Plastic headlamp lens restorer any ideas?

[jonnboyy69]

Evening chaps,
Anyone recommend a decent plastic lens restoration kit? My lens are beginning to haze/cloud on the outside and im sceptical trying the cheap n cheerful methods seen on you tube, I dont fancy the neighbours laughing at me smearing toothpaste or avocado's on them!
 I prefer a kit  that re-coats the uv protective layer, but unsure which of the many different ones are proven to be the most effective and best value for money. cheers in advance ppl.

[Beddie]

http://www.meguiars.co.uk/product/397/Meguiars-Headlight-Restoration-Kit/ 

[MC71]

Loads of peeps have used the 3M kit with great results. Only costs £20, they did a half price sale a while back and it was only a tenner.

Here you go, you can probably it cheaper it you hunt around....

~~ Clicky here ~~


SaintSteve did a good write up on it, can't find it at the mo, have a search on here, it's somewhere!  

[phatmuther]

I've got a Gunson kit that I've had for ages, been meaning to do it every weekend for the past few months, just never find the time. So couldn't comment on that one, but have heard good things about the 3M kit that's been mentioned.

[jonnboyy69]

Ahh loads to choose and recommend, cheers for replies guys, Halfords sell the Meguiars which i may pop in to look at. Anyone used Sylvania kit? i was impressed with a couple of you tube vids of their product;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/281361348404?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108


Thanks again for speedy replies

[Mark_DF05]

When I had my ep3 someone on the CTRO forum wrote a detailed post on how they'd used some basic halfords rubbing compound with a microfibre and then polished them.

The results looked pretty impressive so I tried it on mine and it worked a treat. I'm sure the kits are better and less work but for £4 i thought I'd give it a go.

EDIT: Here's the link: http://civictype-r.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=276973&hilit=headlight+restoration

[Saintsteve]

Just get some wet n dry 1000, then 3000, a warm bucket of car soap n water, and some Megs ultimate compound and a polisher.. Did mine yesterday and they look spankers now 

[Wooosh]

Just get some wet n dry 1000, then 3000, a warm bucket of car soap n water, and some Megs ultimate compound and a polisher.. Did mine yesterday and they look spankers now 

Great write up you should of taken pictures Steve.

[xjay1337]

Just machine polish them.

You will find often you don't need to wetsand and you should avoid this unless you absolutely need to.

Any PROPER car polish compound eg Scholl, Menzerna etc by machine will be fine.. a mediumy-hard pard on a dual action or rotary polisher.  Then be sure to wax them again afterwards as it's the UV rays that fade them.

[J400uk]

Meguiars does the job. Don't expect a 100% brand new finish but it certainly improves it quite a bit. My before and after pictures below:

[Saintsteve]

Just machine polish them.

You will find often you don't need to wetsand and you should avoid this unless you absolutely need to.

Any PROPER car polish compound eg Scholl, Menzerna etc by machine will be fine.. a mediumy-hard pard on a dual action or rotary polisher.  Then be sure to wax them again afterwards as it's the UV rays that fade them.

A machine on its own won't get rid of all the damage.

Tried it, doesn't work, unless you have a day free to burn out your polisher...

well these are my headlights now, not bad for 7 years old and 74k miles using my method, and having the job done in around 30 minutes a side.They are 95% perfect now.



 

Whilst i was at it, using Wet n dry 3000 and warm soapy water, got rid of all of my minor road rash which comes par of the course with our Mk5's,i wet sanded the bottom 4 inchs of the bonnet that was peppered in touch up marks.
All lenses have been Polished/wax or Sealed after. The front now looks much fresher.




not disputing your methods Jay, but i fail to see how using just a cutting compound will remove all lense damage.


As per this thread, I used far less aggressive wet n dry

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26433.0.html

 

[xjay1337]

I disagree,  I've had some very good results without having to wet sand.. there is no magic wet sanding result. On a phone so can't really explain I will expand tomorrow.

[Frenzy]

noticed today having given the car a good wash that my headlights are beginning to go a bit cloudy near the top / close to the bonnet. Don't think i'm in the realms of wet sanding yet so will look into some of these kits vs rubbing compound.

[wodder42]

3M kit before and after shot

[Saintsteve]

3M kit before and after shot

I used the 3M kit last year, I actually posted a thread on it. It didn't get the finish that I got using a better polisher which I used this time, and not my battery drill I used before i will admit