What is Headlight Restoration

Have Your Headlights Restored

A headlight restoration, when done right, can mark the difference between a working headlight and a non-functioning one.
Did you know that faded headlights are in fact illegal and unsafe?
In fact, vehicles with faded headlights will not pass a road safety test.
It will classify the vehicle as illegal to be driven on Qld roads.
Opaque headlights reduce your visibility at night by up to 75%.
Replacing the headlights with new headlights is expensive and can be avoided with the right restoration service
Yes, you do this yourself, but it is also recommended that you find a professional car detailer to help you fix the problem.

But what does headlight restoration really mean?

WHY HEADLIGHTS DISCOLOR

As vehicles age, the plastic headlight lenses deteriorate due to abrasion and permanent Headlight Restoration & Repair Specialists Our Technicians UV damage.
Headlights turn a dirty yellow color with an opaque finish.
This surface damage can drastically reduce light output and make headlights less effective if not treated early.
In places like Brisbane, our hot climate and high UV index destroys surfaces like the plastic that makes up headlight lenses.
Many people believe that the damage in the  headlight lens happens on the inside. This is not true, the damage is exclusively on the outside.

There are two different types of headlight lenses – plastic and glass.
Glass headlight lenses do not deteriorate like plastic, but they do chip and break and need to be replaced.
Glass headlights became a safety issue when the glass from broken headlights in accidents caused more injuries than the actual accident itself. In the 1990s, glass headlights were replaced with polycarbonate which does not shatter like glass. Glass headlights are only on older vehicles.

Polycarbonate Headlights

The headlights on almost all cars today are made of polycarbonate.
This is an extremely tough plastic, but it is also porous and discolors when exposed to UV radiation.
The discolouring, fogging or yellowing that we see is called oxidation.
To stop oxidation, the headlight manufacturers apply a protective hard coating to the outside of the lens.
Over time, this factory protective coating degrades (oxidizes) and must be completely removed and replaced with another high-quality protective coating that will last.

Advantages of Headlight Restoration

Modern headlights are made of a polycarbonate plastic.
Although this makes them tough and durable, the main drawback is oxidation that occurs over time due to UV rays
In warmer climates, this causes cars to need headlight restoration more often than cars in cooler climates. Below are some of the key benefits of cleaning your headlights if you notice them dimming or turning yellow.

• Increase road safety: dull and dim headlights mean limited visibility on the road. If you regularly drive at night, this is a safety hazard.
• Help maintain the value of your car: If your car has a defect, the value goes down.
• Save money: fixing discolored headlights means fixing the ones you already have. It costs less than if you had to buy a new one from a dealer.
• Improve the aesthetics of your vehicle: dull and yellowish headlights give your car a dull look. However, by restoring the headlights, you can give your car a whole new look.
• Increases visibility: oxidized headlights dull the light that is emitted. However, by restoring the headlights, you will get a new, sharp visibility at night.
• To keep your car roadworthy, you need to get your headlights serviced.

What To Ask for When Researching Headlight Restoration

Many low-cost headlight restoration services only remove the original worn out factory clear coat.
This is sanded off, leaving the unprotected plastic lens bare.
Within a few months, the unprotected plastic begin to discolor and develop “cracks” or tiny crazing on the lens surface.
Machine sanding your headlights is a short term solution and will cause permanent damage to the lens as it will not be protected as it removes all of the protection that protects the lens from damage caused by UV rays. Headlights are covered with this coating to protect them.

Book in Now

If your headlights are looking a little worse for wear or you are thinking about selling your car.
Book in for your headlights to be polished and restored to crystal clear clarity.
We love doing this service at the same time as car detail so your car looks amazing from the top to the bottom.
Book in today with Car Detailers Brisbane