Professor

My headlamps covers have become dingy and scratched over time. Looks like a cheap piece of plastic; not be deal to replace... EXCEPT Honda doesn't sell the covers separately. You have to buy the entire headlamp assesmbly at over $1100 for each side. Acura of Peoria have them for abotu $800 each.

Anyone know of a cheap polymer treatment to clean the headlamp covers?

Thanks

Acura RL'ing it!

I had the same problem. I took my car to the body shop where I usually have my cars worked on, and had them detail it. I told them about the headlights and they cleared them up for me. So I would try that route before trying to replace both assemblies. Mine where in pretty bad shape, but compared to before, it's a night and day difference. There are some products out there that claim to be able to clear them up as well, but I went the lazy cheaper route.

TampaRLX-SH

Professor,

There are several products made to polish the lexan / acrylic headlight covers. They do a great job removing haze, discoloration, scratches and some small pits. Clean them up and get some clear shield film to protect them going forward.

Unfortunately, stone chips are a fact of life for the front end of any vehicle.

http://www.wikihow.com/Repair-Oxidiz...dlight-Cleaner

23109VC

how much does it cost to get clear lens film to protect the lenses?

i wonder if doing a clear bra would be a good idea too...to protect the front end paint??
once you put these things on, clear bra, or the lens protectors, can you remove them or are htey "on for good"...

Rhlieu

Gezzz for that price, you could just import the Honda Legend's AFS ($1600) complete housing (as i have read that the Legend's AFS swivel at a larger degree compared to the RL which better illuminate around corners at night) and the added bonus of being the envy of rest of us!

OLD_HATCH

Most auto parts stores have little do it yourself kits for about 20 dollars. It usually entails some light sanding (1500/2000 grit) followed by some sort of polish and/or sealer. If done correct it will correct the problems you describe for about a year or so. It usually takes about 30-60 min depending how good of a job you would like to do.


Theres more expensive kits that come with a drill buff to make things easier and less time consuming.

Chas2

Try the plastic polish first followed by the 3M film for the headlights. The clear bra I got (for the car) has been the greatest invention since sliced bread. No stone chips on the front paint or mirrors, no hazed headlights or cracked fogs.

psheu

you can find a good set of replacement b/w $150-$500.... i got a set stowed away in my garage

TampaRLX-SH

Dr. FrankenSTEEN collects parts from dead RLs everwhere. Soon he will have a second RL.

OLD_HATCH

lol

find me some 2004 RL headlights then.



chas2

Where did you get the clear bra and do you happen to know if they make them for the first gen RL?

Chas2

Got mine when I bought the car from a local installer who worked exclusively for Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, etc. dealers

The installer is key unless you are doing something relatively simple like a headlight. Local tint shops, and detailing shops do them also.

Look for 3M Paint Protectant Film, Venure Shield PPF, Clear Shield PPF, etc. These are all different products.

The vendor of choice for 3M appears to be XPEL, who provide complex computer designed patterns that are cut on a laser plotter and provided to local installers. Some local installers do enough of a business that they have a subscription and the plotters in house.

Look at different PPF manufacturers and get their lists of local installers and at least talk to the installers on the phone. This is like a plastic surgeon. You want someone that does this frequently.

Color of your car matters also. Some PPF are better with certain colors. 3M seems to be one of the more expensive films out there, but expensive is not necessarily best for your car and its color. For example, Venture Shield is glossier and has less of an orange peel effect than the 3M does, and my local installer thinks it looks better on black cars.

It is pricey. $500-1000 installed for a kit that does bumper, grill, half hood, half fenders, mirrors, door edges, headlights and fogs. You can probably get lights done for less than $100.

http://www.xpel.com/
http://www.ventureshield.com/
http://www.clearshield.com/index.cfm...n/Product.Home
http://www.iapd.averydennison.com/ia...5?OpenDocument

bf024

Chas2,

I'm in NoVA as well. Do you mind saying who you used? My 06 is is great condition and I'm seriously thinking about doing this before I start picking up dings.

23109VC

does the 3M film protect the lights from fading/hazing? isn't the hazing effect more from the heat/UV?

i can see the benefits of clear bra..a rock hits you..and you are protectd..it might scratch the clear bra but n ot your paint.. but on a headlight, you may be protected from an impact/rock, but will the clear bra stop the hazing?

is it a UV protectant as well that keeps the headlights totally clear?

another question - for those of you who have used clear bra - suppose after a few years your clear bra material is full of little dings/scratches from impacts - can you peel it off and then your paint underneath looks good as new, or does this stuff bond wiht the paint,a nd removing it would destroy the paint job?

if it's like a "paint condom" and you can peel it off and hte paint underneath is "like new" I can see the benefit..but if it's sticks on for good..and then the clear bra gets dinged/damaged..that would look tacky..

stevesrl

Is the seam visible between covered and uncovered areas?
Can this be a DIY project?

Also if the paint is covered with the protector it will shield that portion off from oxygen (air) so this would retard the oxidation of the paint in prescence of UV (sun) and oxygen (air). Being translucent, would the covered areas therefore fade less than the non-covered areas and this difference be noticed over time? Would take years but seems like a possibility.

Finally, how long have these products been around?

robarsan

Hindsight 20/20. Never would have thought I would need to put a film over the fogs. At the last service visit the rep told me everything checked out, except.......I have a cracked fog lens on the driver's side. My first thought was that they'll prob charge me $30 for a lens. Then I was told the bill would be $200 for the whole unit.
I don't plan on getting it fixed in the near future, but I will buy that film after I do and hope it works. Still, too many people have reported cracked fogs, something wrong with this picture!

Chas2

I think most of your questions will be answered in the FAQ below. It has a built in UV protectant and acts as a paint condom as you put it.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...Consumer/FAQs/

Chas2

I used the last entry PPF LLC to do my RL, and it was done at the dealer at the time of purchase.

I used the Detail Authority to do another car, with a newer, less expensive material called Venture Shield.

PPF did an ever so slightly better job, but the Detail Authority job cost 40% less, but also with a less expensive material than the 3M, so it is not an apples to apples comparison. Talk to both of them and maybe one other, and see how you feel about doing business with them.

There are plenty of others in the area. I have heard that California Tint LLC is good, but do not know. They recently moved to Tysons.

Detail Authority, Inc.
617 Carlisle Drive
Herndon, VA 20170
703-318-6565
Factory Trained
Design Access Program Member
X-Pel Experience Level 2

Protective Film Technologies, LLC
Mobile Service
Herndon, VA 20171
703-944-7076
Factory Trained
Design Access Program Member
X-Pel Experience Level 4

psheu

LOL... well, my dad got RL, I have a RL, pretty soon my mom want one cuz she like what my dad got.... that's a lot O' RLs in my family... who knows where those spare parts are gonna come in handy one day

let me tell ya, that '09 rear differential weight a ton (well, not to that extreme.... it weight about 150 lbs).... the moral of the story is I'm a sucker for great deals and mixing parts (my ideal RL, make front of 09 RL look like 05-08 RL)

TampaRLX-SH

Start Shopping:

Hood
Front Fenders
Headlights
Fog Lights
Grille (upper and lower)
Trim Pieces
Front Fascia

Let us know when your facelift is done and it is ALIVE!, Dr. FrankenSTEEN.

psheu

well, first i gotta find me an 09 first.... but with '10 rolling out, more and more unit r gonna be on the road....
for parts, i think front fenders can stay (i think 05-08 and 09 share the same part).... and not sure about the head lights (keep and modify the bumper or just stick with 05-08 head lights, hmmm....).... plus, some complete front bumper (fog lights, grill, etc) might be on sale one of these days (that's how i got my 07 front bumper to go into my 05 TL, the whole thing cost $300 including shipping, came complete with paint and everything included).... or even better, do u think anyone in their right mind with 05-08 RL would like to trade their front with 09+ RL..... anyway, my search for bust up 09 RL continues.... I kicked myself for not getting that silver one awhile back the guy on ebay soled it for 19k where he got it for 12k.... patience.... who knows, some other better deal might turn up

Rob144

Way OT -- but fun....

TampaRL is correct, the '08 and '09 have different hoods and fenders. The '09 fenders have a "continuation crease" just in front of the side mirror, and are more horizontal since they don't slope downward from the windshield as aggressively. The hood is, of course, different too - to accomodate the Plenum.

Back OT -- Meguiars makes cleaners and polish specifically for plastic. I've used it on headlights, and the rear window of my former '92 Miata. Cleaning the headlights takes some real elbow grease.

So far, my RL is still clear. Garaging and covering has its benefits.....

Rob144

Chas2

OT again, jumping on Tampa and Rob's posts...

Acura said the 09 had all new body panels, with the exception of the doors, making it the most extensive MMC in Acura's history.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Yes there is a visible seam, that becomes pretty invisible after 5-10 feet, and you have to look for it even at 3 ft, depending on the color of the car, the angle of the light, etc. Far more attractive than a vinyl bra, plus you can wash it, clay it, wax it, etc. just as you treat your entire car's paint.

As I understand it, this is not generally a do it yourself job, unless you are doing something simpler, such as headlights or door edge guards. See the RL patterns at xpel.com

http://www.xpel.com/products/paint_p...e=1&model=1125

But there are also instructions and tools for those who are not faint of heart

And yet there are other vendors who say, yeah, go ahead and do it yourself.

http://www.clearmask.com/faq.php

Paint protection films have been around since the early 90's. I understand the first uses were in aerospace, such as protecting the leading edges of propellers, radomes, landing lights, etc. It is regularly used on race vehicles to protect the paint (e.g., NASCAR)

TampaRLX-SH

Bob has abandoned us for torque...

Unless Ken shows up with serious firepower, we can just run amok.

armashi

Strangely enough I'm only having this hazing problem on the CMBS/radar unit. My headlights remain exceptionally clear while the radar unit looks very hazy and dingy and just plain miserable. Does anyone have any thoughts as to whether the aforementioned chemical/buffing solutions would work to clear up the plastic on the sensor?