im going to pick up a bottle of this:
http://www.skygeek.com/megplaspolno.html
or this:
http://www.skygeek.com/megplasclean.html
I did have brand new headlights, but after i nailed some lady's door, i had to put on the 95 headlight, and it was all yellow. Time to clean them.

edit: damn, pepboyz nor autozone didnt have those. so i ended up gettin scratch X. Hope it works

 

i just finished. didnt get what i expected. but they are cleaner, not as clear as new.
before

 

after:
notice how its still kinda yellow =\

 

I took my headlights out a few months ago and did the whole shibang to them, but they started to yellow up again. So I had some meguiars scratch and swirlmark remover out to use on my hood with a buffer, and decided to go over the lenses with it on low. WOW, it really shined them up and made them smooth as a baby's butt! Then I did a quick Zaino Z3/Z5. Just a FYI: I had originally used Zaino's plastic polish on my headlights and it seemed to work well.

 

hey guys, are there any local stores you can buy meguires scratch x or other products like that, because i tried home depot and i think auto zone and neither has any or even heard of plastic polisher solution

thanks

 

I went to NAPA yesterday and bought some of the 3M Plastic Polish. WOW! Having never used plastic polish before, I had fairly low expectations, but when I used this stuff to polish my headlights, fog lights and high beams I was seriously impressed. It truely made them look like new. And folks, this was after I had already applied Scratch X on at least 2 previous occasions. I love Scratch X for removing light lines in the paint (like around door handles), but I honestly feel the plastic polish is worth the money. $8.99

I am currently waiting on a pair of tail lights. I can hardly wait to use this stuff on them.

I am SOLD on plastic polish!

 

After reading through forums, took a trip to WalMart, planned to buy Meguiar's but found a product called Scratch Out by Kit. For only a $1.77 I didn't think I could go wrong. 10 years of yellowing dissappeared within moments of using this product just as I would a traditional wax product on the paint finish.

 

I just put on scratch X on my headlights....UNBELIEVABLE!!! Not quite as nice as brand new, but pretty darn close! Its amazing you must get some for yourselves.

 

Will Meguiar's Scratch X on the headlights remove the lines?

I keep reading that eveyone is using this on the headlights to clean them up. I have the Meguiar's Scratch X but haven't used it yet. Mine are still factory fresh with no yellowing, I was just thinking this stuff might clean them up a little BUT I DON'T WANT it to remove the lines imprinted on the cover. Will it?

Also is it safe to use in the glass section too?

 

Xanadu -

What lines are you referring to? The lines pictured on the lens cover above? I'm not sure if your lenses are different from mine, but if they aren't, those lines won't come off. I used Zaino's plastic polish as I noted above and it worked very well. The only lines that came off were the scratches I was hoping to eliminate . Still lovin your new SC? I know I'm lovin mine!

 

Hey sweetsc400,

You bet, I've waited so long for my SC400 that I couldn't be happier, so glad I waited long enough for the V8.

Yeah, the lines pictured on the lens cover. I figured they probably wouldn't come off. Today I wanted to clean my headlight covers up a bit, there not cloudy or yellow but I could run my hand over the covers & they were not smooth & I could see junk on them that car wash soap wasn't getting off.

I ended up using some Meguiar's Scratch X on them & buffed them off, then I used some Zaino polish on them & buffed again, they look better. Thinking I might look for the Meguiar's Plastic Cleaner, figured that might work little better.

 

Okay well I work at a body shop, and the best, I mean the BEST thing to do on this is, when it is a plastic headlight do not use any sand paper on it>what so ever< That will just scratch the hell out of it. Take a buffer and a some soft gritted rubbing compound to them. It will do way better. With my headlights the benz I use to have I used the clear that we use at the Paint shop. It came so clean it was retarded. This way if you get scratches in is you can wet sand it and buff them out.....

 

Sandpaper is the worst thing in the world for the protective UV layer on your headlight lens.
It will without doubt remove it and leave your headlights in a very vulnerable condition.
1. Sandpaper and abrasive rubbing compounds will put permanent scratches on your headlight lens. These scratches will leave a dulling effect on the lens.
2. Without the UV layer not only with your headlights oxidize even faster but they will also turn yellow within a couple of months.
3. Once they turn yellow there is nothing you can do to clear them up again.
The yellow will permeate the lens beyond the effects of the sandpaper.

What most people fail to realize is that oxidation is a naturally occuring reaction on plastic headlights.
Cleaning them will last from a few months to a year depending on how you clean them and where you live.
YOU WILL HAVE TO CLEAN THEM AGAIN.
The best thing on the market is PITTMAN'S ORIGINAL ONE STEP ALR, a pure liquid deoxidizer.
Pittman's One Step ALR is designed to remove the oxidation only.
It will not damage the UV layer nor will it cloud the lens with scratches.
It requires no tools and removes oxidation on contact, no elbow grease no buffing no goggles gloves or effort of any type.
It actually takes only a few seconds to clear your lens and the result will last longer than any low tech sandpaper or abrasive cleaning kits.
Once you put sandpaper on your lens you have damaged them beyond repair.
Sure they may look better for a short time but when they reoxidize and turn yellow, you will find your self looking to buy replacement lens.
Meguires plastiX and Scratch X polish both are made with UV damaging abrasives. They are both designed to work on opaque plastic surfaces not clear light projecting headlight lens.
If you use either of these products on a Thermoplastic based headlight lens you will regret it in less than 3 months.
The safest thing to use is a non abrasive product that was designed remove just the oxidation from headlight lens. There is only one such product on the market today and it has gotten rave reviews from the people who have used it.
http://www.ibc34.com/Before-and-After.html
http://www.ibc34.com/CONSUMERREVIEW.html
This product also works on convertible rear windows, tail and marker lights.
There is nothing faster or safer.

 

Jesus, that's a blatant plug if I've ever seen one. Ironicly, it was his first and only post.

 

You can use sandpaper if you like. As a matter of fact be my guest. Start with 4oo grit and work your way down to 2000. Next get a power buffer and some bodies polish and buff the scratches back out of the lens.
No one is telling you you can't use sandpaper If you like sandpaper I love it.
If you know a faster way to remove oxidation tell us. I believe it can take up to a hour using sandpaper on each lens.
Do you have something constructive to add? just say so, Instead of standing in the dark throwing rocks? With your astronomical 5+1 posts.
If you know a better site? with better illustrations? just post it and quit crying.