Headlight haze

[culzean]

http://www.halfords.com/camping-leisure/caravan-motorhomes/chemicals-cleaning/fenwicks-windowize-50ml-tube

[bill ericay]

also here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fenwicks-Windowize-Scratch-Remover-Litres/dp/B0041T66P4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440798663&sr=8-1&keywords=fenwicks+scratch+remover

[degzi]

My local halfords didn't stock it 
So I just t-cut, polished, then wax. It worked a treat 

[guest6981]

Some great suggestions here that I intend to try!

[culzean]

also here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fenwicks-Windowize-Scratch-Remover-Litres/dp/B0041T66P4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440798663&sr=8-1&keywords=fenwicks+scratch+remover

Halfords also sell this in their camping / caravan section,  couple of quid dearer but no waiting for delivery (in my experience free delivery option normally takes up to a week LOL)

I have used this with great success on headlights of two Jazzes.  At first I thought it was hard work because instead of using the recommended COTTON cloth I thought it would be smart to use a micro-fibre one - what a mistake - If you use a cotton cloth (old handkerchief or shirt etc.) it is a breeze. This paste is not too aggressive but it does a great job,  apply a couple of coats of good wax afterwards to give plastic some UV protection and jobs a goodun.

I have read some barbarous methods of removing headlight haze (which is apparently caused by a combination of sunlight / UV ray damage and exhaust fumes attacking the plastic),  from sanding down to using all sorts of agressive power tools and substances.  The idea is to keep as much of the existing UV coating on the plastic as you can and then protect it with a decent wax after,  if you are too aggressive and remove all the coating the plastic will just haze up again very quickly. 

On the cars we have now I tend to be pro-active and apply a coating of AutoGlym super resin wax to headlight covers every few month to try to give the plastic good UV protection and protection from road fumes etc and stop it clouding up. May be working because my Civic is 5 years old and headlights are still crystal clear.

[culzean]

http://www.lamin-x.com/Universal-Film-Sheet-Covers-s/1885.htm

You can get products like one in link to replace the UV protection on plastic light covers after you spent all that time cleaning them,  as I said I use AutoGlym wax once a month (I am not a great cleaner of cars,  but it is so quick and easy to do front and rear lights that I will do it) to stop exhaust fumes and sun damaging the lenses mainly because it is so cheap and easy to do but also when you get older you need the headlights to be working at peak efficiency LOL

[jazzway]

I have done some severe headlights last week on a friends car. Started with wet sanding them with 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000 and finish with a medium light abrasive polish on a (white) light polisher foam pad. I sealed the then crystal clear headlights with Finish Kare 1000p high temp paste wax, but with a durability of max 6 months the sealant have to be reapplied 2 or 3 times a year. Better option is sealing them with something like Carpro Dlux.
Preventing the fuss with sand paper is keeping the car protected for the elements all year round.

[guest7110]

All the 3M headlight restoration kit is a worthy option to try to restore your headlights. The only downside is that you will need to find some protective sealant as the kit does not contain any.

[RichardA]

Autoglym now do a Headlight Restoration Kit, can't comment on how good it is.

[sparky Paul]

I have done some severe headlights last week on a friends car. Started with wet sanding them with 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000 and finish with a medium light abrasive polish on a (white) light polisher foam pad.

Same method I use, wet & dry and plenty of soapy water, followed by a compounding.

The yellowing/crazing is actually the polycarbonate hard coat, the plastic is all UV stable. The only problem is that the remaining polycarbonate is slightly softer, and in theory will scratch easier... so a good wax coating won't hurt. I've done a few of these and in my experience there is little or no difference in longevity between a polished headlight and a new one.

[culzean]

For many years now I have applied auto glym super resin wax to headlights on our cars about every month  and seems to work( (and prevention is  better than cure) - it is the only part of the cars I do wash and wax. Have used Fenwick caravan window scratch remover cream on other cars and it works without all that sanding, but only if you catch it before it gets really bad.

The hard coating on the polycarb is the UV protection, polycarbonate itself is not very resistant to UV. The heat from filament bulbs cooks the atmospheric pollution  grime onto the plastic and degrades it,  that is why I keep wax on them, I have also fitted LED headlight bulbs,  which produce a lot less infra red heat than filaments and keep plastic cooler,  don't even melt the frost off headlamp cover.

Worth fitting LED bulbs just for that reason - because they are cheaper than a new headlight - and provide a lot more light on the road than even best xenon filament bulb I have used.

classiccarleds H4 LED bulbs with Philips Z-ES chips

[sparky Paul]

I don't think UV degradation is such a major problem in the UK. I did a pair on a Clio, the driver's side was getting so bad it was borderline for the MOT, and that car was only 7 years old. The headlights still looked perfectly okay with no yellowing when I last saw the car four years later, and that was without any special treatment - I think that's pretty good considering that some headlights are showing deterioration 5-6 years from new.

A good finish on the surfaces seems to slow further deterioration. Obviously, a regular wax, or better still something with UV protection, is always a good idea.

The polycarbonate used for headlights is basically UV stable, it has to withstand the intense illumination from the rear, which will of course have a UV component. There is additional UV protection in the hard coat, but I don't think you should get too hung up about removing the hard coat, if the alternative is a new headlight.

I also like the idea of retrofit LED headlight bulbs, but if you do consider going this route, make sure you buy only the type approved CE marked ones that culzean recommends. Don't be tempted by the cheap ones, they are not legal for UK road use.