1995 Ford F-250 4X4 Headlight Replacement

The headlights on this 1995 F-250 4X4 were at the point where they needed to be replaced entirely. They had the typical yellowing common to acrylic lenses exposed to the sunlight. Additionally, they also had water inside due to a combination of failed lens seals and poor design that didn't allow the unit to vent any trapped moisture to the atmosphere.

While it's possible to polish most lenses that have yellowed, the microscopic scratches left behind just accelerate the aging process all the more and they will require periodic polishing to keep their luster. In my case, due to the trapped moisture, polishing was not the solution.

The best solution in this case was to do a full headlight replacement with new units. I sourced the new headlights from http://autopartswarehouse.com for around $100. The brand is DEPO and the quality of the part is actually BETTER than the OEM headlights since they allow trapped moisture to vent to the atmosphere. Also, the new headlights were pre-fitted with a new headlight bulb and were well protected by plastic wrap over the lens.

It's more trouble to replace the headlights, but well worth it. Most shops will get close to $50 per side to professionally polish the headlights. In most cases, you can simply purchase brand new ones for not much more than what a shop would get to polish the old ones. Also, replacing the headlights is a fairly inexpensive way to make your car or truck look like new. (1/17/2014)