Headlight restoration help

[passatdriverr]

i want to make my headlights look clearer and not so yellowish.
i know someones done this.
could you give me a list of what you used, how well it worked, and pictures if you have some
Thanks

[passatv6AF]

There's many guides on google for headlight restoration....

[scotts13]

Buy the 3M headlight restoration kit an follow the directions. Under $20, and easy.

[krazychef123]

The kit from your nearest auto part store will do great!!!

[Harold]

Another satisifed 3M headlight kit user. Make sure you have a drill to use it.

[mikes03passat]

the 3M works really well it made mine look almost new it took some time about 2 hours but it payed off and yes have a good drill you will need it and a bucket of water and some tape where you dont scuff your paint while cleaning your lights.....

[Golfguru17]

The best one I've found is in a foil package that I bought at Adanced Autoparts. Its ~$20 and does an excellent job!

[thscott]

This has been covered here numerous times. The 3M Headlight restoration kit is highly regarded.

The key is to wet sand using progressively finer grits ending up with a 2000 grit sandpaper and then a final polishing with a plastic polish. Mask off the paint around the headlights with masking tape.

Get a bucket of water, a sanding block, pad or sponge and several grits of wet sandpaper such as: 300, 600, 1000, 1500, 2000.

Or just buy the 3M kit for around $20.

I wet sand by hand but then use a buffer/polisher for the final step with the liquid plastic polish.

They will look like new when done.

[keithwbloom]

Last step regardless of process to there:

UV protection for your shiny renewed lenses. Some wax or apply synthetic wax. Some swear by Aerospace 303. Some spray with clear lacquer. Whatever you prefer, do something, or direct sunlight exposure will likely cause them to yellow and haze up more quickly the second time around.

2¢.

[V6sedanglx]

3m is the best, mine were pretty cloudy and they cleared up to clear as glass

[passatdriverr]

3m is the best, mine were pretty cloudy and they cleared up to clear as glass

Would Meguiar's/10 oz. headlight protectant serve this type of protection?

[TheReflex79]

I just restored mine with a Macguiers HD Kit from Wal-Mart for $25. Wicked good kit, came with microfiber towel, 1k & 3k sandpaper with applicator, plastic polish, and UV protectant. I was done in about an hour. You could never tell the car has 207k miles on it! lol

[thscott]

Looks great! FWIW, when I do mine, I open the hood so I don't have to mask as much.

[TheReflex79]

Looks great! FWIW, when I do mine, I open the hood so I don't have to mask as much.

Yeah it was my 1st doing it, and only took me about 5 minutes to mask everything off. it came out good though, and I'm happy with how it came out though.

BEFORE:


AFTER:

[pablitodub]

[V6sedanglx]

Would Meguiar's/10 oz. headlight protectant serve this type of protection?

Yes, that brand works pretty good. I did mine with that brand a while ago, didn't turn out too good. Maybe it was just the way I did it. I've seen other cars that have done the restoration with it and it turned out good for them

[TheReflex79]

4 days later after I did my headlights, even after the weather and heat of VA, I am still impressed.

[thscott]

I have to re-polish mine about twice a year. Even with my diligence of applying UV protection, I find they haze up after a few months. I think it has more to do with harsh car wash detergents than the sun - but is probably a combination of both (car wash removes the UV protection, sun does its damage)

[WolfZ]

I just used the Sylvania headlight kit and it worked great. I found the hand sanding method to work a lot better than the drill versions. This was the second time I've had to use a kit and the Slyvania worked a lot better than the first kit I used (can't remember which brand it was).