Lifetime or One-Year Headlight Restoration: Which One Your Car Can Get

If you are shopping for headlight restoration at Modern Vehicle Care, you will see two options on the site. Both bring cloudy, yellowed lenses back to clear. The difference is the warranty, the price, and which cars can have which.

The two options

• Permanent Headlight Restoration with a Lifetime Warranty: $300 + Tax. Available for all vehicles.
• Headlight Restoration with a 1-Year Warranty: $150 + Tax. Not available for every make.

Both are done in store on Friday - Sunday, by appointment only. Both are drop-off. There is no waiting area, and you cannot wait in your car during service.

Which makes cannot get the one-year tier

The $150 one-year restoration is not available for these makes: Audi, BMW, Porsche, Land Rover, Mercedes, Volvo, Cadillac, Ford, GMC, Chevrolet, Jaguar, Bentley, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Tesla, VW, Maserati, Aston Martin, Lotus.

If your car wears one of those badges, the Permanent Headlight Restoration with the Lifetime Warranty is the option for you. If your car is not on the list, you can choose either tier.

How to choose if both are open to you

Think about how long you plan to keep the car. If it is a daily driver you will keep for years, the lifetime tier is the permanent option and carries the shop's lifetime warranty, so ask them how it applies to your car. If you are selling soon, the one-year tier may be all you need for a clear set of headlights in the listing photos.

One customer, Melanie Tartaglia, wrote in a Google review: "Not only are they like new and have a life guarantee, his attention to detail and professionalism were impeccable." The warranty clearly mattered to her.

When restoration is not the right answer

Restoration works on the outside surface of the lens. If the lens is cracked, or you can see fog and water droplets inside the headlight housing, the problem is not the outer coating. That usually means a failed seal, and the headlight assembly itself needs attention.

If you are not sure which problem you have, describe it to Don before you book. It is better to know up front than to pay for work that cannot solve the real issue.

Plan around the Friday - Sunday schedule

Headlights are done in store only Friday - Sunday. Because the shop works by appointment and on one vehicle at a time, book a few days ahead if you can, and have a ride arranged. You drop the car off and pick it up later. There is no waiting area.

What the price does not cover

The prices above are for the headlights. If your tail lights have faded, ask Don about them when you book. And if you also want paint correction, ceramic coating, or interior work, those are quoted separately.

Ask about your specific car

If your car is not on the one-year list and you are still deciding, call and describe how the headlights look and how long you plan to keep the car. A straight answer on the phone is better than guessing from a website.

What to do next

Pick your tier and book at /book-appointment. Have a question about your make first? Call (203) 893-6425 or email ModernVehicleCare@gmail.com and Don can tell you which option applies to your car.