Old Headlight Lens Problem

[Reverend Sam]

My son has a 1998 Sebring and the headlight output is atrocious. The plastic housings are yellowed and dull. We've polished the outside of the housings, but it didn't seem to help much. The inside is impossible to polish. I'd like to throw the brightest bulbs possible into the housings, just to give him as much light as he can get. He's got a year of college left then he'll be getting a new car. The housing's themselves cost $300 each, so replacing them is not an option right now.

Any suggestions? I've been reading the forum and it sounds like the HIR lights might be a good choice. Someone else said something about H7's or H9's or something.

 

[deadrx7conv]

You should check ebay as relatively decent conditions pairs and imported knockoffs sell for <$200. Also visit the salvage yards in your area as you could find better housings pretty cheap.

What is the bulb that came with the car?

And, if you can't see where you're going at night, slow down.

 

[Reverend Sam]

His existing bulbs are regular 9007s.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

You should check ebay as relatively decent conditions pairs and imported knockoffs sell for <$200. Also visit the salvage yards in your area as you could find better housings pretty cheap.

+1 on the used OE housings in good condition, -20 on the "imported knockoffs".

What is the bulb that came with the car?

Sebring Coupe uses the 9006/9005 for low/high functions; the convertible uses the 9007.
Excellent upgrades are available, but if the lenses aren't optically clear it'll only result in even more glare for oncoming drivers.

And, if you can't see where you're going at night, slow down.

+19. You broke even.

For a headlight polishing kit, Double Horn Products is a good place to look. See this thread.
Also read this review at AllPar.com (all the more relevant to your interests; they are working on what looks like a Chrysler Sebring Coupe).

 

[Alaric Darconville]

His existing bulbs are regular 9007s.

I was composing while you posted, hence my previous post mentioning both models.

Again, I must reinforce that if the lenses are clouded, hazed, and crazed, upgraded bulbs will result in glare for oncoming drivers.

Once the lenses are optically clear, the best 9007 you can get is the Philips X-Treme Power. Upgrading the bulbs without fixing the lens problem would be inconsiderate of other drivers and may cause more safety concerns than the OE bulbs would. It's not just about your son being able to see-- it's about the drivers around him also being able to see.

 

[lumenosity]

If you decide to go the headlight restoration route, I used this kit and it worked surprisingly well... http://www.myheadlight.com/ (made by Crystal View). Results seem comparable to the doublehorn in the other thread, but the Crystal View kit only does one set of lights.

It has 2 stages of wetsanding, a polishing compound step, and a UV protectant... everything you need is right in the bag. My headlights were all yellow and nasty looking and this brought it back to clear. They look almost brand new now and light output is also dramatically improved. The instructions say it only takes a few minutes per light, but I spent about 30 minutes per light to get all the funk off. Well worth the elbow grease though

I also heard that 3M makes a good kit that goes on a power drill so it's easier to do, but I don't know if it has the UV protectant or not. Both kits are around $20 each and are available at most auto parts stores.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

If you decide to go the headlight restoration route, I used this kit and it worked surprisingly well... http://www.myheadlight.com/ (made by Crystal View). Results seem comparable to the doublehorn in the other thread, but the Crystal View kit only does one set of lights.

I wonder if Scheinwerfermann's had a chance to review those. I've seen them at Wal-Mart, but don't know enough about them.

I also heard that 3M makes a good kit that goes on a power drill so it's easier to do, but I don't know if it has the UV protectant or not. Both kits are around $20 each and are available at most auto parts stores.

With the drill, one has to be careful not to overheat the lens, but it sure sounds like it makes it a lot easier. Critical, though, is the step of applying new hardcoat! 3M would be doing people a disservice by not providing a hardcoat, as a repolish can accelerate future hazing and crazing because it removes the "protective layer" of haze (much like sanding off rust without repainting can just cause the sanded part to rust faster than before).