Is250 Headlight Polishing

[Joey-is250]

My 07 IS250 headlights are gone a yellow dull colour so want to wet sand and polish them.Been reading up on it and see that there a protective coating on them.

Anyone have any problems wet sanding and polishing these or is it ok to do?

[madasahatter]

Think you will be opening a can of worms mate. I would only do it if getting shot of the car, its the sun that fades them. So when you take the coating of what protects them then?

[ColinBarber]

Apparently there is a coating on them, but if they are bad it is better to lose the coating. It just means they won't stay clear for as long as they did coming out of the factory so you may have to repeat the process every couple of years.

[johnatg]

I don't agree that it's primarily the sun which yellows plastic headlamp lenses - not over 9-10 years anyway. It's mainly UV from headlight bulbs which don't have a UV filter (typically cheap high power ones). And I guess the yellowing is more intense on the insides, which means that to restore them properly you need to get the lenses off the light units and reseal them afterwards. Good luck with both of those.

Always use branded quality bulbs of standard correct power rating incorporating a UV filter.

[rayaans]

Toothpaste works well - try it! If its not taking it off, the UV damage is on the inside!

[matt-c]

Gtechniq P1 polish

Gtechniq C2v3 (UV protector)

Newspaper

microfibre cloth

15-20mins per headlight

I don't agree that it's primarily the sun which yellows plastic headlamp lenses - not over 9-10 years anyway. It's mainly UV from headlight bulbs which don't have a UV filter (typically cheap high power ones). And I guess the yellowing is more intense on the insides, which means that to restore them properly you need to get the lenses off the light units and reseal them afterwards. Good luck with both of those.

Always use branded quality bulbs of standard correct power rating incorporating a UV filter.

There was no yellowing inside these lenses at all. In fact the only reason they were off the housings is because I was modifying the headlights.

(and just FYI - toothpaste did not remove that, and the UV damage was not on the inside. It's simply about using the correct tools, in this case products, for the job)

[normski2]

Well, that seems to work.

How long between re-cleans...roughly?

I realise sunny days will be a factor. But is it back in one season?

[matt-c]

Couldn't tell you, as they were only done a couple months ago. Don't look any different yet though. Bearing in mind they have probably never been polished in over 10 years, they shouldn't change very quickly. It's advised to top up the UV protectant every 8-12 months.

[normski2]

Cheers... I'll keep a note of that gear for future reference.

[Guest bigbullhead]

Acrylic polish is used at the garage I had a Yaris done

[Joey-is250]

I didnt get a chance to go at these yet as i fitted and sprayed the boot spoiler today and didnt want go near the car with polish till i had this done.I'll be detailing the car next week and will do the head lights at the same time and see how i get on.

[BillNick]

Once you have cleaned apply Autoglym glass protector

[Joey-is250]

Finally got around to doing these this week and delighted with how they came out.Started with 1500 and then finished with 2000 waterpaper.Polished back up by machine and came up like new and no sign that i cut the uv coating.If i had started with 800 or 1000 i probably would went true it but as with all polishing start off with light products and see how ya get on.

Including masking and polishing whole job was less than 20 mins.Pity rest the car wasn't as fast,spent 12 hours machine polishing the body work :)

[toffee_pie]

pics?!

[Joey-is250]

Have a few in the phone i'll get them up tomorrow,hard to see in the pics how bad they really looked before starting though.

[Joey-is250]

Finally got around to pics.Taken with a camera phone and dont show up nothing like how yellow and worn they looked.They really were very faded and yellow on the top half.They look as new now.

Before

After

Before

After

Drivers side done,passengers side untouched.

[madasahatter]

They look brilliant well done you.

[Joey-is250]

They look brilliant well done you.

Thanks :)

[marko369]

Great write up mate, will be doing this to mine shortly :)

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