Quickie headlight restoration
 

Hey Jagsters -

If you are looking for a quick way to get the dull haze off your headlights then just put a dab of polishing compound on to a polisher and buff it out. This took me one minute each. Looks like a nicely polished jewel once again.

Cheers!

Now protect it with some 3m film, it will stay that way.

What Q&C said, but if you want to reduce the obviousness and Bug-Eye look of the front, use a 10% tint.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...e0db013058.jpg

Does the film make the plastic get any hotter? I was thinking to use film on my daughter's MiTo which is parked out in the sun (and I have already had to clean up the lights with toothpaste) but the plastic gets very hot from the DRLs and I thought film might make it worse.

I dont believe the heat will matter. The 3m film is the same that Jaguar uses on the clear bra, so it gets super hot on a black hood like mine. I believe the plastic lens is made to also take punishment from heat.

Toothpaste. Use high quality cutting compound like Menzerna Fast Gloss, it is tough enough for the hard plastic and diminishes in size to leave lens crystal clear.

I do this often. I recently did my son's tour van using wet sandpaper (600 up to 2500), then Meguiars 205, then 105 with a DA polisher, then paste wax. Not too shabby for 20 minutes work. Thankfully, the Jag isn't clouding up yet.

Attachment 150209

I bought a Meguiars kit several years ago and it worked great on my girlfriend's car.

The film I use is specifically for headlights. It also comes in many colors, if that's your bag. All UV protective, of course.
I really like this stuff.....
Black Light Smoke HeadLight - Taillight Tint Vinyl Film Sheet Sticker 12"x72" | eBay

Do you have to heat it to get it tight around the curves of the headlights?

Neat. A yellow film like you see on Porsche Cup car headlights would look cool.

I used an old hair dryer to do mine, the gentle curves weren't a problem at all, but to get around the pointy back corner took a bit. I did it by myself and got it on really well without much trouble. I did of course remove the headlights and the squishy-tape edge tape stuff from the headlights, and it was still squishy so I used spray adhesive to replace it. Actually looks BETTER now than when I removed it.
After the two headlights turned out so gorgeous, I bought more film and did both tail lights also. After the practice in doing the headlights, the tails were easy-peasy.

Yes, I just installed the 10% tint to both head and taillights this past week. I'll post pics soon....

What, you wait a week to post and then forgot the pics? for shame :)

I'm torn on doing the tint or just clear. I really love how my nice headlamp stands out being so crystal clear since I redid it. Plus my night vision isn't what I wish it was so as said, I'm torn about it. I would consider doing the washer nozzle in some flavor of tint as it looks better darker. The only bit of chrome on the nose other than the emblem are the dumb washers. One of mine is wrapped in crappy carbon fiber and it looks much better (even with the crappy wrap) vs. the chrome one on the other side.

Oh yeah, running some errands around town today has been fun in the car. If it cools off later I'll drag my kid out for a moving video.

Ha, Ha, Ha.....Ok, you "shamed" me into it. It does reduce the "brightness" of them.....

Looking very fresh

Looks great!

Thanks :)

Just freakin stunning. (The finish on the car) Did you farm that out or DIY Steve?

One man and his buffer lol

Nice work! Have to experiment on our Suburban