Bought the 3M repair kit today. It took my Rav4 light fixtures from yellow to clear AND shiny for $15, in less than an hour. I'm a woman that constantly 2nd guesses myself, and it was easy even for me. Thank you so much for this video! 💞
@@Blu3_777 How long was it before yours became discolored again? I'm in Ohio and it's November, so all the weather is putting them to the test currently 😅 Mine still look pretty good so far. Maybe I should do a video too with six month follow up 🤔
Based on this video, i bought the 3M kit. Very pleased with the results. Thanks for the additional link to the bulk wipes to maintain. I’m hoping to never need to do a full restoration again (although it really wasn’t that hard)
I really appreciated the side by side comparison and I'll be going out and buying a headlight restoration kit with everything, like this, today so I can address the one's on my kid's car. Thank you for taking the time to make the video. Super helpful!
I've done the repair kits and they are solid! I definitely recommend doing the 2k - they simply don't last otherwise as you've stated. In my experience maybe 6 to 9 months and they slowly start losing their clarity. Anyway enjoy your work ALOHA & THANK YOU!
I love the restoration kits. I got one from Amazon, did an outstanding job. 3 years later, yes it’s a tad less clear but wash and go and it’s clear again
Best/cheapest "home remedy fix" I've found is Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish. Takes about 2 min w/no elbow grease. It's freaky fast. Costs about 9-10 bucks. Agree with you on importance of adding a UV protection. I just apply a coat of wax over lenses when finished. Amazon sells a spray bottle UV protectant (orange and white bottle) but it costs about 30 bucks. 2nd method - buy wet sandpaper, use lots of water then rubbing compound and wax...longer and more elbow grease but cheap.
You realize that the Polycarbonate headlight covers come with U.V. protectant that is all through the plastic not just on the surface...right? There is no need to re-coat them, because all that will happen is the protectant you put on will go yellow and hazy. There is no substitute for wet sanding by hand with a back-up pad starting with about 1500 and then working up to 3000, and then polishing with the correct polycarbonate polish...and then leave them alone. All the automotive repair companies want to do is sell you more product so they can establish an umbilical cord straight to your wallet.
@@markanthony3275 No, I didn't know polycarbonate headlight covers come with UV protectant all through the plastic. Shit. Thanks man. RUclips's not totally worthless.
I use the Meguiar's Heavy Duty restoration kit and I've had no complaints with the results. The only real problem with the kit is that there's not enough top coat for larger headlights - other than that it's fine.
I have also used the 3M kit, as well as several others. Most kits that include the assorted grits of sand paper and a sealer seem to all work about the same. The key is following the instructions when sanding without getting the lens hot, and sealing them. If your lights are really fogged or yellowed bad, you will see an improvement, but it doesn't always last for longer than a year or two before they go back to tarnished again. Taking a layer off of the lens is what removes the damage, sealing then keeps them protected. I guess for whatever the cost is these days of the better rated kits is worth it if you want to see better at night.
I restored the headlights on my 2010 Chevy Silverado a few years ago before someone hit me and totaled it, and one of the things to realize it that it is the clear coat that is getting foggy! I used some 400 grit and 1500 grit sand paper to strip mine and a two part epoxy clear coat, and it worked out great. A regular clear coat may work for a short time but the life of it wont last as long as a two part epoxy clear coat. Eastwood 2K epoxy clear coat is the one I used. I've seen the Primers used as well as the paint on some of the off road vehicles when they build their racks etc. and it really is a great brand. I think it's like 40 dollars for a can of it. You have 24 hours after opening the can and mixing it to use it before it becomes useless. I used it 12 hours the following day to put a second coat on my headlights after using the 1500 sand grit paper to knock off any particles from the surface. They looked better than new with a nice finish!
I agree with you. I have used the buffing kit, rub on compounds, spray on solutions and the buffing kit works the best. You have to remove the damaged yellow plastic surface which is hard. Takes some work and time.
😊 if you're not wet sanding and buffing, you're wasting your time. That oil makes it look nice until you wash it. Then you're right back to square one.
Great comparison! I’m thinking if you already had 500 to 3k grit, you’d only need the sealant. But the kit is almost certainly cheaper than buying everything individually. I just happen to have those grits left over from a bumper restoration I did a few years back.
I wet sanded the car lenses down from 600 to 12,000 grit and then put on a relatively thick coat of spray clear gloss polyurethane, and it's perfect! Looks like new. I tried to put an additional coat of polyurethane on one lens, but for some reason it fogged up a little bit, so I had to use acetone to remove the second coat of polyurethane, then sanded from 1000 back to 12,000 grit and it's perfect. Only put one coat of polyurethane on the lens!!
Sounds good. I had done a few different cars this way: Wetsand from 800, 1500, 4000grit. Use clearcoat paint in a can. Wet sand to 4k again. Use buffer with buffing lotion. 👌
I’ve used the same 3m kit and was very happy with the result. I also use a UV protectant spray and if you start while they are clear they won’t fog up to begin with.
@ 303 ultimate UV protection spray. I use it on all my clear plastic lenses. It’s made to UV protect all plastic like your dash board but I’ve only used it on the lights. It works really well.
I tried it doesn't remove any cloudiness or fading and unless you spray with clear coat afterwards it will go right back to where it started within a year
This is what I do. Buff it with the polish, wash it with Dawn, dry with a microfiber, then shoot it with a single spray of clear coat to prevent oxidation. At most 20 minutes a side.
I kept wondering if the glass stovetop cleaner would work on the headlights plastic. Googled, and, others said it works, so gave it a try. I had already cleaned the headlights, so, put the solution on and rubbed it in with a rag. It took away the yellowness and most of the haziness. Rubbed in some wax and looks fine. I sprayed it with a hose, afterwards, which was stupid, because now I have spots of wax on the hood. Was very easy and quick. Good enough for me.
Cleaned with toothpaste, then sprayed deep woods OFF on the lenses followed immediately with more toothpaste on a very soft brush. Very clean. If done carefully, mostly uniform and like new.
Very good video. Most kits will work best. There is an automotive clear coat shown on video's that tends to cost a little more,but results look to last much longer. 800-3000 grit? Huge jump.
That’s what I thought when I first heard of this too! The 3000 that comes from 3M in this kit is not any reg 3000. It is a 3000 Trizact and can manage that jump. It’s what I use in every headlight restoration job.
Great comparisons @BudgetMechanicHawaii ! The kit is definitely the way to go for DIY. Everything else is just a gimmick. Like he said, the only way is to remove the damaged layer. The 3M kit is probably the best, that or the Sylvania kit. And yes, the UV protectant/sealant is a must. However, the wipes are okay. The Meguiars spray is the best. Only thing I’ll disagree with is the advice to buy a bunch of wipes and reapply each year. You can’t just put the sealant over top another layer of sealant. Trust on this. Better off letting them get to the point where you do the whole process again. But if you wax them regularly and avoid machine car washes, they’ll last another 4-6 years before needing to be restored again. Great video!
Its the clear coat that goes bad you have to remove the clear coat. I use acetone and a rag to re move the clear coat DO NOT GET AECTONE ON THE PAINT tape around the edge of the headlight or remove the light housing off the vehicle. Put some acetone on a rag and remove the clear coat on the lens then wipe it clean. then get a spray can of clear coat paint sprat the lens let dry and your done.
☝️🤓 Fun Fact: Baking soda mixed with ANY acid makes a powerful looking foam, but is ineffective. Acids and alkali simply neutralize one another and the foam is just CO2 bubbles. The best one can hope for is the baking soda and vinegar combination to form sodium acetate, which though a worthless cleaner, is used to flavor yummy salt & vinegar potato chips.
with the baking soda, I would say using vinegar with the mother in it would produce more cleaning power. It definitely is great for an organic cleaning agent for the plumbing in your home! It really foams up when you mix them together. I've used it on my tub drain and saw it lift a lot of the grime in the drain, so it does have cleaning properties but not the kind you need to smooth the clear coat on the head light lenses!
The best kit I've used so far is the Sylvania headlight restoration kit for $20 on Amazon. The final stage of the kit is the UV seal which is the icing on the cake.
I use 1200 grit wet or dry to wet sand out the yellowness pretty fast, using a soft block and spray bottle to keep it wet. Then to polish out the scratches from the sandpaper I use a folded up cotton rag (old shirt) and toothpaste, I really lean in, pressure and speed are the tricks to not having to do it forever. For a final polish I use a polishing compound and a little electric lambs wool buffer that brings them up like new. The I hit it with a UV Protectant automotive plastic protector, applied a few times and buffed in. Goof for about a year, then it needs another "final" polish and reapplied protectant. The yellowing is pretty much sunburn in the plastic, it's UV damage.
Wet sanded down to 800 then coat with UV clear paint. Still good. ETA: if you are clear coating you don't need to go super fine, the paint will fill tiny voids.
I wouldn't start finer than about 1500 grit...even 1200 will leave ruts in the polycarbonate that will be hard to sand out. You have to realize that the people selling these products and using them do not know anything about wet sanding and polishing.
That's what I thought when I first heard of this too! The 3000 that comes from 3M in this kit is not any reg 3000. It is a 3000 Trizact and can manage that jump. It's what I use in every headlight restoration job.
mothers rubbing compound and the mothers mag and chrome polish, no sanding took less than 10 minutes each light. I have a 2005 tundra, first clean in 19 years, besides a car wash.
The Sylvania kit is the very best one, second to that is the Cerakote kit. After that, your job is to keep the lenses sealed just like the paint. Avoid parking in full sun too.
Toothpaste (or bicarbonate of soda) using sandpapers going down to ~2500 grit. You use sanding discs with a drill for the 3M, but a ridiculous sponge for toothpase or bicarbonate of soda. The UV protection is important though.
@@deadraider420 no, you don't need to buff off, I suggest you a 2 steps, 1st - just apply that mag polish all around the headlight, wait for 3 minutes and then start to clear off with a rough paper towel and 2nd apply again wait 3 minutes and wipe off with soft microfiber towel, that's it. Done this on my 20 yrs old car, worked great...
Do bother buying it! It will work a tiny bit and you will see a slight improvement but nothing even close to a full restoration with sanding, buffing and spraying new clear coat. Sanding and new clear is the best way to get ur lights back to 100%
@@Pitbully23well it does work for fairly light oxidation, I actually use it on my 20yrs Mazda headlights and cleared it very well without any extra effort, but do agree if the headlight is really foggy, sending is a must to restore it...✌️
Great video! I used a turtle wax kit. Much the same, but no drill attachment. Yea the sealant doesn’t last. Somebody did sanding and then clear coat paint with UV protection. Maybe last longer? I haven’t tried, but I might.
That 3M kit is excellent you’ll get a good 2 years of clear headlights around the 3rd year you can go and do it again it’ll be less work though so this is a win
A good quality rubbing compound (3M or Turtle Wax are good) and a little elbow grease with a soft cloth (or a power tool with a buffing wheel) will give you great results with minimal effort for dirt cheap.
with my own experience when I sanded the clear coat off of my headlights, I used the 400 grit till I was sure I had all the clear coat removed with the sandpaper before going to the 1500 grit. I had 2000 grit I used on mine as I remember back, but I don't think it's necessary to used anything but the 400 grit! The important thing is to make sure to remove all the old clear coat from the headlight and clean the surface well when you spray on the two part epoxy clear coat; I used Eastwood 2k Epoxy clear coat, which I was perfectly happy with and left my headlight lens crystal clear! The important part is to be sure to sand off and remove all the old clear coat from the headlight lens! This is the most important part; the second most important part is cleaning the surface well before applying the clear coat. I done mine parked outside on a calm day without much wind. I used some 2000 grit to knock off any debris that got on it over night and used the remainder of the clear coat before my 24 hour deadline to touch up where I used the 2000 grit to clean up any small debris on the lens, and I was finished! I don't really know anything about 3M's coating they have but I saw some bad feedback on people that have used it. Personally, if I were to do another vehicle, I would use Eastwood again because I know it's a great product. I don't hear as much about it lately, but it's a great option that a paint and body guy recommended and I've seen others use. Eastwood has an epoxy primer that is great if you had to sand your vehicle down to bare metal; because you can cover metal and paint on top of it with professional results for an inexpensive means to restore and old car's paint job that has the clear coat pealing on it! Just an FYI
The bottom line the discoloration or haze is due to dirt etc sticking to the plastic coating on the lense , once you buff it , yes it will shine up however you strip the plastic , it will haze up again
I got Maguires headlight spray and just spray that on each year to keep lights from losing their uv protection and car is 8 years old headlights are like new
As far as the WD-40 goes I it’s have a few thoughts: •it is essentially an oil of sorts but designed for water displacement •the shine it can provide is extremely limited and would need to be redone often •it has no abrasive properties so you’re limited in scratch removal to whatever thing you’re using to apply it, not the fluid itself •the only feasible upside? The displacement of water which in my opinion has no real advantage concerning headlights If I’m wrong about something or I missed something, I’m 100% open to criticism.
The reason our great car industries replaced glass with plastic was to cut costs. Raise car prices with inferior parts equals greater profits, pretty simple.
You should have had a spray bottle of water to irrigate and cool the sanding disks Or set up your water hose to trickle water on the project while you work
I have tried many of the "internet" solutions but only one thing has worked for me if the light is faded/cloudy is wet sanding then using a plastic compound. Lots of work but works and unless you spray with clearcoat it'll come back.
sounds like a nice idea just to reapply the 3M sealer once a year, but, no matter what, you will have to do some sanding because of all the debris and bugs that will hit them driving on the highway or going to the grocery store. I would spend the 40 dollars on a good Eastwood 2k epoxy clear coat and it will last longer than the original coating, in my opinion. You can't buy a new headlight for less than 150 to 200 dollars anymore, so you end up spending 300 to 400 dollars on new headlights verses 100 dollars on the clear coat and sand paper and a cheap buffer/sander from Auto Zone or Walmart! You need something that will stand up against the rain and snow and heat and cold and everything thrown at it driving down the road. It's never as easy as reapplying a sealer once a year like your antifreeze or and oil change. just my opinion anyway. I remember how good my headlights looked after 3 years before my truck was totaled by some guy pulling out of a private drive, and they still looked new after 3 years, and experience is better than speculation that some company is giving you accurate information. I've heard not so good reports on the 3M. My personal experience with Eastwood 2K epoxy clear coat is great. Definitely would be my choice again after my experience with it and seeing so many other good testimony of their product from others!
I use a polishing pad/firm sponge that attaches to a drill and use polishing compound and then polish (fine and then very fine abrasive characteristics) and it comes out looking like new in about 5-10 minutes per headlight. I never bother applying any sealer. Good for 6 months and then touch up as needed. I think the box kits are a waste of money.
I just recently did mine with the 3m kit and I avoid pointing the pressure washer directly at the headlight I just let the water from the hood run down and wash it like normal so I don’t run the risk of removing the clear coat with the high psi from the power washer
Also the fact that they are way more durable. Do you remember how often they’d break? Plus heavier. But you’re right though, the polycarbonate lenses are also cheaper to manufacture now 👍🏼
Bought the 3M repair kit today. It took my Rav4 light fixtures from yellow to clear AND shiny for $15, in less than an hour. I'm a woman that constantly 2nd guesses myself, and it was easy even for me. Thank you so much for this video! 💞
@@MissMollee ty for I was nervous if I could do it too
Getting them clear is the easy part keeping them clear is the hard part
@@ReginaJannie Let us know how it turned out!
@@Blu3_777 How long was it before yours became discolored again? I'm in Ohio and it's November, so all the weather is putting them to the test currently 😅 Mine still look pretty good so far. Maybe I should do a video too with six month follow up 🤔
This was a bright idea
Thank you for not adding music while you were talking
Great informative video without the need for loud music, gimmicks or bullsh*t. Great post bro. 👍
Based on this video, i bought the 3M kit. Very pleased with the results. Thanks for the additional link to the bulk wipes to maintain. I’m hoping to never need to do a full restoration again (although it really wasn’t that hard)
I really appreciated the side by side comparison and I'll be going out and buying a headlight restoration kit with everything, like this, today so I can address the one's on my kid's car. Thank you for taking the time to make the video. Super helpful!
Excellent presentation. You really layed to rest all those so called home remedies. I thank you. I am now a fan of your site.
I used that same 3m kit. I was very pleased with the results on my 2010 rav4.
Glad that I saw your comment because I’m getting ready to buy one for my brother’s 2010 Chrysler 300.
I've done the repair kits and they are solid! I definitely recommend doing the 2k - they simply don't last otherwise as you've stated. In my experience maybe 6 to 9 months and they slowly start losing their clarity. Anyway enjoy your work ALOHA & THANK YOU!
I love the restoration kits. I got one from Amazon, did an outstanding job. 3 years later, yes it’s a tad less clear but wash and go and it’s clear again
Best/cheapest "home remedy fix" I've found is Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish. Takes about 2 min w/no elbow grease. It's freaky fast. Costs about 9-10 bucks. Agree with you on importance of adding a UV protection. I just apply a coat of wax over lenses when finished. Amazon sells a spray bottle UV protectant (orange and white bottle) but it costs about 30 bucks.
2nd method - buy wet sandpaper, use lots of water then rubbing compound and wax...longer and more elbow grease but cheap.
I'm doing method 2, just waiting on this heat wave to end
You realize that the Polycarbonate headlight covers come with U.V. protectant that is all through the plastic not just on the surface...right? There is no need to re-coat them, because all that will happen is the protectant you put on will go yellow and hazy. There is no substitute for wet sanding by hand with a back-up pad starting with about 1500 and then working up to 3000, and then polishing with the correct polycarbonate polish...and then leave them alone. All the automotive repair companies want to do is sell you more product so they can establish an umbilical cord straight to your wallet.
@@markanthony3275 No, I didn't know polycarbonate headlight covers come with UV protectant all through the plastic. Shit. Thanks man. RUclips's not totally worthless.
@@markanthony3275 "with the correct polycarbonate polish"
what's the correct polish?
Yup Mother's is cheap, fast and good
I use the Meguiar's Heavy Duty restoration kit and I've had no complaints with the results. The only real problem with the kit is that there's not enough top coat for larger headlights - other than that it's fine.
Try Adam's results are even better compared to meguire.
Can we use rubbing compound instead?
It will work..@@ReginaJannie
I have also used the 3M kit, as well as several others. Most kits that include the assorted grits of sand paper and a sealer seem to all work about the same. The key is following the instructions when sanding without getting the lens hot, and sealing them. If your lights are really fogged or yellowed bad, you will see an improvement, but it doesn't always last for longer than a year or two before they go back to tarnished again. Taking a layer off of the lens is what removes the damage, sealing then keeps them protected. I guess for whatever the cost is these days of the better rated kits is worth it if you want to see better at night.
I restored the headlights on my 2010 Chevy Silverado a few years ago before someone hit me and totaled it, and one of the things to realize it that it is the clear coat that is getting foggy! I used some 400 grit and 1500 grit sand paper to strip mine and a two part epoxy clear coat, and it worked out great. A regular clear coat may work for a short time but the life of it wont last as long as a two part epoxy clear coat. Eastwood 2K epoxy clear coat is the one I used. I've seen the Primers used as well as the paint on some of the off road vehicles when they build their racks etc. and it really is a great brand. I think it's like 40 dollars for a can of it. You have 24 hours after opening the can and mixing it to use it before it becomes useless. I used it 12 hours the following day to put a second coat on my headlights after using the 1500 sand grit paper to knock off any particles from the surface. They looked better than new with a nice finish!
I bought a kit from Mothers where it involves using different grades of sanding discs & it did the trick for me!
I agree with you. I have used the buffing kit, rub on compounds, spray on solutions and the buffing kit works the best. You have to remove the damaged yellow plastic surface which is hard. Takes some work and time.
😊 if you're not wet sanding and buffing, you're wasting your time. That oil makes it look nice until you wash it. Then you're right back to square one.
You're right, just a temporarily and quick solution by skipping sanding and buffing.
Great comparison! I’m thinking if you already had 500 to 3k grit, you’d only need the sealant. But the kit is almost certainly cheaper than buying everything individually. I just happen to have those grits left over from a bumper restoration I did a few years back.
I wet sanded the car lenses down from 600 to 12,000 grit and then put on a relatively thick coat of spray clear gloss polyurethane, and it's perfect! Looks like new. I tried to put an additional coat of polyurethane on one lens, but for some reason it fogged up a little bit, so I had to use acetone to remove the second coat of polyurethane, then sanded from 1000 back to 12,000 grit and it's perfect. Only put one coat of polyurethane on the lens!!
Sounds good. I had done a few different cars this way:
Wetsand from 800, 1500, 4000grit. Use clearcoat paint in a can. Wet sand to 4k again. Use buffer with buffing lotion. 👌
12,000 grit? don't you mean 2000 grit
@@motorcyclemike43 No, I had some 12,000 grit sand paper from another project left over. 1500 or 2000 would work fine though.
@motorcyclemike43 if you sand your lights with 12k grit you get better has mileage.
@@bizzzz LOL!
I’ve used the same 3m kit and was very happy with the result. I also use a UV protectant spray and if you start while they are clear they won’t fog up to begin with.
What spray?
@ 303 ultimate UV protection spray. I use it on all my clear plastic lenses. It’s made to UV protect all plastic like your dash board but I’ve only used it on the lights. It works really well.
I just saw a video where the guy used Mags Aluminum Polish....worked good, too...one application with a quick wipe down!
I tried it doesn't remove any cloudiness or fading and unless you spray with clear coat afterwards it will go right back to where it started within a year
@@msk3905everyone acting like having to do it a year later is some horrible thing lol. 15 minutes a year? OH NO.
This is what I do. Buff it with the polish, wash it with Dawn, dry with a microfiber, then shoot it with a single spray of clear coat to prevent oxidation. At most 20 minutes a side.
Nicely done, fun & informative to watch!
I kept wondering if the glass stovetop cleaner would work on the headlights plastic. Googled, and, others said it works, so gave it a try. I had already cleaned the headlights, so, put the solution on and rubbed it in with a rag. It took away the yellowness and most of the haziness. Rubbed in some wax and looks fine. I sprayed it with a hose, afterwards, which was stupid, because now I have spots of wax on the hood.
Was very easy and quick. Good enough for me.
Cleaned with toothpaste, then sprayed deep woods OFF on the lenses followed immediately with more toothpaste on a very soft brush. Very clean. If done carefully, mostly uniform and like new.
Perfect timing man, I was just searching for methods yesterday but there are so many
Very good video. Most kits will work best. There is an automotive clear coat shown on video's that tends to cost a little more,but results look to last much longer. 800-3000 grit? Huge jump.
That’s what I thought when I first heard of this too! The 3000 that comes from 3M in this kit is not any reg 3000. It is a 3000 Trizact and can manage that jump. It’s what I use in every headlight restoration job.
The wipes are £85.00 for 40 in the UK 🇬🇧 we are always ripped off here
Jay
Great comparisons @BudgetMechanicHawaii !
The kit is definitely the way to go for DIY. Everything else is just a gimmick. Like he said, the only way is to remove the damaged layer. The 3M kit is probably the best, that or the Sylvania kit. And yes, the UV protectant/sealant is a must. However, the wipes are okay. The Meguiars spray is the best.
Only thing I’ll disagree with is the advice to buy a bunch of wipes and reapply each year. You can’t just put the sealant over top another layer of sealant. Trust on this. Better off letting them get to the point where you do the whole process again. But if you wax them regularly and avoid machine car washes, they’ll last another 4-6 years before needing to be restored again. Great video!
Its the clear coat that goes bad you have to remove the clear coat. I use acetone and a rag to re move the clear coat DO NOT GET AECTONE ON THE PAINT tape around the edge of the headlight or remove the light housing off the vehicle. Put some acetone on a rag and remove the clear coat on the lens then wipe it clean. then get a spray can of clear coat paint sprat the lens let dry and your done.
☝️🤓 Fun Fact: Baking soda mixed with ANY acid makes a powerful looking foam, but is ineffective. Acids and alkali simply neutralize one another and the foam is just CO2 bubbles. The best one can hope for is the baking soda and vinegar combination to form sodium acetate, which though a worthless cleaner, is used to flavor yummy salt & vinegar potato chips.
mmm...I could use me some S&V chips!
such absolutes draw exceptions. The reaction does cause mechanical displacement that can be associated with a scouring action.
Many thanks. Got a Bass Motor kit. Will be doing my car shortly.
with the baking soda, I would say using vinegar with the mother in it would produce more cleaning power. It definitely is great for an organic cleaning agent for the plumbing in your home! It really foams up when you mix them together. I've used it on my tub drain and saw it lift a lot of the grime in the drain, so it does have cleaning properties but not the kind you need to smooth the clear coat on the head light lenses!
I have always just wet sanded and clear coated. Just a couple of dollars has worked on every headlight so far.
They came out GREAT for 15 buckaroos. Thank You for the tip. Definitely gonna try it👍💯👍💯🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
The best kit I've used so far is the Sylvania headlight restoration kit for $20 on Amazon. The final stage of the kit is the UV seal which is the icing on the cake.
I also like the lens conditioner that comes in that kit
This is great advice, thanks for sharing your knowledge Budget mechanic.
I use 1200 grit wet or dry to wet sand out the yellowness pretty fast, using a soft block and spray bottle to keep it wet. Then to polish out the scratches from the sandpaper I use a folded up cotton rag (old shirt) and toothpaste, I really lean in, pressure and speed are the tricks to not having to do it forever. For a final polish I use a polishing compound and a little electric lambs wool buffer that brings them up like new. The I hit it with a UV Protectant automotive plastic protector, applied a few times and buffed in. Goof for about a year, then it needs another "final" polish and reapplied protectant. The yellowing is pretty much sunburn in the plastic, it's UV damage.
Wet sanded down to 800 then coat with UV clear paint. Still good. ETA: if you are clear coating you don't need to go super fine, the paint will fill tiny voids.
800 grit straight to 3000 is absolutely a NO lol 😂
Idk why they did this in the kit .
Good job for what you used tho bro !! Love the page
I wouldn't start finer than about 1500 grit...even 1200 will leave ruts in the polycarbonate that will be hard to sand out. You have to realize that the people selling these products and using them do not know anything about wet sanding and polishing.
@@markanthony3275 yup basically .
That's what I thought when I first heard of this too! The 3000 that comes from 3M in this kit is not any reg 3000. It is a 3000 Trizact and can manage that jump. It's what I use in every headlight restoration job.
Clear and comprehensive 👍
mothers rubbing compound and the mothers mag and chrome polish, no sanding took less than 10 minutes each light. I have a 2005 tundra, first clean in 19 years, besides a car wash.
The Sylvania kit is the very best one, second to that is the Cerakote kit. After that, your job is to keep the lenses sealed just like the paint. Avoid parking in full sun too.
Great video, thank you from the UK
I just used clear lacquer (which I already had in) to spruce mine up after rubbing over with wet and dry.
Toothpaste (or bicarbonate of soda) using sandpapers going down to ~2500 grit. You use sanding discs with a drill for the 3M, but a ridiculous sponge for toothpase or bicarbonate of soda. The UV protection is important though.
Thank you for the video - great info & I can’t wait to finally be able to see out of my 2004 Sienna. 😊
MOTHERS Mag Aluminum Polish works great to remove oxidation, try out ✌️
Thanks I will buy some to try 😃
Do ya got to buff it in ?
@@deadraider420 no, you don't need to buff off, I suggest you a 2 steps, 1st - just apply that mag polish all around the headlight, wait for 3 minutes and then start to clear off with a rough paper towel and 2nd apply again wait 3 minutes and wipe off with soft microfiber towel, that's it. Done this on my 20 yrs old car, worked great...
Do bother buying it! It will work a tiny bit and you will see a slight improvement but nothing even close to a full restoration with sanding, buffing and spraying new clear coat. Sanding and new clear is the best way to get ur lights back to 100%
@@Pitbully23well it does work for fairly light oxidation, I actually use it on my 20yrs Mazda headlights and cleared it very well without any extra effort, but do agree if the headlight is really foggy, sending is a must to restore it...✌️
Great comparison video! Thanks!!
Great video! I used a turtle wax kit. Much the same, but no drill attachment. Yea the sealant doesn’t last. Somebody did sanding and then clear coat paint with UV protection. Maybe last longer? I haven’t tried, but I might.
That 3M kit is excellent you’ll get a good 2 years of clear headlights around the 3rd year you can go and do it again it’ll be less work though so this is a win
Yes the acidity from the orange. But why not just use dang tomato 🤷🏼♀️🤣 or paste with coke cola. Never saw that yet!
A good quality rubbing compound (3M or Turtle Wax are good) and a little elbow grease with a soft cloth (or a power tool with a buffing wheel) will give you great results with minimal effort for dirt cheap.
No getting rid of glass headlights was a cost saving move only. Glass is MUCH more durable
Lol, glass breaks far easier, it covers the roadways in hard to clean up debris, it weighs more, and it costs more.
Other than they broke far easier
Make it cheaper to change you more for poor quality
Wrong, glass has much more tinsel strength than acrylamide (plastic)@@Slking507
Brasso worked for me so far been a month crystal clear. Will wait a while longer and check. But looks great
Brasso? Whoa !
@@HHG_BREEDINGGROUND1 Yep Crystal clear 6 weeks later.
@@grant2149.. UV coating?
@@sisterbecky411 No UV coating. Sofar going for 2 months still beautifull clear
@@grant2149 thank you for your reply! Now to figure out what Brasso is!! Lol!
I used a headlight restore kit to restore my Nissan 370z GT headlights, and it was very impressive total cost £15 here in England
Fine sandpaper,soapy water and 30 mins. Did my car a year ago and they still look new
Meguiars plast x works great. If it’s heavy oxidation sand and polish
Great video do you have any videos on how to fix your clear coat on your car keep it from peeling.
Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish does a fantastic job
with my own experience when I sanded the clear coat off of my headlights, I used the 400 grit till I was sure I had all the clear coat removed with the sandpaper before going to the 1500 grit. I had 2000 grit I used on mine as I remember back, but I don't think it's necessary to used anything but the 400 grit! The important thing is to make sure to remove all the old clear coat from the headlight and clean the surface well when you spray on the two part epoxy clear coat; I used Eastwood 2k Epoxy clear coat, which I was perfectly happy with and left my headlight lens crystal clear!
The important part is to be sure to sand off and remove all the old clear coat from the headlight lens! This is the most important part; the second most important part is cleaning the surface well before applying the clear coat. I done mine parked outside on a calm day without much wind. I used some 2000 grit to knock off any debris that got on it over night and used the remainder of the clear coat before my 24 hour deadline to touch up where I used the 2000 grit to clean up any small debris on the lens, and I was finished!
I don't really know anything about 3M's coating they have but I saw some bad feedback on people that have used it. Personally, if I were to do another vehicle, I would use Eastwood again because I know it's a great product. I don't hear as much about it lately, but it's a great option that a paint and body guy recommended and I've seen others use.
Eastwood has an epoxy primer that is great if you had to sand your vehicle down to bare metal; because you can cover metal and paint on top of it with professional results for an inexpensive means to restore and old car's paint job that has the clear coat pealing on it! Just an FYI
The bottom line the discoloration or haze is due to dirt etc sticking to the plastic coating on the lense , once you buff it , yes it will shine up however you strip the plastic , it will haze up again
Thank u for sharing your knowledge and experiments appreciated more videos to come ❤
Bug spray with deet works best besides the kit. You just need a clear coat afterwards.
I have lots of success with JIFF cream cleanser use with a sponge pad on drill using slow speed with light pressure
Headlights weren’t very bad to begin with!
Common address the YELLOW😀.
Lol. Love these type of video's showing multiple solutions, usually the best cost a little more , so again, you get what you pay for.
I got Maguires headlight spray and just spray that on each year to keep lights from losing their uv protection and car is 8 years old headlights are like new
I use Soft Scrub a wet sponge and Turtle Wax.
2008 Corolla. Lights are like showroom new.
Appreciate this video very much. Will definitely try a restoration kit and the wipes.
Wet sand. Tac. Clear base coat. Clear finishing coat.
Basically you thinned the headlight by shaving it down. Which makes it more prone to cracking down the road.
with some sand paper.
youll be ok, i promise
Nah. Works all the time
The orange one looks fun enough to do, even if it doesn't work. HAHA
As far as the WD-40 goes I it’s have a few thoughts:
•it is essentially an oil of sorts but designed for water displacement
•the shine it can provide is extremely limited and would need to be redone often
•it has no abrasive properties so you’re limited in scratch removal to whatever thing you’re using to apply it, not the fluid itself
•the only feasible upside? The displacement of water which in my opinion has no real advantage concerning headlights
If I’m wrong about something or I missed something, I’m 100% open to criticism.
You forgot to mention that it stinks !...an is misused by 99% of people.
Thanks. This was a fantastic video
Thanks for the video, one kit per lense ?
The reason our great car industries replaced glass with plastic was to cut costs. Raise car prices with inferior parts equals greater profits, pretty simple.
You should have had a spray bottle of water to irrigate and cool the sanding disks
Or set up your water hose to trickle water on the project while you work
Fun way to get good info, thanks
Great video.
thank you , very cool, will definitly try it.
Ya can go one step further by using a few higher grits.
I feel the smaller the micro scratches are the longer it stays clear
Good information!
Can you use the sand paper by hand if you don't have the drill/tool? I usually just take mine to Walmart and let them do it.
Mothers Mag Polish works
You are awesome guy I learned a lots from your videos Thanks 🙏🏼
Do you have a cat garage in the Toronto area!
I have tried many of the "internet" solutions but only one thing has worked for me if the light is faded/cloudy is wet sanding then using a plastic compound. Lots of work but works and unless you spray with clearcoat it'll come back.
Get Mother Mag and Aluminum polish
Yes please a video on Replacing a Master Cylinder 😝👍 Cheers from Bundaberg Australia 🇦🇺🕺🥤
I've heard of oxidation but never heard of "oxidization" before
3M makes the best kit, and sold at Wally world!
I’m in Canada. Amazon store in Canada prices the kit at $29.90 and the 40 pack sealers at $96.33.
😮 holy crap! That's a rip off!!
@@Nursie Sure is. Oh well.
Great video and I agree with you
sounds like a nice idea just to reapply the 3M sealer once a year, but, no matter what, you will have to do some sanding because of all the debris and bugs that will hit them driving on the highway or going to the grocery store. I would spend the 40 dollars on a good Eastwood 2k epoxy clear coat and it will last longer than the original coating, in my opinion. You can't buy a new headlight for less than 150 to 200 dollars anymore, so you end up spending 300 to 400 dollars on new headlights verses 100 dollars on the clear coat and sand paper and a cheap buffer/sander from Auto Zone or Walmart! You need something that will stand up against the rain and snow and heat and cold and everything thrown at it driving down the road.
It's never as easy as reapplying a sealer once a year like your antifreeze or and oil change.
just my opinion anyway. I remember how good my headlights looked after 3 years before my truck was totaled by some guy pulling out of a private drive, and they still looked new after 3 years, and experience is better than speculation that some company is giving you accurate information. I've heard not so good reports on the 3M. My personal experience with Eastwood 2K epoxy clear coat is great. Definitely would be my choice again after my experience with it and seeing so many other good testimony of their product from others!
Great video! Thanks.
@ I didn’t make the video!
@@comingtofull-ageinchrist6736 thank you - hit reply without going back . Thanks for your comment anyway. 😂
Great presentation ...
I use a polishing pad/firm sponge that attaches to a drill and use polishing compound and then polish (fine and then very fine abrasive characteristics) and it comes out looking like new in about 5-10 minutes per headlight. I never bother applying any sealer. Good for 6 months and then touch up as needed. I think the box kits are a waste of money.
Will the clear coat standup to power washing?
I just recently did mine with the 3m kit and I avoid pointing the pressure washer directly at the headlight I just let the water from the hood run down and wash it like normal so I don’t run the risk of removing the clear coat with the high psi from the power washer
Toothpaste works well to polish brass. Paste only, not the gel kind.
I tried a product called , Beyond Clay. My headlights are now like NEW. Before that i tried a restore kit that did nothing.
I wonder if that box of wipes with coating will dry out.
Hey handsome. Arm and hammer toothpaste works pretty good
Cheaper to manufacture than glass. No other reason.
Also the fact that they are way more durable. Do you remember how often they’d break? Plus heavier. But you’re right though, the polycarbonate lenses are also cheaper to manufacture now 👍🏼