A tale of two headlight restoration kits

[NMBurb02]

The GP'S headlights have been in need of restoration since I first purchased the vehicle 18 months/20k miles ago. It has been parked outdoors in the SoCal sun the entire time I have owned it, making the yellowing/hazing that much worse. I picked up a 3M Headlight Restoration System, Part number 39008, sometime last year (probably at Autozone) and a Meguiar's "Heavy Duty" (ha!) Headlight Restoration Kit from Costco earlier this year, but other repairs/maintenance have taken priority since. I finally got some time and inspiration to take care of them last night, and below is my story.

Here is what I started with (removed from the car and worked on them in the garage in an effort to make it easier and because it was dark and raining).

Doesn't look too bad? Here's a close up.

Looking at the two kits, I decided to try out the 3M, mostly because the entire process utilized a power drill, whereas the Meguiar's kit requires hand sanding before drill polishing/buffing. The steps for the 3M were pretty basic (all utilize velcro-backed discs and a velcro holder that attaches to a power drill): dry sand to a haze using dry P500 sanding discs, repeat with dry P800 discs to remove the deep scratches, repeat with a wet P1000 disc, and then finish with a foam compounding pad and rubbing compound. The kit is intended to restore two headlights, but the GP's are pretty big and were in pretty bad shape, so I ended up using the full kit on just the first (driver side) headlight. That's six P500 discs and four P800s! After the compounding pad, I topped it off with the PlastX and polishing pad from the Meguiar's kit, and then the headlight protectant from that kit (3M's protectant was not included in the kit I had), seeing as there was plenty and I was going to be cracking that kit open anyway to tackle the other headlight.

Here is a comparison of the 3M'd headlight and the yet-to-be restored headlight.

Not perfect, but not too bad.

The Maguiar's kit is quite different. It only has two sets of sanding pads: P1000 and P3000, two discs of each, and a handheld disc holder to which they velcro. I started wet sanding with one of the P1000 discs on the handheld holder, but that was going nowhere fast, so I put the disc on the disc holder from the 3M kit and went at it with the drill. The P1000 was still failing (too fine), so I grabbed a sheet of P220 I had on hand (it was the finest I had) to take care of the worst of the yellowing/hazing. I then did the best I could with the two P1000 and two P3000 pads. The P220 was too aggressive but the P1000 and P3000 pads did help somewhat. I started using the PlastX and buffing pad, but switched to the 3M compounding pad and rubbing compound in order to use another abrasive to try to get better results. I then went back to the PlastX with buffing pad, followed by the protectant.

Here are the two restored headlights, 3M kit on top, Maguiar's on bottom. You can see that the picture did not come out as clearly as the previous one, but the 3M'd headlight does look much better in person, as it was able to get rid of the worst yellowing/hazing and that line the closeup shows. The Maguiar's headlight still has that line and some deeper hazing.

Overall impressions: the 3M kit is best for headlights in need of more intense restoration (it is much more heavy duty than the Meguiar's) and the Meguiar's is better suited for those just in need of minimal spiffing up. In fact, I will probably pick up another 3M kit to redo the passenger side headlight to clean up what the Meguiar's could not.

 

[daves87rs]

3m did pretty good...

 

[3800Series]

Now how long will it last? That is the question to ask. Gunna start a business that sells aftermarket glass headlight cases. Going to make billions.. Or get sued by 3M and every other company under the sun.

 

[901Memphis]

I used the 3M kit on my Taurus and it did a fantastic job but used a lot of the discs too. I never did get around to getting the UV protection since it wasn't in the 3M kit, it hazed up wicked fast. Kinda expensive when you might need two kits plus a separate UV item, but it works.

 

[The_Nuke]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
I used the 3M kit on my Taurus and it did a fantastic job but used a lot of the discs too. I never did get around to getting the UV protection since it wasn't in the 3M kit, it hazed up wicked fast. Kinda expensive when you might need two kits plus a separate UV item, but it works.


I use one of the OTC synthetic waxes I have on the shelf (Meg's Ultimate Wax, Mothers Reflections, 3M Perfect-It, etc.) as a protectant after I have de-yellowed a set of headlight lenses. It doesn't interfere with the headlights' beam projection and lasts for several months, so it's plenty good enough to satisfy my needs.

 

[zorobabel]

I just used Turtle wax and a rag. The headlights look much better, but not as good as the OP. I don't know how they'll hold up.

 

[sicko]

Originally Posted By: 3800Series
Now how long will it last? That is the question to ask.


I'd be interested in knowing how long it lasts as well. I've heard a lot of these products look good initially, but then yellow or fog up shortly thereafter.

If you remember, come back and update this thread in several months, and let us know how they're looking.

 

[3800Series]

From personal experience weeks. In all honesty 2-3 months if you just clean it and forget it. You can prolong it by waxing it or spraying some clear silicone on it.

I would gladly pay for glass headlights tho. How much more does it really cost to manufactor and will save so much hard ache.

Couldn't tell you how many Mercedes Benz iv seen less then 5 year old with really cloudy headlights..

When they make the headlights they spray a film on them to prevent it. But once it starts it pretty much unstoppable. If there yellow just replace them its a chemical reaction that causes yellow, but yeah when you sand/compound them down your remove any/all the remaining protection.

 

[CharBaby]

Don't just stop there!

NOW, keep the headlight lenses maintained on a regular basis. I am now using WHITE Tooth Paste(not GEL) as a maintenence application on about every two car washes.

The headlight lenses always look good now. You can used whatever compound you desire be it an actual headlight lense restorer or mild rubbing compound. I have switch over to the tooth paste, it works great!

 

[qwertydude]

If you have the lights out of the car you might as well take it down to your local car paint shop and ask them how much it would cost to shoot them with automotive clearcoat. Usually they won't charge too much since they'll just spray them the next time they have a car in getting cleared. Compared to waxes or sealants which might go a few months this ought to last at least 8 years.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

$7 from the local Walmart and NEVER hazes up!

 

[chrly919]

My wife bought me one of those "Wipe New' bumper restore kits they advertised on TV, ad naseum (no pun intended). She found it at Walgreens. It worked great on the bumpers on my 99 CRV. It also had a small piece of very, very fine sandpaper for headlights. My daughter's 94 Mazda's headlights were so yellowed over that the parking lights were brighter. I was replacing a headlight bulb for her and when she complained about what little good it would do, I remembered the "Wipe New". Followed the instructions, took about 15 minutes. Great results.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: qwertydude
If you have the lights out of the car you might as well take it down to your local car paint shop and ask them how much it would cost to shoot them with automotive clearcoat. Usually they won't charge too much since they'll just spray them the next time they have a car in getting cleared. Compared to waxes or sealants which might go a few months this ought to last at least 8 years.


I ask because IDK!

1)Do you have any experience with having the "PLASTIC" headlight lenses clear coated?

2)Will the clear coating stick to the plastic?

3)Or will it end up cracking or peeling?

 

[NMBurb02]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Don't just stop there!

NOW, keep the headlight lenses maintained on a regular basis. I am now using WHITE Tooth Paste(not GEL) as a maintenence application on about every two car washes.

The headlight lenses always look good now. You can used whatever compound you desire be it an actual headlight lense restorer or mild rubbing compound. I have switch over to the tooth paste, it works great!

I have plenty of the PlastX left and will try to remember to use it (with the 3M compounding pad) once every month or two to remove whatever has accumulated by that point and will then reapply the headlight protectant. But first I will leave the headlights alone for the next three to four months to see how they hold up. If not so well, I will restore them with another 3M kit and start the monthly/bimonthly PlastX and protectant routine.

 

[Mykl]

I read somewhere a while back that the best way to deal with this is to aggressively sand off the top finish, all the way through whatever UV treatment that they received at the factory.

At that point take them to a body shop and have them apply a paint to plastic bonding agent and then clearcoat. Does that sound like it would be effective?

My GTI has no issues because I've applied a mild spray wax to the headlights once every month or three since I purchased the car. Aside from minor (almost imperceptible) damage from rocks the covers look as clear as they did when I bought the car. The Camry is borderline, a little yellowing but still clear, no haze. I'd like them to be as good as new and I'm willing to put the work in, but I don't want to waste my time and money. If I can't get them clear as new in a cost effective way I'll just buy some new housings.

 

[Smokescreen]

Park it in the shade or face it away from the sun to help it last longer.

 

[NMBurb02]

One thing I forgot to mention: things get messy when wet sanding, compounding, and polishing using the drill. If/when I do this again, I will wear a designated dirty/car work shirt and pants or shop apron and will set up a cardboard box around three sides of the headlight being worked on to help contain the spray.

Miller88, the photo you posted for the item from Walmart isn't showing up for me. What is it?

 

[qwertydude]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Originally Posted By: qwertydude
If you have the lights out of the car you might as well take it down to your local car paint shop and ask them how much it would cost to shoot them with automotive clearcoat. Usually they won't charge too much since they'll just spray them the next time they have a car in getting cleared. Compared to waxes or sealants which might go a few months this ought to last at least 8 years.


I ask because IDK!

1)Do you have any experience with having the "PLASTIC" headlight lenses clear coated?

2)Will the clear coating stick to the plastic?

3)Or will it end up cracking or peeling?


Yes before I was a professional detailer I cut my teeth apprenticing at my uncle's body shop. Any decent shop would know what to to when clearing headlights. You don't even need to put clear adhesion promoter. That will make the clear stick fine but the stuff itself isn't as durable as the clearcoat itself and will peel eventually. The trick is to simply scuff the headlight up, yes scuff it up til it's a matte finish with 1000 grit wet sanding paper. Then thin the clear a little more than normal with mek. This helps it not only bond better by the mek eating into the polycarbonate but it will flow out better, it'll take 3 to 4 coats but it ought to look perfect and what little orange peel is left easily wetsands out. This is contingent on the skill of the paintshop guys obviously.

 

[CharBaby]

Thanks qwertydude!
That's quite a discription and does seem a bit involved though, worth looking into!

Is is expensive to have done and are shops knowlagable of this process???

 

[qwertydude]

That I can't tell you. I know a lot of places would charge maybe $50 per headlight and simply add some extra mek and spray a coat on after finishing with a current job. For multiple coats they simply waited til the next job. A fairly busy body shop usually would return them in about a week or two.