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I have some yellowing on my 2009 Lexus Es 350. I have been considering some restoration kits, and some replacement headlamps from ebay. I am leaning towards the headlamp replacement, but there are so many options on ebay. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
I have some yellowing on my 2009 Lexus Es 350. I have been considering some restoration kits, and some replacement headlamps from ebay. I am leaning towards the headlamp replacement, but there are so many options on ebay. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Aftermarket headlights are not great quality and the OEM ones are expensive. We waited until one was damaged in a mishap, and then paid our body shop (minus what the insurance was willing to pay for one aftermarket light) to replace both with Lexus brand OEM. He got us a break on them because he can buy wholesale. It made the front end look like new.
I put Ebay aftermarket replacement headlights on my Tundra and have never been happy with them. My Ebay aftermarket bumper was also a mistake, and I wish I paid the significant extra for OEM.
+1 stay away from eBay junk for headlights or any body parts. You may wanna search for nice used original ones on eBay instead of buying new aftermarket.
Try a restoration kit first. Look at all the reviews on Amazon or elsewhere and select the one you like best. I have done it on a few cars and they looked great afterward. They don't cost much. Some detail shops will do this for you.
If it is badly yellowed you may need to replace them, but if mild restoration may work. I used a 3M restoration kit 39008 that you used with a cordless drill and several grades of rubbing cream and sandpaper disks on the drill to polish the lenses.
I finished off with Mequiars UV headlight protectant spray as you will remove the factory UV protectant layer when refinishing.
Last edited by Clutchless; Sep 16, 2020 at 07:19 AM.
if you have any polishing compound around, you can easily start there. I used some and had them cleared up to satisfaction in about 30 minutes. then applied wax.
I did my son's headlights by hand with rubbing compound and a damp cloth - -they came out better, but not great.
I bought a variable speed polisher and used a couple kinds of compound on a friend's Equinox and wow- SO much easier . . then coated with ceramic spray.
Probably took 20 minutes total - -
EDIYT- did the right headlight cover on the ES last week - - it was getting a bit yellowed and foggy -- - -again, took about 20 minutes to tape it off . .. use the polisher with compound-- the coat with ceramic spray. Looks like new.
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