The need to restore headlights has skyrocketed in recent years due to the increasing cost of replacing cloudy and foggy lenses. Ever since glass lenses were replaced by fancier designs made from plastic types, corrosion has been a nuisance. Corrosion of the headlight lens not only affects the aesthetic value of the vehicle, but is also a safety issue. Therefore, a headlight restoration service provides a cosmetic solution in addition to a mechanical solution. Providing a single solution to two problems has made headlight restoration a viable and profitable business with minimal startup cost.

Those considering lighthouse restoration should consider how they will find customers, how much to charge, and what system and products to use.

Dealer service. Most used car departments pay outside vendors to do cosmetic repairs on their cars. Schedule weekly visits with used car managers. He usually stops once a week, goes through the used car inventory, notes the cars that need repairs, including the model, the color of the inventory number. Contact manager for approval.

Offer service to retail stores, dealer service units, body shops, lube shops, etc. Arrange for them to sell the service at a specific price above your charge. Advertise with these businesses to help sell your service.

Material cost per pair…$4.00

Working time: 10 – 40 minutes.

Used car dealership…$50.00 – $70.00 pair charge

Resale …per pair $70.00 – $95.00

(service units, retail stores, body shops, etc.)

Retail Charge…$99.00 – $200.00

Are all headlight restoration systems the same?

Do they really work in 5 minutes, as many claim?

Why don’t they work as well for me as in the demo?

It is true, all systems are not created equal. Some just clean the lens, while others are just a cover. The best headlight restoration system is one that provides a new surface and is designed for professional technicians to perform a quality repair in the shortest possible time. The fact is that repairs can be done in 5 minutes, but not on most lenses.

Much depends on the severity of the corrosion and the materials that were used to make the lens. Most lenses today are polycarbonate and probably not what was fixed during a demo of a system you may have seen. To be successful, choose a company with easy information and support!

Choose a company that can provide you with the right tools for fast repairs, products to produce high-quality results, and support. :

INSTRUMENTS

– The right tools make all the difference. Tools developed specifically for headlight restoration make repairs efficient. Even heavily damaged vehicles can be restored in less time and with excellent results. Two important tools would be a sander and a polisher. An important feature on the polisher would be a small pad size, such as three inches, to make it easier to polish small, recessed lenses. A three inch pad would also be adequate for the sander. The best type of sander for the job would be a random orbital that doesn’t grind the lens. Using tools like these will make your headlight restoration not only faster but produce quality results.

PRODUCTS

A system should include a lens polish, a protective sealant to replace damaged factory sealant, and a cleaner that will adequately prepare the lens for adhesion of the new sealant. For efficiency, the application of the sealant must be simple, fast and easy.

The company you choose should have great support. Some companies provide telephone technical support during a repair. This would be very beneficial for your initial repairs and for future work that may raise additional questions. Some companies may even provide marketing help such as brochures that can be downloaded from their website or other promotional items such as T-shirts or business cards.

Your dealer should make it easy for you to learn how to restore your headlights. Do you need to travel to them for training or do they provide another means of training? Headlight restoration is fairly easy to learn and with the right system it’s easy to become a pro. Well written paper instructions may be all you need, however at least one headlight restoration company, Dvelup, provides an instructional DVD that has great demos to learn.

Do your research to find the right provider and make your headlight restoration business a success for yourself.