Clean those headlights!

[sciphi]

Just a friendly public service announcement from your local fellow angry motorist:

When you're considering any bulb upgrades due to lack of vision, please, check the condition of the headlight lenses first. These wonderful plastic lenses will turn yellow in no time flat, and the new HIR/HID/SilverJunk/Xtravision/Xtreme Power bulb will only be lighting up the yellowed oxidation instead of the road. And leaving spots in the eyes of any and all oncoming motorists with the extra glare.

So please, before looking at fancy new bulbs, look at your lenses first. And if you need help deciding what to do first, all of us glare-hating people will be glad to assist you. Thanks!

 

[CharlieJ]

I've always wondered why automakers don't make the lenses out of glass. I wouldn't mind if it cost a little more.

 

[JeremyInMT]

possibly because of damage during shipping?

 

[Kestas]

The automakers claim they switched to plastic lenses for styling. I believe they switched because they found a new source of revenue from the aftermarket.

Before, a burned out bulb or cracked glass cost $10 to replace the complete assembly. Now a burned bulb still costs $10, but a cracked or faded plastic lens costs $150 to replace. And you can't get it from your local WalMart or AutoZone.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
The automakers claim they switched to plastic lenses for styling. I believe they switched because they found a new source of revenue from the aftermarket.

Before, a burned out bulb or cracked glass cost $10 to replace the complete assembly. Now a burned bulb still costs $10, but a cracked or faded plastic lens costs $150 to replace. And you can't get it from your local WalMart or AutoZone.
Well-the dull lenses can be resurfaced/buffed out, and the aftermarket does sell a lot of replacement housings, too-but I like the sealed beams better too!

 

[Astro14]

Better performance (light pattern/distribution) than sealed beams without the restrictions of a few standard sizes.

Sure, you get better styling, and you get better aerodynamics too...

Just buff 'em out once in a while...

 

[sciphi]

On the early H-bodies GM did make the lenses from glass. Then switched to plastic and a more complex reflector since it was cheaper. But that plastic yellows like nothing. And when running harness-fed HIR2/HIR1 lamps in place of the anemic 9006 low beams and 9005 high beams, having crystal-clear housings is a necessity to keep from blinding other drivers.

The HIR lamps in my Buick cast their light through crystal-clear lenses. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of HIR lamps going through cloudy lenses, so mine are kept clear.

 

[MCompact]

The only thing I liked about sealed beams was the fact that I could throw them away and replace them with Cibie or Hella E-Code lamps that properly illuminated the road.

 

[sciphi]

A friend of mine did that on his 96 S-10. He retrofitted HID projectors into cheap H4 sealed-beam replacement housings after getting Cibie E-codes for his original sealed beams and deciding that they didn't produce enough light. He says he has more than enough light now.

 

[Smokescreen]

I have always parked my vehicles with the headlamps in the shade or away from the sun to avoid direct sunlight and have never had a set go yellow or even hazy yet.

 

[rslifkin]

^ You've got the trick down. It's the sunlight that does it. Often, you can tell how a car faces in its normal parking spot by which headlight is more yellowed.

 

[123Saab]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
The only thing I liked about sealed beams was the fact that I could throw them away and replace them with Cibie or Hella E-Code lamps that properly illuminated the road.


I agree, The Cibie's are great. Got them on my 2000 Cherokee.
Pricey, but worth it IMHO.

Haven't had any of my Other cars with plastic lenses go yellow on me yet.....But I will buff them out when that happens as I REALLY like to see well at nite.........

 

[TLMjared]

I agree with cleaning the lenses, I saw a jeep cherokee with lenses so bad you couldn't see the bulb, after cleaning it looked like new (they had it done at wally world).
If you get the silver packet that walmart sells for like $20 by the light bulbs it is the same as the packet they use in the shop but charge you 39.97 to do it, works real well.
and a lot cheaper than retrofitting...

 

[ltslimjim]

After cleaning, though, you really need to find some kind of applicator to protect the lens otherwise it will happen quickly again(a few years instead of a decade for example).

 

[RnR]

Agreed. I tried some Rejex on mine (2 coats), after using the 3M kit on my Grand Prix which sits out in the elements.

 

[rslifkin]

I usually wax mine after polishing with rubbing compound. Seems to help keep them clear for a little longer.