Headlights

Headlights Importance

A headlight restoration service or headlight replacement might be exactly what you need. You may be surprised to learn that 40 percent of traffic fatalities in New England take place at night even though there’s 60 percent less traffic. This exemplifies how important proper visibility is to nighttime driving in Maine and New Hampshire.

Obviously, a clean windshield is important – so are good wiper blades. Your headlights play a big role as well. There are two main concerns. One is with the headlamp, or bulb. The other is with the lens.

The fact of the matter is that headlamps go dim or burnout over time on your vehicle. You just need to replace them. Some vehicles come with a standard bulb which you can replace or you can upgrade to a halogen bulb that’s much brighter. Halogen costs a little more but you’d be amazed at the difference. New LED’s are becoming more available for many vehicles on the road.

When Should I Replace my Headlamps?

It’s a good idea to replace your headlamps once a year. The idea is that your lamps never dim to the point that they become a safety issue. Just take care of it at a your annual Maine or New Hampshire State safety inspection so that your lights will be bright for those hot summer nights as well as for those long winter nights.

The other big issue is the headlamp lens. For the last couple of decades, most lenses are made of plastic which can get cloudy or yellow. That blocks a lot of light. You can replace the lens, but each lens assembly can cost on average between $350 and $400 with some well over $1000! It’s much less expensive to restore the lens if it isn’t broken.

We use a special 3 step process of special cleaners and polishes to remove the yellowed and hazy layer of the lens. We then apply a hard protective finish. When we’re done, your lenses really are as good as new.

The price depends on the size of the lens and how yellowed or cloudy it is. You can even restore taillights and turn signals.

So combining a headlamp restoration with new bulbs will light up the road like a new car. Can you clearly see the advantage?

Visit us at one of our 7 New England locations, Auto Care Plus backs up all of our work with a nationwide 5 year/50,000 mile warranty covering parts and labor!

DID YOU KNOW?

A recent study showed that 9 out of 10 vehicles have dirty or yellowed headlights. This can decrease nighttime visibility by as much as 90 percent. When you gas up, wipe down your headlights to keep them clean. A headlamp restoration can economically clear up cloudy or yellowed headlight lenses.