Cleaning headlamp covers, go DIY or pay for professional polish

[Pordave]

After 20 odd years and possibly multiple cleanings by previous owners of my 986 headlamp covers, would you go DIY with a cleaning kit?             If so what is recommended?                or  do I pay £75 to have them done professionally?

Answers on a Christmas card please…

[the baron]

I’ve tried a few times using the 3m kit, I just don’t get the results, probably not brave enough to really scrub off the top surface of plastic. I might look into getting it done professionally, let me know what you decide

[Andy Mac]

@Pordave I did my 996 ones a few weeks back (were really yellow). The 3M kit worked really well for me.

I took a deep breath and went all out on them (removed / removed seals / cleaned - then used the kit on the lenses). Lights went from horrible yellowed mank to clear and looking like new! 

Depends on your diy skills though - not for the faint hearted half way through and you could damage the lenses with careless application. Saying that if you follow the instructions I found it went really well.

Thread here:
 

 

[the baron]

9 minutes ago, Andy Mac said:

@Pordave I did my 996 ones a few weeks back (were really yellow). The 3M kit worked really well for me.

I took a deep breath and went all out on them (removed / removed seals / cleaned - then used the kit on the lenses). Lights went from horrible yellowed mank to clear and looking like new! 

Depends on your diy skills though - not for the faint hearted half way through and you could damage the lenses with careless application. Saying that if you follow the instructions I found it went really well.

Thread here:
 

 

That looks awesome, I’ve tried on my 986 and more recently with my 996 neither result looked like that, I might give it another go 

[Andy Mac]

Thank you @the baron they still look great - just checked I did that in early October. Light / beam pattern is all good too (for candle in the wind headlight bulbs) which was a concern of mine.

Edited December 12, 2021 by Andy Mac

[Meridianmet]

I've been debating trying the DIY kits as my car needs doing, or do I pay someone £60 who knows what they are doing.  I might give it a go, worst case is the pro can recover my mess!

[Pordave]

Thanks for the replies chaps, Andy Mac your lights look brilliant and for £20 off Amazon I’ll give the 3M kit a go. 
I’ll save the remaining £55 towards a GAN Ga+ from 911

Cheers Dave

[Pinewood]

I did my dad's 2004 Merc lights. A leap of faith using 600 grit on a drill attachment. I knew I was on the right track when the sanded powder coming off the light was a light brown. 

cleaned then 1000 grit

cleaned then 2000 grit

cleaned and 3000 grit

finally used the headlight polish and then looked really great. 

Will probably do them again in warmer weather as they were beyond bad, but already I can see and no more pale yellow light patterns. 

[Pordave]

By the way I had already upgraded the  bulbs to Osram Nightbreakers but as per other posts 150% is only 1/3rd better than standard. I’m hoping non foggy lenses will looking at Andy Macs  pictures help me to see much better Dipped beam is as dim as a glow worms armpit but main beam gives good distance and light.

 

[Patt]

If you do them on the car - don't' forget to tape the edges so you are only sanding the lights

[usman10316]

22 minutes ago, Patt said:

If you do them on the car - don't' forget to tape the edges so you are only sanding the lights

Probably best an easier to pop them out and do them off the car. 

I'd never forgive myself if I accidently went over... makes me sad even thinking about it! 

[Patt]

I find it easier on the car as can be a bugger trying to hold them still and wield the rotating head smoothly and evenly.

Or find a willing helper to hold them - just make sure they have safety glasses as you dont want the compound in your eyes.

[CRC]

I chickened out on using power tools as I know I have a tendency to go too far with those things, so decided to have a go by hand and see what happened.

Just used a piece of 2400 wet and dry sheet that was in the garage and one of those pump pressurised garden sprayers to frequently wash off the residue and keep it wet.

The resulting yellowish liquid is really quite pleasing as it washes off, but at the end, you do get that light matte grey look on the lenses, however, drying them off and going over a couple of times with Meguires Ultimate Polish left a very good finish. Good result for half an hour's work.

I also did the lights on our other old cars, and it was quite bad on the Skoda lights, so I used a rotary light polishing wheel with some toffee coloured abrasive paste that the kit says is specifically for polishing plastic. That did the trick, but it was quite surprising how long it took even using an electric drill.

[AG55REV]

Not trusting myself to go with power tools and abrasives on the headlights, I used Amor All Headlight Restorer Wipes Kit (from Amazon). It worked really well. Brought my lenses up sparkling again, but they weren't too bad to start with. They hadn't got yellow (although the wipe turned yellow after some vigorous rubbing), they just had a milky cast to them.

[SuperPaulie]

It's only plastic at the end of the day, and thus can be sanded and polished back so long as you have the time. I tend to sand by hand and then use the DA to compound it, polish it and then wax it by hand.

It won't last though, as you've taken off the UV protection. So I tend to do the above maybe once a year, doesn't take long.

At some point I'll get them 2k clear coated so it's just done with, but until I can be arsed then the above suits me.

[½cwt]

This looks like a good investment for afterwards.

E-TECH Restored Headlight Clear Coat

[EXY]

16 hours ago, ½cwt said:

This looks like a good investment for afterwards.

E-TECH Restored Headlight Clear Coat

Was tempted to call 'Snake Oil or offer up some Magic Beans for sale but that does look worth a shout.

My only concern, performance aside, is as always you are making a surface as smooth as possible and expecting coatings to adhere to it. Unless it has etching abilities which is another concern.

Good find.

[perebrine]

On 12/12/2021 at 4:37 PM, Andy Mac said:

@Pordave I did my 996 ones a few weeks back (were really yellow). The 3M kit worked really well for me.

I took a deep breath and went all out on them (removed / removed seals / cleaned - then used the kit on the lenses). Lights went from horrible yellowed mank to clear and looking like new! 

Depends on your diy skills though - not for the faint hearted half way through and you could damage the lenses with careless application. Saying that if you follow the instructions I found it went really well.

Thread here:
 

 

That is superb.

[Boxsum]

On 12/24/2021 at 4:30 PM, ½cwt said:

This looks like a good investment for afterwards.

E-TECH Restored Headlight Clear Coat

This is what I have used. 
Not sure how it’s going to last yet but early signs so far as the product goes is disappointing. For some reason even thou I followed the exact instructions and even called their technical team beforehand the lenses after a long wet spell go milky. This does go when the weather warms up again.( Comments from their technical department is that it’s while the clearcoat is curing, but it has been months now). Also the clearcoat will also feel extremely rough after a wet spell too, this is does seem to resolve itself after warmed up again.

Only time will tell I guess but 🤞

[Boxsum]

On 12/25/2021 at 9:08 AM, EXY said:

Was tempted to call 'Snake Oil or offer up some Magic Beans for sale but that does look worth a shout.

My only concern, performance aside, is as always you are making a surface as smooth as possible and expecting coatings to adhere to it. Unless it has etching abilities which is another concern.

Good find.

I was advised after polishing to rub over the headlights with a superfine grade synthetic wool pad beforehand.

It made the lense cloudy again but keyed the surface. Once sprayed it went totally translucent again.