Plastic Headlight Renewal or Restoration products?

[Co-opski]

I did a search that didn't turn up anything so I figured this was the best place to ask.

I'm looking at refinishing my 13 year old plastic headlights, and I'm looking through the options of different products like: Turtle Wax, 3M, Mothers, Meguiars, Sylvania, Philips, and RainX.

Some come with a drill attachment other you have to use elbow grease. Some come with a sealer after you polish the compound into the plastic and some don't.

What have ExPo'rs used and had success with?
Thanks in advance.

 

[p nut]

Here is what I do:

I use something like a 800 grit wet sand paper and water. Go to town until you feel like someone lit a match under your elbow. Then I use 1500 or 2000 grit paper with some water. Then just buff with wax. It ends up coming out like new (in my experience, anyway). I have used plastic polish stuff, like PlastiX and a few other brands. Just regular car wax does just as good of a job.

 

[Black Dog]

It sounds stupid saying it, but my wife does some thing with tooth paste on her headlights and it kinda works. It isn't totally perfect and doesn't make them like new, but it does improve them. Downside is she has to do it a couple times a year, so in my book it isn't really worth it.

 

[pugslyyy]

I've been pretty happy with the 3M kits with the drill attachment. Especially if you wax it afterwards.

 

[ZMagic97]

Recently my girlfriend used the Turtle Wax on her 1999 Park Avenue and it looked amazing afterwards. However, after a week or two it was again faded, but not as bad as before. The sun here in Arizona is pretty intense, so that may play a part in it. Most people I know here just say to replace the lenses. Depending on what you drive, it's usually less than $100 for the set.

 

[goodtimes]

I've used the 3M system in the past with decent results.

 

[Clutch]

Just buy new lights. You can get most of the scratches out, the yellowing is in there for good.

One of my biggest pet peeves about modern vehicles is the plastic headlights. The desert heat/sun kills them quick out here. I want to swap out my grill/headlights on my '99 Taco for the version when the Tacoma first came out, so I can get glass lenses.

 

[Co-opski]

Just buy new lights. You can get most of the scratches out, the yellowing is in there for good.

One of biggest pet peeves about modern vehicles is the plastic headlights. The desert heat/sun kills them quick out here. ....snip

My plan is to buy new lights if the kit messed up the old ones. Mine are not yellow or faded as the sun just does not come out up here much, but the lenses are sand blasted from gravel and blowing sand on the roads.

Thanks for all the ideas, I'll post up what I end up doing.

 

[Clutch]

My plan is to buy new lights if the kit messed up the old ones. Mine are not yellow or faded as the sun just does not come out up here much, but the lenses are sand blasted from gravel and blowing sand on the roads.

Thanks for all the ideas, I'll post up what I end up doing.

Good plan....I did the whole buff out the scratches thing once, and decided enough of this BS, and bought new ones. Now it is 4 years later, and the new ones
are mess. Whole "new" grill assembly is next so I can get glass headlights.

 

[pugslyyy]

My plan is to buy new lights if the kit messed up the old ones. Mine are not yellow or faded as the sun just does not come out up here much, but the lenses are sand blasted from gravel and blowing sand on the roads.

Thanks for all the ideas, I'll post up what I end up doing.

The kits don't make them "like new" again, but for $20 and an hour or so of time you get a pretty good improvement. All depends on your expectations IMHO.

 

[Hilldweller]

Just buy new lights. You can get most of the scratches out, the yellowing is in there for good.

One of my biggest pet peeves about modern vehicles is the plastic headlights. The desert heat/sun kills them quick out here. I want to swap out my grill/headlights on my '99 Taco for the version when the Tacoma first came out, so I can get glass lenses.

This.


Plexus will help to keep the new ones from getting scrached and scruddy.

Here's a good forum to browse for all of your automotive lighting info: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?87-Automotive-Motorcycles-Included

 

[vicali]

Did this last month to both our 08 Subi and the Tacoma;
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/225972-how-restore-you-hazed-headlights.html

Started with 600, then to 1000, 1200, and then Speed Glaze, PlasticX, and Polish on the PC buffer.
Finished with Spar Urethane for UV coat and they look better than new.

It's a little intimidating taking the first step, and they don't look good until the very end.. But the results are worth it.

 

[Stroverlander]

The 3M kit works great, tape off any surfaces surrounding the lights. Apply wax or sealant when finished or if you really want to keep them protected and looking good, apply a protective film like XPEL or Lamin-X.

XPEL headlight film is thicker film (30 mil), uses an alcohol/water solution for install and can require a heat gun for contoured surfaces. Lamin-X is has a few different thickness films (20 mil generally used on most light surfaces) and can usually be applied with only a bit of water and squeegee.

 

[4x4junkie]

Just buy new lights. You can get most of the scratches out, the yellowing is in there for good.

I've yet to come across any that I couldn't get the "yellow" out of, though badly yellowed ones do certainly require considerable elbow grease to get them clear like new again (like 600 grit wet-sanding, followed by 1500 or 2000 grit, and then finally a plastic polish or restoration product of some kind).

I use a product called "Scratch Out" (yellow bottle), which works well to clean light to moderately hazed lights. Without any after-treatment though they do start to show a little bit of haze again within a few months here in the southwest sun (I just make it part of my car-wash routine, only takes another 3-5 minutes maybe since the haze is light).

 

[craig333]

Haven't had to do anything to mine yet. Its yet another place I use 303 on frequently.