Rain-X 610153 Headlight Restoration https://a.co/d/cTucgiq

 

They ALL work - even ignorant toothpaste - if the craftsman USING them has skill and - most of all patience enough.

The one I liked most of 'many' used, lo these many years, was to merge two different vendor's kits: 'Griot's Garage', and 'Mother's' - operating under running water flood, headlamp assembly still in-vehicle whilst driving the polishing media with a Milwaukee M12 cordless (not wise to use 'corded' powered hand tools under running water?)

And if I forgot to mention it...."patience?"

As to Rain-X itself, I've been using it for carwash and windscreen for over 40 years for the hygrophobic disposal of rain.. most expecially on PA28, AA5B ......as neither aircraft has windscreen wipers!!!

 

I suggest this one - really good results and it does seem to be wearing well. I did it at 64k, and now at 69k looks as good as when I did it.


As above, how is as important as what. I removed front clip so I could remove the headlight module and had unfettered access and could "make a mess" without having to mask off bodywork. Below are results after 5k miles; judge for yourself.

 

WOW!! Thanks, Chris!! Mine aren't too bad, but I can't wait to get them looking like yours! The photo is without restoration, the other one is about the same; I will send an "after".

 

If the kit you use doesn't come with a clearcoat to apply after cleaning, get some. They'll degrade quickly without the clearcoat protection and you'll bee right back here.

My Jag lights aren't so bad, but I went through this on my '99 Miata! This was the Mother's kit, and a battery drill. Three different grit stages, followed by a polishing paste in the kit, and a clearcoat I got separately.

 

Ah, the clear coat! I have not had to do a headlight deglazing but never considered a clear coat to finish. Seems vital to maintaining the fresh look long term. What did you use? Thanks for the hint.

 

I really don't recall. It was on the same shelf with the headlight kits, though. some of the kits do come with a final clearcoat stage.

 

Listen to wfooshee on this! You can spray clear coat on them and I have also used XPEL PPF on them. That was way easier and it also gives good protection from rock and other impacts.

Here is my old 2005 STR after cutting and buffing and with the XPEL PPF. It's pretty much invisible after it's installed.




Steve I think sometime in the past your head lights got swapped out from a non-R car? Look at my picture and see the black surrounds on both lights? This is a difference that's not well known and until I broke my passenger side head light I never knew there were two styles. On your car are both sides missing the black part? Not a big deal as I never noticed it?

Here is the XPEL kits. One thing I noticed when installing them is to follow the directions! When I was done it was all cloudy and I was certain it was going to look like crap! But no after completely drying out they were perfect! They come pre-cut and fit the head light exactly. Less than $50 which if you can't or don't spray paint is a fair price.
XPEL Head Light Film
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Thanks for all the great advice! Clubairth, unless it was stolen in the dead of night & the lights changed, these are the originals. Mine is an 04 XJR. Could there have been a change in 05?

 

Yes I am not sure? Maybe the XJR and STR did have different lights?
So I think your right the XJR's had the normal chrome surrounds. But for some reason Jaguar gave the STR's the black one.
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Yes, S-Types and XJs have different headlights, which stands to reason as the body design is totally different, too.

And no, aesthetically, there was no change to the lights on the XJs throughout the model years from 2003 to 2009 (X350 to X358), there was only a technical change (ballast, deletion of the internal height regulating electric motor).

Best regards,

Thomas

 

Success!!

Thanks to CTSemicon for recommending the Cerakote product. Lenses are as good as new!!

have a great week!

Steve S.

 

Hi Thomas,
You are correct about the lights, bearing in mind the two types; Halogen only, and HID / Halogen.
Also in the early HID lights there were Bi-Xenon units that gave High and Low beams for the outer lights. At some point these were changed so that they were low beam only . I would love to have the original Bi-Xenon units for my car. I am modifying (slowly) some other Bi-Xenon lamps to fit, but it is very involved.
Kind regards
Pete M

 

Whether they are halogen or HID, the basic shape of the headlights (and as such the differences between XJ and S-Type) would still be the same and the only difference would be if you look at the form of the lenses.

In the Jaguar technical guide, there is a note that bi-xenons or xenons were fitted depending on the market the car was sold, so it seems that it was not a change from early cars to later ones:

Best regards,

Thomas