Best way of restoring these headlights

RobTheLad

Hi there,

Have tried a few different things to try clean these headlights up. It's like a green grimey/murky layer on the lamp which looks awful when the rest of the car is nice and clean. The car has spent most of it's life by the sea, which I think might have something to do with it. Have tried scrubbing them with a fine nailbrush to no avail, and after googling , some people recommended using toothpaste and vinegar, but both didnt seem to do the trick. Thanks in advance!

Curran

Nissan Primera?

Only long term / permanent fix is to polish them. They look like they need a good machine polish!

RobTheLad

Curran wrote: »

Nissan Primera?

Only long term / permanent fix is to polish them. They look like they need a good machine polish!

Off an Astra actually! Thanks, would that be something I could buy myself do you reckon, or leave into a place to be done?

misterdeeds

RobTheLad wrote: »

Hi there,

Have tried a few different things to try clean these headlights up. It's like a green grimey/murky layer on the lamp which looks awful when the rest of the car is nice and clean. The car has spent most of it's life by the sea, which I think might have something to do with it. Have tried scrubbing them with a fine nailbrush to no avail, and after googling , some people recommended using toothpaste and vinegar, but both didnt seem to do the trick. Thanks in advance!

Is this an opel astra ? I have one and have the same prob as you, can't shift it either :-( annoying cos I keep the car spotless, don't know what it is , as I live in Kilkenny city, so living near the sea might not be the cause .
Keep me posted please if u find a cure tnx

dylbert

misterdeeds wrote: »

Is this an opel astra ? I have one and have the same prob as you, can't shift it either :-( annoying cos I keep the car spotless, don't know what it is , as I live in Kilkenny city, so living near the sea might not be the cause .
Keep me posted please if u find a cure tnx

It's not dirt, it's oxidation and scratches, as Curras says it needs to be polished out.

JOSman

Don't know if this works, worth a try?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QwzHOO-3lk



Good luck

PLUG71

Get a 3M Headlight restoration kit of ebay or the likes.

I have done over 25 cars with these kits and with excellent results and vary happy customers

DubCul

Cheap fix is Bread Soda.

Mix with water into a paste and apply.

Leave for 30 mins and wash off with soapy water.

fletch

You could give this a go?

barone

just buy a compounding paste from halfords or motor factors and do it by hand, its not a permanent fix,nor is polishing by machine, but do it every few months and be grand

MetzgerMeister

barone wrote: »

just buy a compounding paste from halfords or motor factors and do it by hand, its not a permanent fix,nor is polishing by machine, but do it every few months and be grand

Polishing with a D/A followed by an application of Gtechniq C1 Crystal Lacquer would be a permafix

biko

Toothpaste and Brasso and that stuff only really works for lights that aren't too bad. Often they yellow after a while and you need to do it all over again.
If lights are rough to touch you need to sand them with various grit and then polish them. Finally add some UV protecting wax to keep them from getting dirtied by bugs/road dust etc.
Laquers/clearcoat will keep them protected too (if so don't wax first).

I think it's about 40 to get a pro to do it so if you get a kit for 20 you save enough for 4 pints afterwards