Guest bereavement Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 I decided to give my headlights a 'refurb'.... Here is a before and after. Just a little proud of myself! Even her indoors was impressed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 Looks a good job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trebor69 Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 What exactly did you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 What exactly did you use? Ditto. Interested in what you used and how you did it. If you followed a guide on here, which one please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bereavement Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 I actually watched about 70000000000 hours of youtube footage about toothpaste and mosquito spray before just going out and buying this http://www.halfords.com/motoring-travel/cleaning-body-repair/detailing-products/meguiars-one-step-headlight-restoration-kit ... I was a little dubious but thought 'i can't make it any worse' and cracked on. 2 major points are a) Keep the lense & emery wet b) go in side to side and then up & down as you go down the grades. I really should have bought a UV clear coat spray to finish it but my local store didn't have any so I will just do it next time. It took about an hour and half this morning and was MUCH easier than I expected it to be. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trebor69 Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 I actually watched about 70000000000 hours of youtube footage about toothpaste and mosquito spray before just going out and buying this http://www.halfords.com/motoring-travel/cleaning-body-repair/detailing-products/meguiars-one-step-headlight-restoration-kit ... I was a little dubious but thought 'i can't make it any worse' and cracked on. 2 major points are a) Keep the lense & emery wet b) go in side to side and then up & down as you go down the grades. I really should have bought a UV clear coat spray to finish it but my local store didn't have any so I will just do it next time. It took about an hour and half this morning and was MUCH easier than I expected it to be. Good luck. Is this the correct link? There is no emery paper used in that vid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTR Fever Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 hmm..very interested to know what you did as well. My lights look exactly like your "before" pic. I have a Turtle Wax headlight restoration kit at home, will it give similar results? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MATT RR Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 thats one hell of a transformation, well done they look like new! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc92 Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 My brother used toothpaste on his car, it took him many hours of scrubbing and a few tubes of the stuff but it worked quite well. I'd like to do my headlights at some point, yours look great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignum Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 I used t-cut, did an ok job but faded again quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRX Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 I always use plast-x (think thats its name) from Halfords, always does a great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellonman Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 I always use 2000 grit ( when they are really bad ) t-Cut and then a polish on top , probably do them twice a year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bereavement Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Sorry if the link was bad. It was this product! http://www.halfords.com/motoring-travel/cleaning-body-repair/detailing-products/meguiars-one-step-headlight-restoration-kit You can see on the box it has the sanding pads! I would say each headlight took about 40 mins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHICO-SUPRA Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Great job on the headlights bud:thumbs: Ive used that before on my cousins Celica, worked great but that buffing pad but me off using it as all the fluff from it went all over the place. best thing from Halfords i found for headlight was polishing compound. seems to work quite well on plastic lenses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a98pmalcolm Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 great job dude. thats a great kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bereavement Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 yes the buffing pad was like a moulting dog. now....... lets get some new badges and a full paint correction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herbiemercman Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Hey Dudes, I just did "wet and dry" as per what they do with paint spraying, start with the coarse and end with the very fine, then "T-Cut" and just rub up by hand, then three coats of acrylic laquer, they look as new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTR Fever Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Whenever I open the link, it shows the Meguiars Headlight Restoration kit which is essentially a buffing pad and polishing compound...is that what you used?? The turtle wax kit I have at home has small emory pads in it...varying smoothness...followed with a headlight sealing wipe https://edwinmb.wordpress.com/2014/02/19/turtle-wax-headlight-restorer-review/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisgowing Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 I need to do mine but not to sure if it's just the outside of if it's got on the inside to. I've got the kit that's been recommended as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binfieldx Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 (edited) Easiest and quickest way - Wet & Dry - 2000, 1500, 800 Start wet sanding the headlights with 800 grit paper making sure the lamp is constantly wet (use a bit of soap with the water) it will feel like the paper is just sliding across the lamp but it's still sanding, you can see this by the liquid going a cloudy white colour. Once you've sanded for atleast 5 mins per light with 800 dry off the lamps and use some 'meguiars ultimate compound' with a rotary polisher and foam pad. Buff the lights for 5 mins per light and then wipe off with a polishing cloth. Repeat the process all the way up to 2k wet and dry then polish with rotary and meguiars for 7mins or so per light. Done deal! Refurbed on left, old on right Edited August 4, 2015 by binfieldx (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTR Fever Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 ^^ to really finish that you should get some rattle can clear coat UV protectant. Spray it on (like 2-3 coats) then hand polish. This was it will last longer and shine better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig85 Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Or at the very least put wax or sealant on them each time you clean your car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bereavement Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 That looks smashing binfieldx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binfieldx Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Yes you can use a normal wax to keep them sealed, i use the same wax as I use on the rest of the car but some people prefer to use headlight specific sealent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slam Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 I decided to give my headlights a 'refurb'.... Here is a before and after. [ATTACH=CONFIG]203820[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]203821[/ATTACH] Just a little proud of myself! Even her indoors was impressed! Can the sanding be done on both plastic & glass lights.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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