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I don't recall reading any threads relative to this job, so I thought I'd share my experience. The headlights on my 05 were getting pretty ugly and I decided to see if I could renew them. Consumer Reports rated the Sylvania Headlight Restoration kit the best, so that's what I bought.
Side bar on that. The first kit I bought was short a piece of sandpaper (1000 grit wet) and since I ordered the kit from Amazon, it wasn't worth sending back. My advice is to make sure that everything is in the box that's supposed to be there. (I'm going to do the 07 too, and I'm confident that when I'm finished with that job, between the two kits, I'll have enough of everything left over to do a third car).
There's a great instructional video on the Sylvania web site (it's on youtube, but I found it easier to access off the Sylvania sight). I'll let the video speak for the job itself, but it's pretty easy, and it really did make a huge difference in the headlights. How long they'll stay that way remains to be seen, but it was well worth it. For $20 +-, it was money well spent.
I know that there are probably millions of cars out there that could benefit from this job, including a bunch of TSX's. It's an easy, inexpensive job that really will make a difference.
I don't recall reading any threads relative to this job, so I thought I'd share my experience. The headlights on my 05 were getting pretty ugly and I decided to see if I could renew them. Consumer Reports rated the Sylvania Headlight Restoration kit the best, so that's what I bought.
Side bar on that. The first kit I bought was short a piece of sandpaper (1000 grit wet) and since I ordered the kit from Amazon, it wasn't worth sending back. My advice is to make sure that everything is in the box that's supposed to be there. (I'm going to do the 07 too, and I'm confident that when I'm finished with that job, between the two kits, I'll have enough of everything left over to do a third car).
There's a great instructional video on the Sylvania web site (it's on youtube, but I found it easier to access off the Sylvania sight). I'll let the video speak for the job itself, but it's pretty easy, and it really did make a huge difference in the headlights. How long they'll stay that way remains to be seen, but it was well worth it. For $20 +-, it was money well spent.
I know that there are probably millions of cars out there that could benefit from this job, including a bunch of TSX's. It's an easy, inexpensive job that really will make a difference.
I had this done a couple of months ago. I did make a huge difference. I was having to put on my brights at night to see better because the cloudiness was so bad.
did yours look like that? Or was it just cloudy and dull? I'm not sure if the headlight restoration stuff will take care of this issue or just create more plastic flaking. Any advice?
Don't use the sandpaper unless your's are completely opaque. It's so much harder buffing the oxidation out plus the scrapes from the sandpaper. Experience is a dear teacher. Seal it with some car wax when you are done.
did yours look like that? Or was it just cloudy and dull? I'm not sure if the headlight restoration stuff will take care of this issue or just create more plastic flaking. Any advice?
Is this a TSX? There shouldn't be anything peeling off unless a coating of some type was applied before. It does seem like you'd have nothing to lose though (except perhaps the cost of the kit) by trying it on your headlights.
Is this a TSX? There shouldn't be anything peeling off unless a coating of some type was applied before. It does seem like you'd have nothing to lose though (except perhaps the cost of the kit) by trying it on your headlights.
my headlights look like that too. interestingly, one side looks like its bubbling, the other side is way more hazed and yellowed... there is no film or other perceivable coating that can be taken off.
my best guess is depending on exposure to sunlight, the factory uv-protective coating "peeled" aka deteriorated (probably just a solution that is applied to the plastic and dries clear) much like how paint will deteriorate over time if not taken care of...
i'm going to try this restoration kit and see how it works.
well suckering suckertash. amazon doesn't ship the product to hawaii. probably because of the spray bottle... oh well. now i have to go look for something on-island. the turtle brand restoration kit seems almost identical to the sylvania so maybe i'll try to hunt that down...
On the exposure angle, my '06 has been garaged the whole time and thus suffered much less exposure, and the headlight covers are still clear as a sunny day.
I suspect several factors play into the fogging: exposure to elements, climate (sunny means uv-damage and snowy means road salts and stuff, local conditions (dust storms and such) and how one washes the car.
well suckering suckertash. amazon doesn't ship the product to hawaii. probably because of the spray bottle... oh well. now i have to go look for something on-island. the turtle brand restoration kit seems almost identical to the sylvania so maybe i'll try to hunt that down...
Autozone sells the Sylvania kit, and it actually costs no more (if they have one. My local store didn't have one with the other brands of restoration kits they carry. I happened to trip over the only one they had on my way out, it was sitting in a different spot). I think the main reason that the Sylvania kit finished first in the Consumers Reports test was that the fix lasted the longest. Feel free to try something different, I was just passing along my experience. A report on another brand wouldn't hurt. Oh, the spray bottle that helps with wetting down and rinsing isn't included.
I've used the Mother's kit in the past and although I liked the end results it was only a matter of months before my headlights started to haze again bcuz the kit doesn't come with any sealant for long term protection.
I've since done my wife's and bro's car. The best thing is that the kit comes complete with sealant!!...but u might need a lil extra grit paper. Luckily I always have extra stored away.
I've used the Mother's kit in the past and although I liked the end results it was only a matter of months before my headlights started to haze again bcuz the kit doesn't come with any sealant for long term protection.
I've since done my wife's and bro's car. The best thing is that the kit comes complete with sealant!!...but u might need a lil extra grit paper. Luckily I always have extra stored away.
Awesome, looks great SlikRik. Have been looking for something like this for a while.
When I purchase my TSX in 06, I invested in a 3M clear bra for the front end, side mirrors, fogs, and headlights. It was mostly done because of sand, rock and road debris while driving in the southwest (clear bra is cheaper that repainting the front end). The product lasted about 4 1/2 years before I noticed it was starting to haze up at little. I took it back to the installer and told me they improved their film to last longer and resist UV hazing. Lucky for me, the 3M product had a 5 year warranty against hazing and they replace the entire clear bra for free.
I was a little surprised how the 3M product protected headlights and fogs from hazing under the film. The headlights look new and the new film is crystal clear again. I did not realize how much of my HID lights were being diffused with hazy covers. It like brand new again with the sharp cut off when you get rid of the haze. I think it was about $50 extra to do the headlights/fogs for +5 years of protection with the UV 3M film.
I've used the Mother's kit in the past and although I liked the end results it was only a matter of months before my headlights started to haze again bcuz the kit doesn't come with any sealant for long term protection.
I've since done my wife's and bro's car. The best thing is that the kit comes complete with sealant!!...but u might need a lil extra grit paper. Luckily I always have extra stored away.
Does this also come as just a protectant? The issue I've had is no one can seem to recommend a good (read: long lasting) sealant to apply after we
use these kits. For example, I have the 3m kit, which comes with some synthetic wax to put on the lights. I figure this will last at most 2-3 months with my car being parked outside. Is there something out there that last much longer short of applying an actual clear coat to the lenses as some body shops do?
When I purchase my TSX in 06, I invested in a 3M clear bra for the front end, side mirrors, fogs, and headlights. It was mostly done because of sand, rock and road debris while driving in the southwest (clear bra is cheaper that repainting the front end). The product lasted about 4 1/2 years before I noticed it was starting to haze up at little. I took it back to the installer and told me they improved their film to last longer and resist UV hazing. Lucky for me, the 3M product had a 5 year warranty against hazing and they replace the entire clear bra for free.
I was a little surprised how the 3M product protected headlights and fogs from hazing under the film. The headlights look new and the new film is crystal clear again. I did not realize how much of my HID lights were being diffused with hazy covers. It like brand new again with the sharp cut off when you get rid of the haze. I think it was about $50 extra to do the headlights/fogs for +5 years of protection with the UV 3M film.
Interesting in that I've never heard of clear coating the headlights; I can't imagine it doesn't decrease the effectiveness of the lights. Both our 05 and 07 were done when new, and though they're not the first cars I've had protected, they've by far (and by a number of years and 125K miles) gone the longest with the clear bra installed (and it does a superb job of minimizing road rash). Anyone that does much highway driving could certainly benefit from the product. The 05 doesn't have fog lights, and the lenses on the 07 were broken years ago (and have stayed that way).
I use it on my car to as an extra layer of clearcoat. So maybe that would also work?
Woah! opticoat 2.0 is $60 for just a little bit of product. Too rich for my blood, but that sounds like the best by far. Anything else in a more affordable price range? I only paid like $8 for the headlight restoration kit. I feel like for $60 I might as just get a detailer to do my headlights
I used a 3m headlight restoration kit on 3 vehicles (not TSX), and it did wonders for the headlights, but are starting to deteriorate after a year. My TSX is garage kept, so the lights are in great shape.
My recommendation is to clear out all of the crap you keep in the garage and park your car in there.
Does this also come as just a protectant? The issue I've had is no one can seem to recommend a good (read: long lasting) sealant to apply after we
use these kits. For example, I have the 3m kit, which comes with some synthetic wax to put on the lights. I figure this will last at most 2-3 months with my car being parked outside. Is there something out there that last much longer short of applying an actual clear coat to the lenses as some body shops do?
Yes it comes with protection/sealant!! If u re-read my post u'll see that I mentioned that. Don't waste money elsewhere. The glassy lite kit is superior to 3M, mother's, etc...
I've used the Mother's kit in the past and although I liked the end results it was only a matter of months before my headlights started to haze again bcuz the kit doesn't come with any sealant for long term protection.
I've used the Mother's kit in the past and although I liked the end results it was only a matter of months before my headlights started to haze again bcuz the kit doesn't come with any sealant for long term protection.
I've since done my wife's and bro's car. The best thing is that the kit comes complete with sealant!!...but u might need a lil extra grit paper. Luckily I always have extra stored away.
Amazon is out...how much is this kit anyways? Didn't see a price
Amazon is out...how much is this kit anyways? Didn't see a price
Looks pretty pricey. I found one other place on line that sells it for 38.95 (plus shipping). Their web site (GlassyLite) lists a couple of other sellers besides Amazon (whose most recent review is 5 years old by the way), but one doesn't offer it, and the other one disappeared.
If you guys are looking into a good sealant you should consider getting clear hood bra. You can find a reference link in post #7 in my TL Headlights restoration thread:
Glad to find this multi-year spanning thread. Please keep posting your experiences.
Been hesitant to do this since everything I've read says headlights haze-back fast, and even worse, after a restoration - since original protective coatings are removed in the process.
Even the auto shops around here all say they just sand/buff them clear - no coating.
Weird to read that some DIY-ers actually use polyurethane varnish, but there must be some real, compatible, clear-coat out there. FYI looks GlassyLite is again available at various web-sites, and that Opti-coat has been superseded by Opti-Lens. The PPFilm is a very very interesting alternative idea.
Pretty good long-term comparison is mine, below (sorry, no pics)...
I re-finished my wife's 2007 Odyssey headlights, as well as my TSX headlights, in the same month about 3 years ago. Both are polycarbonate lenses from Honda, obviously, and I would assume are the same formulation/material.
The difference is that once refinished, I installed/applied a headlight protective film on my TSX lights, but nothing on the Odyssey except wax (polymer) every so often.
My headlights still look BRAND NEW. The Odyssey needs to be refinished again in a bad way. I will be buying headlight protective film for them this time! (I just know that the application of film will be much more tricky on the Odyssey with the curvatures vs the simple install on the TSX with its relatively flat, 2D shape).
Pretty good long-term comparison is mine, below (sorry, no pics)...
I re-finished my wife's 2007 Odyssey headlights, as well as my TSX headlights, in the same month about 3 years ago. Both are polycarbonate lenses from Honda, obviously, and I would assume are the same formulation/material.
The difference is that once refinished, I installed/applied a headlight protective film on my TSX lights, but nothing on the Odyssey except wax (polymer) every so often.
My headlights still look BRAND NEW. The Odyssey needs to be refinished again in a bad way. I will be buying headlight protective film for them this time! (I just know that the application of film will be much more tricky on the Odyssey with the curvatures vs the simple install on the TSX with its relatively flat, 2D shape).
It should not be that bad if you use a heat gun ;-)
Pretty good long-term comparison is mine, below (sorry, no pics)...
I re-finished my wife's 2007 Odyssey headlights, as well as my TSX headlights, in the same month about 3 years ago. Both are polycarbonate lenses from Honda, obviously, and I would assume are the same formulation/material.
The difference is that once refinished, I installed/applied a headlight protective film on my TSX lights, but nothing on the Odyssey except wax (polymer) every so often.
My headlights still look BRAND NEW. The Odyssey needs to be refinished again in a bad way. I will be buying headlight protective film for them this time! (I just know that the application of film will be much more tricky on the Odyssey with the curvatures vs the simple install on the TSX with its relatively flat, 2D shape).
Can you link to the brand of protective film you used?
Hello Acura fam. For those of you trying to find glassylite, I've been able to locate the updated version. It's called NewlitePro. It works even better than the original glassylite or any other headlight restoration product on the market for that matter. PM me if you are interested.
I imagine just about any method used to sand and polish the headlights clear again will work. The problem is protecting the plastic from yellowing UV light after you get it looking good.
I used clear Helmsman spar urethane to seal the lights after polishing them. A UV protective coating of some sort is essential, otherwise the lenses will turn yellow in a matter of a few months.
Sorry man.
