Headlamps

You may be surprised to learn that 40 percent of traffic fatalities in WI take place at night even though there's 60 percent less traffic. It goes to show how important proper visibility is to nighttime driving in our Weston community.

Obviously, a clean windshield is important – so are good wiper blades. Your headlights play a big role as well. There are two main concerns. One is with the headlamp, or bulb. The other is with the lens.

The fact of the matter is that headlamps go dim over time on your vehicle. You just need to replace them. Some vehicles come with a standard bulb which you can replace or you can upgrade to a halogen bulb that's much brighter. Halogen costs a little more but you'd be amazed at the difference.

It's a good idea to replace your headlamps once a year. The idea is that your lamps never dim to the point that they become a safety issue. Just take care of it at a fall oil change so that your lights will be bright for the coming long winter nights.

The other big issue is the headlamp lens. For the last couple of decades, most lenses are made of plastic which can get cloudy or yellow. That blocks a lot of light. You can replace the lens, but each lens assembly can cost as much as $350 to $400. It's much less expensive to restore the lens if it isn't broken.

We use a process of special cleaners and polishes to remove the yellowed and hazy layer of the lens. We then apply a hard protective finish. When we're done, your lenses really are as good as new.

The price depends on the size of the lens and how yellowed or cloudy it is. You can even restore taillights and turn signals.

So combining a headlamp restoration with new bulbs will light up the road like a new car. Can you clearly see the advantage?