Headlight Restoration in Manchester
Cloudy, yellowed headlights make any car look tired — and can fail an MOT. We wet-sand, machine polish and UV-seal them back to clarity. From £59 for the pair.
Part of Latin King Detailing · Open 24 hours · Fully insured · Studio in Urmston + mobile across Greater Manchester
Headlight restoration removes the cloudy, yellowed oxidation from polycarbonate headlight lenses. The process is wet sanding with progressively finer abrasives, machine polishing to optical clarity, then a UV sealant to stop the haze returning. It takes about an hour for the pair and costs from £59 — versus hundreds for replacement units.
Why headlights go cloudy
Modern headlights are polycarbonate plastic with a factory UV coating. Sunlight breaks that coating down over 5–8 years, and the exposed plastic oxidises — first hazy, then yellow, eventually opaque. It's cosmetic at first, then a safety and MOT issue as light output drops.
The process
- Mask & protect
Paintwork around the lights is masked off before any abrasive work.
- Wet sanding
Progressively finer grades remove the oxidised layer completely.
- Machine polishing
Refined to optical clarity — the same polishing discipline as paint correction.
- UV sealing
A dedicated UV sealant protects the fresh lens. Skipping this step is why cheap jobs haze over again in months.
Pricing
| Service | From price |
|---|---|
| Headlight restoration (pair) Wet sand, machine polish, UV seal — mobile or studio | £59 |
| Headlight restoration + ceramic coating Pair restored with long-term ceramic protection | £99 |
All prices include VAT where applicable. Final fixed quote confirmed before we start — the price we quote is the price you pay.
Frequently asked questions
How much is headlight restoration in Manchester?
From £59 for the pair. Both headlights are wet-sanded, machine polished and sealed in one visit — mobile or at our Urmston studio.
How long does headlight restoration last?
With a proper UV sealant applied after polishing — which we always do — expect 1–2 years of clarity. Cheap "polish-only" jobs without sealing haze over again within months.
Can cloudy headlights fail an MOT?
Yes. Headlights badly affected by clouding or yellowing can fail the MOT on light output and beam pattern. Restoration is far cheaper than replacement headlight units, which can run into hundreds.
Is it better to restore or replace headlights?
Restore, in almost every case. Modern headlight units are expensive and often on back-order; restoration brings the originals back to near-new clarity for a fraction of the cost — from £59 the pair.
See the road clearly again.
Headlight restoration from £59 the pair — mobile across Greater Manchester.