I’ve been reading a lot about washing and waxing my new (to me) 06TL and I think I get the general idea. Got my 2 buckets and micro sponge, need to get a clay bar and some detailing spray, I’m still reading on waxing. (not sure if I use carnauba wax after I polish it or not, but that is not what I have a question on).

My question is…

How do you clear all the minor scrapes and scratches off my headlights?

I was changing fog lights and noticed all these tiny imperfections in the plastic. I never noticed them before. At first I thought it was the fact that I have not washed the car in 3 weeks (it has rained everyday for 2 weeks and I have been working 10 – 10 7 days a week… I know no excuse) but after I got a rag and tried to “dust” them off I realized that they were scratches.

I will probably only get to run the car to a “U-wash-it” place this week, but next week when I do get a change to spend some time making things better, I want to get these smooth as glass also.

Thanks in advance for your answers/suggestions

 

There will be no significant improvement unless you use a polish. A plastic polish is fine, but I generally use whatever it is Im polishing the whole vehicle with. I have gone as abrasive as (by hand) Four Star Body Shop Med. cut compound, with exceptional results.
Something to consider also after you have them all beautified, for about $50.00 you can apply 20mil (I think) paint protection film. It will protect them from U.V. and rock chips or replacement (which runs about $175.00 a light). I do distribute that also.....

 

On a related topic. Will a polish remove the yellowish haze off the headlamps (my wife's 99 Civic)?

 

Absolutely (if its on the exterior.) Its more then liekly the plastic oxidized. Same thing with my Dodge Cuad Cab, thats what I used the FS BS MCC on.......
I really need to do a headlight rejuvination thread.........

 

^^ thanks Patrick. Yeah, a headlight thread would be handy.

 

 

good looks does anybody know how to get the percipitation out of your headlight like the foggyness in your headlight i just got my car today and it was in my garage last night i woke up and the headlights were all foggy and fucked up

 

good looks does anybody know how to get the percipitation out of your headlight like the foggyness in your headlight i just got my car today and it was in my garage last night i woke up and the headlights were all foggy and fucked up help me out if you can plz msg me or suttin thanks

 

If you've got a TSX, there was a TSB for that. You should be able to take it back to Acura to have it fixed or replaced.

If you own something else, then you'll probably have to take it apart, wipe it dry and make sure it's sealed properly when you put it back together.

 

Majority of todays cars have a lexan/ plastic clear headlight lens. After a while the lens gets pitted, weathered and oxidized, cutting down the headlight beam. A properly detailed car won't look complete if the finish was rid of scratches and swirls but the headlights remain scratched and weathered.

I found a method and I've used it effectively on my E39's pitted and weathered headlights. It saved me from buying a new set of expensive headlight lens covers and can re-use this method regularly. This won't work on glass and do this at your OWN risk.

Materials used:

-800, 1000, 1500, 2000 grit sandpaper

-Rubber sanding Block

-3M Painter's masking tape

-MF towels

-Bucket of water with car wash soap

-Porter Cable DA Polisher

-Sonus 4-inch Spot pads with 3.5 inch backing plate

-3M Compound

-Poorboy's SSR 2.0

-Meguiar's ScratchX

-Klasse AIO

The sandpaper were all soaked in water with a little car wash soap overnight. These grades of grit are available OTC from most stores and are relatively cheap. If you can get your hands on 2500/ 300 grit then you can add this as a last step. I also used a rubber sanding block I picked up from wallymart for $3. The block evens out the pressure you apply to the plastic and makes the sanding more uniform. Use green or blue painter's tape and make sure you mask the surrounding area of the headlight with tape and remove any rubber rubber weather strips (my 530 has them).

I started with 800 grit and sanded vertically (up-down) ONLY for about 2 mins until I pretty much sanded all the clear areas. Try to avoid using a circular motion. Also make sure that the sanding block/paper is dripping wet and dip it back into the soapy solution if it starts to dry out.

I then go 1000 grit and sand horizontally (L-R) ONLY and do the same thing. Make sure to rinse ever so often to remove the residue and wipe clean everytime you start.

Next is the 1500 grit, vertically sanding (up-down again) about the same amount of time. You should start to get a finer residue which is a good sign that you're starting to even out the surface.

Use the 2000 grit and sand horizontally (L-R) and constantly rinse the sanding block. After drying, you should get a satiny texture and get all clouded (don't freak) headlight lens.

Use 3M or Turtle wax Rubbing Compound Polish (green can) on an Orange light cutting Spot pad, a better choice than the regular 6.5 inch pad. Spot pads concentrate the heat evenly on a smaller surface and can be used on tighter areas. Spread the compound with speed 3-4 on your DA polisher, then increase to about speed 5 and polish evenly about 3-4 times. You will see the lens start to clear again. You will also notice that the finer scratches are mostly gone.

Use Meguiar's Swirl Mark Remover #9, Poorboy's SSR2 or Optimum Polish or similar fine compound with speed 5-6. Spray QD liberally and keep the lens wet while buffing and remove residue with a MF towel. This step should bring a lot of the shine back.

Follow up with a plastic polish like Meg's PlastX applied by hand with a sponge applicator or with a white polishing Spot pad at speed 4.

Finish up with an Acrylic/ Poly Sealant like Klasse AIO or Poorboy's EX-P using a blue finishing Spot pad to protect the surface as a Last Step.

Total work lasted about 45 minutes including time admiring your newly polished headlights.

Avoid using a terry towel on you last step(s) as this may re-introduce new scratches as terry cloth can have some cutting abilities.

 

That oughta be stickied!!