Yellowing headlights

Hi all, I know there have been many threads on how to polish headlights using machines etc. but man know thyself and regrettably i am the last person on the planet you would let use a machine near a car. So I was wondering if anyone has any tips for a product that I can use with a bit of elbow grease? I think that even I couldn't do any damage with a couple of cloths... Cheers

I've seen a couple of people use a rag and toothpaste. They look like a great candidate for a test. YouTube it

Having tried a few solutions. The best combination of ease of use and effect is: Turtle Wax Headlight Cleaner and Sealant. Apply with cloth, work in, leave for 10 mins, polish off. Can be used multiple times. Also it has a UV coat that helps to stop them fading again. Removes yellowing and light clouding. This is not strong enough to clear up totally fogged lights.But yours look ok for this. Do not be fooled by the "magic" liquids/wipes on line. When you look in detail, they all actually involve sanding.

http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=85180 Plenty of threads down the years on here;

:thumb: ....there is a vid on you-tube.

Thank you for the fast replies!

There is no getting away from the fact that for a proper finish, you need to sand off the top yellowing protective layer entirely, and coat the freshly exposed plastic with some sort of UV protectant. I was very nervous about giving it a go. I used the 3M Headlight restoration kit. I used the version for use with a drill, but there is a kit designed for hand-use only. I recommend removing the headlights to work on as it takes seconds, and avoids any masking faff/potential damage. To finish I have since discovered Carpro Dlux as a semi permanent UV protectant, which I used to coat them. You can also use this for the exterior black plastics (brings them up like new), brake callipers, alloys, exhaust tips etc. Watch the videos, take it steady and step by step and really it is not too bad. The first stages are horrific and you will think "what have I done" but then its all sunlit uplands, particularly when you start refining the finish. Belt and braces is to finish with lacquer, but I felt I was unlikely to get a good finish and could end up undoing all my good work. Over 2 yrs later they have not gone yellow again, though the car does live in a garage. This is an excellent video comparing 'by hand' methods, inc wet sanding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqOKmZ9mMfc

I've done this recently, those look like a great candidate. A good Covid project. bought this selection of sandpapers from Halfords: https://www.halfords.com/motoring/p...orton-project-pack-primer-prep-x6-140164.html and some of this: As like you I had fairly bad pitting. Used a sanding sponge and worked my way through the sandpapers - I found going to 500 grit was all that was required. I used the sandpapers wet which I always prefer. Sprayed the clearcoat and it looks great. I might wet-sand and buff the clear coat to get them super clear but the difference is staggering. And it's really satisfying to see the lights turn from cloudy to clear as you spray them. U-Pol should give excellent UV protection too.

Just tried it on Mrs P rear lights on her Audi and I'm calling custard. It took some of the haze off, but I think you're better off popping your headlightights out and doing them on a bench with a kit. I will say they are minty fresh though :grin:

The old protectant surface took a lot of sanding off... it is tough. I tried compounding it at first and it made little difference. I'd be amazed if toothpaste made anything other than a superficial and temporary improvement. Of if it does, I would suggest you use a different toothpaste for your teeth.

If you remain nervous about having a go, any decent bodyshop will flatten them back and UV protect them for about £120 + VAT. A Porsche-approved bodyshop will charge around £150 - £ 180 + VAT. Maybe this is a bettee option for you to consider?

3M Headlamp Restoration Kit is relatively quick & simple. Good results if done properly & then just use 303 aerospace protectant which is around £7 on eBay to seal & protect from UV rays :thumb:

Definitely agree on the 3M kit best 12 quid ever spent on a car. We have just done this process on our 2002 C2 Cab. Horribly cloudy before. The whole process took about an hour. Every thing is supplied in the kit with plenty of discs compound etc. All you need is a drill a few microfibres and a spray bottle of water and a bit of patience. Just take your time to mask off the lights or better pop them out. The results are truly remarkable. We know we can do better with the system as we were very nervous on the first one. The second one was so much better we went back to the first one. Just follow the instructions watch the videos a couple of times and have a go. You will be astounded as we were. We then used the same kit to do the headlights on my wifes Mercedes as they were horrible. They honestly look like new units afterwards. Cheers Spart

For the sake of 5 minutes I would recommend removing the headlights from the car then you can't possibly damage the paintwork... I used an old workmate and bit of scrap wood to level the unit and a ratchet strap to stop it moving.

I did pay for someone to do it but as you can see it was a fail - it didn't look that great even after it had just been done. Tbf if I complained I am very sure they would do something about it but since I am around the house a lot more I thought I would just have a go....