3M Headlight Restoration on my 530i

[Quattro Pete]

Finally broke down and bought the 3M Headlight kit. Considering that my headlights weren't too badly hazed/pitted to begin with, there isn't a ton of difference and even less so when just looking at the photos, but there definitely is an improvement. It probably took 1.5 to 2 hours to do both headlights, not including breaks as I had to recharge my cordless drill battery.

You can click on the images to get larger view.


BEFORE ---------------------------------- / ------------------------------------- AFTER

 

[BigBuck]

Looks a lot nicer. Good work.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Looks very good. I used 3M on my E430 a couple years ago, it works very good too.

I only spent about 40-45 minutes for both sides the first time. Last year I redo it and it took only 25-30 minutes to finish. I may redo it this year after Summer.

My S2000 is still very clear after 8+ years, mostly because I park the car under cover garage most of the time.

 

[Donald]

Look at yours again a few days after you have done them when your mind has forgotten how bad they were. From many angles. You may conclude they are a lot better, but now with some experience you can get them even better. This is what I figured.

Did you use 3M Headlight Sealant? I have some but have not used it yet.

 

[Sayjac]

Looks good, as you said your before is not really bad. I prefer the hand sanding kits like Crystal View/Sylvania just because I wouldn't be as skillful mastering the drill technique as hand sanding. Just me.

Also, kits with final step sealant/UV protectant help maintain restoration longer.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Donald, no, I do not have any headlight sealant. I may apply some wax though.

 

[Donald]

Could you feel the bad area? Thats when you know yours really need some help.

 

[fdcg27]

Why does this happen with the headlight covers on BMW's?
My old BMW has the same problem, although it's worse.
A wax/polish will clear the covers up and leave them looking good for a time, but the clouding eventually returns.
OTOH, our two Hondas still have crystal clear headlamp covers, even though they have spent most of their lives outside.
Why is the deterioration of the plastic more of a problem with BMW than it seems to be with some less costly brands?

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Why does this happen with the headlight covers on BMW's?
My old BMW has the same problem, although it's worse.
A wax/polish will clear the covers up and leave them looking good for a time, but the clouding eventually returns.
OTOH, our two Hondas still have crystal clear headlamp covers, even though they have spent most of their lives outside.
Why is the deterioration of the plastic more of a problem with BMW than it seems to be with some less costly brands?



Are you sure the covers on your Honda are plastic and not glass?

 

[Quattro Pete]

fdcg27,

There really wasn't all that much hazing on these headlights. For a 10 year old car that spent half its life in sunny Florida, I can't complain. You couldn't tell they were hazed unless you stood at an arm's length.

This isn't a BMW-only issue. I see lots of different makes with hazy headlights.

 

[ltslimjim]

Yes, remember to consider applying sealant, a long-lasting thin layer of sealer wax.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
Yes, remember to consider applying sealant, a long-lasting thin layer of sealer wax.

The only thing I have on hand is 1Z Glanz Wax, which is a synthetic polymer sealant, so I'll apply that. Thanks.

http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einzett-glanz-wax.html

 

[fdcg27]

The Hondas have plastic, although I'm not sure when the change from glass happened.
The last Hondas we had with glass were our '86 Civic wagons.
While the glass remained nice and clear, it was also vulnerable to rock damage. If a headlight unit took a rock, you then got to replace the whole thing, although you could of course save the halogen bulb as a spare, since the new unit would come with a bulb.
I'm not cracking on BMWs specifically, and Quattro Pete is right in that you see hazed headlamps on many different cars, including some Hondas.
Still, it seems that some are more vulnerable to hazing than others, and I just wonder what the difference is in the composition of the plastics used.
Certainly BMW was no more intersted in saving money on the part than was Honda, and parts quality in my old BMW seems to be pretty good, including the cooling system.
Incidentally, while my old BMW may have plastic covering the headlamps, the lenses of the fog lamps are glass, and they are located in a very vulnerable position.
I thought that the lenses were plastic until one took a rock.

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
Yes, remember to consider applying sealant, a long-lasting thin layer of sealer wax.

The only thing I have on hand is 1Z Glanz Wax, which is a synthetic polymer sealant, so I'll apply that. Thanks.

http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einzett-glanz-wax.html




Should be fine, I suppose if water beading starts going away after some months you can always re-apply with the goal of minimizing the need to do this again in the future.

IIRC, Mother's products now makes a separate product for this very purpose.

 

[dparm]

Not bad.

I've seen more aggressive methods of wetsanding but for that I'd rather just replace the housings.

I suggest buying the Lamin-X film now.

 

[SteveSRT8]

After much sanding and polishing, even some clear coat, I finally bought new housings.

They were surprisingly cheap and really updated the truck from the front. Really worth the money.

In addition they are improved in their resistance to yellowing and hazing.

 

[CharBaby]

I have been using Meguiar's Lense Repair and it too has been keeping my lenses cleaner looking. But, what I am noticing is that there is fine cracking underneath the lense itself.

So, no matter how clean/smooth the outside of the lense is after polishing off the fogging/hazing(and it does look better), there is that somewhat dull-ish look coming from beneath the lense due to the heat of the sun and the lights themselves