DIY: Headlight Lens Restoration Kit Buyer Guide
With age Headlight lens become, cloudy, or hazy looking and this has become increasingly common, as the average age of cars on the road continues to rise. Plus, with most modern vehicles using replaceable bulbs with plastic lenses that are more prone to discoloration, rather than the more-durable glass sealed-beam units. But, thanks to these Headlight Lens Restoration Kits, even junkyard-ready headlight lens can be made clear again.
Other than being an eye sore, clouded lenses pose a serious threat to night driving safety. Cloudiness compromises night vision drastically, more than you realize until you have clear lenses again, when you notice the major difference in visibility. Tests show this can reduce the effectiveness of your headlights by up to 80 percent!
The ultraviolet light from the sun is the main factor in the cause of cloudy headlight lenses. This problem tends to be most serious in warmer, sunny climates, but this still happens in most areas of the world, just at a slower pace. Different makes and models can be more susceptible than others. This all depends on the angle, size and composition of the headlight lenses. Of course garage kept cars are less likely to have cloudy headlights.
Headlight Lens Restoration Kits Overview
Now many companies like 3M, Sylvania, Mothers, Turtle Wax and Meguiar's just to name a few; See this trend and are now offering products to restore damaged headlight lenses. All of these products vary in ease of use, effectiveness and price. Some restoration kits require some elbow grease and glove, while some require some power tools. Most of them all should take less than an hour of your time. Which is likely less time than replacing the entire headlight and hundreds of dollars cheaper. These kits all require a handful of steps which are well worth the effort and if the job is not rushed you'll notice a big difference.
We've compiled a list of the top 5 best selling restoration products which was comprised from over ten thousands consumer reviews from people who've used the products. Even the poorer performers will drastically improve visibility depending on how badly the lenses are weathered. All of these restoration kits cost less than $30. Please note that it is common for lenses to start hazing over again within 12-18 months depending on the elements which confirms the the restoration kits are not a long term fix, but still much cheaper than buying new headlight lenses which will likely haze over too anyway.
Top Five Selling Headlight Restoration Kits
-3M 39008 Headlight Lens Restoration System
-SYLVANIA Headlight Restoration Kit
-Turtle Wax T-240KT Headlight Lens Restorer Kit
-Meguiar's G3000 Heavy Duty Headlight Restoration Kit
-Mothers 07251 NuLens Headlight Renewal Kit
The five best sellers all involve sanding away the surface of the lenses. This is done using progressively finer abrasives, followed by polishing lenses to smoothing the finish. Some kids come with sealants which act as a protective coating. These kits with sealants will last longer than those without. Please note that some headlight lenses have hard protective coatings which may require more sand paper then the kits have available. Coatings must be sanded completely off to ensure full refinishing of the plastic beneath. A small additional purchase of 400-grit sandpaper will help solve this issue. These types of hard protective coatings must be removed first before starting the restoration process and thankfully they're not very common. Unfortunatly unless you have direct knowledge or can't find out weather your car has these coatings you might have to make an unscheduled visit to the store. Out of the top five selling kits, the SYLVANIA Headlight Restoration Kit was the only one to already include the 400-grit sandpaper.
Out of all these products 4 are applied by hand and require no special tools. One, the 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System, does require the use of a handheld electric drill fitted with a special applicator pad which is included in the kit. Like with anything in life, the harder and more diligently you work, the better the results will be
For the Best Rated Top 5 Headlight Lens Restoration Kits, Click Here!
DIY: Headlight Lens Restoration Kit How-To Video
Headlight Lens Restoration Kits Available
