anyone ever tried polishing headlights?

[sheffboy]

After washing my car the other day I noticed what a mess my headlights are in. when i turn my hids on you can see loads of little pock marks where stones have hit them over the years.

It looks like the headlights are covered in road salt and when you turn the hids on it looks awful. not only does it look bad but i dont want the hids blinding folk if the beams are being scattered.

I've done a search on here and found a few posts about using fine grit sandpaper and plastic polish but id be scared to death putting sandpaper near em.

Has anyone done this?

 

[sheffboy]

mods. maybe this would be better in the car care and detailing section

 

[lc_allan]

When your done you could either fit the plastic Seat protectors or have a look at fitting some of this to limit further damage.

http://www.lamin-x.co.uk/

 

[Lodgey180]

its will be possible im sure there is a thread on here that leads to a forum where a guy done his astra vxr and he polished his lamps to

 

[sheffboy]

thanks chaps.

Looks like I'll have to mask round the lights and go to town with some fine sandpaper

I'm crapping myself already. lol.

Hopefully i can borrow a porter cable polisher off a pal of mine. I'll just have to make sure I've not had a skinfull the night before as I dont have a steady hand at the best of times.

R6allen. That protective film looks good. I'll look into getting some once I've Repaired/wrecked em.

 

[ArosaRacer]

i would'nt use sand paper, just G3 and an orbital polisher

 

[sheffboy]

G3?

Sorry for my ignorance mate.

 

[ArosaRacer]

its a compound they use in body shops when they "mop" freshly painted panels to remove orange peel effect from the paint, you can get it at brown brothers, partco and any were that supplys paint for automotive use

 

[sheffboy]

Ahh, ok. nice one for the advise.

It's gotta be worth a try before i go at it with the abrasives.

 

[Willie]

Are you a member of detailing world?
I could send you a link but you couldn't read it due to not being member.

 

[Willie]

I've used Meguiars PlastX on headlights, first wet & dryed the lenses with 2500 & 3000 grit wet & dry, very wet. Also try Menz FF PR085RD applied by machine.
From Detailing world posted by detail Doctor

 

[Willie]

Megz #80 Works nicely on plastic lenses too - just be careful on textured trim and rubber as it will stain.

Posted by Philsp on Detailing world

 

[sheffboy]

I've just seen a link on detailling world where a bloke has done his audi A4 headlights. Is this the one you mean JS?

The blokes got serious kahunas to do that to his lights, although the finished product looks ace.

 

[turbin]

I've got some foggers that looks like they have been sandblasted as well. In plain English what can I do about it, as we don't have the same stores in Scandinavia as you Brits.

 

[CupraSport]

Iain I think this one for you to comment on...

 

[Carr20vt]

Yep i always pc headlights with sonus sfx usually when doing full corrective work. Adds to the overall finish.

 

[Pat J]

I'm quite big into scale modelling bikes and cars mainly and I did my Passat headlights with a Micromesh polishing kit and they came up as new. I also did the Karmann badges on my parents Renault 19 cabriolet and it cleans thems up like new.
If it's warm this weekend I am going to do my Leons headlights and foglights.

The kit has very fine grade emery cloth and polishing compounds and is actually used by the RAF to polish scratches out of aircraft canopies and is damn good at it. Prior to doing this I will have clayed them as well to clear any unwanted residues off.

This is where I get mine from http://www.hiroboy.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=48_62&products_id=1974

 

[sheffboy]

there's almost to much good advice here to chew over. lol.

Think I'll go down the PC and compound route first and If thats no good I'll try the wet and dry.

I'll get some before and after shots up when i do them