After driving your car for some years, your headlights may become a little bit hazy. Sometimes they may even pick up a yellow colour or become cloudy. If you notice this, it tells you to do something not just for aesthetic purposes but for safety too.
Headlights are crucial when driving, especially at night. The haze on the headlights makes it unsafe to drive at night since it limits the light emitted. Thus, headlight restoration is essential.
Are you a bit thrown off when we mention headlight restoration kit? Most car owners do because restoring headlights is not as common as replacing headlights.
What is a Headlight Restoration Kit?
As the name suggests, a headlight restoration kit is an assembly of tools used to remove discolouration, scratches, and marks on headlights. Some of the included tools include sanding discs, rubbing compound, polishing pad or applicator, and sometimes additional gear.
A headlight restoration kit can be used on cars, trailers, and even motorcycles. It can be bought from online stores or shops that deal with automotive parts.
What are the Advantages of Owning a Headlight Restoration Kit?
As your car’s mileage increases, almost all its parts wear out, headlights included. They can become dull and hazy. Today, most automakers produce headlamps using plastic lenses. Unlike glass units, the plastic ones are more likely to pick up discolouration.
UV rays are the primary cause of headlights becoming cloudy and hazy. Car owners residing in areas with a sunny climate for most of the year often have this problem. Other factors, especially environmental ones, contribute to headlight aging too.
It is worth noting that some car models are more susceptible to headlight aging than others. Factors, such as the position, size, and lens material affect how the headlights age and wear out.
The aging process can vary also depending on whether you regularly drive your car or keep it in the garage. The effect on the headlights can range from a little haze to complete opaqueness in extreme cases.
On the bright side, headlights can regain their clarity even after becoming hazy. All you need is a headlight restoration kit, and you will have bright headlamps once again.
Having the best kit is, therefore, important. Without this kit, your headlights will remain dull. Not only does it compromise your safety on the road, but it also decreases the aesthetic look of your car.
A good headlight restoration kit should contain all the tools necessary to make your headlights clear again. Apart from improving visibility, the kit will delay having to replace the headlights entirely.
Headlight Restoration Kit Buying Tips
Today, there are countless headlight restoration kits in the market. While most brands claim to be the best, only a few deserve the title. In short, you should take the time to assess each product before buying.
Buying a restoration kit for the first time can be challenging with all the options offered on the shelves. To help you make the right decision, you should keep in mind these tips.
1. Ease of Use
Before choosing a kit, consider the ease of using it. Kits should come with instructions and visual guides, especially if you are buying for the first time.
2. Best Value
It should not only perform as it promises but should also be pocket-friendly. There are several affordable restoration kits in the market that can serve the need.
3. Reliability of the Manufacturer
The reputation of the kit manufacturer tells a lot about the effectiveness of their kit. Read reviews, product ratings, and warranty policies related to the manufacturer or seller.
4. The Condition of Your Headlight Lens
As a car owner, you may be tempted to buy a restoration kit even if your headlights function perfectly. Please check and ensure that your headlight lens indeed needs restoration before attempting to restore. As the saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Most restoration products are abrasive and can cause damage to the otherwise good headlight lenses.
5. Your Particular Need
The market offers different options when it comes to headlight restoration kits. Of these, some need additional polishing tools, while others come as a complete package. The choice of which equipment to get largely depends on the condition of your headlights.
A kit that provides you with polishing cream and pad is perfect if your headlights are only slightly affected. For severely affected ones, you will require one that provides you with a pad, sanding disc, and finishing disc.
If the headlight lens is broken, no restoration kit or power tools can fix it. You will need to replace it.
6. Quality of the Restoration Kit
Some of the restoration kits in the market will give you amazing results; others will not. With inferior products, you may need to repeat the procedure frequently, such as every few weeks. At all cost, you should avoid such kits.
Instead, go for those that give long-lasting results. Most of them are usually more expensive compared to those that provide short-term effects. Price, however, should not be your only barometer.
Conclusion
A good restoration kit goes a long way in ensuring that your car headlights look sharp and almost new. Besides, bright headlamps guarantee you of better visibility when driving at night.
The decision on choosing the kit to buy can be pretty challenging. We hope that with these buying tips in mind, you will select the best one.
For your car parts needs, headlight restoration kits and other auto supplies, please see our current listings at Carpart.com.au. If you don’t find what you’re looking for from our classifieds section, don’t hesitate to send us a parts request, and we’d gladly assist you.
Sam O.