Whats everyone doing about cloudy headlights?????

[CREWZIN]

$160 for a set of lights against a $12 polishing kit that you have to use once a year. Your choice.

[PT_Cuda]

Originally Posted by seadooboy

So in talking with the Walmart head lamp guy and te reading I have done on the net states that polishing the lamps away is not permanent. Walmart guy says they will start to yellow again in 6-12 months. On the net (and yes I forgot the link), it states when lamps are new they have a protective coating sprayed on them to prevent yellowing. As you drive your car rocks, sand and road grime bounce off the lights causing this coating to wear away. Your lamp surface also becomes pitted increasing surface area of your lamp, light distortion and yellowing/fogging.

So has anyone straight out replaced their head lamps? I have found where I can get them for about $80 a side. My question is how long does it take. It looks like the bumper cover need to come off, not sure what comes off after that.


Thanks

I would rather polish them out twice a year than replace them. One the aftermarket lights are worse quality than OEM(I know having several replacement lamps each worse than the previous one). Its not like you don't give your car a serious cleaning twice a year you can spend the hour or two it takes.

And yes your front bumper cover should come off to replace the lamps, I've seen it done without pulling the bumper cover but its hard to do.. Alignment is the hardest part of the job..

[D29TEXAS]

I used this kit. It cost about $9 at Auto Zone. It took maybe 5 minutes for both headlights. I did not even have to use the entire process. The rubbing compound worked by itself. I also heard to apply a coat of wax to the head light after you do it, but I am not sure how much that would help. Take care and God Bless!

[D29TEXAS]

Here is the link: Amazon.com: Turtle Wax T-240KT Headlight Lens Restorer Kit: Automotive

[GaryCCR]

I used the 3m headlight restoration kit from autozone. It moves from courser to finer sanding discs that go on a drill. I did my wife's 03 corolla, a 04 rx-8, an 01 Accord and a 91 mustang hatch and they all came out like new. One kit can do 2-3 cars. I thought it was well worth the $20 the first time I did it on the corolla it took me an hour each side b/c i was so afraid of messing up. I need to do the corolla again, its been a year and a half. but it Works!!! Good luck!

[Candyman]

Hey Everyone,

Yep, just like I had said before, and will go over one more time, you can go over the polycarbonate plastic material with most any type of abrasive weather it be compound, progressively abrasive wet/dry sandpaper, or whatever you like to use to help clarify the projection of the headlights with, but the damage to the clear coat is done, and unless you re-shoot new clear coat either via a spray gun, or spray can, the damage will keep re-occurring over, and over.

Honestly, it is not all that hard to sand the urface of your headlight smooth and dull using 800 grit sandpaper, apply 2 - 3 light coats of clear coat spray paint, let sit for 24 hours to cure. Come back and re-sand to a uniform dullness this time using 1000 grit Wet/Dry Sandpaper, then use the materials found in your Headlight Restoration Kit starting with the Compound either rubber in by hand, or even better either that buffing pad on the end of your drill or a real rotary buffer with a wool pad, buff the lens to a nice high uniform clear gloss finish. Then follow up with a good hand glaze to further enhance the clarity followed preferably by a good paint sealant, and finished off by a good two coats of your favirite Carnuba Wax and you have restored your headlights Clear Coat to the point where if properly maintained from here on out, should never need to be re-sanded out ever again.

Sure you can just do a quickie restoration by just cleaning up the lens for now using one of these kits, but why only do fix the problem half way, and keep doing it over, and over for the same thing??? These Chemical Manufacturers seem to have found a niche market and people seem to have picked up on this cycly of temporarily fixing the problem and coming back to spend more money, and more money unnecessarily!

Just address the problem people, fix the Clear Coat and be done with it! Its not that hard! Then you won't have to keep on fixing this issue over, and over again! LOL

Oki Doki, that is my Rant for the day! I feel better now, I promise!

Go easy, and I will catch you all later.

Camdyman

[CYCLONE_06]

Originally Posted by Candyman

Hey Everyone,

Yep, just like I had said before, and will go over one more time, you can go over the polycarbonate plastic material with most any type of abrasive weather it be compound, progressively abrasive wet/dry sandpaper, or whatever you like to use to help clarify the projection of the headlights with, but the damage to the clear coat is done, and unless you re-shoot new clear coat either via a spray gun, or spray can, the damage will keep re-occurring over, and over.

Honestly, it is not all that hard to sand the urface of your headlight smooth and dull using 800 grit sandpaper, apply 2 - 3 light coats of clear coat spray paint, let sit for 24 hours to cure. Come back and re-sand to a uniform dullness this time using 1000 grit Wet/Dry Sandpaper, then use the materials found in your Headlight Restoration Kit starting with the Compound either rubber in by hand, or even better either that buffing pad on the end of your drill or a real rotary buffer with a wool pad, buff the lens to a nice high uniform clear gloss finish. Then follow up with a good hand glaze to further enhance the clarity followed preferably by a good paint sealant, and finished off by a good two coats of your favirite Carnuba Wax and you have restored your headlights Clear Coat to the point where if properly maintained from here on out, should never need to be re-sanded out ever again.

Sure you can just do a quickie restoration by just cleaning up the lens for now using one of these kits, but why only do fix the problem half way, and keep doing it over, and over for the same thing??? These Chemical Manufacturers seem to have found a niche market and people seem to have picked up on this cycly of temporarily fixing the problem and coming back to spend more money, and more money unnecessarily!

Just address the problem people, fix the Clear Coat and be done with it! Its not that hard! Then you won't have to keep on fixing this issue over, and over again! LOL

Oki Doki, that is my Rant for the day! I feel better now, I promise!

Go easy, and I will catch you all later.

Camdyman

Headlights put out a lot of heat. The clear coat you put on there, should it be high temperature clear coat ?

~CYCLONE_06

[gojeepgo]

In the past I tried using the kit Mequires sells and it did not work. I think my headlights were to far gone for such a simple fix. I used the 3M kit from walmart. I can not believe how good the lights look now. After I did the first one I had to go inside and bring my wife out to show her. I could not believe it. Both lights look like new now. Dont know how long they will last but I still have plenty of life left in the kit so if I need to do it again its not a problem. Worth every penny that 3M kit!

[Russellhold]

Chrysler must know this is an issue because, I was at a dealership in the area picking up touch up paint and I got sidetracked looking at the parts room display case and thought it was curious that they sold headlight defogger in the case. and it was branded for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. Sorry I cant remember the price but I'm sure it cant be to Bad.

[freetobejbp]

Originally Posted by lorraine49

hello there i watched the video on yellow head lights and the guy used
toothpaste so do i have the yellow head lights Toothpaste is the solution
why r u all spending more than a $1.oo for results? Tube of toothpaste
at the dollar store is a BUCK..

It works toothpaste is just a fine polishing compound after all AIM $.99!