Used Car Corner: Restoring Your Headlights (Wax on, Wax off)
In the olden days, headlights were made of glass and were round (okay, sometimes rectangular). Most modern headlights have plastic lenses/covers that in time get hazy and even yellowed as they age. Thousands of miles of getting bombarded with dirt, sand and grit are to blame for clouding up these headlights. And until recently, you had no option but to replace them with expensive new units. Depending on how far gone they are, you can probably save them with a headlight restoration kit, provided you don't mind mimicking Daniel-san in the Karate Kid.
There are a number of products out there and we tried out the Turtle Wax Headlight Lens Restorer kit. Essentially, this is either a two- or four-step process, depending on how bad the headlights are:
1) Clean headlight
2) Apply Lens Clarifying Compound as you would a polishing compound (which it is similar to). Don't be afraid to use (as mom used to say) some elbow grease and then wipe off the residue afterwards.
3) If that doesn't do the trick, use the three varying grit sanding pads (along with spray lubricant) in succession to remove the deeper scratches/hazing and discoloration.
4) Repeat step 2.
We gave it a go on a 2002 VW Jetta TDI with 140,000 miles on it that spent most of its life in Texas and Southern California. Although it's not huge, you can see the difference. In the 'before' shot you can't see the headlight's bulb, whereas in the 'after' shot you can. Though there is still a light haze left (this was a car with well over 100k miles on it, after all), the lens is clearer, so more light can make it through the lens which means greater illumination and hence nighttime safety.
The product retails for about $10 and it took us about 20 minutes per headlight (we did the 4 step process). Compared to the $150 and up it can cost for a new headlight assembly, we'd say that's worth it.
- Posted by
- John DiPietro November 5, 2009, 11:02 AM
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- Categories:
- Car Maintenance, Car Safety, Used Car Corner, Used Cars
I tried this on my Mustang headlights. They looked just as foggy after as they did before. Actually, kind of like your pictures. Worthless, if you ask me. In the end I just bought new headlamp housings.
I'll admit it's not a night and day difference but the pictures don't show the full extent of the change, either. The main point was/is that the headlight bulb/element can now be seen and has a clearer lens to project through, which should improve nighttime visibility.
I've had similar levels of success with just a tube of Crest and some elbow grease on my friend's Corolla.
I believe it's UV rays that causes this. My '94 Chrysler New Yorker's lenses are perfectly clear. The car stays out of the sun.
Also, the material used for the lenses could have something to do with it.
I've had good luck with PlastX.
Even for a regular cleaning, you could feel the difference afterward (sort of like clay-bar on paint).
It's about $16 worth of clean from a $5 product . . . still it's not magic.
Other people besides Clarkma5 have had good luck with toothpaste too, but the gel stuff is most recommended. :-)
Brasso and throttle body cleaner have also been recommended.
Look for the Healing Hazy Headlights Guide on CarSpace for a bunch of cheap and free tips.
I used a product from Autozone, and it worked pretty well on my car.
http://s643.photobucket.com/albums/uu159/daveinfl/Headlight%20Restoration/
Curiously, I tried it on my father's Cadillac and it didn't turn out as well.
ive seen it done on numerous cars and they come out just like new headlights. More sanding and with finer paper is required but its worth the extra time.