There are many kits out there for polishing the plastic headlights. What have you had success with? Mine are all coming out, so a good time to make them like new. Please let me know which lens cleaning products you've had success with?

When I settle on one, or two, I'll post a DIY with before and afters. Can you weight in on your experience in terms of process and products?
CATTMAN

 

I used PlastX with a Griot's 3" random orbit polisher. Worked pretty well - the plastic came out nice and clear but the really big scratches remained. Pretty sure they would need to be sanded down.

 

Be careful when polishing the headlights guys...I would take them OUT to do this!

Twice I have fried the front control module while polishing the car/headlights.
I think Porsche charges $300-$500 to fix.
It is an easy fix and did the repair myself,the second time.....parts $137.00!


Stacy

 

What do they (or you) do to 'fix' them? Is it polishing? Or is there a replacement part. $137 sounds quite modest for the latter. I was about to install clear (soft) plastic covers over my headlight and fog light assemblies (I just received the parts) but want to remove all of the scratches beforehand. So this thread is perfect timing.
Thx

 

Thanks for the heads up - I had no idea!!! + rep for sure.

 

You'll see many people with positive reviews of the 3M kit. I used this kit on my used Cayenne's headlights. I've recently used it and found the following.

1. Good for removing yellowing.
2. Removes the UV coat (which yellows over time...see #1 )
3. Removes minor chips
4. Even with a rotary buffer, Flex random orbit buffer, and all the polishes in my arsenal...I was unable to remove the fine sanding scratches to crystal clear. If you reinstall the headlights and turn them on, you will still see some imperfections and glare.

Bottom line...headlight protectors were a good investment on my 997TT.

 

Yeah the part is not expensive but it is a pain non-the-less!

You are welcome....

Here is one link there

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...81-post10.html

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...see-image.html



Stacy

 

This may be a stupid response, but don't the usual clear bra kits cover the headlights? About one square foot of plastic film and replace it every now and then?

 

Stacy,
What did you ruin when polishing your headlights? If polishing on-car, one would tape off the headlights, and use a PC7424 with a 3"orange pad and some Meguiar's PlastX or other such polish, etc. Where did any control units become exposed? Were you polishing off-car? If so, how did you secure them? Or were you doing it without a PC or rotary?
CATTMAN

 

Hey John,

Somehow the static from the polishing cloth fries the front control module.
I do believe it can happen even when doing it by hand.....
I am guess it is when polishing around the passenger side headlight.I cannot explain it BUT it has happened twice.....

Stacy

 

Wow, that's interesting- thanks! I suppose climatic conditions (cold and dry) with high static could contribute. Were you using a PC with a wet polish, pad, and good MF towel? I could easily remove them and do them off-car, but with a PC or rotary bracing them would be difficult.
CATTMAN

 

I use the 3M to do the polishing part quickly with a cordless drill and then use Glassylite to replace the factory hard coat on the headlight lens. I have wasted a lot of time and money to figure out what works best. 99% of the headlight restoration products out there are trash but using these two kits together gave me great long lasting results. I did one of my cars two years ago and it still looks great.

 

If you want to read up on a comparison of headlight restoration kits you can check out http://headlightrestoration.org

 

John,
I really have no idea 'why' this happens or 'how' BUT it does and has been talked about by a few!
Just be careful,if you fry the control module,I will help you find it!

Stacy

 

One thing I would not do is polish the head lamps. All plastic headlamps ( covers) are made from polycarbonate due to adequate impact resistance and pedestrian protection. Acrylic lenses can be used in other ( tail lamps, side markets) lighting applications because pedestrian protections is not as much an issue. Acrylics are more brittle and can shatter but they do not yellow. The problems with polycarbonate ( PC) is that it has the worst chemical resistance of any enginering polymer and secondly, it yellows with time. To address the chemical resisitance issue for lighting applications , PC parts are generally "hard coated". This coating protects the PC form things like alcohols and other chemicals that will destroy or crack the material. Polishing can remove the protective coating and accelerate the aging process. If you pour isopropanol on unprotected PC, it will crack or "craze" before your eyes, in seconds.