Headlight Restoration

Degraded headlights can make your vehicle look worn and cheap. Not only do they decrease value in your car, they cause a disturbance in vision & reduce visibility by 65-85%. Government fines including demerit points are also issued for driving a non-compliant vehicle.

Faded headlights, caused from the oxidisation of the surface from the outside cover. This leads to a serious degeneration in the way the lights function. We provide quality work at competitive rates for the best Headlight Restoration on the Sunshine Coast.

WHY DOES MY HEADLIGHT NEED RESTORATION?

Headlights are made from Polycarbonate, a type of extremely tough plastic. Polycarbonate is ideal for deflecting stones and other road debris. Unfortunately in harsh UV rays, bare polycarbonate becomes porous, discolours to a yellow/brown colour through the lens and develops little cracks or splinters known as ‘crazing’.

To combat this problem, every vehicle manufacturer from Ford to Ferrari applies a UV protective Hard Coat over the polycarbonate headlight lens. This protects the headlights from discolouring and crazing.

Due to Australia’s harsh UV rays, this factory protective coating will gradually degrade and begin to discolour, leaving headlights looking cloudy and dull and limiting light output. This not only affects the safety and appearance of the vehicle, but also deems it unroadworthy and you are at risk of a $133 fine and loss of demerit points.

BUT I’VE HAD CHEAPER QUOTES

Machine buffing headlights is the incorrect method for restoring headlights. Essentially they are removing the all important degraded hard coat which is protecting the headlight lenses from permanent UV damage. There is a reason manufacturers apply a protective film coat to the headlight lenses.

Machine buffing headlights is a short-term fix, and will permanently damage the headlihgt lenses. It is also a good indication that either no protective coat is applied or at best a thin layer of inadequate protective coat such as ceramic is wiped onto the polished lens, which does not seal and protect the polycarbonate lens from discolouring – often only lasting months in Queensland harsh UV rays.

Unlike Headlight Restore’s method in which we completely remove the old degraded factory clear coat, remove a micron off the headlight lenses, mask up the vehicle, and spray onto the lens a cured protective clear coat that etches into the polycarbonate lens and creates a ‘rock hard’ protective clear coat which is also chemical resistant, non-yellowing and lasts as long as brand new replacement headlights – and comes with our 3-year warranty.

WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE AUTO EMPORIUM FOR HEADLIGHT RESTORATION SUNSHINE COAST?

Because unlike cheaper opertors we restore the light right the first time, giving you not only a brand new but lasting finish for years to come.

the key differance as discussed above is that we renmove all the film from facorty then proceed to repair all the crazing and heavy oxidization prior to applying a 2k sealer that gives a better than factory shine.

Just so you are aware, the most important part of the service is applying a quality clear coat to the surface of the headlight lenses.

This clear coat protects and seals the polycarbonate headlight lenses from discolouring

We have years of experience doing head & tail lights including tinting the lights.

so we can offer you amazing factory original finsih or a custom touch to your ride. Restoring headlights not only avoids demerit points and fines but ads value back to your car.

we can offer a smoked or custom tinted finish to the headlight lenses if you seek something more adventorous.

our workmanship is garaunteed with a warranty not to mention our outstanding reviews will give you piece of mind.

HOW LONG WILL THIS SERVICE LAST?

Our process is done the correct way. This involves completely removing the old degraded factory Clear Coat, masking up the car, and spraying on the headlight lenses a cured protective, clear Hard Coat that is chemical resistant, non-yellowing and has scratch resistance. Our protective Hard Coat is essential for preventing headlight discolouration and further damage. In our extensive experience, the technique we adopt often lasts longer than brand new replacement headlights. Headlight Restore’s protective Hard Coat ensures your headlights will stay ‘crystal clear’ without discolouration for many years.

AUTO EMPORIUM is one of only a few companies that offers a year guarantee from discolouration on our headlight restoration service knowing your headlight restoration condition will last for many years beyond our guarantee.

MY MECHANIC CAN RESTORE THEM WITH MY NEXT SERVICE

An increasing number of car detailers and mechanics now offer headlight restoration. Their process generally involves removing the old degraded factory Clear Coat by sanding the lens and then polishing the bare headlight lens clear.

At best, an inferior easy to apply coating e.g. ceramic coating, headlight wipes may be wiped on the lens. Whilst this may look good initially, it does not last in Queensland’s harsh conditions and will degrade within months.

Without an adequate protective coat, the lens will begin to discolour and the polycarbonate itself will begin to micro-crack or ‘craze’. Methods that do not apply a Hard Coat are a temporary solution, often only lasting a few months and will eventually cause permanent damage to your headlights.

In fact, if anyone is polishing headlights with a buff, this is a good indication they are doing it wrong, as they will obviously not be spraying on an adequate clear coat onto the lens.

auto shops or DIY headlight restoration kits will also leave the headlight exposed to the elements. They often only come with a polish and do not come with a quality UV protective sealant, again causing the lens to craze and discolour, often in merely months.

The repair methods mentioned above are a temporary fix. They will not achieve the clarity Headlight Restore can achieve through quality workmanship and application of a quality protective Hard Coat. Worse yet, they may damage your headlights permanently.

Restoring your lights also prevents lights ending up in landfill, refurbishing the lights you have is also doing your part for the environment.