help buffing headlight lens!!!!!!
Driver
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: RVA
Go to an auto parts store, buy a 3M headlight restoration kit, bust it out, grab a handheld drill, and follow the steps included. Make sure you have plenty of water in a spray bottle! You'll end up as good as new. I had the same problem you did, and this kit fixed my mistakes. It really does wonders.
have you guys in the states got this???
http://www.glassylite.net.au/
you should have that product there...
basically it's all your standard stuff - wet dry paper... cleaner... polish etc...
but it also has a nanosealant - which is the important part... stops you from having to do it every three months and brings them up like crystal clear...
http://www.glassylite.net.au/
you should have that product there...
basically it's all your standard stuff - wet dry paper... cleaner... polish etc...
but it also has a nanosealant - which is the important part... stops you from having to do it every three months and brings them up like crystal clear...
OP, are you doing only the outer, or the inner as well? That seems like a ton of hazing for just the outside. It looks like you may have scuffed them too much and now need to minimize the scratches and fill them in. The kit I linked has a plastic sealant that does just this - with UV protection included as an added bonus. I would wet sand them until they feel very smooth, then fill them with the plastic sealant.
Big Mack
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: CA
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: CA
No, but we have this which is $25 at the most at Walmart. Great product, great results. I am not affiliated in any way with this, but I have used it numerous times with fantastic results.
OP, are you doing only the outer, or the inner as well? That seems like a ton of hazing for just the outside. It looks like you may have scuffed them too much and now need to minimize the scratches and fill them in. The kit I linked has a plastic sealant that does just this - with UV protection included as an added bonus. I would wet sand them until they feel very smooth, then fill them with the plastic sealant.
Big Mack
OP, are you doing only the outer, or the inner as well? That seems like a ton of hazing for just the outside. It looks like you may have scuffed them too much and now need to minimize the scratches and fill them in. The kit I linked has a plastic sealant that does just this - with UV protection included as an added bonus. I would wet sand them until they feel very smooth, then fill them with the plastic sealant.
Big Mack
Pick up the fone and call, mang! If they have an auto center, I'd try them first since it's a service they do try and sell. My local one had it. I don't normally even shop there, but it's the only place listed that carries it in my area. I've used several kits in the past, and this one was my preference over a couple others. Never tried the one from CG or the one from TW that were linked, but the TW one does not include a sealant so they will yellow/haze again. The CG one appears to have one, so it's probably similar.
Big Mack
Big Mack
I sprayed my wife's old civic with ppg clear, as the headlights would cloud again every few months after polishing. It worked out well, and stopped the clouding, and then you can just wash and wax them with the rest of the car.
Need to prep the lens for paint and strip and polishes/waxes off them first for the clear to take correctly. I also used Bulldog adhesion promoter before the clear.
Need to prep the lens for paint and strip and polishes/waxes off them first for the clear to take correctly. I also used Bulldog adhesion promoter before the clear.
....
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,859
Likes: 12
From: Waipahu, Waikele, HI
this is weird....I do all mines by hand....no orbiter....i normally wetsand with 400 grit...and then 1000 grit...and end with 2000 grit....then hand polish with 3M rubbing compound and complete with 3M finisher...and its like new.
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (16)
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,691
Likes: 12
From: SoCal (Huntington Beach)
i've used 400, 500, 600, 800, 1000, 2000, 3000
i even used rubbing compound to help out.
now im giving up
see the difference?
im gonna get new headlights
i even used rubbing compound to help out.
now im giving up
see the difference?
im gonna get new headlights
Although it looks like this projector style one is more clear in front of the turn signal which might look good on the oem housing. The OEM ones have really thick diffusing ridges in the lens.
Either way it isn't cheap. The projectors would set up back about $250 and aftermarket OEM about $300.. If you go for it I'm sure alot of people would like to know if they do fit.
One thing I wonder is even if they do fit, is the UV resistance any worse (or better?) than OEM lenses.. If you clear coat the brand new ones before you ever used them they should look great for a long time. As a quality brand clear coat will add UV resistance..
Last edited by 99 GS3; Dec 8, 2010 at 05:34 PM.
Moving along on your retro I see. Looking good. Have you already sealed the housings back up, or are they just sitting on there?
I wouldn't give up yet. They should be able to be fixed, I would try another brand of polish, or have someone local give it a shot before I spent $300 on new lenses that may not fit.
There are shops around me that do headlight restores cheap, like $40-$50.
It's sadly become pretty popular as a tactic, they tell people that their lenses are too cloudy to pass inspection, and that they can be hero's and save the day by polishing for only $50 right now instead of having to by expensive new headlights...
I wouldn't give up yet. They should be able to be fixed, I would try another brand of polish, or have someone local give it a shot before I spent $300 on new lenses that may not fit.
There are shops around me that do headlight restores cheap, like $40-$50.
It's sadly become pretty popular as a tactic, they tell people that their lenses are too cloudy to pass inspection, and that they can be hero's and save the day by polishing for only $50 right now instead of having to by expensive new headlights...