Plastic headlights

wash, wax, polish, products, methods, fine fettling
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mark1gls
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Plastic headlights

Post by mark1gls »

Sorry not really Scirocco related but might help someone else with the same problem as me.
The wife drives a Honda civic 2002 which has plastic headlights (as most new cars seem to) and they were starting to turn yellow with the sun, I had tried t-cut and wax to see if that would help, made no differnce.
I was cleaning the windscreen and wiper blades with some Methylated spirits (from toolstation) which was a tip on C4 "Super Scrimpers" and thought I would try it on the headlights, I used a soft cloth and you should of seen the colour of the cloth after I had finished but the headlights look so much better, it got rid of most of the yellowing with some good rubbing. Im not sure now long it will last or if it will damage the headlights but they were rather yellow on the top half, one side more than the other so not alot to lose really.

Cheap easy fix if it works.......


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Nate
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Re: Plastic headlights

Post by Nate »

i hate plastic headlights. the ones on the focus have started going cloudy. i've tried all the usual tricks (you can buy "proper" headlight polish thats meant to do it) but nothing works :( what was wrong with glass?


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rwh1990
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Re: Plastic headlights

Post by rwh1990 »

I used some Halfords Rubbing compound with a rotary polishing machine (wet sponge head), followed by some fine polishing compound and then a good buff with a wool bonnet on the polisher and finished with a microfiber cloth by hand on a Clio I had that had really bad yellowing on the lights and it worked a treat, only took about 30mins and lasted the entire time I had the car. might have some before and after pics I can post if anyone's interested?


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dozzum
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Re: Plastic headlights

Post by dozzum »

We use micromesh plastic polishing kits for scratch removal on the aircraft windows at work

Sanding out the scratches down the grades before finishing with plastic polish.


Nate
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Re: Plastic headlights

Post by Nate »

rwh1990 wrote:I used some Halfords Rubbing compound with a rotary polishing machine (wet sponge head), followed by some fine polishing compound and then a good buff with a wool bonnet on the polisher and finished with a microfiber cloth by hand on a Clio I had that had really bad yellowing on the lights and it worked a treat, only took about 30mins and lasted the entire time I had the car. might have some before and after pics I can post if anyone's interested?
Yes please :)


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rwh1990
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Re: Plastic headlights

Post by rwh1990 »

OK, will try and find the pics tomorrow night. Also forgot to mention that I started the process with 800 & 1600 grit wet and dry just to get the top layer off and remove any scratches / chip edges etc. Still took less than an hour.


rwh1990
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Re: Plastic headlights

Post by rwh1990 »

Ok, managed to find a couple of pics from when I bought the car before the lights were done as well as a couple from just after I did them. Unfortunately, the before pics are crappy quality so its hard to see the yellowing on the lights, you can just about see it especially on the drivers side but I have chucked in some pics of other clio's that show the same discolouration a little better. Mine was the grey one with the Reg V959.

Mine Before:
Image

Better pics from other cars showing the same amount of discolouration that I had:
Image
Image

Finally, Mine after the process and a quick clean too:
Image

Image

Sorry all the pics are a little crappy, it really did work a treat and TBH had I taken a little longer they could have come up even better.


Nate
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Re: Plastic headlights

Post by Nate »

I might have a play with that on ym day off if the weather is good
thanks dude :)


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rwh1990
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Re: Plastic headlights

Post by rwh1990 »

No worries mate!


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