wow just like magic!

 

Before, and with ghetto tape job.

This was with the 500 grit

After 800 grit

3000 Grit

Finished product, I kind of want to go over it again and do the first two steps more thourougly

 

Not a huge difference but my drivers side headlight needs it much more than this one, going to do that one tomorrow. I'm happy with it. I also sealed them afterwards with a product I bought from wally world. I can tell with the lights on a difference also.

It appears more gunk and stuff is inside than I thought, I just can see it more now.

 

What sealer did you use? I'm still thinking I'll end up using the spar urethane method unless I find something different.

 

I just got the Heavy Duty Restoration Kit from Meguiars....lets see how it works:
came with a sander/microfiber/applicator pad/plasticx/headlight sealant....

 

^ I just picked up the same kit at Autozone on sale for $24.99.

 

^^^ picked up at walmart for $20

 

I used the 3m kit with the drill attachments

 

So far that is the BEST kit I have used. I have some AMAZING before and after shots of several cars I have done with that kit. They always come out looking like new even if before you couldn't see the bulb inside the lens from discoloration.

 

here are some before and after shots. Take into mind that ALL of these were done with ONE SINGLE KIT! Yes I re-used everything on about 5 cars and they all turned out GREAT.

car 1
before


after


car2
before


after


car3
before


after


side by side




If you take your time no matter what kit you get they will turn out good. The Meguires kit seems to hold up to time the best as long as you keep some protectant on the lenses themselves after you do this. They will always discolor faster than normal but if you do what I do and wax them every time you wash your car you can keep them new looking for a very long time.

 

^^^ thanks bro....that gives me a ton of motivation....

i will be doing it on my car and the wifey's lexus today

 

So I finally decided to stop being lazy and just get this done last night. Turned out great! Its not quite perfect, but I would say its a good 95% better. Now that I've done it once, I could probably do an even better job next time.

I used the 3M kit with drill attachments, and I used a Blue Magic Headlight Sealer. I know its kind of an off-brand, but I figured their carpet treatment somehow works wonders, so maybe this will too. Amazon reviews were pretty similar to the meguiar's, so I figured why not. Plus, its so easy to apply, I can just toss some on every few weeks after a wash.

Before and after pics:

 

God help you if you have oxidation INSIDE the lens. That's what happened to my TL, so no amount of toothpaste/headlight restoration kit/etc will fix that.

The only solution I've found so far is to just get a new lens, which is obviously very spendy. To get inside the housing itself would be to compromise the seal that keeps out the moisture...

 

Sounds like a good excuse to have JnC mod your headlights and restore as necessary! Certainly cheaper than new lights.

 

My interest has been piqued. I've seen people baking their headlights/blacking them out/etc but never paid much attention since I didn't read too much into it.

Pray tell, what is JnC? A company? A user on the forum?

 

^^^ a vendor on the forums