Headlights...Finally!

[Alex225]

As it's been nice and sunny, I thought I'd finally get my headlights sorted out again.

I sorted them out when I first got the car but over the last 18-24 months they have tarnished again leaving it looking like this...

To be honest, not terrible but considering the car is in such good condition otherwise it would be a shame to leave them. So I grabbed the two stage Meguiars kit I used before. It basically consists of a cleaner which claims to remove oxidation but effectively just gives a clean surface for the coating.

So a quick wipe over with this

Quick bit of masking up to minimise overspray and applied a thin layer of the coating. Rolled the car out into the sunshine afterwards and looks a hell of a lot better. Not 100% but you can see the results.

That should last another 12 months or so and still plenty of the coating left in the can for next time.

 

[Dizz]

I had some success with the Meguiars one step cleaner on the wife’s Honda (took a lot more effort though!) [emoji3]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I read somewhere on the Interweb that wiping cloudy headlamps with a cloth or kitchen towel with WD40 on it has the same effect. Never tried it though.

 

[Dizz]

I don’t know about WD40 but I did read that using toothpaste works on headlights ...it didn’t, don’t believe everything you read on the internet [emoji3]

 

[clk320x]

Edit

 

[MancMike]

WD40 is just an illusion. It's just "wetting" them.

Toothpaste is a mild abrasive, like a cutting compound.

 

[Dizz]

WD40 is just an illusion. It's just "wetting" them.

Toothpaste is a mild abrasive, like a cutting compound.

I think that’s the problem, it’s just too mild to make a difference on badly oxidised/fogged lights.

 

[Alex225]

Yeah toothpaste has a slight abrasiveness to it so may shine them a little.

I did try the other Meguiars kit that has sand paper, will polishing drill bit etc. It helped a bit but the coating is a lot quicker but maybe less permanent.

 

[Dec]

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[Jrattan]

Fine sand paper 1000 grit (depending) working up to 6000 grit and then a cutting compound worked well for me.

Should’ve coated with lacquer but sold both the cars now

 

[Alex225]

Certainly does look good, I suspect if I'd perservered with the sanding and gone more and more fine like you I'd have got there. I'm too impatient.

Odd thing is that my CLS and my other half's CLS headlights are absolutely fine, yet my E's headlights ended up looking rubbish. I know they're younger cars than my W211 but surprising.

 

[Jrattan]

As you can see from the pics. Doing 4 headlights took longer than expected and hence the ‘final’ pics were in the dark.

 

[clk320x]

Odd thing is that my CLS and my other half's CLS headlights are absolutely fine, yet my E's headlights ended up looking rubbish. I know they're younger cars than my W211 but surprising.

Depends on how much uv exposure it’s had I think?

 

[DSM10000]

I read somewhere on the Interweb that wiping cloudy headlamps with a cloth or kitchen towel with WD40 on it has the same effect. Never tried it though.

WD40 seems to be most efficacious for almost everything except for that for which it was developed

 

[Alex225]

Depends on how much uv exposure it’s had I think?

I did think that although my CLS63 despite being low mileage wasn’t garaged all the time but not sure on previous owners. I cover it when not in use so I suspect that helps.

My other half’s CLS350 may have been but no since we bought it. It’s a facelift from 2009, not sure if that makes a difference. Either way I’m not complaining.

UV is definitely the killer though and yet not for all headlights or brands.

 

[AltonAnt]

I wonder if it is caused by additives to certain plastics as a flame retardant.
I solution was found using household or easily obtainable chemicals that reversed the discolouration in old computer and games console equipment and was termed Retr0bright.

Retr0bright - Wikipedia

Polishing away the top surface can only be done so many times.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Depends on how much uv exposure it’s had I think?

And where and when the headlamp was made, I had an X reg Astra, one headlamp was cloudy as hell while the other was perfect. I knew they were original as my late father in law had the car from new and it stayed 'in the family' until I sold it less than 2 years ago.

 

[Jrattan]

Polishing away the top surface can only be done so many times.

Definitely the case with paint hence why depth gauges are used.

Here there is no “top” surface other than the plastic itself, which is very thick as you can imagine.
You’re scuffing the plastic up then slowly bring it up refining all the micro scratches. The process arguably lasts longer than a detail so I don’t think there’s any issues of going through the plastic.

 

[Wolfie1]

Use a machine polisher with some cutting compound for a permanent fix fot the lenses

 

[Sprint-Man]

As it's been nice and sunny, I thought I'd finally get my headlights sorted out again.

I sorted them out when I first got the car but over the last 18-24 months they have tarnished again leaving it looking like this...
Thanks for this, I'll get started once this thunderstorm passes?
Lovely car!

To be honest, not terrible but considering the car is in such good condition otherwise it would be a shame to leave them. So I grabbed the two stage Meguiars kit I used before. It basically consists of a cleaner which claims to remove oxidation but effectively just gives a clean surface for the coating.

So a quick wipe over with this

Quick bit of masking up to minimise overspray and applied a thin layer of the coating. Rolled the car out into the sunshine afterwards and looks a hell of a lot better. Not 100% but you can see the results.

That should last another 12 months or so and still plenty of the coating left in the can for next time.

As it's been nice and sunny, I thought I'd finally get my headlights sorted out again.

I sorted them out when I first got the car but over the last 18-24 months they have tarnished again leaving it looking like this...

To be honest, not terrible but considering the car is in such good condition otherwise it would be a shame to leave them. So I grabbed the two stage Meguiars kit I used before. It basically consists of a cleaner which claims to remove oxidation but effectively just gives a clean surface for the coating.

So a quick wipe over with this

Quick bit of masking up to minimise overspray and applied a thin layer of the coating. Rolled the car out into the sunshine afterwards and looks a hell of a lot better. Not 100% but you can see the results.

That should last another 12 months or so and still plenty of the coating left in the can for next time.