Headlight restoration costs $58 for a polish or $200 for a full refurbishment at KAAR — both prices are for a pair, at either our Henderson or Avondale workshop. If your headlamps have gone cloudy or yellow, that’s not just cosmetic: it cuts your light output at night, and it will fail a warrant of fitness.
Why Headlamps Go Dull — and When Headlight Restoration Helps
Modern headlamp lenses are polycarbonate with a factory UV coating on the outside. New Zealand sun is hard on that coating. Once it breaks down, the plastic underneath oxidises — that’s the yellow haze — and light output drops away. It happens gradually enough that most people don’t notice until someone points it out, or until the vehicle fails its WOF.
The oxidation is always on the outside of the lens. If your headlamps are foggy on the inside, that’s condensation from a failed seal, and no amount of polishing will touch it — that one needs the unit replaced.
Option 1: Polish — $58 a pair, about 15 minutes, no warranty
A polish removes the surface oxidation and restores enough clarity to pass an inspection. It’s quick, it’s inexpensive, and it’s usually done while you wait.
Be clear about what it is, though: a polish is a short-term fix to get the vehicle through its WOF, not a solution. It carries no warranty. We’re removing the haze, but we’re not putting back the UV protection that failed in the first place, so the yellowing will return — sometimes within months, depending on how far gone the lens already was.
It’s the right call if you need the vehicle through an inspection now and the budget won’t stretch further. If you want the problem actually dealt with, that’s the refurbishment.
Option 2: Full Refurbishment — $200 a pair, three-year warranty
Best for moderate to severe oxidation, pitting or surface damage. We sand back the failed coating, restore the lens surface, and apply a new UV sealer — using the Toyota genuine headlamp restoration kit rather than a generic detailing product.
That’s why it carries a three-year warranty. The result looks close to new and stays that way, which is the difference between fixing the problem and postponing it.
The work takes about an hour, but the sealer needs a few hours to cure, so the vehicle stays inside the workshop for the rest of the day. Plan on dropping it off in the morning.
Option 3: Replacement — typically $400 to $900 per unit
Necessary where the lens is cracked, leaking, or too far gone to restore. We can supply and fit replacement units, but this one can’t be a fixed price — it depends entirely on the vehicle. European models, and anything running LED or HID units, can run considerably higher than that range.
Which is the point of the first two options. At $200 with a three-year warranty, refurbishment is a fraction of what a pair of replacement units costs on most vehicles.
Dull Headlamps and Your WOF
A lens that has deteriorated enough to reduce light output is a legitimate warrant of fitness failure, and it’s one we see regularly. Lighting faults are the single most common reason vehicles fail — usually stop lamps, tail lamps and number plate lamps, but hazed headlamps are in the mix.
If you’re booked in for a WOF and you already know the headlamps look tired, mention it when you book. A polish takes fifteen minutes and can be done during the same visit rather than becoming a second trip. If you’ve already failed elsewhere, see WOF repairs.
What About DIY Headlight Restoration Kits?
Kits from the parts shops can work on mild oxidation if you’re patient and methodical. Two things to know before you start. Sanding without following through to a proper UV sealer means you’ve removed whatever protection was left — expect the yellowing back within months. And using a rotary polisher on polycarbonate is genuinely risky: too much heat burns the plastic, and a burnt lens can’t be recovered. That’s a replacement, not a repair.
Headlight Restoration in Henderson and Avondale
5 Waipareira Avenue, Henderson, and 357 Rosebank Road, Avondale. Both open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:00pm. Bring the vehicle in and we’ll tell you straight which one you’re looking at — whether a $58 polish will get you through, or whether the lenses are far enough gone that you’d only be paying twice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does headlight restoration cost?
$58 for a polish or $200 for a full refurbishment, both for a pair. Replacement units, where needed, typically run $400 to $900 each depending on the vehicle. Pricing correct as at September 2026.
Should I polish or refurbish?
Both are headlight restoration, but they’re not the same job. Polish if you need the vehicle through an inspection now and the lenses are only mildly hazed. Refurbish if you want it fixed properly — it’s warranted for three years, where the polish will yellow again.
The inspection requirements are set by NZTA, which covers lighting condition among the other WOF items.
How long does it take?
A polish is about 15 minutes. A full refurbishment takes an hour of work, but the sealer needs a few hours to cure with the vehicle inside, so it’s a drop-off job.
How long will it last?
The refurbishment is warranted for three years. The polish carries no warranty — it’s there to get a vehicle through its inspection, and the yellowing will come back, because a polish doesn’t replace the UV coating that failed.
Can dull headlamps fail a WOF?
Yes. If the lens has deteriorated enough to reduce light output, that’s a failure.
My headlights are foggy on the inside — can you fix that?
That’s condensation from a failed seal rather than surface oxidation, so polishing won’t help. It usually means replacing the unit. Bring it in and we’ll confirm which you’re dealing with.
Do you do headlamp aim adjustment too?
Yes. Headlamp aim is a separate WOF item from lens condition, and a beam sitting too high or low will fail even with perfectly clear lenses. We adjust it on the machine.
Book headlight restoration → or call us on 0800 522 734
Not Sure What You Need?
No problem. Pop in and see us at KAAR, and we’ll inspect your headlamps for free. We’ll explain what’s needed and give you honest advice to get your vehicle back to WoF-ready condition — whether it’s a polish, a refurb, or a full replacement.
Kelvin Armstrong Auto Repairs (KAAR) is recognised as the most competent, capable, and reliable automotive repairer west of the Auckland City isthmus.
With fully equipped, state of art facilities in both Avondale and Henderson, KAAR gives a choice of two handy locations for full automotive, mechanical, electrical repairs and servicing for all vehicles, including European makes and models like Audi, VW and BMW.
We cater for all makes and models of cars, vans, 4x4s and light trucks. We service petrol, diesel and hybrid motors.