W210 Headlight Misting

[1965toxic]

Has anyone had any success in cleaning the outside of the headlights of a W210, which have misted, seen a couple of things on youtube.....maybe someone has tried it? Got a mot looming think it maybe a problem...
Thanks in advance

 

[moonloops]

I saw a mechanic reviving glass and plastic that had fogged with some product called G3??

 

[EDZ649]

I saw a mechanic reviving glass and plastic that had fogged with some product called G3??

G3 is a cutting compound used by professional bodyshops. Most cutting compounds will work for a limited time on plastic lenses. Try some T Cut or similar, it's cheaper than G3.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Talk to Aandyy on this forum, I believe he has tried it.

 

[N7OGP]

this is very good, shop around for the best price
Meguiars Plast-RX Clear Plastic Cleaner | Meguiars Clear Plastic Cleaner

 

[AANDYY]

Yer I tried G3, not good for mine as they were bad, some start with wet dry paper, very fine grade, 1st, then a plastic polish to finish, they are some posts on here about it.

Heres mine. Click

 

[1965toxic]

Yer I tried G3, not good for mine as they were bad, some start with wet dry paper, very fine grade, 1st, then a plastic polish to finish, they are some posts on here about it.

Heres mine. Click

Thanks Andy clicked your link....i wish mine looked like your before ones, let alone your after! Have ordered polish from ebay job for one night this week

 

[AANDYY]

Pictures can be a little deceiving, when you actually see the headlight in reality, the little 'spidery' lines are more evident . Cloudyness a lot better though.

 

[jefrs]

G3 is much coarser than T-Cut.

T-Cut and other mild polishes were useless, as was hand application. The machine takes the eblow grease out of the work. Whenever I have used wet and dry on Perspex in the past, I have ended up with an opaque finish :-(

I used G3 successfully on the headlamp lenses with a small foam pad mounted in a cordless drill. It easily removed yellowing and the pitting which makes them look fogged.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/electronics/95665-polishing-headlamps-s210-yes.html

 

[wrenny]

just thought that i would add to the subject to say that i have successfully renovated both my headlights using very fine wet or dry 1500 grit first then 3000 grit second and then with a polishing pad on my electric drill and meguiars plastic polish.The wet or dry does give the opaque finish , which was when i got worried and then with the polish it disappears to give great results.

 

[jefrs]

just thought that i would add to the subject to say that i have successfully renovated both my headlights using very fine wet or dry 1500 grit first then 3000 grit second and then with a polishing pad on my electric drill and meguiars plastic polish.The wet or dry does give the opaque finish , which was when i got worried and then with the polish it disappears to give great results.

I've polished Perspex on many occasions and have always found wet and dry, even flour paper 1200-2000 grit leaves it opaque, so I steered clear of that. However the polishing pastes do shine it up. G3 on the wet foam pad on the slow cordless drill was coarse enough to do the job itself in one go. I've yet to give it a final going over with the plastic polish, I need to get a tuit.

 

[jefrs]

Well, I had another go at it: Megs PlasRX hardly touched the remaining pits and neither did AG Glass Polish, but it's very clean now.

I shall have another go on a DA with a paint polish a bit finer than G3 maybe SRP or T-Cut (but I don't like T-Cut). Failing that, more G3. If you keep the pad damp then the Farecla G3 works out nicely going from coarse to fine by itself.

Now, how do you get water out of the fog lamp? Or rather how do you stop it getting in there? Or more to the point, how on earth is it getting in there 'cos the surroundings are bone dry?

 

[jefrs]

Update
typo: Meguiars PlastX ok...

Went over the lamps with the DAS6 with a little 3-in cutting pad and G3.
Comment - the DA is not as efficient as a rotary, less "bite", but it took all but a slight marring away, there is a very slight ripple left from the pitting but it is smooth to the tongue (don't try this at home). Followed up with a little polishing pad and PlastX. The lamps are now clear and all the yellowing gone from the surface. The lamps now appear identical left and right.

 

[jefrs]

Why can't I edit that - ok then: the 3-in pads were Farecla G-MOP white compounding and black finishing from their "paint repair accessory kit" which includes a little backing disc for a drill. They have rounded-over edges, which means less easy to catch the adjoining paintwork. Erm, the velcro-type fabric backing tends to peel off rather easily.

 

[janner]

W210 headlights are coated and it's this coating that yellows with exposure to UV light over time. Polishing it will work if it's not too bad but don't go too mad with the rubbing compound or you'll wear right through it (probably leaving patches).
You can buy new lenses without having to buy the whole headlanp unit.

 

[jefrs]

That's interesting, any idea what they're coated with?

It looks like the usual polycarbonate/acrylic plastic to me, no indication of any coating whilst I was rubbing them, no bald patches neither.

New lenses were the next option if they didn't clean up.