How much should headlight restoration cost in Australia?
When you are looking at getting headlight restoration done in Australia, there are a few things to consider.
One of the most important things to consider is how long you want the headlight restoration to last.
The most important part of headlight restoration is applying a quality UV protective coating that lasts. This is important because your headlights are made from polycarbonate nowadays. Polycarbonate is an extremely tough plastic for deflecting stones etc but does break down in UV rays.
This is the reason headlight manufacturers apply a clear hard coat over the lens from the factory. Bare polycarbonate also develops little cracks known as crazing through the lens and eventually discolours through the thickness to a milky colour rendering the lens irreparable.
‘DIY’ headlight restoration kits
DIY headlight restoration kits unfortunately do not come with an adequate protective coating to protect the lens, most of the time they come with a piece of sandpaper and a bottle of polish.
Some DIY kits do come with a wipe once you have finished sanding and polishing the lens but does not last. This can and will eventually damage your headlights.
DIY kits are a very temporary fix at best, and for expensive headlights this can eventually be an expensive lesson. DIY kits start from around $20 in Australia but could eventually damage headlights permanently.
Headlight restoration by sanding and polishing the lens.
Buffing and sanding the lens is something car detailers and mechanics do for you as part of detailing your vehicle. Detailers remove the all-important factory UV protective coating and polish the bare polycarbonate lens. Quite often a buff will splinter the lens from the heat caused by friction from the buff. Polycarbonate splinters quite easy.
Some detailers may wipe on ceramic after polishing the lens with a buff. Ceramic coatings do not last on headlights as it is wiped on and only microns thick. Also, headlights are reflective, and the UV rays bounce from inside the lens as well causing the thinly wiped on ceramic to degrade.
Car detailers and mechanics may believe they are helping you but are potentially damaging your headlights in the long run. They are only using a few dollars of polish and ceramic which is not restoring the lens back to lasting factory condition. Car detailers and mechanics charge anywhere from $50-$250 per vehicle.
Professional headlight restoration
Professional headlight restoration with a sprayed-on UV protective clear coat is the only way to get longevity out of your headlights. But be aware of what coating they are spraying.
Some companies spray a UV protection straight out of a can. When sprayed straight from a can the odds are it’s a cheap UV protective clear coat that will not last.
If looking for a professional, you should ask what clear coat they use and if it is sprayed out of a can.
The correct method for professional headlight restoration that lasts is using a lasting polycarbonate 2-part protective coat. 2-part UV protective clear coats require a hardener or catalyst which when mixed with the clear coat cures to a rock-hard finish which is chemical resistant, scratch resistant and non-yellowing.
Professional headlight restoration from $75 per headlight upwards, dependant on the damage on the lens and vehicle.
In short, do what suits your budget, but remember the old saying ‘poor man pays twice’.
Headlight restoration should be done right the first time to save you money in the long run
This above is why only Headlight Restore do the job properly for lasting results. We only apply the highest quality UV protective sprayed on UV protective polycarbonate clear coat. This ensures you are protected from expensive repairs or replacement headlights in the future with our 3-year warranty. Click the link below to visit our website for more information.