smokin5s Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 my headlights have the typical older car yellow'ish foggy issue... I know there's a ton of products on the market, what do you recommend and have had good luck with? New headlights are almost 200 so I'd really rather avoid that if I can help it... What works? what doesn't? Do I just need to bite the bullet and replace them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M0nk3y Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 What material is the lens? Plastic, Glass? I'm going to take a shot with plastic. There are alot of OTC products out there, but to be honest all of them just cover the issue, you'll see it come back sooner or later. The "correct" way to deal with it is to wetsand (depending on the extent of the damage) and polish it out with Meguiars Plastic Polish and a Rotary. If you're in Cleveland, which I highly doubt, I'd tell you to swing on by and I'll do it real quick for you...but you're not sooooo that may not work. 3M has a kit out there that you can use your drill with. Don't know the results from that though. I'll do some research Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unfunnyryan Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 toothpaste. if it doesn't help at least they'll smell good and it protects against cavities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin5s Posted January 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 What material is the lens? Plastic, Glass? I'm going to take a shot with plastic. There are alot of OTC products out there, but to be honest all of them just cover the issue, you'll see it come back sooner or later. The "correct" way to deal with it is to wetsand (depending on the extent of the damage) and polish it out with Meguiars Plastic Polish and a Rotary. If you're in Cleveland, which I highly doubt, I'd tell you to swing on by and I'll do it real quick for you...but you're not sooooo that may not work. 3M has a kit out there that you can use your drill with. Don't know the results from that though. I'll do some research where in cleveland are you? I might be willing to make the drive if you can make it look brand new... I hate the yellow look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stangsn95gt Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 I actually just did my brothers headlights today with some of the leftover 3M headlight restoration I had in the garage. I've used the 3M kits on 5-6 cars and I highly recommend them for the $20 it costs. It comes with 3 different sandpaper grits and a buffing pad with plastic polish you run off a drill. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=safari&rls=en&q=3m+headlight+restoration+kit&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=5216201402521497911&sa=X&ei=TxIJT6iXI6SvsQLPmvyQCg&ved=0CIABEPMCMAQ#ps-sellers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaplay1647545503 Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 $5 kit from the auto parts store brought our plastic ones back to new. They were as bad as Ihad ever seen. Took about 5 mins per lens after I taped themoff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major_golf Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 The 3m kit works best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin5s Posted January 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 I actually just did my brothers headlights today with some of the leftover 3M headlight restoration I had in the garage. I've used the 3M kits on 5-6 cars and I highly recommend them for the $20 it costs. It comes with 3 different sandpaper grits and a buffing pad with plastic polish you run off a drill. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=safari&rls=en&q=3m+headlight+restoration+kit&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=5216201402521497911&sa=X&ei=TxIJT6iXI6SvsQLPmvyQCg&ved=0CIABEPMCMAQ#ps-sellers is it pretty easy to control with the drill so that you don't end up scratching your paint? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major_golf Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 is it pretty easy to control with the drill so that you don't end up scratching your paint? As long as you keep the surface wet it is very easy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stangsn95gt Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 is it pretty easy to control with the drill so that you don't end up scratching your paint? Extremely easy also tape off around the headlights if your worried about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M0nk3y Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 where in cleveland are you? I might be willing to make the drive if you can make it look brand new... I hate the yellow look. I'm working this whole week and going back to School on Saturday, so it won't work anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleguy Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 +1 for wet sand and Plastic X. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stangsn95gt Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Didn't get any before pics of the headlights I just did but the looked a little better than these fogs which I'll do when I get some more sandpaper http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k204/stangsn95gt/6244714b.jpg But now the headlights look like this http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k204/stangsn95gt/6a28e0b5.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaplay1647545503 Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 The kit I bought required no drill. I was skeptical at first thinking I need the rpms to do it right but whatever the chemicals were that came with it did the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin5s Posted January 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I bought the 3M product today and gave it a shot... I got rid of all the yellow that was on the headlights, but it still has a bit of a haze look to it. I don't know if I should do it again or if it's as good as it's gonna get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stangsn95gt Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I bought the 3M product today and gave it a shot... I got rid of all the yellow that was on the headlights, but it still has a bit of a haze look to it. I don't know if I should do it again or if it's as good as it's gonna get. Post a pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IVRINGS Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I've done a few different kits over the years and the 3m was the best. My dad didn't have a drill while I was down last month and we did my uncles car with the hand kit and it did the job. It doesn't get all of it out, but they where clear as can be. Just make sure to get the first step done as good as you can cause that is the step that fixes everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudiOn19s Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Post a pic I'd like to see a pic too, Could be they're as good as they're gonna get, could just need some more polishing / refining. Sorry I didn't see this earlier, Sounds like you've got it pretty much sorted but if i can help just let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Sweet Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Wetsand 1000, 1500, 2000, polish with PlastX, and then whatever other polish you have laying around. I find that it's easier to remove the headlights instead of wetsanding them on the vehicle. After wetsanding I'll put them back on and use a buffer to polish. It takes a couple hours but they'll come out looking new, without any yellowing or haze at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Sweet Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Passenger headlight is before, driver's side is after..... http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c295/skoval25/Car%20pics/May12011.jpg I did it with the headlights on my truck too but didn't spend nearly as much time wetsanding as I should have, and they still turned out great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin5s Posted January 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I'll take a picture tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.