Discussions

Any recommendations for headlight lens restoration in Brandon?

Go to any body shop or car detailing place in Brandon and ask for a quote.  
They can use an abrasive car compound and buff out the lenses. Then finish with a glossy finish polish.  
I estimate the cost to be $50-$100  
 
Don''''t buy a restoration kit from a store. The home kits don''''t work, many just cover up the problem or don''''t last long.  
 
If your comfortable with it you can just do the restoration yourself. Use 5000 grit wet sandpaper on the lenses. Then apply a glossy polish.  
This is the method I use and have used for years.  
Many youtube videos out there  
 
Edited by MrD, 2017-01-24 09:28:06

I used an old toothbrush and some toothpaste on mine, worked great. I have also used Cerambrite too which worked quite well.

MrD said "Go to any body shop or car detailing place in Brandon and ask for a quote.   They can use an abrasive car compound and buff out the lenses. Then finish with a glossy finish polish.   I estimate the cost to be $50-$100     Don''''t buy a restoration kit from a store. The home kits don''''t work, many just cover up the problem or don''''t last long.     If your comfortable with it you can just do the restoration yourself. Use 5000 grit wet sandpaper on the lenses. Then apply a glossy polish.   This is the method I use and have used for years.   Many youtube videos out there     Edited by MrD, 2017-01-24 09:28:06"

Bought the Mother's kit from CT and followed the instructions, lens turned out beautifully. The key is patience. Follow instructions and take your time. you wont be disappointed. Only costs about $50.  
 
Marpet

Get a cheap kit from Canadian Tire or somewhere else inexpensive. I have done several headlights - they looked almost new and they did not cloud over again.  
 
I actually used Mother's chrome/aluminum polish once and it worked excellently.  
 
Edited by Cee Jay 55, 2017-01-24 15:19:31

wash the headlights with water, make sure not to use glass cleaner. spray on and wipe off deep woods off

wash the headlights with water, make sure not to use glass cleaner. spray on and wipe off deep woods off  
 
NOOOO do not do this. Do it right  
 
Edited by veloster, 2017-01-25 05:51:49

Check on youtube, there are some very good tutorials where they show you how to do it yourself and for very cheap.

This kit works great. Have tried the mothers one also, not as good. Just take your time and follow instructions. Found it lasted about 3 years before I had to do it again on my beater car.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I probably won't attempt the Deep Woods Off method. I'm surprised nobody suggested coconut oil

Halogen lights get super dim over time. They don't necessarily burn out. Your lens might be scratched and faded but if you install new lamps it will be close to new car brightness.

Don't use off or toothpaste or any other 'quick fix'. They might look like they work, but you haven't solved the problem and might have made it worse. The reason your lenses fade over time is damage from UV. The good news is it's just the surface layer of plastic that is damaged. A *good* kit, or you can assemble what you need yourself, will i:nclude a glossy clear coat to protect it after, but the critical point is that this needs to have a UV protectant to be a long term fix. Otherwise the problem will just come back, and your plastic is further damaged.  
 
Factory lenses are often made with relatively cheap UV protection that breaks down quicker than you'd like. Some people have reported that restoring them themselves with a good UV protection layer will last longer than factory. You can buy the stuff you need (several different grits of sandpaper and a spray on UV clear coat) for around $20. Search youtube and look for instructions for a proper job that mentions the above. I recommend one called "How to Restore Headlights PERMANENTLY" by ChrisFix. And do it in the summer since you need to wet sand (unless you have a heated garage). If you're willing, and get the material yourself, you can probably do the job in about 1/2 hr.  
 
Good luck.

Do check on-line to see what it will cost to get new lenses. In my case, I got a new pair of headlights for the Dodge minivan for under $80.00 delivered to my door in a week. That does beat having to goop, buff and hope that the $50.00 product will last longer than a year. Just saying that if it's a popular make & model of vehicle, it might be cheaper in the long run to buy new through the internet.  
 
Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

snowman5 said "Do check on-line to see what it will cost to get new lenses. In my case, I got a new pair of headlights for the Dodge minivan for under $80.00 delivered to my door in a week. That does beat having to goop, buff and hope that the $50.00 product will last longer than a year. Just saying that if it's a popular make & model of vehicle, it might be cheaper in the long run to buy new through the internet.     Just my opinion, I could be wrong. "

Problem with this is you may be buying very cheap lenses. Not all lenses are of the same Quality and may give you more grief than the original lenses. I have seen lenses that were to tight on the fender and actually chipped paint off when the car flexed. You don't save money that way.

Mother's from Canadian Tire for sure. My Dad did his and my Mom's. Still had some left over, so he did my 11 yr old car. Clear as new.  
He said the key is patience and follow the instructions.

razorbock said "wash the headlights with water, make sure not to use glass cleaner. spray on and wipe off deep woods off "

a proven fact that whatever is in bug spray actually degrades plastic. So while it might look good for a little while you may find that your lenses will become very brittle and break very easily.

I just had some repairs done to my truck at Assiniboine Collision and it resulted in one headlight and lens being replaced.  
The guys buffed the other out to what I would say, perfect! You can barley tell the difference between the old one and the new!  
Assiniboine Collision! Highly recommended!