GRPFAN

My sister and I both bought 2000 RX300.
She still has hers with 189,000 miles on and since then I traded for a 2012 RX350.

She was at out house on mothers day and I notice how cloudy her lens are on her
14 yr. RX300.
Is there a application or process that we can apply on over RX's that would prevent fogging?

Is it caused by UV rays from the sun or removing bugs with aggressive scrubbing.

Don't suggest those lens restore products cuz I use them and they don't work.

Cheers!

txes

Mother's lens restoration products do work.

John

fastnoypi

i use the 3m restoration kit, works well. All the 'professional' systems use a sanding technique from most aggressive to least aggressive sandpaper discs and plastic compound. Yes, the UV rays cause the yellowing.
Supposedly, you can slow it down after restoring with a good wax. I'm still looking for something that will help seal that would require less maintenance.

There is a point where the plastic is so bad, it might be just worth it to call it a day and get some brand new knockoff or good condition used lenses. They are a little over $100 on ebay new for a set, not bad to freshen up an old car.

for your 2012, try looking into 3m rock blocker film with UV protectant

Kyle76

303 Aerospace Protectant is a spray that will provide UV protection for headlight covers. I'd use it every couple of months. Easy to spray on/wipe off. Works great on dashes and other rubber/plastic areas exposed to the sun.

GRPFAN

On word of Caution:
If and I believe those lens are nothing short of plastic.
When using any protectant on those lens, we have to make sure it doesn't contain
a petroleum chemical that could "melt" the surface.

I run into that warning on my Goldwing cycle.
Apparently there's a coating on the cycle windshield that can be destroyed if any petroleum
products, like rain X is applied.

Kyle76

Good point. 303 is not petroleum based and is recommended for use on headlamp covers. It's exactly what people expect Armor-All to be, but Armor-All will actually break down plastics over time. This does not leave a residue that will be sticky or attract dirt like Armor-All does.

greeknasty

so is 303 safe to use?? ive been using it for my interior for years and never thought about my headlights.... ironically i have yet seen a 3rd gen RX with headlight haze...but im sure they;re out there

UCSB

I just wax the headlights when I wax the car (usually 3 coats). They stay new looking, but my cars are all garaged and used in mild CA conditions. I have put new headlight lens assemblies into my daughters Lexus ES which started to show some aging while she was going to college ... I picked them up off of eBay for a reasonable cost and the project was pretty easy. This can really make a big difference in a cars look.

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Before you worry about protecting the lenses, you need to restore them so they are nice and clear... all headlights come from the factory with UV protection on them, but this will wear away overtime and the plastic will oxidize as you can see on the vehicle you are talking about. You must remove this oxidation to bring clarity back to the lenses, and you must then apply a new layer of UV protection or else the lenses will oxidize again very quickly.

Chances are the lenses look something like this....




The first step is to wet sand the lenses down to remove the oxidation and create a new, fresh surface. (if they are not that bad, you may not need to sand). In the photo, I used 2000 grit paper. You can see that the entire lens has been sanded and is now a uniform surface.




Next, a cutting compound like Meguiar's M105 and cutting pad must be used to remove the sanding scratches from the surface and begin to restore clarity to the lens. This 50/50 shot shows the difference in the compounded area and the sanded area.




Once the entire lens has been compounded, you can refine the surface even further with a finishing polish like Meguiar's M205 on a polishing pad.



Now that the lens looks like new, you should protect it with a durable, long lasting protection like Opti-Lens headlight coating. This method of protection will outlast any traditional wax or spray protectant as the Optimum Coating will truly bond to the lens and create a very durable layer of protection. It should last years.

PondScum

If I were trying to replace the UV coating that I just sanded/polished off the lens, I'd be looking for a permanent solution, like Opti-Lens rather than something I need to apply every couple weeks.

Some of the headlight restoration kits include a coating, but I haven't read anything about how well they perform.

mars231

If you determined that the cloudiness is on the exterior of the lens and not the interior then you can restore it. If you have detail products on hand then maybe u can try the method couple post above.

If not you can try this method of wet sanding 1500 to 2000 grit then spray the lens with automotive clear coat for long lasting finish.

If you prefer a cheaper and an effective way and I know you said no lens restore products but this one that actually works as I tried all those headlight restoration kits with very little durability due to their uv sealant not lasting that long, you can try the Crystal View Headlight restoration kit which is available at your local walmart or kmart.

Kyle76

At what point does the original lens coating begin to break down? Opti-Lens sounds great, but at what point in a new car's life do you need to begin using it, and how long should an application last?

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

It depends greatly on the environment you live in. If you live in a tropical area with harsh sunlight and high temps, you could start seeing headlights fade in as little as a year or two... you can apply Opti-Lens to any headlight though, even if it is new. The opti-lens will help to protect it and keep it looking like new without fading (or at least delaying the process).

AZJoe

Does a protection film like X-Pel or 3M prevent some of the deterioration of the plastic lens ? or do they trap heat and cause more rapid breakdown ?

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

A clear film would definitely be beneficial as well.