$200 OMG. In most cases they can be buffed up ok with toothpaste, brasso or a light cutting compound, However I have bought a bottle of headlight restorer from Supercheap or repco and it does work a whole lot better. I am using a product from Meguires but you can buy other brands as well like mothers. Cost about mid $20's
tintop,
Jul 23, 2:51pm
There is kit available at Repco. It includes a coating that provides ongoing protection.
I used it on my sprinter van, worked well.
dublo,
Jul 23, 4:18pm
An antisocial one I saw on a 4WD . I can't recall the actual letters and numbers , but in my mirror it read MOVE OVER. Didn't like his attitude.
crankypants69,
Jul 23, 4:34pm
Antisocial headlights are bastards!
kazbanz,
Jul 23, 4:38pm
Maree--I think you misunderstand how the cleaning works. The "fogging" is usually on the outside of the headlight so the headlights stay where they are. Sorry to over simplify but how you clean them is exactly the same as cleaning your teeth. Done by hand its like a manual toothbrush and done by a buff is like an electric tooth brush.-getting the "guy in" is equivilant to going to the dentist and having them do a professional polish and whiten. Buying the kit from Repco or super cheap is equal to buying a home teeth whitening kit including toothpaste and a toothbrush. If it was me I would buy the kit.In the kit are really easy to follow instructions .The important thing in my opinion is to use plenty of water. But again -if you think of your headlight lens like your front teeth then the instruuctions make sense. Word of warning if you use a professional-The right side lens will finish looking stunning. But I bet you will then look at the left side and think it looks dull
crankypants69,
Jul 23, 4:47pm
Autosol? Be a lot cheaper, or would it be too "coarse"?
tintop,
Jul 23, 5:07pm
The sandpaper supplied in the Repco kit is quite coarse, you sand with it until the 'fogging' is gone.
The coating supplied in the kit is the secret - it fills the scratches left by the sandpaper, there is no need at all for fine finishing with fine paper or any polishing/cutting agents. Once set it has pretty much the same refractive index as the original lens plastic.
mm12345,
Jul 23, 5:13pm
Seems to work fine - but I don't think of Autosol as "cheap". I just use a light cutting compound / polish on a small foam pad on a buffing machine. It takes longer to get the machine out from the storage cabinet and unwind an extension cord than to get a pair of headlights looking as good as new. But if the lights butt up against paintwork, you'd need to be very careful/precise, or only do the centre part of the lens with a machine, and touch up the edges by hand / elbow grease.
kazbanz,
Jul 23, 5:30pm
To be honest it isn't a lot cheaper than the kit but then its a multi use product where the kit is single purpose. Im really responding to the OP with my advice re the kit. Ie just saying how simple it is to use.
kazbanz,
Jul 23, 5:32pm
hey tintop--the kit I have gas 4 rubbing pads and then compound as well.
tintop,
Jul 23, 7:58pm
Ah yes - I just had a look at mine.
Masking paper and tape, the pads, and 600, 1000 grit wet and dry. and the sealant.
It was the pads that were quite coarse, and the 600 and 1000 wet and dry to finish the sanding.
petal_91,
Jul 23, 8:16pm
Are you sure it won't pass a WOF with the 'oxidized' headlight? I have seen some pretty cloudy lenses pass WOFs. I don't think inspectors care that much about that.
phalanax,
Jul 23, 8:25pm
If this problem is common. why are the manufacturers even allowing these headlight materials to be used. surely they are defective. and the car makers know it.
petal_91,
Jul 23, 8:34pm
Polycarbonate lenses are coated to be UV resistant of course. However I wonder if manufacturers take into account NZ's harsher UV conditions - probably not I would think. Also I expect OP's car would have been fine during its warranty period, so it is not defective as such, but has more outlived its designed life.
phalanax,
Jul 23, 8:40pm
Just wondering if it is actually the uv ,or is due too the headlight intensity creating an oxidation layer on the outer surface due to heat and outer oxidation . if these are failing en masse then assuming a car has a 10 year headlight life shouldnt imports nearing that 10 year span be rejected unless they have new lenses fitted. ?. I think the cheap manufacturers should be supplying cheaper fix it kits. at the very least. otherwise go back to glass. bulb failure is acceptable but is yellowing of the lenses meeting a minimum standard. my point is this. if the slightly yellow lenses are passing a lumen test with the device set say 1 or 2 ft away. what is actually happening at 5 ft away?
petal_91,
Jul 23, 9:45pm
It is definitely UV light that causes the issues with these and that is only on the outside from the Sun. The glass globes that come with halogen lamps are made of quartz and effectively filter any UV on the inside that is generated by the filament.
monsieurl,
Jul 24, 12:13am
There are about a million youtube videos showing how to fix clouded lenses. go there, get some wet sandpaper and go hard!
mileyfan73,
Jul 24, 1:18am
I have an EF falcon,which are notorious for yellowed cloudy headlights.I bought some Headlight restorer from Repco,$25 I think.It's just an abrasive cream.A lot of elbow grease as well and they came up like new.
lookoutas,
Jul 24, 1:32am
At 10 years, the headlights are supposed to stuff-up.
I know a guy who used to make millions of plastic cloths pegs, until those countries with low labour undercut him. He told the supplyee's that he could make them out of a better plastic that wouldn't break, and they didn't wanta know!
tintop,
Jul 24, 2:58am
Had a neighbour who made them too. He ran a batch that had uV stabilizer for his friends/neighbours.
clark20,
Jul 24, 6:26am
Not quite right, the old ones did, now they are UV cut or UV block. Most H4 Halogens are hard glass now, quartz is more expensive. There is better plastic than PC, it is just it takes something like 8 years to get approved for use. Look up Grilamid, much better but not approved yet. It is nylon.
Hey Just wondering if the stuff from Repco,, Can I use that on my teeth?
stevo2,
Dec 27, 12:12pm
Yes, yes YOU can.
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