Owning a car is associated with comfort and even luxury. At the same time, it brings with it responsibilities that come with being a driver participating in traffic. One of them is to ensure that the vehicle is in good working order. The car should be safe for the driver, passengers and other drivers. Headlight reconditioning will help achieve this effect. Is it worth performing it and is it worth it? We explain.
Why are headlights being reconditioned?
Automotive lighting is important not only because of the obligations imposed by law. Lights are one way of communication between traffic participants. They inform of a vehicle's slowing down, its stopping or planned turn. At the same time, they illuminate the driver's path and the signs at the side of the road. The headlights - at the front of the car - perform well in this role.
Headlights are not only the most important, but also the most vulnerable to damage. The wind pushing against the hood carries with it plant material, sand and asphalt particles. When driving fast, its smacks can damage the surface of the lampshades, causing them to tarnish.
The dirty and damaged surface of the shades limits the transmission of light from the bulbs behind them. In this situation, what remains is to replace the covers with new ones or just to recondition the headlights. Is it worth using the latter service?
Headlight reconditioning - is it worth it?
When automotive lighting starts to fail, every vehicle owner wonders how to improve its performance. He has four options to choose from:
- Purchase of new original headlights,
- Purchase of new replacements,
- Purchase of used headlights,
- Regeneration of headlights - by yourself or in a professional workshop.
Each of these options has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the most important criteria to help make a decision is cost.
Of course, the best solution would be to buy original new headlights. Unfortunately, car parts and especially those directly from the vehicle manufacturer are expensive. For example, a headlight for an Audi A3 manufactured between 2016 and 2020 costs more than PLN 1,500. Two such lamps are an expense of more than PLN 3,000. On top of that, you need to add the cost of installation, which will be done by a specialist.
Cheaper, of course, are the replacements. The problem is that they do not always fit well. Besides, the less they cost, the worse their quality. In addition, even for a non-original part you have to pay about PLN 500, depending on the car model.
A third option is used headlights. However, in this case, even a good match to the brand and models will not guarantee that a worn-out lamp will not quickly become damaged.
In this situation, it seems that restoring the original lamps is a very good solution. Is it worth it to recondition the headlights? Yes, considering the fact that the cost of refurbishing one starts from 70 zloty.
Headlight reconditioning - is it worth entrusting it to specialists?
The increasingly unfavorable ratio of service prices to earnings is forcing many car owners to forgo the help of professionals and do some repairs themselves. At the same time, cars are increasingly complex. Therefore, there are fewer and fewer activities that can be performed in the home garage. However, headlight reconditioning is among them. The question, however - is it really worth it to act on your own?
Although lamp restoration is possible on your own, it is a tedious and lengthy process. In addition, it is not always successful. This is influenced by lack of patience and time, and often insufficient knowledge. The consequence can be the destruction of the lamps and the need to buy new ones, making the cost even higher.
Three conclusions can be drawn from the above:
- Exhausted headlights necessarily need to be restored to good condition,
- Headlight reconditioning is the most cost-effective of all options,
- If regeneration, then only in a professional workshop.
It is worth investing even a few hundred zlotys in bringing the vehicle's lighting to a good state of repair. Such an investment is long-term and contributes to the comfort and safety of driving. On the other hand, entrusting this task to specialists guarantees the desired effect.
Check also: How to fix fogged headlights?