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Taylors, SC
Headlight Restoration
Wet sanding and resealing that clears foggy, yellowed lenses so you can actually see at night.
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Wet sanding and resealing that clears foggy, yellowed lenses so you can actually see at night.
Get a free estimateTell us your number and we will call you back.
Headlight restoration is wet sanding a hazed polycarbonate lens back to clear and then sealing it so it stays that way. It is one of the few jobs where the before and after is obvious from across the street, and it is genuinely about being able to see at night rather than about looks.
Tap any of these to read the detail.
Modern headlights are polycarbonate with a thin UV hard coat sprayed on at the factory.
Sun breaks that coating down over years. Once it starts failing it goes cloudy and yellow in patches, and the plastic underneath begins to oxidise.
That is why a wipe with a rag does nothing. The haze is not on the lens, it is the lens surface itself.
A hazed lens scatters the beam instead of throwing it down the road.
You lose real distance, and the light that does get out goes sideways and into oncoming traffic. Both of those get worse in rain.
People usually call about how it looks. The reason it is worth doing is what happens on an unlit road at 10pm.
A toothpaste trick or a bottle from the parts store polishes the yellow off and leaves nothing on top.
The failed factory coating is now completely gone and there is bare polycarbonate facing the sun, which oxidises faster than it did the first time.
The sealing step is the entire job. Without it you are just resetting the clock to a shorter one.
If the haze is deep, polish alone rides over the top of it and you get a lens that is clearer but still milky.
Wet sanding in stages actually removes the failed layer, then each finer grit removes the scratches left by the one before it.
It looks alarming halfway through. A lens covered in sanding marks is meant to look like that before the polishing stage.
If the crazing is on the inside of the lens, or there is moisture sitting in the housing, sanding the outside will not fix it.
Same if the lens is cracked or the seal around the housing has gone. That is a replacement, not a restoration.
We will look first and tell you which one you have rather than sanding something that was never going to come good.
A pair of headlights is usually an hour or two, and it pairs well with a wash since we are already there. The sealant needs time to cure, so we will tell you how long to leave it before the vehicle gets wet.
If the fogging is on the inside of the lens or there is water in the housing, this is not the fix and we will say so. Same if the lens is cracked. We would rather tell you to price a replacement than take money for sanding the outside of a lens that is failing from within.
5.0 stars on Google. Every one of these is a real review, word for word. Read them all on Google →
“Steve did an amazing job. He was quick to respond and on time to appointment. Very genuine and easy guy to talk to.”
David Trejo
Google Review
“Very professional my truck came out looking like the day I bought it. He was early by 10 minutes, which is refreshing. I highly recommend.”
Del Smith
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“Steve was on time, worked quickly and went the extra mile to get me back to riding in style. My car looks incredible. I'd recommend him to anyone in need of detailing services.”
Christopher Shargay
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“We hired Stephen to clean a truck we had shipped from TX. Thought for sure he would never be able to get it clean. It was horrible. Not only did he get it cleaned but it looked brand new when he finished. He is amazing and I would recommend him a million times over.”
George West
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“Steve did an amazing job! He made my car look brand new. He was on time and a great price. I will definitely be using him from now on.”
Alisa Kaplan
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“Steve did a pre-sale detail on my car and really made it shine! Great work at a fair price and will use him again. Thanks Steve for the great job.”
David Dykes
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“Steven is a very professional and detail oriented person. He loves his work and is one of the best out there.”
Donald Bowman
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“Spotless shine and very professional, got him to wash my car and I couldn't be happier!”
chaise kern
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“Stephen did a fantastic job on my car. It looked brand new when he was finished.”
Lisa West
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“Best in the business!!! Has detailed both of my Audi's, one of my BMW's, and all 4 of my racecars!!!! We send all of our clients here as well, they have all given positive feedback.”
Colt Campbell
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“I have been very satisfied with all the services I have received from Grindtime Mobile detailing. Great job done on seats and carpet. Steve is very professional and does great work.”
clare solon
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“Fantastic experience. Quality job on all 4 cars today. Highly recommend”
Rich LeRoy
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“This was the best experience ever. Very professional. Very reasonable with prices. Was on time for appointment. Would most definitely recommend services.”
April Rice
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“WHEN I SAY SHOW ROOM SHINE IT WAS LIKE MY CAR WAS FRESHLY MADE RIGHT OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE. LOOK AT THE PIC YOU SEE IT. DON'T HESITATE CALL TODAY!”
Tyrone Jones
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“Thanks for the great job on my Suburban!”
Rosko Pico
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It depends on the sealant and where the vehicle parks. A car that lives in the sun all day will need it again sooner than one that sits under cover. It lasts a great deal longer than a polish with nothing on top, which is the main thing.
Clearing a hazed lens restores the light output the housing was designed for. We cannot speak for any particular inspection, but a clear lens is a great deal better than a yellow one.
We would rather not. One clear lens next to one yellow one looks worse than two matched ones, and they aged together so they will age together again.
Then restoration is the wrong job. We will tell you when we look at it.
Yes. We are fully mobile and this is an easy one to do in a driveway.
Yes, and that is the sensible way to book it.
Based in Taylors and fully mobile across Greenville County and out into Pickens. Greenville, Greer, Wade Hampton, Travelers Rest, Berea, Five Forks, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn and Easley. If you are close and not sure, just ask.