It may surprise you to learn that 40 percent of traffic fatalities in CA take place at night even though there is 60 percent less traffic. It goes to show how important proper visibility is to nighttime driving in our Eureka community.
A clean windshield and good wiper blades are important, but your headlights play a big role as well. There are two main concerns. One is with the headlamp (or bulb) and the other is with the lens. Both are convenient and inexpensive solutions that can dramatically improve lighting performance.
Headlamps go dim over time and need to be replaced. Some vehicles come with a standard bulb that can either be replaced or you can upgrade to a halogen bulb that's much brighter.
It's a good idea to replace your headlamps once a year so your lamps never dim to the point that they become a safety issue. This can be taken care of at a Fall Oil Change so that your lights will be bright for the coming long winter nights.
The second concern is the headlamp lens. Over time, the plastic coating on headlights can become so clouded or yellowed that they give off only 20 percent of the light they had when you first bought the car. If headlight illumination drops to 20 percent of the original brightness, visibility could drop enough to make night driving riskier than it already is.
The lens can be replaced, but each lens assembly can cost as much as $350 to $400. It is much less expensive to restore the lens. Here at Old Town Automotive, 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 and your lenses are as good as new.
Combining a headlamp restoration with new bulbs will light up the road like a new car!
Give us a call to schedule your Fall Oil Change with headlamp replacement or/and headlamp restore.
Old Town Automotive <br/>707.443-4556 <br/>www.oldtownauto.com
Revised from content contributed by NAPA Service Assistant