New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

[Samir]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

Samir,

I'm a bit confused by the pictures. Are you saying that the headlight on the right was like the headlight on the left, you corrected it and it has stayed the same for 2 years?

Correct.

[3Fitty]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

^^^ Yeah, that doesn't seem possible, does it?

[Mikejl]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

I know people have sanded and then used PlastX. But again that only lasted a few months.

Samir,

I'm having difficulty getting my mind around this. Do you think that PlastX is leaving behind fillers and that is why it only lasts a few months?

My thinking is that if you did one headlight with the sanding product and the other with PlastX they would both stay clear the same length of time because they are both removing plastic to obtain the results.

What are your thoughts.

Mike

[3Fitty]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

Samir,

I'm a bit confused by the pictures. Are you saying that the headlight on the right was like the headlight on the left, you corrected it and it has stayed the same for 2 years?

[Samir]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

The sanding process they describe is to start with the lowest grit necessary to get rid of damage. And then use this in one plane only until the damage is gone and there are only scratches in one direction. Then you follow with the next grid sanding in the opposite plane until the scratches of the first are not visible. You continue this all the way up to 12000 grit, and then use the 1 micron polish to finish it.

If someone wants to try this with ordinary sandpaper, I'd also be curious to see the results. I know people have sanded and then used PlastX. But again that only lasted a few months.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

The polished light has no wax, no protectant on it of any sort.

Congratulations!

I'm not sure just sanding plastic can keep it from deteriorating?

I don't think the type of sandpaper has anything to do with it though, plastic doesn't care how it's sanded and one type of abrasive or size of abrasive can't be the determining factor as to whether plastic, when exposed to the elements will or wont' deteriorate.




Maybe we can get some other people to just sand their headlights and see how long there's hold up with no other maintenance, especially here in SoCal or places like Arizona.

Any takers?

(All my cars have glass headlights or I would join in)

[Samir]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

You're link goes to a page that sells a sanding system?

That is correct.

Didn't see the product that you would apply to maintain the plastic after the sanding process.

Are you saying after you sanded your plastic headlights and restored the clarity the plastic have remained clear with no additional protective product applied?


In other words, only sanding is needed to keep plastic from deteriorated forever?

Exactly. I was surprised myself. Here's pics of the results of the restoration back in 2005 when I did it.

newpics.huntsvillecarscene.com/gallery/1136070_MsEKT

The polished light has no wax, no protectant on it of any sort. It started to clear out completely when I went to the 12000 grit stage in the sanding process, and the end result was completely clear. It was like having completely new headlight units. You can see how bad the originals were from the untouched passenger side light. I really thought there was no hope. This product was actually my last resort before buying replacement lights.


[Edited: No clickable links according to Forum Rules until members have over 30 substantial posts. -Mike Phillips]

[Mike Phillips]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

I've used this product and my lights have been clear over two years. This is a wet sand type of product.


micro-surface.com/default.cfm?page_id=90&ID=3KHDLGT&storeid=1

You're link goes to a page that sells a sanding system?

Didn't see the product that you would apply to maintain the plastic after the sanding process.

Are you saying after you sanded your plastic headlights and restored the clarity the plastic have remained clear with no additional protective product applied?


In other words, only sanding is needed to keep plastic from deteriorated forever?

[Markus Kleis]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

I've used this product and my lights have been clear over two years. This is a wet sand type of product.


(Add www. to the web address)
micro-surface.com/default.cfm?page_id=90&ID=3KHDLGT&storeid=1

Just to add my own two cents, and in reference to your question about Meguiar's products needing to be re-used every 6 months: there is no universal answer because each plastic is different, the conditions are different, the wash methods are different, etc and so on. Some vehicle could be polished out with the Meguiar's products like PlastX and last for years and be fine- others MIGHT need another polishing in X months/years.

But any other abrasive type system is going to do the same thing (remove oxidized plastic), and unless it has a different type of sealant it won't last any longer than the results from the Meguiar's products.

[Samir]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

I've used this product and my lights have been clear over two years. This is a wet sand type of product.


(Add www. to the web address)
micro-surface.com/default.cfm?page_id=90&ID=3KHDLGT&storeid=1

[Mike Phillips]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

but I've read online that the Meguiar's product has to be re-applied about every 6 months. True?

Just to help everyone think this question through...


If the original plastic material won't last forever and always look good, how can something you pour out of a bottle hope to last longer?

Does that make sense?

If the plastic material car manufactures use to make the headlights on modern cars won't stay clear and beautiful on their own with no product applied, how can anything you apply after the fact last forever?

The answer is there isn't such a product and if there was we could only hope the car manufacture would apply it before the car left the assembly line or the plastic manufacture included it in the manufacturing process.


In the old days glass was used instead of plastic and it pretty much lasts as long as it's not cracked. Once a plastic headlight lens deteriorates to the point where it's yellow and hazy and blocking the light from getting out, you have two options,

1. Replace the unit with a brand new unit. (Most people don't like the cost of this option)
2. Clean and polish the surface till it's clear.

I don't know of any product by any company you can clean lenses to remove the yellow haze and polish till they're clear and the results from this process will lasts forever... or at least as long as the original plastic lasted before it turned yellow and hazy.

If anyone knows of such a product, please share it with the rest of us...

[Samir]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

Anyone have any long-term success with this product?

I know of a wet sand product that I used once and never had to use again, but I've read online that the Meguiars product has to be re-applied about every 6 months. True?

[evandry]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

awesome ....

[Markus Kleis]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

can this be used on glass headlights, my 85 mercs is glass, and shwoing its age

No, this kit is intended for plastic products.

Try to google a company by the name of Eastwood for glass polishing products.

Mark

[vdubpower]

Re: New Product - Headlight & Clear Plastic Restoration Kit

can this be used on glass headlights, my 85 mercs is glass, and shwoing its age