Headlight Restoration Kits

[jake75]

C.U. rated the Sylvania Restoration Kit # 1 for for clouded yellowed plastic headlight covers. Anyone here have any experience with this? Saw the Sylvania instruction video - they say it is about a one hour job.

[A Psycho Martyr]

well when I needed mine done, the plastic was actually pitted so i sanded the outer layer of plastic off and went finer and finer til i was wetsanding it with 2000grit. then i polished em up, spayed a light, light coat of tint instead of clearing them, and polished them once more.

worked just fine, but it took a damn week lol

[crazytrain]

I've never used a headlight restoration kit, but this past week I was in Target and they had the McGuire's Headlight Restoration kit on sale for $18. Since my headlights could use a restoration I bought one and was planning on doing the job today, but it's been raining all day. Maybe I can takle the job tomorrow.

I've seen the posts about wetsanding, but that's too much work and effort for me. A pad on a drill, that I can do.

When I get it done I'll post some before & after pics. I know you asked about the Sylvania Restoration Kit w/ clouded yellowed plastic headlight covers, but since I have neither I'll offer what I can - McGuire's Headlight Restoration Kit on headlights that could use a restoration after almost 6 years and 118,000 miles on Florida roadways. Maybe it can help someone make a purchase decision.

[acvw74]

I used the 3M kit...it had enough to do two cars. It worked really well and it did take about an hour to get it done. I have to admit that I probably stood there for at least 5 minutes trying to get the nerve up to put sandpaper on the lens...after that you have to finish. Just make sure you follow the directions exactly and you will be fine.

[jake75]

I miss the days when you just bought a sealed headlight unit and put it in. No fuss, no muss. And relatively inexpensive.

[ColonelPanic]

Yes, sealed beams were much easier to deal with! Early on I remember seeing some GM products had glass composite headlights -- those were OK as long as something didn't smack them and get cracked (see Vibe fog light syndrome.) Sometimes they were full of water too. Wouldn't ever haze up and get all yellow though.

I've been wanting to try a product like this on my Hyundai for a while, the headlights on it are awful. I get by with just scrubbing the crap out of it when I wax the thing, clears up for at least a little while. Looks like the Sylvania kit is fairly nice. If I can ever bring myself to spend $20 on that thing... lol

[MrHatchWagon]

I swear by the Meguiars kit. It doesn't make my Vibe's headlights 100% clear, because they're long past that point and would need a good sanding, but in the meantime there's still a very visible improvement. My friends use my kit on their cars too, with great results.
Before & After pics (Guess which is which!)

[crazytrain]

I used the McGuire's Headlight Restoration kit today. Here are some before & after pics. Nothing too dramatic, but there's definitely a difference. It didn't take out all the pitting, but I didn't expect it to. I'd recommend the product.

01-Before.jpg (86.63 KiB) Viewed 1656 times

02-After.jpg (83.13 KiB) Viewed 1656 times

[crazytrain]

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04-After.jpg (79.96 KiB) Viewed 1656 times

[crazytrain]

05-Before.jpg (75.94 KiB) Viewed 1656 times

06-After.jpg (78.76 KiB) Viewed 1656 times