crwys

I don't normally post stuff I do to my car since it's mostly all stock but I was pretty happy with the results.

I used the 3M 39008 Headlight Lens Restoration System from Amazon if anyone is curious.
I used 2 of the gold pads for each headlight, 1 on each fog light.
1 white pad for each headlight/fog
Switching between pads I just wiped the headlight down with a paper towel even though 3M suggests micro fiber.
The drill I used was 900rpm which was slightly below what was recommended but still worked fine.

Before

After

Fog lights



​​​Also bought new lights which I'm very happy with if anyone is interested.

​​​​​https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00U1OL44G/ref=ya_st_dp_summary

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017XELXT2/ref=ya_st_dp_summary


http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo....id=305&jpid=13

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

Fantastic work! Don't forget to protect the lights with wax to prevent UV damage. I highly recommend that you purchase a set of clear XPEL headlight film for your headlights/fog lights. It will help prevent you from doing the polishing all over again in 4-6 months.

I went through polishing kits, clear coat, and replacing headlights, until I found the XPEL film (can be purchased through AutoAnything.com). I wish I had done it sooner, the staff lasts for years.

speedkar9

Good job. I agree with MrBooby, You should vinyl wrap your headlights so you'll never have to buff them again and it will look clear and clean. I get mine wrapped on all my cars:

plovell

I've tried a bunch of cleaners, most kits are way over priced and do a reasonable job. Just discovered the best headlight cleaner ever.....Comet Soft Scrub. Does an amazing job in no more than three minutes. Its intended for cleaning surfaces such as acrylic bathtubs etc. A $2.00 bottle will last you a lifetime.

WILLYumD

Most important part of cleaning headlights is sealing the plastic after. Whether with rattle can clear coat or mixing your own mineral spirits with urethane, you have to reseal the plastic so it doesn't yellow again.

Sure, you could keep sanding and scrubbing, but you'll eventually run out of polycarbonate to shave off.

speedkar9

Becareful with cleaners like that, it can damage your headlight because of all the chemicals inside. It locally melts the plastic. I tried brake cleaner once and damaged it too.

See this video for a warning on that:

crwys

Thanks for the tips everyone. I'll have to look into the vinyl wrapping.

The 3M kit was only $15 and I think that's pretty cheap considering it did both my headlights and fogs.

1960vw

Nice write-up. I used a baking soda and vinegar combo. My lenses were not so bad. Make a paste and scrub. Rinse and dry. Wipe with rubbing alcohol let dry. Final step, two to three coats of exterior UV resistant clear coat.. Be sure to mask off areas as needed. Lasted over a year so far!