How to Restore Your Car Headlights

Car headlight lenses are usually made of strong polycarbonate plastic which is ideal for taking on harsh road conditions without breaking. However, these lenses find difficulty in surviving the sun. Even though the lenses are coated with UV protective film at the time of manufacturing, the coating gets damaged by UV rays over time. This makes the plastic get oxidized.

If your headlights have started hazing or become yellowish, then it’s a clear sign that the oxidation process has begun. However, there's no need to break into a sweat yet. You can get those headlights looking as good as new again by following these steps:

1. Buy the Essentials

Start by making sure you that have all the materials that you’ll need. You can go for a complete headlight restoration kit, which will include all the necessary parts. If you already have some of the parts, you can buy the others separately. Basically, you will need a few different grits of sandpaper, polishing compound, paste wax, painter’s tape, a couple of microfiber towels and a UV sealant.

2. Clean the Headlights

Begin the actual process by washing the headlight lenses thoroughly with car soap and water. While you're at it, wash a bit of the surrounding areas too so that the painter's tape sticks well in the next step. You can buy quality car headlight cleaning and restoration wipes designed specifically for your vehicle from the very professional Car Fit Experts.

3. Tape off the Headlights

As you’ll be sanding your headlights, it’s important to make sure that you sand only the lenses and not the surrounding paint or trim. For this, use the painter’s tape (and not a duct tape, mind you!) to block off the headlight completely and protect the rest of the car. Doing this will keep the rest of your car protected, even if your hand slips while sanding.

4. Sand Away

This is the most crucial step in the process of restoring headlights. If you get this step right, you will get to see pretty impressive results. Go for the most abrasive sandpaper option; we suggest you begin with 1000 grit. Wet the sandpaper and the headlight. Then sand the lens in straight and horizontal strokes. Make sure that you keep the surface wet at all times as you sand. Otherwise you will end up scratching the lens due to build-up of grit particles.

Repeat this process with the less abrasive sandpapers like the 2000 and then the 3000 grit. Change the direction of your sanding motion to diagonal in this round and opposite diagonal motion in the next. Do not forget to keep the paper and lens wet with water. You can use s hose or spray bottle for that.

5. Polish and Wax

Wipe dry your headlights and polish them with the help of polishing compound and a clean microfiber towel. Rub in the polish in circular motions for a few minutes. After that, you can take the wax to it. This will clean the headlights with a thorough finish and prepare it well for the final step.

6. Apply UV Sealant

As you have removed the old oxidised sealant completely in the process of sanding, it is time to apply a fresh UV sealant to your headlights. For this, you'll need to wet a paper towel and apply the sealant in sweeping broad strokes. Make sure that there is full coverage and you follow the instructions of the kit very well. Let the sealant cure after application by parking the car in a dry space.

7 Interesting Car Battery Facts That You Didn't Know

Car batteries are extremely dynamic in nature, leading to a vast number of solution areas. The battery powers the engine, the internal components and ensures that there is enough energy for a smooth drive every time. That’s why it’s important to maintain your car battery well, so that you can extend its lifespan well beyond the mean.

Savvy owners opt for quality components and buy Amaron battery online, from trusted dealers like Car Fit Experts. These companies are miles ahead of the competition and can provide batteries that are reliable and genuine.

Here are some interesting car battery facts that you probably didn’t know –

1. A weak battery can affect the charging and starting systems. If you’ve been having trouble starting the vehicle or running certain components through the car, there may be an underlying problem with the battery. It’s good to get a check-up done or to replace the car battery as a whole.

2. A car’s battery can last upwards of 5 years when maintained well. We might have seen examples of batteries dying on the highway or cars not being able to start after an extended period. That’s when the battery hasn’t been maintained in a while and needs a replacement. It’s best to keep your battery charged and ready to go.

3. Early cars started with a crank mechanism. The batteries of yesteryears had a crank mechanism which would charge the battery inside the vehicle. This crank would transfer the energy to the vehicle allowing it to function.

4. The first lead-acid battery was designed in 1859.  French physicist Gaston Planté designed this one of a kind battery that formed much of the basis of which we run our vehicles today. Batteries today also turn chemical energy into mechanical energy, bringing new meaning to efficiency in energy transfer.

5. The weather can play an important role in how your battery operates. Most batteries use a liquid electrolyte solution to hold a charge, which eventually gets affected by the temperature conditions at that point. If you start to smell something off (rotten egg or sulphur) then the battery may have been compromised.

6. If it’s not the battery, then it’s generally the alternator. The alternator is one of the most common components in the vehicle that needs regular maintenance and repair. When the battery doesn’t perform to its maximum potential, there may be an issue with the alternator.

7. The correct battery size is critical. Mechanics and local shops may offer replacements that are from another vehicle. It’s best to avoid that and opt for a well-fitted battery that works for your specific model and make.

Jump-Starting A Car? This Is What You Need To Know

If you are a car owner, you must be aware of jump-starting. It is a method of giving the necessary boost to start your car even when the battery is not functioning adequately. People reckon they know the right techniques and have the required skills to accomplish the same but fail miserably when the time comes. That’s why it is essential to be well-acquainted with the process of jump-starting a car.

Here is our ultimate guide to help you become an expert in the same. Read on to know more: 

Before we take you to the step-by-step guide about jump-starting your car, you must pay heed to the following pre-checkup guides to help you prepare better.

There are many reasons owing to which a car battery dies. Some of them can put the person’s life trying to jump-start a car in danger. So, it is important to inspect the battery before you actually start with the main process -

1. First and foremost, you need to assure your safety. To do so, choose an area away from crowds. Further, use protection for your hands and eyes. Also, avoid leaning on the battery as it can be dangerous.
2. Next, if the battery exudes rotten smell, you can be certain that the car battery is leaking noxious gases and need a replacement. Under such circumstances, check for Amaron or Exide car battery price list (whichever is compatible with your car) and purchase a new one to get it replaced.
3. Excessive heat greatly damages the car. Focus on the heat your car battery is radiating. If the battery is too hot, allow it to cool down before continuing with your journey.

So, now that you are well versed with the pre-checkups, you can move forward with the ‘jump-starting’ process. Mentioned below are the steps required to jump-start a car:

Step-1: First, shut down everything including all electrical appliances of the car so that the maximum power available is utilized.

Step-2: Now, take the jumper cables and connect one of the red clips to the positive terminal of the dead car battery. Next, connect the second red clip to the positive terminal of the other car. Similarly, connect one of the black clips to the negative terminal of the second car and the other one to the metal surface of your car. Ensure that this metal surface is away from the battery.

Step-3: Allow the engine of the working vehicle run for some time and then turn on the engine of your car. Also, make sure that the healthy battery's engine rev reaches 1,500 RPMs as it drives more charge to the dead car battery.

Step-4: Now, remove the jumper cables in the opposite order starting with the negative clamp fastened to the metal frame of your car.

Once you jumpstart the car, consider visiting a quality car service provider like Car Fit Experts for the replacement of the dead car battery. At Car Fit Experts, we offer great deals in the Exide or Amaron battery for car price and our trained engineers install them in no time.

How To Protect Your Car Battery During Summers

Similar to winters, it is important to protect your car battery in summers as well. The excessive heat trapped inside the hood has an adverse effect on the battery and reduces its lifespan significantly. This is why, car experts recommend parking cars in the shadow of any building.

Besides parking the car in shadow, there are many precautions that a car owner can take to reduce the effect of heat on the car battery. Mentioned below are a few ways:-

Battery inspection

Getting the car battery inspected before it fails to function adequately is crucial. It will save you from getting stranded on the road while you are in the middle of your journey. Simply visit a quality car service provider like Car Fit Experts for inspection. Besides checking the battery, the trained engineers check the brackets to ensure that they secure the battery properly and tighten any loose cable. In case the car battery requires replacement, the engineers will install a new Amaron or Exide car battery.

Self-Inspection

Before visiting a car service provider, self-inspection is always helpful. It helps you to determine the battery condition from the outside. Look for bulging, cracks or fluid leakage from the battery. If you notice any issue, it is essential to buy an Amaron battery online and ask your service provider to replace it. Further, due to the hot weather, the battery fluid evaporates very fast. Checking it from time to time is important as well.

Make sure that the cooling system is performing adequately

The chances of the engine overheating are very high on a hot summer day. If the engine overheats, the car will malfunction and stop. Hence, it is crucial to take the necessary precautions and evade any such situation.

With time, the car cooling system deteriorates and fails to cool down the engine adequately. The engine coolant turns acidic overtime and eats away at hoses and seals. When the coolant fails to perform its task, the engine tends to get overheated. So, flush the cooling system with new coolant periodically.

Periodical Maintenance

Keeping up with maintenance like oil changes, battery tests or mechanical inspections is essential for a functioning and long-life battery. Experts recommend visiting for a check-up during seasonal changes especially.

The battery is the heart of a car. If it fails to perform and requires replacement, buy a new Exide battery in India and visit your service provider to get it replaced. 

This is How a Car Battery Works

It is an undisputed fact that a car cannot function without the car battery. The car battery generates the power required for starting the car. Additionally, other appliances of a car like the spark plugs, glow plugs, lights and electronic applications require energy provided by the car battery as well. 

So, along with the knowledge of the Exide or Amaron battery online price, it is essential to understand how a car battery works. For that, one needs to understand its structure and mechanism. 

1. Components and Structure of a Battery Cell

There are two elements in a battery cell. They are:

• Positive electrode: When talking about a lead-acid battery, it is important to know that it has a positively charged plate, called a positive plate, that consists of lead oxide immersed in an electrolyte. Also, there is a positive grid which consists of a lead alloy used to hold the active material.
• Negative electrode: The negatively charged plate, which is a part of this electrode, consists of pure lead immersed in an electrolyte. Similar to the positive grid, the negative grid serves the same purpose as well. 

2. Function of a Car Battery

The main function of a car battery is to store energy in chemical form and then convert it into electrical energy. This electrochemical process involves the reaction of four materials, namely hydrogen, oxygen, lead, and sulfur. The working of a car battery is explained in the following steps:

• The electrolyte, which is a mixture of sulfuric acid and distilled water, decomposes in positively charged hydrogen ions and negatively charged sulfate ones. When this happens, the electrons travel from the negative end to the positive one through the external consumer.
• To make up for the flow of these electrons, sulfate ions move from the electrolyte into the negative electrode and react with the lead, resulting in lead sulfate. 
• The same lead sulfate is produced in the positive electrode. Bonding of oxygen in the lead oxide is broken up with the help of transfer of electrons and then the oxygen passes through the electrolyte. In this scenario, the remaining lead reacts with the sulfate from the electrolyte. 
• When this happens, the oxygen bonds with hydrogen to create water, and as the sulfuric acid is used for the formation of lead sulfuric, the concentration reduces. Only when the concentration of sulfuric acid dips below a certain level, the battery needs to be recharged. 

So, the next time you are purchasing an Amaron or Exide car battery, you will be able to judge for yourself the technicalities and structure of the same. 

Car Battery Care during Winters

Batteries function similarly to humans during winters. Adequate care should be taken to keep their internal mechanism running smoothly. Although, irrespective of the weather, any car battery that is running or kept idle for very long would face issues, the real damage is done when freezing temps meet a depleted battery’s electrolyte. And, while it’s normal for the car battery to take longer during winters to start the engine, there are things that you can do to protect the car battery from the harsh winter and improve its performance. Have a look-

Keep it Warm

It is important to keep the car battery warm during the winters so that it functions properly. Although parking your car in a garage is the safest course of action, a car cover is also a convenient option. Alternatively, any sheltered spot where the car doesn’t have to endure the chilling wind is considerable as well. This helps to start the car faster and jump starts are not required.

Give the Battery Enough Time

Winters drain car battery charge much faster compared to other months. This is why you must allow the alternator to charge the car battery when you get inside and turn on the ignition. Giving your car enough time before starting the radio, heater, lights or other electrical appliances is highly recommended to let the battery settle in.

Clean Up

Low temperatures increase the electrical resistance and force the battery to work harder. When prolonged use results in the accumulation of dirt or grime on the car battery terminals, the problem gets doubled up. Hence, cleaning your car battery from time to time is essential. Use a toothbrush dipped in a mixture of baking soda and water and carefully scrub out the dirt to keep the battery clean and functioning. This will help in keeping an Amaron or Exide battery in India running smoothly for very long.

Stay Loose

Engine oil tends to thicken during winters and flows more slowly, which is why getting it changed during this time is essential. Switch to an oil that is less dense to ensure that the battery works efficiently.

Be Prepared

You must always stay prepared for any battery failure, no matter what season it is. Invest in a good battery charger but, at the same time, ensure that it is compatible with the type of car battery. Also, if the battery is old and manifesting signs of failure, buy an Exide or Amaron battery online to keep yourself prepared for emergency situations.

Windshield Maintenance and Repair: A guide

Windshields are prone to damage that demands proper maintenance. Car owners are required to follow some of the best practices that would help them in maintaining the windshield of their car in order to prevent any damage in the future. In case of severe issues, it is best to get in touch with professional replacement centers that provide specialized expertise for all your auto glass needs.

Following are some tips to ensure that the windshield is continually well-maintained:

Keep it clean 

It is important to regularly clean your windshield. They come in contact with a wide variety of objects on the daily basis. It is essential to follow the windshield cleaning routine as it will help in removing any filthy deposits and improve visibility.

Replace damaged wiper blades

It is important to replace damaged wiper blades. Looking at the possible causes of car accidents, it may not appear that the worn-out wiper blades can directly lead to such things but, defective wiper blades can affect windshields and in turn, cause accidents. Suppose you are driving during a rainstorm and the wipers on your VW Polo windscreen are not working properly. What could possibly happen? First, there would be the loss of visibility. Second, worn out wiper blades may lead to deep scratches on your windscreen.

Repair the stone chips immediately

If left untreated, stone chips can lead to considerable damage. Even though they seem minor, but if they grow any bigger, a costly replacement would certainly be needed. Chips occur when pressure is applied to the windscreen. And, if they grow into a crack, they can no longer be fixed. This would lead to a need of replacement of the windscreen. To avoid that, it is important to repair the chips.

Keep a safe distance from the car ahead

It is advisable to keep a safe distance from the car ahead of yours. If you are driving too close, your windshield is more likely to get affected by the rocks and pebbles stuck in the tires of the cars ahead of you. A direct hit from these objects would result in a chip, which if left untreated may cause severe damage to your windshield. For an instance, the windshield of your Volkswagen Polo developed a few stone chips some time ago and you left them untreated. As a result, severe cracks have developed. Now the only option left is to get your windshield replaced. You will also have to look for the best Polo windshield price and quality assistance from certified professionals. To avoid such situations, it is always better to take precautionary measures beforehand and safeguard your windshield.