21 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHHeadlight Lens Polishing
Leading reported evidence
Use 1000 & 3000 sanding blocks and finish polishing
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
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0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I use 1000 & 3000 sanding blocks and finish polishing with Meguairs polish purchased in bulk.
Leading evidence: 'Use 1000 & 3000 sanding blocks and finish polishing' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Recommend clear coat as others have said as well' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
My headlights were as bad as they get (hazing and micro cracks), so I used 400/600/800/1200/1500/2000 grit, compound, and then polish.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I used the Expel film on my lights after doing a full polish.
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Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I’ve used the Meguiars kit with the buffing pad before.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
21 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Outcome without a verified action link
It worked great on my headlights, which had quite a bit of haze on them when I first bought my car.
+ 1 on the Sylvania kit, I refinished mine in May and was very happy with the results
I would have preferred an aerosol for the clear / UV protection
....next time
I used the 3M Headlight Polishing kit. It comes with a variety of discs and polishing compound. It worked great on my headlights, which had quite a bit of haze on them when I first bought my car.
My headlights were as bad as they get (hazing and micro cracks), so I used 400/600/800/1200/1500/2000 grit, compound, and then polish. Took a while but they came out crystal clear.
Previous owner just cleared coated over the UV damage so that added a bunch of work for me. Depending on the severity of yours, you could probably get away with wet sanding 1500 and 2000 grit, compound and polish. Would recommend a clear coat as others have said as well.
Also polished and used the Xpel film about 10 years ago, still look like new.
-Chris
Headlight polished with XPEL film
Before and after headlight restoration
the sylvania kit as well as the 3m and others are basically the same thing. different grits of sandpaper, a polish, and a UV coating.
project farm on youtube tested them pretty thoroughly. He recommends the sylvania. I do too.
Like most have said the Sylvania and 3M kits are great. I would recommend that after you polish them up, try using Spray Max 2K. It's an aerosol urethane clear coat that goes on really nicely.
Amazon
Amazon
I’ve used the Meguiars kit with the buffing pad before.
It works well.
I now have my own supplies that I use for polishing headlights.
I have restored over 100 headlights over the last 5 years. (mostly non-Porsche)
I use 1000 & 3000 sanding blocks and finish polishing with Meguairs polish purchased in bulk.
I also use UV protectant purchased in bulk.
I have separate buffing bonnets for polishing and UV protectant.
Tip, use a bicycle pump connected to the 996.2 headlight to extend the washer to get the fragile cap off.
I've tried other kits, but this Mequiar's Heavy Duty restoration kit is awesome. I'm amazed at the results. Just finished my daughter's XC60 tonight. Both lenses were heavily oxidized.
Well, a picture says a thousands words...
What exactly is the UV protectant? I'm hesitant to spray 2K since it's pretty toxic and everyone I know that is around paint for any length of time gets loopy. I'm close enough to loopy as it is.
Funny timing with this thread. My headlights need attention and I ended up ordering some clear film from Lamin-X that's precut and also includes UV protection. I'll be sanding them down with some very fine grit, polishing and installing the film this week.
My guess is some UV sprays are a form of acrylic clear coat with chemical blockers like titanium dioxide that help filter out UV radiation. Wild guess.
I used the Expel film on my lights after doing a full polish. It�s standing up well after 3 years, but it doesn�t go all the way to the edges of the light. At the top it�s about an inch short of the edge, so now there�s that area that�s starting to yellow out� I�m not sure how I�m going to deal with that yet. I may have to remove the Expel before refinishing again�😩
I looked at the Xpel film as well but decided to give Lamin-x a try as I heard good things. Mine should be arriving today and I'll get started and do at least one headlight after work today. I'll let you know how the fit is.
You can but do not have to. In some cases, it might be easier to leave them in the car for sanding and polishing because it will be more stable that way. If you don't remove them, I would definitely use painters tape to cover up everything around the headlight. You don't want to start sanding your fender or hood
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