So, after nine years, the plastic headlamps on my SantFe were cloudy and yellow and the light they were emitting was poor. I saw some adds for headlight restoration, and after some research went to the autoparts store and picked up the 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System. I selected that one after much research and consultation with the guy at the store predominant as it comes with a sanding/buffer wheel drill attachment. As I did not have a buffer, this made sense for me.

I get home and grab my cordless drill and set to workj on the first headlamp. Wow. If you have an older car with plastic headlamps that have gotten yellow and foggy, these kits make quite the difference. And it took maybe 15 minutes to do the one headlamp.

I then move onto the second headlamp. ALmost immediately the drill starts to loose power. Now, I have known for a while that the Black & Decker 9volt cordless drill batteries I have were dieing. But not even 20 minutes? I go back inside and do some research. The drill is 12 years old. My father bought it for me as a present when he came and visited and we went to the B&D Outlet in Burlington. I decided I could not complain and that I had gotten a goodly amount of use from it. So, I do some research and decide what I need is an impact driver.

They just opened a new Lowes by my house – the Friday we left for Pennsic was opening day. I had not been in there and so off A & I go to explore the new Lowes and buy an impact driver. We quickly discover that you can get a cordless drill, and impact driver, or a combo kit. A looks at me and asks why you would need both. I shrug and, thinking I am cleverly saving money, grab just an impact driver. My choice is between a Bosch and an Hitachi. The features are almost identical, but the Bosch only has a three year warranty and the Hitachi has a ten year warranty. Home comes the Hitachi.

We get home, I set it to charge, and we go about our other business of the day (he had some sewing to get done and I went and fixed the garbage disposal). About an hour later I look and sure enough it is charged. I grab the buffer wheel go to attach it to the impact driver…. ah, thats why you would want both. Hmmm….. would have been useful if the articles I had read mentioned that the impact driver has a different and non-compatable choking mechanism from a drill and that you can’t really use one as a drill. Back to Lowes I go.

I stare at both the Bosh and Hitachi combo kit trying to decide when the sales guy wanders by and without me saying a word says ‘I’d go with the Hitachi. You cant beat that warranty, and they are getting quite the good name in power tools.’ I thank him, and back home I go.

Overall I really like the driver and drill I got. And I can’t complain too bitterly about having to replace my old Black & Decker. I was amused when the cashier tried to sell me a one year warranty extension.