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Headlight restoration

B

buda

Member
How many detailers or car washes with full service restoration detail operations are offering their customers, Headlight Restoration?

This is an easy service to do professionally (that is, sanding and polishing). The promised micracle chemicals are only a temporary fix and will upset customers when the oxidation comes back after the chemical wears off.

You can charge from $50 to $75 a headlight as the alternative is headlight replacement at nearly $1000 or more.

Regards
Bud Abraham
 
We've been offering it for some time, at a much cheaper rate than what most places do (for the simple fact that it costs us very little), to marginal success. The results are always great, but we only sell perhaps 4-5 a week at most. I've sometimes wondered if we could sell more by raising the price some, just to increase the perceived value of the service. Who knows.
 
Jttinu said:
We've been offering it for some time, at a much cheaper rate than what most places do (for the simple fact that it costs us very little), to marginal success. The results are always great, but we only sell perhaps 4-5 a week at most. I've sometimes wondered if we could sell more by raising the price some, just to increase the perceived value of the service. Who knows.
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Have three questions:

1. Do you sand the lens? How many grits? Then polish?

2. Whatever your process, how long to complete your process for two lens?

2. What do you charge per lens?

It appears that in the Western USA dealers will pay up to $50 to $75 per headlight. Retail customers more.

Regards
Bud Abraham
 
We'll do 2 grits (1200 and 1000 if memory serves) with liquid compound + orbital buffer, then hand polish. Takes about 15 minutes (customer generally waits in the car). $15/light.

Full disclosure, I'm a supervisor, not manager- thus not in charge of procedure or prices. But I've been trying to look into what other places do because there definitely are discrepancies.
 
In my opinion it would be better to have it done diy style, you can buy a Megs headlight restoration kit and just follow the procedure and make sure to protect it regularly.
 
Have had a guy approach me about doing this on my Car Wash lot. I didn't even k ow there was sanding involved. Thought there was only kits that were used...?
 
soonermajic said:
Have had a guy approach me about doing this on my Car Wash lot. I didn't even k ow there was sanding involved. Thought there was only kits that were used...?
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There are chemicals that temporarily restore the headlight, but the oxidation will return.

You can also do a buff with a high speed buffer and compound which is better, but not a permanent fix.

The permanent fix is to sand off the oxidation with 2 or 3 grits of sanding disks and then polish and seal.

You can get $50 a headlight using this procedure


Bud Abraham
 
we water sand w/2000 then polish; wool pad, rotary polisher. finish w/hand wax.

awesome results; fast. $40 for 2 lights

we do a few but less since the stupid miracle goo ads.
 
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sanding first is the best way. faster and better cut, less mess, better result. plastic lenses only.
 
Talked to another guy who just sands lightly, then buffs, then puts some chemical on it then buffs again. Takes him 10 minutes tops, & does 2 lights for $20! Looks pretty good. Said he doesn't work it hard at all, & does $200+ EVERY DAY!

Anyone use the 3M Pro kit? Saw them for $400, w/ 2 buffers & bunch of other stuff. Reviews were awesome for that.
 
soonermajic said:
Talked to another guy who just sands lightly, then buffs, then puts some chemical on it then buffs again. Takes him 10 minutes tops, & does 2 lights for $20! Looks pretty good. Said he doesn't work it hard at all, & does $200+ EVERY DAY!

Anyone use the 3M Pro kit? Saw them for $400, w/ 2 buffers & bunch of other stuff. Reviews were awesome for that.
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Everyone has their own method for restoring headlight lens. Some use only chemical, some, as mentioned above, do a bit of sanding and polishing, others use compound and a rotary buffer and heavy compound to get results.

That said, the "official" methodology to permanently remove the oxidation, dulling, yellowing of polycarbonate lens is a process of sanding with heavy, medium and light sanding disks, remove of swirls & sratches with compound and polish and then buffing to a high shine. The final protection can be either clear-coat or liquid glass coating.

This process insures that the oxidation, etc is permanently removed and the lens should last another several years before oxidizing, etc again.

We offer a Headlight Restoration System with one mini-buffer, sanding disks, polishing pads, etc for only $199.95
 
soonermajic said:
Bought a 3m pRO HEADLIGHT RESTORATION KIT FOR $150.
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Good price what is exacly in the kit? Does it include a Mini Buffer/Polisher? Does it include boxes of 50 sanding disks:

600, 800, 1500, 2500? Buffing and Polishing Pads? Chemicals? Price is important but you have to compare apples to apples.
 
Includes TWO mini buffers. Got it off C-L, so I'll see what all it comes with. This k it also had lots of pads, sandpapers, pupae bottles of chems etc....
 
buda said:
How many detailers or car washes with full service restoration detail operations are offering their customers, Headlight Restoration?

This is an easy service to do professionally (that is, sanding and polishing). The promised micracle chemicals are only a temporary fix and will upset customers when the oxidation comes back after the chemical wears off.

You can charge from $50 to $75 a headlight as the alternative is headlight replacement at nearly $1000 or more.

Regards
Bud Abraham
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I haven't had any headlights professionally restored but for a couple of years now I have been using PlastX by Meguiars and it works really good as long as there isn't any super big pitting or scratches. If that is the case then you will have to wet sand with very fine grit papers or buy a kit. I have reviews on my website for PlastX headlight restorer at: Meguiars PlastX (Headlight Cleaner) – Automotive-Unlimited
 
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