Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Car Headlight Cleaning: Improving Nighttime Driving Visibility on the Cheap


by Rob Hopp, Cars for Keeps Owner

As the days grow shorter and nighttime driving increases, I figured it was the right time to discuss night vision.

Did you know that the headlamps on your car, truck or SUV fade over the years and miles? The sand and other debris they are constantly blasted with create layer upon layer of tiny scratches over the years, causing the headlights to be glazed with a haze that impairs the light output. In other words, your car's headlights inevitably become duller - and less safe - over the years. Dull and hazy headlights are dangerous for nighttime driving, and they're also unattractive on your vehicle.

When the automobile was first invented, early headlamps
in the late 1880s were fueled by acetylene or oil, similar to the standard household lamps of the time. The first electric headlamps were introduced in 1898 on the Columbia Electric Car by the Electric Vehicle Company of Hartford, Connecticut, and were optional.

Today's automotive headlights are much more effective. The old, relatively flat glass headlight styles that were introduced in 1940 remained relatively unchanged until about 1983, when the U.S. Government first allowed the use of plastics in headlamp design. Plastic headlights combined with newer electric technology allowed the more powerful light output we're used to today. Not only do our modern plastic headlights improve car headlight durability and light output - they're also much easier to maintain.

Many drivers continue to drive as their ability to see in low light or dark conditions is degraded more and more as the plastic erodes. The loss of vision is so gradual, it is easy to ignore. Car owners who do inquire about replacing the lamps or lenses are shocked to find that they often cost over four hundred dollars EACH!

car headlight restorationMaintaining a safe level of nighttime visibility shouldn't be out of the average driver's budget range. That's why Cars for Keeps offers an inexpensive solution. Using a patented four step restoration process, we can restore most dull headlamps to a like new condition in about an hour - at a fraction of the cost of headlight replacement.

If you’re vehicle's headlamps aren’t crystal clear, give Cars for Keeps a call today to see how we can help you keep the car!

Happy & safe driving!

4 comments:

Crystal Clear Headlights said...

Wow! Great story and very interesting. I wish most blogs are like this. Informative and not so hard to understand. Looking forward for more of your updates!

How To Polish A Car said...

Polishing the car’s paint surface requires a little diagnosis first. You need to determine that type of paint, single or dual stage, thickness and condition of the paint.

driving lessons Gloucester said...

Be sure you do not leave any gaps when you are putting the new sealant into place. It is not necessary to remove the old sealant for that step, just heat it up so that it is soft enough to be pliable.

HD Night Vision said...

Cleaning and maintaining headlights good condition seems one of the keys to avoid dangers on night time driving. Good post.