3m headlight restoration kit

[scottfedm]

Just a heads up. I'm sure there is postings of this all over but to keep things fresh I will post another. I just bought an 04 g that was incredibly neglected. The headlights were yellow and foggy. I did my research and found 3m had the best reputation for headlight restoration kits. I ran down to pep boys and bought one for 20 bucks, taped off my headlights, grabbed a drill and started sanding and polishing away. I was worried at first but 45 mins later those things looked like new. I would say to anybody who is considering buying new lights because their are foggy, save the hundreds you are going to spend on lights and give this a shot. Its super easy and effective.

[G35_FTMFW]

Ill put my 2 cents in this thread aswell to save space if you dont mind.


I had yellow haze and i was 100% sure that it was inside the headlights. So i decided to give this 3m restoration a try. First off i did not like the idea of using a drill because to much pressure or long period of time over a certain place can damage your headlights. So to give me peace of mind i decided to do it by hand instead of a drill. Was i amazed at the results, good as new!!!!!!! Took everthing off mad them brand new .

[vipers]

I may consider this.

[LjN_728]

At the end of every wash, I apply a coat of regular car wax to the lens cover.

[vipers]

I just bought the 3M kit and I'll be using it tonight. We'll see...

[KwickG35]

^^^
Post your end results please!

[CreativeDesignZ]

a 8 dollar bottle of rubbing compound would have done you right =]

[Jeff92se]

FWIW, one of mine on my sedan is all yellowed. I could get alot of it off by using cleaner wax by hand. But it's still a bit cloudy. I've tried rubbing compound by hand but all it did was scratch it up. I might try it with a wool pad and a rotary and see what happens.

I think it depends on how severe your lights are.

[ZeRo G35]

this is cleaning outside of the headlight right? not the inside?

I think i have some stuff that's actually inside...

[LjN_728]

^ Correct it's the outside. Stuff inside probably means moisture has seeped in.

[vipers]

Originally Posted by ZeRo G35

this is cleaning outside of the headlight right? not the inside?

I think i have some stuff that's actually inside...

There's a pretty easy way to tell. Is the light cloudy, or does it almost look wet on the inside? If it looks wet, that's condensation and it's on the inside. If it's cloudy, it could be fixed without having to pull apart the light.

[vipers]

Done!

I used the kit last night...actually took me a few hours cause my drill died But it was worth it. The headlights look great...I went to the fullest extent to make them look the best they could for their age, and the kit really does work. They don't look brand new, but all of the cloudy crap is gone and I'm happy I spent $20 on a mod that would've cost me over $500!

It really is as easy as they say. You just need a drill and a general concept of how to sand. Some elbow grease and patience doesn't hurt either

3M kit

[klee]

how would you use a drill to sand something? i need to learn this so i can do it myself too. is it something that the 3M restoration kit comes with thats like a sandpaper attached to an object that can be attached to a drill?

Originally Posted by vipers

Done!

I used the kit last night...actually took me a few hours cause my drill died But it was worth it. The headlights look great...I went to the fullest extent to make them look the best they could for their age, and the kit really does work. They don't look brand new, but all of the cloudy crap is gone and I'm happy I spent $20 on a mod that would've cost me over $500!

It really is as easy as they say. You just need a drill and a general concept of how to sand. Some elbow grease and patience doesn't hurt either

3M kit

[vipers]

Originally Posted by klee

how would you use a drill to sand something? i need to learn this so i can do it myself too. is it something that the 3M restoration kit comes with thats like a sandpaper attached to an object that can be attached to a drill?

Yes, the kit comes with everything...all you need is water and a drill. It also has instructions.

[scottfedm]

When you see the kit it will all make sense. It is really simple.
1. Tape around headlights so not to ruin paint. (MASKING TAPE WORKS FINE)
2. Attach drill bit and apply yellow disk. Sand headlight evenly and a medium light pressure. Once it is all frosty looking you can move to step 3.
3. Wipe down light with a dry microfiber towel.
4. Repeat step 2 but switch to light gray disk then wipe down again.
5. Switch to gray foam rubber sanding disc. Spray with water to get moist and spray headlight with water. headlight should stay wet. Sand away. The headlight will get clearer. You will start seeing slurry (white cloudy water) The more you sand with this disk the clearer the headlight will be.
6. Wipe headlight dry with microfiber towel.
7. Attach orange foam pad. Apply small amount of included polish to the pad. Wipe polish on headlight. Spend time using this pad. The more you use it the cleaner the headlight will look.
8. Buff with microfiber towel.

I actually went through the entire process twice. The light look awesome.