Headlight restoration
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 6:31 pm
Hi all,
I've been on here for ages now, but never had to post before (credit to the site really!) and I've not done anything to the car, so no point it starting a build thread (should change over the summer once I've left uni though!).
Anyway, after reading a couple of threads on here about sanding down headlights I thought I'd look into it - and I achieved this: (shamelessly copied from Briskoda where I'm more active).
Ever since I’ve had my Polo I’ve been annoyed with the state of the headlamps. A lot of polishing has got them a bit better, but they’re still marked and pitted.
After having seen what people have been able to do with some sandpaper and time, I thought I’d give it ago.
I started off with 1500 grit paper, which after a while got the first light looking like this. While scarred badly, it was perfectly smooth now, so just had to get the transparency back.
Compared to before (left = sanded).
I then moved onto 2500 grit paper, which made no real difference visibly, and I forgot to take pictures.
After this I moved onto using some ‘rubbing compound’ from Halfords. I was sceptical a £6 could do so much, and was expecting to have a £200 bill from VW for a new headlight, but no, happily! If I were to do it again, I'd skip the 1500grit paper, but I guess that depends on the actual headlights.
Left = done.
I applied some polishes, titled ‘medium’, ‘fine’, ‘finest’ courtesy of BMW Mini, Cowley.
While not too obvious there, they’re soooooo much smoother, and all the scaring and pitting is gone.
And some of them back on the car after both sides are done:
Before/After
Not bad for the sake of ~£5 worth of stuff, and a few hours work! I'd happily recommend it to people with scarred headlights, although it does take a fair amount of time and tedious, repetitive, energetic arm movement. :devil: Just need to replace my passenger side headlight washer now, after it blew itself apart after I'd weakened it removing the cover.
Thanks for reading,
Joe.
I've been on here for ages now, but never had to post before (credit to the site really!) and I've not done anything to the car, so no point it starting a build thread (should change over the summer once I've left uni though!).
Anyway, after reading a couple of threads on here about sanding down headlights I thought I'd look into it - and I achieved this: (shamelessly copied from Briskoda where I'm more active).
Ever since I’ve had my Polo I’ve been annoyed with the state of the headlamps. A lot of polishing has got them a bit better, but they’re still marked and pitted.
After having seen what people have been able to do with some sandpaper and time, I thought I’d give it ago.
I started off with 1500 grit paper, which after a while got the first light looking like this. While scarred badly, it was perfectly smooth now, so just had to get the transparency back.
Compared to before (left = sanded).
I then moved onto 2500 grit paper, which made no real difference visibly, and I forgot to take pictures.
After this I moved onto using some ‘rubbing compound’ from Halfords. I was sceptical a £6 could do so much, and was expecting to have a £200 bill from VW for a new headlight, but no, happily! If I were to do it again, I'd skip the 1500grit paper, but I guess that depends on the actual headlights.
Left = done.
I applied some polishes, titled ‘medium’, ‘fine’, ‘finest’ courtesy of BMW Mini, Cowley.
While not too obvious there, they’re soooooo much smoother, and all the scaring and pitting is gone.
And some of them back on the car after both sides are done:
Before/After
Not bad for the sake of ~£5 worth of stuff, and a few hours work! I'd happily recommend it to people with scarred headlights, although it does take a fair amount of time and tedious, repetitive, energetic arm movement. :devil: Just need to replace my passenger side headlight washer now, after it blew itself apart after I'd weakened it removing the cover.
Thanks for reading,
Joe.