, including buffing with avocado, toothpaste, car polish, or even fine grit sandpaper, with varying levels of effectiveness. There are also commercial products specifically designed for headlight restoration that promise to tackle the job efficiently. But do they work?
We picked two popular products at opposite ends of the price spectrum, rolled up our sleeves, and got to work on restoring some badly faded lights to find out.
Using the first product, we gave one headlight five cycles of rubbing and buffing with the cleaning solution, followed by the required two applications of their headlight coating. Given how badly faded the lens was before we started, the results were immediately obvious and pleasantly surprising.
Switching to the second, cheaper product, we treated the other headlight with five cycles of application and buffing. Being an all in one product, this was a simpler process. While it was also effective, it clearly didn't perform as well as the first restoration kit.
The Optic-Kleer Plano Verdict:
Both headlight restoration kits did a great job of removing oxidation and yellowing from faded polycarbonate lenses. At 30-45 minutes per headlight and requiring no special skills or tools, restoring your headlights' clarity and improving their performance with one of these kits is a fast and inexpensive task that virtually anyone can tackle in an afternoon. However, these products are missing an important component: a UV resistant coating.
Optic-Kleer Plano’s headlight restoration process not only eliminates discoloration and clouding through oxidation removal but also includes the application of a UV resistant coating. We guarantee that your headlights will remain clear for 2 years, or we will restore them at no cost to you!
If you find yourself in need of headlight restoration, just give us a call or schedule online.
📱 (972) 400-0714
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