Headlight protection

[Rat407]

Wasn't sure where to post this.

Anyone have a good product that you can apply to the headlights to keep them from turning yellow and fading? I just restored my neighbors 2008 Buick and want to coat the lens so that they last longer than just six months before they start to degrade. I Googled but there are a ton of products and was wondering if anyone had good luck with one particular product. Thanks.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Sylvania's UV coating is supposed to be good.

 

[SnowDrifter]

May not be what you're looking for, but I'd leave it alone. Coatings can be a fuss, especially if they don't adhere properly. Leave it alone and repeat the sand/buff procedure when it happens again. It's needed it once in 10 years. Consider the likelihood it will be around in another 10 years time.

 

[Oro_O]

They will indeed yellow again quickly IME.

Any quality rattle can UV-resistant clear will do the trick. This is what the "google wisdom" says to do, and it works. I did this a few years ago to the headlights on a 2002 Lexus. they would turn yellow again in months after polishing. And this is in relatively low-UV Seattle area. After two cycles of that, I sanded very fine, painted, and they are holding up nicely still ~three years later. They don't look perfectly new, but the beam color and intensity is excellent. The car subsequently had a deer strike on one side and got a new headlight there. from the cockpit, you can't tell which headlight is new and which one is 16 years old and refinished based on the beams.

The expensive kits are a waste of money. Some good sandpaper, a little time, and inexpensive but reputable paint (e.g., Rustoleum) is much better.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Scotty Kilmer said to use this. I'll try it next time I do the headlights.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Good luck. I refuse to touch rustoleum any more

 

[Oro_O]

Originally Posted by SnowDrifter
Good luck. I refuse to touch rustoleum any more


That's too bad; it's high quality stuff at a good price.

I think that one pictured above is what I used. Scotty Kilmer's 1/2 insane and often wrong, but this isn't one of those cases. It has worked great for years.

 

[SatinSilver]

With the Mother's Headlight restorer they have an offer inside the package to buy some Lamin-X headlight covers. Around $60.

https://www.amazon.com/Lamin-x-F028G-Headlight-Film-Covers/dp/B004BUOPDS

 

[Spartanfool]

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Sylvania's UV coating is supposed to be good.


I've used several brands, but I like the Sylvania best. Easy, fast, durable.

Never tried the Rust-oleum stuff.

 

[StevieC]

I use the same sealant I use on my paint every year and they stay crystal clear for the life of the vehicle. My Santa Fe had new looking headlights until it's death. It saw a lot of miles.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I just keep mine clean and regularly use spray wax on them. What I'd really like to see is an aftermarket company make real glass replacements for cheap plastic oem headlights.

 

[92saturnsl2]

Originally Posted by SnowDrifter
May not be what you're looking for, but I'd leave it alone. Coatings can be a fuss, especially if they don't adhere properly. Leave it alone and repeat the sand/buff procedure when it happens again. It's needed it once in 10 years. Consider the likelihood it will be around in another 10 years time.


I get about a year out of mine, sometimes a bit less before the oxidation reappears in a big way and needs repeat sanding (I use the 3M kit which is pretty thorough). Even after a few months, the yellowing is noticeable.

I'd recommend doing something, anything-- even a coat of wax each time you detail your car. That's what I do, but I don't wax the cars regularly enough for it to make much difference. Perhaps buffing with Plastx once a month would help. Curious what methods others use and whether its successful.

 

[daves87rs]

Might try the rattle can idea.....

 

[supton]

Forget what I have now, but on two of my vehicles I bought some 3M covers. Thick plastic that are softer than the housing. Meant to take the damage from rocks. 2-3mm thick. After 5+ years they will start to fade, and it's a major pain to remove, but they seem to work pretty well out past that to 8+ years I think. Problem is, all the darn curves they put into headlights these days, it's hard to get them to seal real well.

I thought about putting them onto my beater Camry but housings are like $20 now, so it's cheaper to replace those instead.

 

[SatinSilver]

I tried the Meguiars Headlight spray which is like a clear coat last year. The lights started fogging up again around the 9-10 month mark. Not impressed.

 

[StevieC]

You can also ceramic coat the lenses and it lasts a really long time. This guy did it.
First he restored them and then ceramic coats them to protect them.

Prior to 5:32 - Restoring the lights and then removing the wax before coating.
After 5:32 - Applying Ceramic coating.

 

[SatinSilver]

I asked a professional detailer on here about it recently. The coating can also be used on black trim to keep it looking nice.

Originally Posted by .......
Originally Posted by SatinSilver
Thank you, very helpful. What about a good product to protect the headlights from yellowing after being polished. The 05 Toyota Matrix needs some headlight polishing. But my main concern is protecting them after being polished. To keep them looking decent.

Every one of my cars has C.Quartz DLUX on the headlights. The huge issue is after wetsanding, compounding, or polishing headlights, the UV coating is either removed, or degraded. I now, along with many detailers, will do a quick wetsand on headlights that are in really bad shape, and spray them with 2K UV clear coat via a HVLP gun. This holds up a LONG time. But on headlights that someone is just looking to protect, a good coating is really the best...or as many of us have been saying for years, just wax/seal them when you wax/seal the car.