DetailingDiscuss how to make your car sparkly clean for car shows, local meets, or any other reason. What products do others use and how do we get them? Get your questions answered in here.
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Recently, I tried to restore the clear look of my headlights by wet-sanding and using Brasso--something I found out how to do here. I used 2000-grit paper in a light manner, but I found that this only scratched up the lens and left it looking foggy.
I tried rubbing in some Brasso, which fixed it a little. It's still cloudy though and I'm not sure if I was sanding correctly. Does anyone have any advice on how to get the lens as clear and scratch-free as possible? Am I using the sandpaper correctly (2000-grit, wet-sanding using a light touch)?
Me personally I never trusted the advice of the guys here who suggested using 2000 grit sand paper and wetsanding them. I think thats stupid personally. What I suggest you do is get some Meguiars PlastX and use either a rubbing pad or an electric buffer. The pad will take a while now because your lights are scratched but if you use a buffer take care not to go too fast or you can further damage the plastic.
__________________ 03 SE Sterling Mist, 6 spd, T.E. 89,452 miles - Stillen FSB - Hawk pads - 350Z AE rims - Cosmo CAI - 35% tint - Redline MT90 - rear louver - track visors - 04 valve cover fix - 3&5mm wheel spacers - free STS mod...more 2 follow, 97 SE "SuperBlak," Max, 147,275 miles "SOLD": see the Mist www.cardomain.com/ride/831971 new toy "69 Mercury Cougar" blk tag, #'s matching, blueprinted, rebuilt 351W, blk on blk, super faaast, picked up 30 July
You can use a plastic polish, 3M makes one as does Meguiars. If you have an orbital polisher and a light cut pad, it will work much better than wetsanding and brasso.
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I wouldn't sweat it too much. The PlastX will help a little bit but I've found that if you are able to get your hands on a PC and an orange & white pad with the appropriate polishes you'll get the results you're looking for. (I've done mine periodically using Menzerna's Intensive Polish first followed by their Final polish and the lights come out dag gum good everytime.
First of all, your "headlight" cleaning project is incomplete. Second, brasso is not a substitute for polishing the head lights with a actual plastic polish and/or polisher (rotary).
Brasso was used in the "10 minute headlight cleaning thread" to buff out oxidation, not scratches.
Once you correctly start the last step of polishing your headlight, it will come out clear.
__________________ Paying a man to work on your car is like paying another man to sleep with your wife.
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99 SE-L - 00vi - Y/E
Get the 3M headlight restoration kit from any auto store...read the instructions carefully, youll be impressed....works very well and leaves your headlight perfectly smooth and clear
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I literally just did the 3M one today. I'll post some before and after pics later if you want. It might take a while to do really well but its totally worth it, its the difference between night and day.
If your looking to save some money,if you can get your hands on a buffer. Use the meguiars 3 step Cleaner, Polish, Wax. Cleaner on high speed polish on mid wax on lo they will look brand new. Plus you will have some left over to do your car.
Last edited by Maximus3.0; 08-08-2009 at 01:29 AM.
Get the 3M headlight restoration kit from any auto store...read the instructions carefully, youll be impressed....works very well and leaves your headlight perfectly smooth and clear
Use this! I just bought a kit this morning and used it to clean up my 5.5 hids. WOW!! What a difference it made! Looks 100x better! I think the drill attachment makes a world of a difference. I highly recommend!
Wet sanding with 2000+ grit sandpaper then buffing is the way to go. Just using polish only covers the oxidation for a short period of time. Wet sanding actually removes the oxidation and buffing them makes them clear as glass. Lasts much longer also.
Use this! I just bought a kit this morning and used it to clean up my 5.5 hids. WOW!! What a difference it made! Looks 100x better! I think the drill attachment makes a world of a difference. I highly recommend!
can you post up some pixs?
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where you went wrong is went straight to 2000 grit sand paper. i started with 1000 grit doing it left to right, 1500 grit sanding it up and down, then 2000 grit again going left to right, after that was properly done the headlight was almost completely fogged but it was from the sanding, after i finised it up with Meguires ScratchX then finishd it with Meguires PlastX, from th outside the headlight lookd brand new and clear. i just had to apply thos two things about 3 times each...takes a couple times to get the true clarity.... afterward i notices that it was still a little dirty from the inside but thats another story....
Wet-sanding headlights is an art, not a science. If you don't appreciate what you're doing, you're just going to cause damage.
The cheapest thing to do safely is wet-sand with 1000 grit (or 800 grit), 1500 grit, then 2000 grit paper, Then use a mother's powerball to apply Meguiar's plastix (or scratchX), and wipe clean vigorously with a terry cloth. The results won't be perfect, but pretty close (and definitely better). After you do this a few times, you find the results get better and better each time.
I used that 3m kit on my 6th gen lights and it scratched the hell out of them. I will be reduing them again in hopes that maybe I missed a step. I honestly did the step/read the step/ did the step. I mean I followed that crap to the T. scarry at first but you start to see progress. Just in the end lights turned out worse than when I started. I am not sure about the other gens but I don't recommend using this on the 6th gen until I figure it out. Let me be the guinee pig on this one. I allready started it so let me finish and I will post pics of the final product when I feel happy and what I have done differently to fix what I messed up.
After you get them clear keep them waxed. I wrecked my car 2 years ago and the body shop put on used headlights that they restored. I keep them waxed and they are still crystal clear to this day. I have never sanded them or used plastix. Just regular car wax does wonders at keeping them clear.
I also wetsanded my friends 2000 Max headlights that were very yellow. After wetsanding with 1000 grit sandpaper i buffed them with an electric buffer. they came out perfect. If you know what you are doing with the sandpaper and buffer its the most cost effective way to restore your headlights.
didnt use any kind of sand paper for mine i Just used KIT Scatch Out, rubbed it in and buffed it out with my hands and my headlight lense came out looking brand new!!!
__________________ 2000 Max SE & MECC Rep.
Maxspeed springs, Gunmetal 18" 350z's, JWT WAI, XS Power SS Headers / Y-pipe
AE Headlights, FSTB, Stillen Classic Lip, Timing Advance 17*, Hi-Flow Cat
35% tint, Smoked sidemarkers, Debadged, fog & sidemarker rewire, 5000k HID's heads/fogs
Recently, I tried to restore the clear look of my headlights by wet-sanding and using Brasso--something I found out how to do here. I used 2000-grit paper in a light manner, but I found that this only scratched up the lens and left it looking foggy.
I tried rubbing in some Brasso, which fixed it a little. It's still cloudy though and I'm not sure if I was sanding correctly. Does anyone have any advice on how to get the lens as clear and scratch-free as possible? Am I using the sandpaper correctly (2000-grit, wet-sanding using a light touch)?
i have wet sanded many headlights..
yes 2000 grit will make it look foggy.... its fine fine scratches.
you need a polishing compound to use on the freshly wet sanded headlight.
idk what Brasso is, but i dont think its for a car? lol
sorry if i missed something i only read this first post
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I had very badly pitted fog lites. Wetsanded by hand starting with 800grit, but the pits were still there so figured ,oh well can't make them any worse and stepped down to 400 grit. Got all the pits out then moved up to 600, then 800, 1000, and finally 2000. Then a mothers power ball with the compound from a turtle wax headlite restore kit. Came out very nice and smooth.
I have an 03 SE with lightly fogged headlights. I bought the 3M kit, and did the lights today. Took my time, about 1 hour to do both. They look a little better, but not great. Probably about 85% of original, and honestly, about 10% better than before. It looks like the lights are dirty on the INSIDE? On the driver's side. I noticed there is a tiny little bug in there by the high beam. What the heck? Anyone hear of this? I thought I read somewhere that 02 and 03 Max's can get dirty headlights on the inside. Any thoughts or solutions? This is my second 03 Max, so I know how nice they CAN look. How do I get them as new?
I have an 03 SE with lightly fogged headlights. I bought the 3M kit, and did the lights today. Took my time, about 1 hour to do both. They look a little better, but not great. Probably about 85% of original, and honestly, about 10% better than before. It looks like the lights are dirty on the INSIDE? On the driver's side. I noticed there is a tiny little bug in there by the high beam. What the heck? Anyone hear of this? I thought I read somewhere that 02 and 03 Max's can get dirty headlights on the inside. Any thoughts or solutions? This is my second 03 Max, so I know how nice they CAN look. How do I get them as new?
I think there are small vent holes on the rear of the headlight to allow moisture and heat to escape. Its possible the bug got in that way.
i also recommend the 3m resto kit. its idiot proof and works well
It is idiot proof but if you have a 6th gen, then you will ruin your lights. Use 2000 grit sandpaper wet, and buff with foam applicator and mother's plastic polish.
First of all, your "headlight" cleaning project is incomplete. Second, brasso is not a substitute for polishing the head lights with a actual plastic polish and/or polisher (rotary).
Brasso was used in the "10 minute headlight cleaning thread" to buff out oxidation, not scratches.
Once you correctly start the last step of polishing your headlight, it will come out clear.
Get the 3M headlight restoration kit from any auto store...read the instructions carefully, youll be impressed....works very well and leaves your headlight perfectly smooth and clear
+1 million
just used this today on some TORE UP (badly pitted) ebay 5.5 headlights and I am truely AMAZED
I've used commet (non scratch) with water and good old elbow greese. It's cheep and works ok, after I done it a friend asked how i cleaned my lights without me even saying anything about it... he just noticed!
A friend suggested the cheapest and efficient way to clean your headlights - Toothpaste. No, i am not kidding - i tired it on my 03 maxima and i wasnt disappointed. Give it a shot and let me know the results.
search is your friend. there's tons of threads on here covering this topic. turtle wax sells a restore kit at autozone that ive used and works well.
- Stillen FSB - Hawk pads - 350Z AE rims - Cosmo CAI - 35% tint - Redline MT90 - rear louver - track visors - 04 valve cover fix - 3&5mm wheel spacers - free STS mod...more 2 follow, 97 SE "SuperBlak," Max, 147,275 miles "SOLD": 
see the Mist 
or something high up there..and they loook new
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