Anyone know what works to remove scratches from headlights?

[clintondane]

I picked up a Blitzen sedan a couple days ago and noticed the headlights were hazy but didn\'t pay too much attention to them. I gave the car a wash this arvo and noticed the headlights aren\'t just hazy, they\'re full of tiny scratches like someone had a go at it with sandpaper? Is there some product I can use or buy that would ge them out and help get the lens clear again, or am i better taking it to a panel shop and getting them to buff the lenses out ? I know you can use toothpaste with some decent results but these scratches wouldn\'t come out with toothpaste alone.

Cheers.

[Marky]

Generic cut & polish stuff works (its in with the car wash / car polishes)

Or brasso

Or Jif

Or there\'s a dedicated headlight restore product as well (repco has it)

[lachlan]

pilosh might take for ever to deal to the scratches

it could be worth starting with the finer grade wet n dry sand paper first . 1000 - 1500 - 2000 etc

thats what the kit from super cheap comes with anyway .

i would stick to an actual polish over jif and toothpaste as the polish has way finer particle size control than the cleaners

[clintondane]

Think I might have some wet/dry sandpaper around the place? If I\'m not mistaken it\'s 1200 grit? Might have to hunt it out and have a go?

[666SubSpeed]

There are also some plastic welders out there that can polish them up for you too. you do have to be careful as the plastic lenses can melt if you take to them with a polishing/buffing wheel.

[clintondane]

I just went and did a test patch, not gonna make much difference. Think I may try find some 3000+ grit paper and see if I can work through the scratches.

[sobanoodle]

As been said start with lower grit and gradually go up, after that I use Autosol and then Meguiars stuff to get the best finish.

[gazzy2000]

toothpaste

[Kiwi_Fozze]

autosol, 2000+ wet dry sandpaper (make sure it\'s wet!!!)

lots of elbow grease....

[clintondane]

Autosol? I\'ve tried Google but there are so many products, which one? Looking at a turtle wax headlight lens kit and wondering if that might do the job? Not sure if it\'s too far gone for that.

[Kiwi_Fozze]

walk into repco, ask for a tube of autosol. $13 ish iirc.

it\'s a metal polishing paste, like jif but MUCH finer. removes clouding / hazing on headlights a treat. i mean, it\'s actually fantastic

[clintondane]

Cheers mate, what do I use to apply it etc? Just old cloths?

[DRFVDR]

yup any old rag will do, cotton is always better.

How deep are the scratches, I would hazard a guess that a previous owner has "had a go" at polishing the lens\'s using to course a sand paper, U may find that replacement headlights are the go

[boon]

Autosol is the only thing I could find that would give a lasting effect on V7 headlights. But mine were just cloudy, not scratched.

[madmike]

you sure they are scratches and not the actual plastic breaking down and going all crazy crack.

[legacy666]

I\'ve had a heck of a time trying to get my V7 headlights to clear up even with Autosol. I spent a good 40 or so minutes on one with still not much improvements. This is what you need http://www.rainx.com/product/headlight/rain-x-headlight-restoration-kit/#.UoXhZNIwpKY

[clintondane]

Mate they\'re scratched, no doubt about it. Funny thing is its only the left one. I think someone had a go and started on the left one and once it dried thought, "Oops". I\'m gonna give autosol a go and see if I have any success willh that. Does the surface need sealed once complete?

[Swindog]

Goto a jeweler and get some glass polish. works a treat. Also good for water spots on your windows.

[subieboy]

 Swindog said:

Goto a jeweler and get some glass polish. works a treat. Also good for water spots on your windows.

try Chesters, Mico\'s et al as they sell it for cleaning glass showers... cheap and good, stuff

[clintondane]

The solution has been right in front of me this whole time! I\'ve been on ACC for a few weeks so haven\'t thought about work much. Anyway, we use a Dulux cut and polish product to buff out minor scratches on powder coated aluminium joinery. I went into work today and after speaking with my boss I grabbed some of it and thought is give it a go. It took a bit of elbow grease but was well worth it. Holy shit it works ! Both headlights look as good as new now. I now need to find a product to seal the headlight and protect the finish, any recommendations?

[ryn]

Plastix and elbow grease works a treat too... Expensive for what it is though.

[clintondane]

The stuff I used was free, that\'s always been my favourite price, lol.

[legacy666]

My lights were pretty hazie and even the jif had little effect.

got a basic cut and polish headlight kit

not as clear as I hoped, but still alot better than it was

[BUGEYESTI]

Looks good. I used the turtle wax kit... worked beautifuly.

[B4 I was 250T]

Yellowing? Jif works good as does toothpaste, autosol or the various products from ripco and notsosupercheap. Scratches? I attacked two very deep scratches in my headlight with 1500 wet and dry (dry then wet lol) and then 2000grit wet and dry and I personally feel they've come up beautifully. My 2c worth