Headlight 'touch-up'

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howardm4

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I have an older Infiniti FX35 that, thanks to AG and you guys now looks great :)

What would you recommend for touching-up the headlights? They are NOT all yellow and cloudy but
actually in very good condition (very clear but w/ some sand/road 'rash')

Can't help but wanting to polish them up. I have the range of Mirka pads (up to 4000),
and of course foam pads and all the polishes.

What would be a good starting point for polishing them up? I was thinking the Mirka 3000/4000
followed by a finishing polish (on white foam).
 
Some headlights, and usually high end cars like Lexus, have what is simply or generically called a factory OEM coating over the plastic. Some cars just have plastic, no clearcoating over them.

Here's the deal, if your headlights have an OEM coating and it has not started to fail or deteriorate, if you sand them you WILL sand of the coating and to me that's a mistake. The coating is more resilient to fading and oxidation than just straight plastic.

Do you see any signs of coating failure on the headlight? If not, maybe just machine polish with a foam pad and any quality clearcoat polish.


:)
 
Thanks Mike. I didn't know that. No, no visible coating failure on the lens assembly.

Maybe I'll start w/ some form of pre-wax cleaner or move to something like Menz 3500 or Poorboy Pro II w/ a white or black pad.
 
Mike Phillips said:
Some headlights, and usually high end cars like Lexus, have what is simply or generically called a factory OEM coating over the plastic. Some cars just have plastic, no clearcoating over them.

Here's the deal, if your headlights have an OEM coating and it has not started to fail or deteriorate, if you sand them you WILL sand of the coating and to me that's a mistake. The coating is more resilient to fading and oxidation than just straight plastic.

Do you see any signs of coating failure on the headlight? If not, maybe just machine polish with a foam pad and any quality clearcoat polish.


:)
Click to expand...

What about AIO? That's always my first "polish" when I'm characterizing the surface.
 
I agree with Mikes comments.
With headlights in the condition you’re describing I like to do a quik light polish with something like Meguiars M205 by hand with a microfiber applicator.

I have some Megs Plastx on my shelf and you would think it’d be a no brainer to use that but there’s a couple of things it mentions on it’s back label that has made me cautious about whether or not it’s a good idea.

1. It says “not for use on coated plastics”

Well isn’t that what OEM headlights are? I sure would think so. I don’t understand how Plastx is pretty much marketed exclusively for use on headlights but says that on its back label...

2. Contains petroleum distillates.

I’ve begun to stay away from products that contain petroleum distillates. Maybe I’m crazy, but I began noticing how a certain protectant was beginning to have a negative effect on my vehicles vinyl surfaces once it lost its initial sheen. It’s like it was doing more aging than protecting in the longrun... Plastx contains petroleum distillates.

M205 doesn’t have either of those 2 warning signs on its label and therefore I feel it’s the better option.
 
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