Crud on headlight lens

[kcdeucer]

As I was cleaning my '03 'V this weekend, I noticed some "crud" on the tops of the headight lenses. I tried just about every concoction I had in the garage to remove it. Any ideas are appreciated!
Thanks,
KCDeucer

[Dana]

http://www.crvownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=901

[Black Pearl]

I have had that problem with my other cars but never did any thing about it. The trouble with using everything in garage or any product that is not designed for the task is that you may make the problem a lot worse immediately or down the road.

I have heard that products exist for this problem but personally do not know anything about them but I Googled “foggy headlight lens” and these sites popped up immediately, plus 25 billion other sites in .02 seconds.

I pass these on not as a recommendation, but rather as a “Hey I Googled your problem & found this.” And with the odd Meguiars reaction below, I recommend nothing.

http://www.advanceautoparts.com/english/youcan/asp/ccr/ccr20041101pp.asp


http://www.crystalenz.com/


http://permatex.com/documents/10.05.TheFamilyHandyman.pdf


Oddly Meguiars did not show up on the above search (looking at the first 5 pages). So I tried “cleaning hazy headlights”. No Meguiars for the first five pages.

So I tried “cleaning automotive plastics” Voila, Meguiars. First two hits.

So I tried “cleaning automotive headlight plastics”. No Meguiars except for a user forum in the first 5 pages. That tells me that Meguiars is avoiding the “H word.” Why?


Meguiars has 3 products that will “restore the optical quality to clear plastics”. If you do a search on “headlights” on the Meguiars site nothing turns up. If you search “clear plastics” Plastx and two products called “Mirror Glaze” turn up as well as polishing cloths and applicators. Why the reluctance to use the word headlights when it is such a common problem?

http://www.meguiars.com/?clear-plastic-care/PlastX-Clear-Plastic-Cleaner-Polish


http://www.meguiars.com/?pro-clear-plastic-care/Mirror-Glaze-Clear-Plastic-Polish


http://www.meguiars.com/?pro-clear-plastic-care/Mirror-Glaze-Clear-Plastic-Detailer


The thing that would concern me is the long term effects. Frankly the Permatex solution above sounds great for selling sandpaper, but I am not sure I would want to do that to my headlights. Crystalenz is a bit pricey and I have never heard of them. The Meguiars is probably the best solution, but I find that lack of search results for “headlights” troubling. It has a lawyer speak ring to it.

Like “hey I used your product on my headlights and they dissolved in 6 months.”

“We never recommended using this on your headlights.”


With the price of headlight fixtures, I am not sure I blame them. With the number of tort lawyers who would love to blame an accident on a headlight cleaner, I am not sure I blame them. Yet there is no shortage of people selling solutions to this problem.

So why is Mequiars avoiding the “H word”?

It might be that people screw up their headlights with something else, then use Meguiars and try to blame it on them. I don’t know. I just find it very curious that Meguiars avoids the use of the H word.

You may want to ask if the members have any long term experience with these products.

My recommendation: I have none, other than be careful, especially if you have a state inspection that can reject a lens because they are too hazy.

[wtilton]

I have had 2 headlights fixed at Honda dealerships recently. They "buffed them out". I did not ask the specifics of what they were really doing/using, but whatever they did worked, and cost me in the ~$40 range. I know of at least 2 different dealerships that can do this, so I think it is a universal thing, not just one shop doing something special, and I am about to have it done on a '97 Accord. When I get the Accord done I will try to get more specific info.

[Dana]

When I had my old civic the headlights were really bad and I tried everything, but nothing worked long term.

I used Meguiars Plastix on my V and it worked like a charm! Lights still look great too!


My Mom's neighbor has a V just like mine and her headlights were really, really bad and used the Plastix on her lights and they look brand new now. I used a buffer, but the first time I did it on my car I just used some elbow grease.

Give the Plastix a try, you won't regret it!

[Serj22]

I sanded the headlights off with gradually higher grit sand paper, and then I polished them with a plastic polish. Works every time. People just cringe at the idea of sanding a $300 thing. It won't hurt it.

[robhurlburt]

see if this helps ya

VWvortex Forums: DIY: Polishing PLASTIC...like headlights and tailights! (http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2485084)

[E_BikeR]

see if this helps ya

VWvortex Forums: DIY: Polishing PLASTIC...like headlights and tailights! (http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2485084)

Nice:) I have seen folks do this same sort of process for mild to heavy scratches on paint / clear coat surfaces, minus the 600 grit sandpaper. What about a really slow orbital buffer for the final polishing?

[Serj22]

You could. But the area is so small, you may want to do it by hand, your hand can feel curves better than a buffer, or aything else can, I remember that from body work, and you can definitely feel if one half of a car is different from the other half. Headlights aren't so tricky or precise, but you may not want to start buffing the area around the headlights, unless you want to get into buffing the whole car. I've never had any luck with small buffers, I still slip with them.

[mr. discus]

Here's another link from Popular Mechanics online (and in their March '08 issue)
showing how to do-it-yourself. Nice photos too.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/4252611.html?na