Has anyone used "The Headlight Surgeon"

[tysonmike]

Chance's are in this country they possibly won't, but say in America where it's a hotter climate they say upto 2 years before they need repolishing, uv polycarbornate is I suppose uv protectant only upto a point.

 

[Dieselman]

Chance's are in this country they possibly won't, but say in America where it's a hotter climate they say upto 2 years before they need repolishing, uv polycarbornate is I suppose uv protectant only upto a point.

Which is why polycarbonate glasing panels are treated to a UV protection lacquer...one side only.

As for scratching in normal use, you would think that would make polycarbonate motorcycle helmets a bit of a problem.

 

[LawrenceMB]

UV Coating

The Polycarbornate itself is uv resistant, the lac is only a protection against scratching.

If you change your mind about the UV resistant coating mate you can buy a 2 pot mix in an aerosol which you activate/mix just before applying. It's on e-bay under this listing number: 251155338245
I bought some but have not had the chance to do it yet.
Cheers,
Lawrence

 

[tysonmike]

Re-coating them might be an option but I don't think it's needed, thing is you'd ideally need a UV lamp to cure it quickly otherwise you risk dust setting on it and giving it a ruff feel and looking worst than it would of done without it.

 

[evdok]

I polish the lights most of the time when the car gets cleaned, never had a misty problem.

 

[ceejay]

I polished the lights on my e class a week or so back using a "3M headlight restoration kit" bought on eBay for £20. Very easy and quick, very good results.

 

[tysonmike]

Headlight Surgeon

I bumped into Daryl (The Headlight Surgeon) yesterday in our local Petrol station and mentioned that he had been mentioned on this forum, he asked what was it about and I said someone was asking about what you do and how long it lasts. I asked about clearcoating and did it need it after they had been repolished as someone also said toothpaste did just as a good job lol, he said this..."Try polishing your paintwork with toothpaste you'll be left with lots of hairline scatches and its the same if you used it on the headlights, it won't remove the clearcoat that has failled on them so that ain't gonna work! and he said as for clearcoating the headlights it does'nt give anymore UV protection then if you left it without, it only protects against scratching". Pretty much what I said in my last post, he did say that there's no define time as to how long it last before they need re-doing but he has been told by Tech Serv at 3M it can be 2 years maybe longer as we are in a cooler climate country.

Anyway Im off to bed.

Cheers!

 

[Superspec]

The restoration kits aren't bad actually.

I always coat headlights and tail lights with whatever paint protection I'm putting on the paint since they all offer UV protection. The only exceptions I make are coatings which have heavy solvent carriers such as the Quartz and Ceramic coatings. Whilst these coatings work well on polycarbonate the solvent within them will find its way into minute cracks caused by heat build up. These cracks can happen when restoring lights if heat builds up too much, it's easily done! You end up with a crazed effect in the lens that is permanent once the solvent finds its way in. IPA will cause the same thing.

Polymer sealants and waxes won't highlight crazing if it has happened.

HTH