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Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products?
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I own a 2010 vehicle with headlight lenses that are starting to cloud up. Anyone have any real experience with restoration products or services? Recommendations and/or warnings? Thanks.

War is god
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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I can't remember which one, but I used it once. Purchased at an auto parts store. And it worked relatively well. Using it was as simple as following the directions on the label. Didn't remove all the scratches, so it wasn't as new, but it was close. Good enough that you couldn't tell from a distance of, say, 10 feet.

I've also had the headlights cleaned at a car shop. About the same result.
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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And I opened this thread expecting it to be more about breast augmentation! What a let down
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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The Meguiars kit works pretty good.
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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A friend used the 3M kit a couple of weeks ago and sent me pics of the result.. looked like new. He said he clearcoated the lens using a product with UV protectant in it so it wouldn't get cloudy again any time soon.

https://www.amazon.com/...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the method he used:

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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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Crank wrote:
I own a 2010 vehicle with headlight lenses that are starting to cloud up. Anyone have any real experience with restoration products or services? Recommendations and/or warnings? Thanks.

I used the 3M kit, and it cleaned up nicely, albeit with a lot of work (don't stop early!).

However, I can't say that the output coming from the clean headlight was noticeably brighter than that from the untreated headlight. I did compare the two before doing the second headlight. Just because it looks opaque doesn't mean the output is compromised.

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"Go yell at an M&M"
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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My experience is that I wouldn't bother with the products that require elbow grease. Results are much better using an angle grinder with appropriate attachments for using the various steps of grinding compounds.

If you have the tools, then go for it. If not, just buy the service.

It's not just about saving time - I just think the results are much better.
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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I just always grab a rack and go to my buddy's shop: he owns an autobody shop. All he does is pull out the the buffing wheel and compound and 5 minutes later, just about brand new.

There is a noticeable difference once it's done, and from what I've been told any of the kits work great. But I ain't got time for that shit...

My advice: male friends with someone that knows how to buff shit out...
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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A kot of people use toothpaste

who's smarter than you're? i'm!
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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Cheaper to just buy new lenses on amazon or eBay. The other stuff doesn't last very long.
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [dry heat] [ In reply to ]
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dry heat wrote:
Cheaper to just buy new lenses on amazon or eBay. The other stuff doesn't last very long.

Clear coat doesn't last very long?

That is the way they come from factory.
If I get another 5-10 years out of it, the paint coat is worth the hassle.
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [windschatten] [ In reply to ]
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windschatten wrote:
dry heat wrote:
Cheaper to just buy new lenses on amazon or eBay. The other stuff doesn't last very long.

Clear coat doesn't last very long?

That is the way they come from factory.
If I get another 5-10 years out of it, the paint coat is worth the hassle.

most of the restorative products aren't very good, in that they look great for a short time, but doesn't last . The lenses have to be buffed out to get rid of the cloud, and not by hand. I've had mixed results of the two I've done. The third time I spent $50 on complete new assemblies, was worth it.
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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No experience with the kits or products. Have buffed out 100's with variable speed polishing wheel and compound. You can even sand them with 1000 grit 1st if they are really bad. Have done this with vintage taillights etc. too. I always polish the headlights if I am polishing a car. You can do it by hand with the same compounds. It will just take a very long time for good results.
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [racin_rusty] [ In reply to ]
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Second. Smooths out the plastic well.
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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Bought a 1997 Lexus as a commuter last Spring, the headlights had never been touched and were pretty bad. I bought the 3M kit from the local auto parts store and it worked great. It did take a decent amount of work as they were in really bad shape. The 3M kit is made to use on the end of a drill. I have a corded drill that worked really well.

Only thing I did different was the sandpaper that came with the kit wasn't knocking off the really bad imperfections so I took some harsher sandpaper and put it in my mouse sander and went at them with that. That knocked everything off then I started with the 3M kit. Worked great and they still look good a year later.

I have heard if you want lasting results to spray them with clear coat afterwards, I didn't and they still look good, but YMMV.
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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Used 3M headlight kit on multiple vehicles, and always worked like a dream.

Also did a few extra coats of PlastX just to fill in any imperfections and do a final polishing and the lights are brighter than new.

A cordless drill works wonders, as much for the convenience as the cord not impeding angling and access to certain areas on tricky headlights.

If you're really hard up and don't have access to the 3M kit toothpaste and a terry towel sometimes works pretty well. It won't get out the deep scratches but should remove some of the cloudiness.
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Re: Anyone have real experience with headlight restoration products? [racin_rusty] [ In reply to ]
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racin_rusty wrote:
The Meguiars kit works pretty good.

That one worked well for me. 1987 Mercedes a few years ago. Lenses were going to be 100s of dollars. Big improvement on 25 years of wear.

________
It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev
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