Illustration for Selling Headlight Restoration on Its Own

Operators ask about both halves. In one detailing forum thread this October, a detailer who had done headlights for months said social posts brought little business. Commenters said to put the price in the post, keep the before-and-afters, and fill out the business listing with them. In another thread, a detailer asked whether anyone keeps up the six-month maintenance a pro warranty requires, and whether they charge for it.

What it costs you per car

Coating option Price Per car Maker’s promise Who it covers
Ceramic kit (Cerakote), single $17.95 $17.95 Guaranteed to last as long as you own your vehicle, or refund/replace The purchaser’s own vehicle
Same kit, 10-vehicle bundle $119.95 $12.00 Same Same
UV clear-coat kit (NextGen) $64.95 $64.95 Lifetime warranty card; designed to last years, not months Check the card

Prices from each maker’s store, checked 2026-10-10. The last column is our reading of the warranty terms. How we research: methodology.

The ceramic maker’s warranty page is explicit: it promises the product will restore the lenses on the purchaser’s vehicle for as long as the purchaser owns it, and the remedy is to replace or refund the original purchase. It also requires following the packaging instructions. That’s a good kit promise, but it isn’t a warranty your customer can claim, and it never covered your labor.

Pro programs are different, so read them closely. The same maker’s five-year pro warranty is for its paint coating, and it requires registration within 30 days and a documented maintenance service at least every six months. If you’re relying on any pro warranty for headlights, confirm it covers lenses and what upkeep it demands.

A price that stands alone

Consumer-facing prices we checked run $70 to $150 a pair; see headlight restoration, DIY vs pro. The forum suggestions above were $89 posted with the price and warranty in the caption, or $100 as an add-on.

The arithmetic, from those assumptions: at $89 with $12 in material, you keep $77 before travel. One commenter put the job at about an hour in the driveway. If one customer in ten came back for a free redo, the extra material is about $1.20 per job sold, plus that hour. A trip of more than a few miles changes the math fast, so set a minimum or bundle it with a wash.

Writing a warranty you can keep

The FTC’s guide to federal warranty law says “lifetime” warranties confuse consumers, because it’s hard to tell whose life sets the term: the car’s, the buyer’s time owning it, or the buyer’s own. It advises saying which. The same guide says the federal warranty law covers written warranties on goods, not services, though covering parts and workmanship together brings it in. Check your local rules.

In plain terms, decide three things and put them on the invoice: how long (one year, two, or as long as the customer owns the car), what you’ll do (redo the lenses at no charge), and what’s excluded (cracks, moisture inside the housing, impact damage). If you want a maintenance visit in the deal, price it; our look at coating warranty inspections shows how customers see those fees. For finding the first buyers, see first ten clients with no ad budget.

Sources

Based on 8 sources · How we price