Cleaned foggy Elantra headlights this time ... :)

[97tbird]

You guys have already seen my headlight cleaning with the Tbird...onto the next car:
Cleaned wife's 2003 Elantra's headlights today using the same product:
These headlights, while performing well at night, were somehow physically in worse shape than my Tbird's... the surface was heavily marred (notice bottom of half of headlight in "before" pics), and very opaque, and i had to sand more vigorously than I did with the Tbird's headlights...).

However, the end results were superb, as with the Tbird, and again, like I did with the Tbird's lights, I will put 2 coats of Maguire's #26 professional wax to protect what I've achieved.

and now, the PICS:

BEFORE: (same headlight from 2 angles):

AFTER: (same headlight from the same angles)

clean and unclean:

I really think it made a huge difference, and enhances the look of the car so much...highly recommended.

 

[Mucho_MPG]

Just to double check...this is the stuff in the foil pouch at WalMart right? If so, I am heading down their tomorrow to get some. How many vehicles does the kit do?

Thanks in advance!

 

[97tbird]

yeah that's the one.
1 packet just does 1 car. (2 headlights)

 

[daman]

Yup it's in that foil pack by the light bulbs...

and just a side note i just did my H/L's on my P/U this
week end and the results were outstanding just like yours..

what i did was;

1-sanded lights with 800 grit
2-sanded lights with 1000 grit
3-sanded lights with 2000 grit
4-sanded lights with 2500 grit
5-polished lights twice with orbidal buffer and plastX
6-waxed lights with collinite(two coats)

they look brand new,way less then $20 invested..

 

[97tbird]

yeah, I wish I had a buffer.
This kit really good for doing it by hand, though.

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
yeah, I wish I had a buffer.
This kit really good for doing it by hand, though.

Hey tbird can you post the steps involved in that kit??

they do look great,,but on older beat up lights i wonder how
it would do?? probably good too..

 

[97tbird]

link to DIRECTIONS from the manufacturer:
http://www.myheadlight.com/directions.htm

well, if you look at my other thread here, my 97 Tbird's lights(11 years old and pretty beat up) turned out great, too:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1189063&fpart=1

However, I also wonder how well it does on REALLY old (like more than 20 yrs old) lights...
I have a feeling, as long as you do the sanding steps properly, it should work...hope someone here tries it on some really old lights...

 

[daman]

Thanks...

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
yeah, I wish I had a buffer.
This kit really good for doing it by hand, though.


The 3M kit just requires a power drill.

 

[Propflux01]

That Elantra looks very well taken-care of.

For those that want to use a buffer, be careful, the lenses do not take to the heat that a buffer can generate very well. I used the 3M kit a few years ago on a fuzzy lens and while using the drill-mounted buffer it got hot before I realized it and left a sort of "melty glaze" in some parts of the lens.

 

[CharBaby]

I've been using Meguiar's Head Light Lense Polish from W*M(about $5). I use is about every 2nd-3rd washing.

I found an old bottle of Tarni-Shield(about 25 years old) under the kitchen sink. It's for cleaning/polishing silver. I have been using this too on the headlight lenses as it is a very mild abrassive, dries to a powder and is easy to remove.

When using either or any of these types products, I spray some tire/interior dressing(I like Black Magic Tire Shine - clear baby oil looking stuff) onto the polishing cloth along with the abrassive polish so, that the the product slides nicely.

After cleaning/polishing the lenses and after completly washing the vehicle(s), I like to add somemore tire dressing(by itself) on the lenses, allow it to sit for a few minutes and then polish it OFF using another clean microfiber towel.

Just my technique!