Anyone else bother to buff plastic headlight? My 2006 Dodge Dakota never been parked in garage since I owned it. Worse part is when I park it in driveway it faces south. So most of the day the sun is on the front of the truck. I pretty sure it's the UV that makes the headlights haze over. So I find myself at a point where I now have to buff them out about every six months or so. Usually do a fall and spring buffing.
I years ago bought a kit from Walmart for about $20. Used it to buff out head lights on my daughters old Saturn. I still use the same spong holder in my drill. But I now have bottle McGuires plastic polish. Works as good as little tub goo that came with original kit. Original kit also had some kind of sealer to wipe on after buffing. Not sure that it really helps any with lense hazing back up.
So anyways today I buffed my head light again. My son drives a 2005 Dakota so I was buffing his pretty regularly too. He got tired that spent couple hundred dollars we replaced his lense. I always say I got more time than money. Especially since retired.

Camera actually makes it look less hazed than it is reflection from my yellow shirt helping too.


Spin some plastic polish on them with drill wipe with soft rag.



I piddled around less than hour should be good for a while.



Mac

Great job

Looks great

I ve done hundreds

Sand..prime..2 coats of clear

Like new...lasts for years

The buffing method is short lived

Buy new, its only money.

Could you elaborate more on that ?? I’m curious

Me too and you did a nice job.....jk

So the coating in the kits does work? Or is there something better..I'm cheap but if I can coat them for less than replacing. I be open to that. I've haven't looked into any of it since I bought kit probably 20 years ago when was new thing to do. Every thing I owned had glass head lamps.

Mac

I have a really nice buffer for my vehicles and with some rubbing compound it does a great job on those lenses, using a soft wheel. A clear coat then Seals the deal.


Osky

I was just noticing my truck lenses were starting to get that haze today. Thanks for the post Mac.

Great job, Mac!

Before...

And Aftah

I like how well you get those clear, Nessy. I need to adopt your way.

Project farm did a really nice video on the how with a bunch of kits

Sylvania was the winner of the kits because it had a nice coating but it didn't have the drill attachment and sanding pads just hand sand , so it took longer

that said I went with the harbor freight kit I was there, it was on sale and it worked well enough got 3 vehicles done on one kit so it doesn't cost much
14 dollars for the kit

it has 500 , 800 and 3000 grit disks if you had those for your detail sander you could just do that then it has a buffing compund

what the harbor freight kit lacks is the coating your really just polishing away the oxidized material with no coating to keep it from happening again. but it lasts at least a year just did them all last year

lots of videos on how to do it , big thing is keep that pad moving so you don't melt in at all and do it wet

I might buy the silva kit this year with most of the major sanding done

You don't want to buy these new...they are HID's..guessing 1500.00 each at least.

On anothah job..the insurance co paid 1700.00 FOR A USED headlight for a 2017 Accura...then I had to pay my computer guys anothah 225.00 to tell the car it had a donor headlight !

what prime and clear do you use , is it a spray on clear coat like you use on the paint on a car? or a coating product for headlights

It's a 2k clear...the same clear I spray over Base coat...BC/CC

And PPG 1 Choice..plastic primer

Sprayed out of my Mini ANI gun ..with 1.2 air cap

Think I'll try a rattle can of clear after I get them buffed clear. I don't have all that fancy paint equipment but there's nothing to lose. If it don't work I'll buy new, if I didn't try, I'd buy new. lol

Nessy, I have found, with a steady hand in feather blending, using a soft sponge or very fine hair paint brush, I would apply that clear coat by hand, in two coats as you advised. I don't have an airbrush, but many times, my hand applications are as good, done with care and soft touch.

Can the 2K clear be found in any auto store, or is it only online ?

Pffft, peanuts.

Wait a couple years when we have to buy an EV and all the bs that goes with them.

Sharon...I don’t think the 2 k clear and haahdner is sold in quarts.

Plus you need some of that PPG plastic primah.

Just not cost effective

Are you friendly with any Body Shops out there,?....that would be the best way to score a wee bit of clear and hardner....and that plastic primah.

Ok sure thing Nessy. I appreciate your help and advice.

Yes Ive got a couple outlet shaaaps that will be happy to help me with some materials.

Paint, primah, clear coating, I know that stuff from doing other art projects !

Thank you Nessy .

Shoot me a PM if you want ...for the process of prepping and painting....step by step

I’ll keep that in mind Nessy !

Gotta love those nice detailed cahs

Thank you for your kindness.