Headlight issues with these new plastic lens

[reible]

My 2000 Town & Country has those newer plastic lens for the headlights. I'm not liking them so much. The plastic seems to be less then durable and since they are really expensive to replace who wants to do that.

I've ordered a kit to "polish" them, it will be here on Friday from Amazon so weather permitting I'm going to do at least one of them this weekend. I've seen estimates from 20 to 30 minutes to an hour for each one.

I've notice that driving at night the lights are not as bright as they use to be, that is not a big deal driving locally but when I head up north I want to be able to see those deer before I'm on top of them.

Anyone else had any experience with this? Any handy hints or things to avoid?

Ed

[JPG]

I have done a cursory attempt before a recent trip. I consider I did about 1/4 as much as it needed. That removed the hazing, but polishing is yet to be done. It did help considerably. Mine has considerable area that is not 'functional'(no light is intended to pass through over 75% of it). IIRC it was 'made' by the windshield rain treatment folks. Lexus dealer wanted hundreds of $ to polish them. I am sure they would have done a far better job.

Plastic oxidation seems to be the culprit. Glass never had that problem!

[nuhobby]

From what I've heard, the polishing will be effective, but the life of the improvement can be enhanced if you overcoat the plastic with a lacquer or something. Not sure.

My nephew's 2000 Ford he nursed along and polished, then we finally replaced the whole assemblies. Then he was on to a different car!

Chris

[beeg]

What kit did ya buy Ed? I have a Meguiar's restoration kit to use someday soon on my headlights.

[Ed in Tampa]

My 2000 Town & Country has those newer plastic lens for the headlights. I'm not liking them so much. The plastic seems to be less then durable and since they are really expensive to replace who wants to do that.

I've ordered a kit to "polish" them, it will be here on Friday from Amazon so weather permitting I'm going to do at least one of them this weekend. I've seen estimates from 20 to 30 minutes to an hour for each one.

I've notice that driving at night the lights are not as bright as they use to be, that is not a big deal driving locally but when I head up north I want to be able to see those deer before I'm on top of them.

Anyone else had any experience with this? Any handy hints or things to avoid?

Ed

I did my 2000 town and country lights and it worked good. I,m told the kit with buffing pad you mount in s drill is better. I can't remember who made the kit I used but it had a cleaner, fiber scouring pads, and a protective paste you put on after you got the headlight covers clear again. Made a day night difference in the amount of light the car had.
From what I remember you had to really do a good masking job or the chemicals and scouring pad will really mess up your paint.
I traded the car about 2 years after doing this and they still looked good.
I got my kit from Pep boys an automotive parts store, it may have been made by turtle wax.

[reible]

What kit did ya buy Ed? I have a Meguiar's restoration kit to use someday soon on my headlights.

Yes that is the kit I ordered, mostly from past experience with their products. Should be here tomorrow so I'm ready to go if the weather permits this weekend. Two new tires on and then with the headlight issue I should be ready for a trip to the UP of MI.

Ed

[Gene Howe]

I use Maguires "PLASTIX" on the plastic windshield on our '07 Polaris Ranger. It really does the trick, so I started using it on my glasses. Sooner or later I'll have to replace the glasses but, it's been working for over a year. I treat them about once a month.

What kit did ya buy Ed? I have a Meguiar's restoration kit to use someday soon on my headlights.

Yes that is the kit I ordered, mostly from past experience with their products. Should be here tomorrow so I'm ready to go if the weather permits this weekend. Two new tires on and then with the headlight issue I should be ready for a trip to the UP of MI.

Ed

[rcplaneguy]

I used a 3M kit from Amazon, drill pad included. Had the masking tape for paint included, definitely had to take care with that. There is a hard thin plastic outer layer that hazes, you have to get through that uniformly to polish the underlying plastic. It is pretty scary sanding with the coarse, you have an opaque white frosty lens at that point. Then the finer grits, then pastes, then a protective sealer at the end. Final result is great, has been almost a year now.

[benush26]

It was 3 years ago I was about to do the same thing to my 2000 Blazer a friend who was running a motor pool advised first I change out the bulbs to see what that would do and that I get Piaa superwhites for the high beam and Sylvania Ultras for the low beam. Both are DOT legal. It made a significant enough difference that I didn't try and polish out the lenses, though that may be coming soon.

Be well,
Ben

[lyall]

I use 1500 or 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper with rubbing compound and a good coat of wax.
A good clear coat should last a long time. I will try that next time.