Headlight buffing??

Stumbled across a thread in the photo gallery by someone who just bought an '02 and needed to buff headlights.

How do you buff headlights?? This is an honest question, not a scoff. Mine ('04 wagon) are a little dull and I just thought it was something salt-related since I bought it on the east coast, but they don't quite get factory clear, even if I hand wash the car myself. Curious...

 

I use the this like every other car wash on my 04.

 

There is a product called plastic-x (or something like that)that works well. Ha! I have slow fingers.

 

x10!!! This stuff is the best.






I can't believe I just agreed with Chet.

 

^^ me either!!

 

+1 for PlastX. But if they're worse than it can take care of there is always wet sanding. That's how I had to clean the SVX headlights.

 

can you pick this stuff up anywhere?

 

worst stuff ever! (because someone has to disagree with chet) :biggrin:

mine were so bad I had to wet sand and buff them....

 

Cool. I'll check it out. I hope I don't have to wet sand... that would bum me out.

 

what kind of polish did you use to buff them?

 

Wet sanding is not necessary no matter how hazed they are.


I use Mother's chrome polish with a shop towel for about one minute on each headlight. There is just enough abrasive in the stuff to bring back the most horribly hazed headlight in about one minute of buffing by hand.

 

I think 3m medium cut then color renew polish, they look like new now

 

you are right, you really dont need to wet sand and as a matter of fact I'm pretty sure I just used a scotchbrite pad......

 

OK... biked to Ace Hardware today and picked up some Turtle Wax Chrome Polish. Didn't do a thing. I think most of my "haziness" is actually little chips and scratches.

Wet sand maybe? Ergh.

 

you can buff them with a car buffer like you would paint, just on a slower speed. dont press too hard, and if you dont know what you are doing dont even try it, have someone who does do it.

 

I haven't tried the Turtle wax stuff, so I don't know if it has enough abrasive in it. With the Mothers's stuff, can can definitely feel the abrasive in it. Its also blue in color.

I'm not saying wetsanding is that hard, Jason, but often times can be avoided.

 

The only reason I'm *scared* of wet sanding is that I've never done it before... and I'm not to hot on the idea of screwing something like headlights up when a replacement set is $1,000. Anyone want to help?

:hsugh:

 

Mothers

I used Mothers Plastic polish early this summer on my bugeyes and was more than happy with the results. + elbow grease and a terry/buffing towel/pad

Wet sanding scared me as well but i've heard many had much better results going that route.

Holy large product image batman!

 

Hmmm... since we're talking about glass here, has anyone ever buffed a windshield?

It seems like a weird idea to me -- and possibly a bad one, since the windshield is the most important piece of glass on the car -- but I think the previous owner drove through a sandstorm or something. Weird, though, 'cause the paint on the hood is fine.

There's a bunch of little tiny scratches and nicks that don't really show up except at sunrise or sunset when the glare catches them. Then they're really annoying. I was thinking replacing the windshield might be the way to go there, but ya never know.

EDIT: Oh wait... since everyone's using plastic polish on headlights, does that mean they're actually some kind of hard plastic instead of glass, like polycarbonate?

 

Yes your headlights are made of polycarbonate.



As far as polishing your windsheild, it can be done. There is a special compund for it, but it was meant for small areas. It would take you days and days to actually polish out all the nicks in the glass. You's be better of spending $300 on ahving someone come out and replace it.

Mine is the same way. When I drive into morning or evening sun, it looks like someone threw a handfull of glitter on the windsheild. I'll be replacing it myself as I have anew windsheild sitting in the basement and the tools to do it.

 

Gotcha. Sounds good. So Mothers for the headlights it is, then.

 

Polished them today. Lookin good, but the chips (of course) are still there. Oh well.