@@yapperingdid you coat with protectant? Before you clear it’s important to clean any foreign material from lenses or else there will be a reaction, bubbling, cracking.
I’ve been in the auto paint & body business my whole life! Have seen dozens of videos on different methods of plastic headlight restoration! Have dun them all! This is the absolute best method going! meguires has the proper materials! I used 2 wet sand with 400, 600, 1,000, 2,000 then 3,000! Buff & polish, then clearcoat! Lasted 4 years! But Meguires lets me rub less & their clearcoat is formulated 4 plastic! Excellent video, dude! 👌❤️
If you have done restoration for as long as you say you should know about adhesion? Clearcoat does not stick to shiny smooth buffed surfaces, these lights will delaminate in less than two years and the heat from the sun and operation of them will accelerate that process, clear coating is the way to do it but the clearcoat needs to adhere to the substrate when painting cars we don’t sand beyond 600 grit or at most 800 grit because why? the paint has nothing to bite to I only ever sand lights to 600 grit and they look exactly the same as new ! Half of this video is a complete waste of time and effort and is only promoting failure in the end !
Excelente video sir I tried it yesterday and it turned out the same except I put another clear coat on it but everything turned out fine, thanks sir for your videos.
It looks like showroom new , I'm thinking of trying this on my speed slope windshield on the bonanza lots of work but if it will last say 3-5 years , unfortunately it sits outside and there is shade cover parking , wondering the cost of the foam pad and the buffer unit, I have few sheets of sandpaper, great work I'll bet your arms got a workout!!!
The finished result looks great. As a hobbyist somewhat familiar with automotive refinishing processes and products, I’d skip the polishing prior to coating. Polishing after sanding with 3k removes some of the tooth necessary for best adhesion. You generally polish AFTER painting, as a retired bodyman pointed out elsewhere here in the comments. Also, even though the headlights were removed, the flexible black gasket along the top edge of the capsule still should have been taped off to protect from overspray. Lastly, for the longest lasting protective coat a 2k clear with UV inhibitors would be the best choice. Whether a 1k or 2k, periodic cleaning and waxing as needed is essential, these plastic headlights literally take a beating in the elements.
The only video on the internet that has a good explanation and see result a bit of to much talk but it was worth it every minute extremely nice Thank YOU i give you 100 out of 100 perfect thank you again
This is the exact way I have done my headlights for over 20 years after wasting money and time on those stupid "kits". You did everything I do to a tee, including removing the headlights. I use the same polisher with pads from Griot's garage on Amazon. A couple of things I do different; After sanding up through 2.5k grit I use Meguires heavy cut polishing compound 2-3 passes or until I have a very consistent finish then the same thing with Meguires Ultra finishing. I also mount my headlights in a large vice. Good work. Best video I've seen on YT on the proper way to restore headlights. Regarding replacement. Some replacement headlights are still very expensive especially Toyotas and Hondas. I paid $360.00 for headlights in a 2012 Honda CRV and these were china made. Unless you buy OEM, all china replacements, the clear coat will start coming off within a couple of years so, if you can get them cheap, like on my cat-eyed silverados (less than $50), yes, it's easier to replace them or you can just hit them every year or so and they look like new again. I don't clear coat mine so it makes it easier to to freshen them up. I do keep them hand polished for UV protection often. I'm in FL so the sun is brutal on plastics here.
Great video and editing. Every time I restore my headlights, while I’m half way through I’m like “next time I’m just going to buy some new ones.” But, by the time I’m done, I’m very happy with them and it feels very rewarding knowing that I did it all myself. Thanks for the content!
This is the exact process I used for two of my cars 1 and 2 years ago. They are both yellow again and in need of restoration again... if you plan on doing this, just plan on light sanding once a year and polishing again to get them back to looking new. Elbow grease and using these products you already purchased are still cheaper than buying new lights that will Oxidize over time...
I managed to successfully clean my cloudy '07 Toyota's headlight lenses using a 3M restore kit I'd bought some 10+ years ago and just forgot about and let sit in my garage until finally using it. Painter's tape, a cordless drill, and elbow grease led to making them almost factory fresh, without disassembly. It'd sure be nice if auto manufacturers simply used glass like back in the day, or from the factory generously coated their assemblies with road, grit, and UV-defying coatings.
The one step I wouldn't have done is to remove the headlights from the vehicle. I would have to remove the grill and pretty much the entire front bumper to remove my headlights. I'm not that brave! I'll probably just mask everything off really well. I really enjoyed getting to see the full step-by-step process with the sanding and polishing (including what grits to use and what compound and coating products you used). It took a lot of the fear out of it for me. I feel like I can tackle this project now. Thanks.
Brother - this BY FAR is the BEST vid I have EVER seen on how to do this process to as close to PERFECTION as possible. GREAT JOB. GREAT VID. This will be the method I use on my ancient pickup with almost GOLD colored headlights. You are appreciated. As many others have stated - have seen bazillions of methods ...but your method clearly demonstrates how to do this with the desired result: FACTORY FRESH. And I am a huge fan of Meguiars because: Their products freaking WORK, especially PlastX which I have used a lot on plastics. It's almost like the bazillions of opinions on when to change your oil. Use only the best: Amsoil Signature. More expensive. But zero competition. And change oil every 3000 miles. Period. End of discussion. And I get zero from Amsoil on this free plug. But I know my fellow enthusiasts have the same goal: Keep your engine alive as long as possible. The key is clean oil and use only the best in the world.
I agree 💯 taking the extra time to restore the light lens yourself was worth it. I like tinkering with my car anyway and there’s a satisfaction of doing the job yourself and have amazing results plus saving yourself some cash as opposed to buying new ones or taking them to a dealer to restore, IMO..
I bought some aftermarket headlights for my daughter‘s Toyota because I wanted them to be very clear. After installing them, I could tell that they were optically incorrect as far as where the light hit on the roadway. That was a waste of money after seeing your video. I am going to clean up her old ones and put them back in great job. Thanks. I also have to replace the seat cover in our Lexus LX 470 so your other video on the seat cover was great as well thank you.
No Way, Your work is Perfection. Great looking Toyota. I have a 2012 Rav4 original lights. Been using Meguires plastic polish for years, keeps my Headlights clear. I may use your methods to make mine showroom like yours. 👍🇺🇸
Yep for sure!, The way you have described how to restore those foggy headlight lenses is the best 👍 You should get a gold metal. I have put in so much time trying other methods, and really, they hardly made any improvement.
wow the best method I have ever seen in my life. Now I'm going to do it with my Toyota Celica GTS 2000, question? Can you recommend any product to clean the area around the sun roof inside the car? The ceiling is kind of delicate to clean. I don't know what to call that material, but if a spray came with some type of brush, it would be great. Thanks for your contribution, excellent video. 😊👍
Yes it did work now im going to try i have plastx i just don't have the coating and i need more sand paper ihave a 05 ford explore Eddie Bauer edition with foggy headlights im going to use your method 👍🏾✊🏾🙏🏾 thanks for the video
Thanks for this informative and well narrated video. I have a 2010 Subaru Impreza with really hazy headlights and they want $110. for only one headlight and I need both. Time to put my hands to work thanks !!!
I have been restoring headlights for a while now, you did all the steps as you should have, and they came out great. The headlight spray will last for about a year depending on the environment so to make it last a year longer get some Turtle wax pro graphene hybrid liquid wax and put it on the headlights and let it flash then polish it off. It will seal, them for another year and you just need a penny size drop per headlight on the corner of a clean microfiber cloth to rub it on and polish it off with the rest of the towel. I will comment on a couple of things that i found will make the process go faster. Before you start go to a dollar store and ger a bottle of L.A.'s Totally awesome spray the headlight and scrub it with a green 3M Scoth-Brite pad then a Scotch-Brite red pad and (if you can find it) a Grey Scotch-Brite. I then use a 3M Trizact 3000 grit sanding pad use tap water when using the pads wiping between each pad to make sure you are getting the proper result. it will save you about15-20 minutes per light then sprat the light there is no need to polish it first they will come out perfect. you are fortunate to be able to just remover the headlights however most newer vehicles those will need to be taped around the headlight i recommend 2-3 layers then tape plastic around the light when you spray the lights.
I restored my headlights once and it lasted awhile. Then I tried aftermarket which are junk, many have a very crappy beam pattern, so I bit the bullet and bought new OEM headlights. I was going to do the clearcoat but there are many reviews saying it will screw up new headlights. Maybe it's better for restored ones, I don't know why but still only lasts a year or so. Maybe I'll give it another go on my old headlights and have a backup set ready down the road. 02 Tacoma, 290K.
I have the Meguiar's PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner, and I used it by itself and buffed out the light covers and it worked amazing all by itself. NO sanding needed.
Nice work! I had some bowling ball sanding pads and used those on a 2013 Mazda CX9 headlights. I went from 500 up to 4000 grit, then used rubbing compound, then turtle wax polish, came out great but not as crystal clear as yours, going to purchase the PlastX headlight polish and the headlight coating to finish them up.
Would have done what you did. My 85 year old uncle did it for me one weekend when he was bored! I needed it done and the lights looked fantastic after he was done!
You think that Toyota’s headlights are bad to get out or work on, try a GMC Acadia. You have to go through the wheel well to get to the bulbs. I just restored those headlights using the Cerakote kit with similar results. The clear coat is wipe on. Turned out great.
There is a coating on the lights from the factory . Some lights it is pretty obvious, you can see the edge where they delam, or turn yellow. That coating is why it takes years to turn cloudy and yellow. After you sand and buff most of that coating comes off. So either clear coat preferably the 3000 grit sanded light or just tape them off and a quick sand and buff once a year or so. Def better to do the oem lights than swap out for the cheaper aftermarket lights.
I've done mine and the fog lights as well. I know that we're never going to get the glass kind anymore because of expenses, but they are the best. Thanks for sharing. 👍👍👍
Nice work - those are the exact steps at the headlight restoration pro (great guy) uses. Now if you wanna get "Rad" with it - you can put them in the oven - separate the lens - and black out some - but not all - of that chrome... I've seen a few do this... makes for a more modern look - or - I think Morimoto just came out with some Tacoma lights that are replacements and are actually quality (not cheap garbage) - very expensive - but - always fun to consider... The other thing you could consider is an HID retrofit - this is where you ditch the reflective surface and go with a projector lens inside - you'll get bulbs, a ballast, relay kit...all that good stuff... that will direct more light onto the road - less of a diffused cutoff - most like it - every now and then some don't like the sharp cutoff. Checkout the retrofit source, lightwerkz, and morimoto for upgrade options.... Or just leave as is and consider upgrading to the best: Philips or Osram bulbs
Nice work and nice result! I've polished a number of lights and I'll allow myself 2 comments: 1. never use 1k clear, if you want to paint the lights always use 2k clear coat. 2. if you are painting don't polish the surface before, but leave it sanded with a grit of say 3000 and the paint will hold much better and the transparency will be still perfect. Personally though, I find it much better to just polish the lights, not overspray them and care for them like a car paint job. Such lights will last many more years and much longer than newly painted ones.
I have bought aftermarket headlights that weren't sealed properly and moisture got in when it rained. End up doing the job twice and it's just as hard to seal them as to sand and coat them. Reconditioning them is the way to go. Nice Job.
Interesting I've heard though on other videos is that the clear coat is important for UV resistance. I.e. If you just leave bare polycarbonate exposed then it will yellow faster.
I redid head and tail lights lenses on a 2010 HHR I bought last month. Used a different product (Cerakote) that used a chemical wipe compound for the initial stripping of oxidized material, two different grades of sandpaper (I think 1000 and 3000), and then a wipe-on final coat that seals/UV-proofs the light. Never had to remove my lights, didn't need any power tools. It's been about 3 weeks since I did the headlights, I loved the results so much I did the taillights, as well, but that was earlier this week. Money well spent. I think it took me about 15 minutes per headlight (the taillights were so much smaller that I did them at the same time, so another half-hour or so), and the difference is just stunning. For the price, I could resurface my headlights another 2-3 times and still have it cost less than buying a replacement. I'll stick with restoring the lights unless/until something actually physically breaks them.
😮I was going to replace the passenger headlight for the Mrs. prius, but the dealership wants around 300 for 1 headlight. And for them to install it, it would be around 1000. So I just bought the cerakote kit for 16.00. I'll give that a try. I also seen people use toothpaste. Maybe next time. Enjoyed the video.
I loved the results I got with Cerakote. Extremely simple. Jury's out on how long it lasts, but three weeks in, it still looks just like it did when I finished.
Good vid! I prefer the 3M kit to megulars, but yes, sandpaper is way to go on heavily oxidized lights. Got from Scotty Kilmer, but I now use the Formula 1 Scratch Out twice a year remove all hazing/yellowing/oxidization from my toyota and honda headlights. Any plastic UV protectant helps after using to stave off those problems for longer, but if parking in the sun, I haven't found anything that totally prevents... And I've found the megular spray to be a bit hazy and distortive of light when I've tried it on two vehicles. Removes easily with rubbing alcohol, but I pretty much just only use it on fog lights at this juncture, and leave it off the main headlights.
Headlights are restored! Amazing job my friend! Is Really worth it cause is kind cheap but fullfilled! Instead of paying for a brand new set of headlights that for sure will decay and turn yellow again.
Beautiful job. I managed a passable job by masking my motorcycle headlight and using cutting compound on a polishing pad on my drill. Not as pristine but improved it from crap to ok in less than an hour. I finished off with a Maguire's paint polish. Seemed like a good result for the effort.
You did a good job. A couple tips: 1. if you use a drill or polisher you must use a lot of water. The plastic heats up a lot faster than you think and you can carve smears into the surface that are very hard to fix. Just have the hose run a little water on the lens as you work. 2. I wouldn't use the spray finish. If it fails (and it will ) it is very tough to fix. Use a 2k if you must... and if you decide to do that then you probably don't want to polish it as well as you did. Having a white/rough surface helps the paint stick much better. 3. I prefer the ceramic wipes, either 3m or Cerakote. They don't last as long as 2k, put they don't fail as catastrophically.
I didn't do the spray, so I left mine attached for the cleaning. It is very helpful to tape it off though. I did after my first pass with the hand drill attachment. OOPS! Doing the sandpaper by hand is now my preferred method (extra curve in my camry light was easier by hand) and switched back for the soft pad buffer. Cheaper to clean and rewarding that you can do it.
i seen plastic trim made new again with a propane torch and also with a electric heat gun .i dont have a old head lite presently .have you ever tried this .
Reason I'm here - I need to do this to a new to me old Honda Civic - so yes - I'd do it - or rather I will do this soon, thanks for a thorough video and process
Yep mate, thanks, great info. Just about to do the same here in Australia to a RAV4 and a Fortuner. Keeping the original parts is a good move as Toyota parts are good quality.
Thanks for the run down. I got an older Toyota too. This is on the list of things to do to restore it. Factory always better. Manufacturers build and design things to fit correctly in there vehicles. I agreed.
As you say in the video, fixing/renovating these OEM headlights is much more worthy than buying brand new cheap replicas. Less pollution, less costly and better quality for just a couple of hours and a couple of bucks.
Hi, thank you! I have a question regarding sun damage. I have a 2006 4runner. Daily driver, outside central Florida parked since purchase. The headlights including the fog lights need resurfacing. But the tail lights are absolutely perfect. All original lights. I suspect it’s road abrasion, internal heat from the headlights when on and sun deteriorating. Does that make sense? At the end you ask you’ll I do that? Absolutely I’ve only heard of issues with knock off lights. 12/25/24 Merry Christmas 🎄
Looks great my concern is when you polished the headlight it now has a wax on it but then you used a spray to make it shine more. Shouldn’t it be in reverse?
You did a great job, the previous owner of my car however did not. I caught it later but they basically made the headlight orange peely in texture with the spray clear coat and so whenever you turn the lights on it looks terrible and cloudy. I think they realized that since they did not do the other light but makes no sense why they did this on a 3-year-old Supra. Luckily the dealer will try to repair or replace the headlight if they can't have it restored. Hoping for a replacement honestly.
Any particular soap used in the water? Was it dishsoap (ie. Dawn or similar) or something mild like Baby Shampoo. Thanks in advance. Great video. I am going to do this to my Tundra headlights.
Jimmy, a new subscriber to your channel. This is an amazing video. Thank you for taking the time and effort to step through the entire process in detail! I can only imagine what you put into this. To restore or replace, that's the question!
That is a great car and you’re doing it justice. Looks great now! I think you made the right choice. Any replacement you can get will not match OEM quality.
Looks great Jimmy! I did the same thing on my 98 Chevy. They looked great. Put them back in and tried at night and couldn't see any better. I shined my flashlight into the lens and i was so disappointed. My reflective chrome was flacking off! So disappointed, i had to buy new one. Great video though!
I think auto industry should just make better head lights
I agree, but we both know that's not going to happen.
There are some good after market ones. And you can wrap in clear vinyl to protect from uv damage
Cleaned mine a million times and they always refade
@@yapperingdid you coat with protectant? Before you clear it’s important to clean any foreign material from lenses or else there will be a reaction, bubbling, cracking.
They did. Head lights were made out of glass
Fixing OEM is definitely the way to go! Good work.
Just finished my headlights last night using this exact video guide, they look amazing!
hand sand or did you use a drill attachment to sand faster?
@ hand sanded
short time one week couple day is ready yelow
@@samirdukic did you polish and did you apply a ceramic coating or the spray in the video?
My headlights still look great
@@rolandbishop9716 i do not help nothing i bay new
I’ve been in the auto paint & body business my whole life! Have seen dozens of videos on different methods of plastic headlight restoration! Have dun them all! This is the absolute best method going! meguires has the proper materials! I used 2 wet sand with 400, 600, 1,000, 2,000 then 3,000! Buff & polish, then clearcoat! Lasted 4 years! But Meguires lets me rub less & their clearcoat is formulated 4 plastic! Excellent video, dude! 👌❤️
how long do you wait to apply clearcoat after polishing ?
If you have done restoration for as long as you say you should know about adhesion? Clearcoat does not stick to shiny smooth buffed surfaces, these lights will delaminate in less than two years and the heat from the sun and operation of them will accelerate that process, clear coating is the way to do it but the clearcoat needs to adhere to the substrate when painting cars we don’t sand beyond 600 grit or at most 800 grit because why? the paint has nothing to bite to I only ever sand lights to 600 grit and they look exactly the same as new ! Half of this video is a complete waste of time and effort and is only promoting failure in the end !
Excelente video sir I tried it yesterday and it turned out the same except I put another clear coat on it but everything turned out fine, thanks sir for your videos.
@@openmind3699Thank you for clarifying the process down to about 15 mins instead of 2 hrs.😊
It looks like showroom new , I'm thinking of trying this on my speed slope windshield on the bonanza lots of work but if it will last say 3-5 years , unfortunately it sits outside and there is shade cover parking , wondering the cost of the foam pad and the buffer unit, I have few sheets of sandpaper, great work I'll bet your arms got a workout!!!
The finished result looks great. As a hobbyist somewhat familiar with automotive refinishing processes and products, I’d skip the polishing prior to coating. Polishing after sanding with 3k removes some of the tooth necessary for best adhesion. You generally polish AFTER painting, as a retired bodyman pointed out elsewhere here in the comments.
Also, even though the headlights were removed, the flexible black gasket along the top edge of the capsule still should have been taped off to protect from overspray.
Lastly, for the longest lasting protective coat a 2k clear with UV inhibitors would be the best choice. Whether a 1k or 2k, periodic cleaning and waxing as needed is essential, these plastic headlights literally take a beating in the elements.
Best video I've seen on headlight restoration. Enjoyed. !
The only video on the internet that has a good explanation and see result a bit of to much talk but it was worth it every minute extremely nice Thank YOU i give you 100 out of 100 perfect thank you again
This is the exact way I have done my headlights for over 20 years after wasting money and time on those stupid "kits". You did everything I do to a tee, including removing the headlights. I use the same polisher with pads from Griot's garage on Amazon. A couple of things I do different; After sanding up through 2.5k grit I use Meguires heavy cut polishing compound 2-3 passes or until I have a very consistent finish then the same thing with Meguires Ultra finishing. I also mount my headlights in a large vice. Good work. Best video I've seen on YT on the proper way to restore headlights. Regarding replacement. Some replacement headlights are still very expensive especially Toyotas and Hondas. I paid $360.00 for headlights in a 2012 Honda CRV and these were china made. Unless you buy OEM, all china replacements, the clear coat will start coming off within a couple of years so, if you can get them cheap, like on my cat-eyed silverados (less than $50), yes, it's easier to replace them or you can just hit them every year or so and they look like new again. I don't clear coat mine so it makes it easier to to freshen them up. I do keep them hand polished for UV protection often. I'm in FL so the sun is brutal on plastics here.
Great video and editing. Every time I restore my headlights, while I’m half way through I’m like “next time I’m just going to buy some new ones.” But, by the time I’m done, I’m very happy with them and it feels very rewarding knowing that I did it all myself. Thanks for the content!
UNBELIEVABLE !!! I hope it lasts a long time. Great job.
up to a year only
If you put car wax on them once every couple of months they last for years. If you do the same on brand new ones they will never turn yellow.
You're right, that's in my case. 8 years old headlights still clear like new.
It will..but only if you use a 2 stage clearcoat.
I'm just gonna do it once a week.
I just did this on my 97 Camry came out beautiful. Thanks for sharing
How long did it take to finish 1 headlight?
Best restored head light video ever seen! (and seen a lot of them) You sold me will follow yours step by step! 🎯
This is the exact process I used for two of my cars 1 and 2 years ago. They are both yellow again and in need of restoration again... if you plan on doing this, just plan on light sanding once a year and polishing again to get them back to looking new. Elbow grease and using these products you already purchased are still cheaper than buying new lights that will Oxidize over time...
Applying the clear coat, which provides UV protection to your bodywork, should stop UV and oxidation damage.
The clear coat turns foggy after 2 years. That’s why car manufacturers put plastic film over head lights.
I managed to successfully clean my cloudy '07 Toyota's headlight lenses using a 3M restore kit I'd bought some 10+ years ago and just forgot about and let sit in my garage until finally using it. Painter's tape, a cordless drill, and elbow grease led to making them almost factory fresh, without disassembly.
It'd sure be nice if auto manufacturers simply used glass like back in the day, or from the factory generously coated their assemblies with road, grit, and UV-defying coatings.
those kits are $30 a piece, and get your headlights pretty good, but they do not last more than 6 months.
@@ShogunMusic254Wrong.
The satisfaction of doing it yourself and having results like these is really worth all the effort… Great work!
The one step I wouldn't have done is to remove the headlights from the vehicle. I would have to remove the grill and pretty much the entire front bumper to remove my headlights. I'm not that brave! I'll probably just mask everything off really well. I really enjoyed getting to see the full step-by-step process with the sanding and polishing (including what grits to use and what compound and coating products you used). It took a lot of the fear out of it for me. I feel like I can tackle this project now. Thanks.
some manufacturers make it hard to do certain tasks seemingly on purpose
Brother - this BY FAR is the BEST vid I have EVER seen on how to do this process to as close to PERFECTION as possible. GREAT JOB. GREAT VID. This will be the method I use on my ancient pickup with almost GOLD colored headlights. You are appreciated. As many others have stated - have seen bazillions of methods ...but your method clearly demonstrates how to do this with the desired result: FACTORY FRESH. And I am a huge fan of Meguiars because: Their products freaking WORK, especially PlastX which I have used a lot on plastics.
It's almost like the bazillions of opinions on when to change your oil. Use only the best: Amsoil Signature. More expensive. But zero competition. And change oil every 3000 miles. Period. End of discussion. And I get zero from Amsoil on this free plug. But I know my fellow enthusiasts have the same goal: Keep your engine alive as long as possible. The key is clean oil and use only the best in the world.
I agree 💯 taking the extra time to restore the light lens yourself was worth it. I like tinkering with my car anyway and there’s a satisfaction of doing the job yourself and have amazing results plus saving yourself some cash as opposed to buying new ones or taking them to a dealer to restore, IMO..
I bought some aftermarket headlights for my daughter‘s Toyota because I wanted them to be very clear. After installing them, I could tell that they were optically incorrect as far as where the light hit on the roadway. That was a waste of money after seeing your video. I am going to clean up her old ones and put them back in great job. Thanks. I also have to replace the seat cover in our Lexus LX 470 so your other video on the seat cover was great as well thank you.
It's never a waste of time if you enjoyed doing it, and are pleased with the outcome.
No Way, Your work is Perfection. Great looking Toyota. I have a 2012 Rav4 original lights. Been using Meguires plastic polish for years, keeps my Headlights clear. I may use your methods to make mine showroom like yours. 👍🇺🇸
This looks like the very best method I've seen so far. Gathering to materials to get this done on my cars. Thanks for the video!
Really enjoyed the video. It was totally worth it. You are fantastic.
Well im convinced. Ive been wanting to do the ones on my 2007 for a while now, this is a great setup!
The Fitment issue is hands down a no-brainer i favor of diy !
Great Job/Video, thanks.
They look amazing. Great job! 👏
You've done great job and idve done the same thing. Thank you for the hardwork you put in to show that we also can do it too!
Yep for sure!, The way you have described how to restore those foggy headlight lenses is the best 👍 You should get a gold metal. I have put in so much time trying other methods, and really, they hardly made any improvement.
After using Meguiars Keep Clear a few times, I've noticed that 1 coat gets you the best results. A 2nd coat makes the lights slightly foggy again.
Correct. The restore pros all agree that a single heavy coat is best with this product.
wow the best method I have ever seen in my life. Now I'm going to do it with my Toyota Celica GTS 2000, question? Can you recommend any product to clean the area around the sun roof inside the car? The ceiling is kind of delicate to clean. I don't know what to call that material, but if a spray came with some type of brush, it would be great. Thanks for your contribution, excellent video. 😊👍
Great job well worth doing I’m doing mine thank you
Love the video!! very in-depth details explanations!!
Yes it did work now im going to try i have plastx i just don't have the coating and i need more sand paper ihave a 05 ford explore Eddie Bauer edition with foggy headlights im going to use your method 👍🏾✊🏾🙏🏾 thanks for the video
Looks nice ❗️I have used wheel cleaner applied to a rag rubbing discolored area of headlight that works well being something seen on UA-cam.
Excellent job. fixing the factory headlights is the only way go.
Thanks for this informative and well narrated video. I have a 2010 Subaru Impreza with really hazy headlights and they want $110. for only one headlight and I need both. Time to put my hands to work thanks !!!
I just did that for my two cars. I did 800 to 3000 and used the Maguires cleaner, then cleared. They turned out amazing.
Nice job Jimmy..All your work was definately rewarding...
*Definitely
I have been restoring headlights for a while now, you did all the steps as you should have, and they came out great. The headlight spray will last for about a year depending on the environment so to make it last a year longer get some Turtle wax pro graphene hybrid liquid wax and put it on the headlights and let it flash then polish it off. It will seal, them for another year and you just need a penny size drop per headlight on the corner of a clean microfiber cloth to rub it on and polish it off with the rest of the towel. I will comment on a couple of things that i found will make the process go faster. Before you start go to a dollar store and ger a bottle of L.A.'s Totally awesome spray the headlight and scrub it with a green 3M Scoth-Brite pad then a Scotch-Brite red pad and (if you can find it) a Grey Scotch-Brite. I then use a 3M Trizact 3000 grit sanding pad use tap water when using the pads wiping between each pad to make sure you are getting the proper result. it will save you about15-20 minutes per light then sprat the light there is no need to polish it first they will come out perfect. you are fortunate to be able to just remover the headlights however most newer vehicles those will need to be taped around the headlight i recommend 2-3 layers then tape plastic around the light when you spray the lights.
I enjoy doing that stuff. Some people like to play golf, I like to do stuff like you just did!!!!
I restored my headlights once and it lasted awhile. Then I tried aftermarket which are junk, many have a very crappy beam pattern, so I bit the bullet and bought new OEM headlights. I was going to do the clearcoat but there are many reviews saying it will screw up new headlights. Maybe it's better for restored ones, I don't know why but still only lasts a year or so. Maybe I'll give it another go on my old headlights and have a backup set ready down the road. 02 Tacoma, 290K.
What an awesome turnout, great job Jimmy, I can't wait to see how long the refinish will last.
Oh my God! This is super great and it looks like exactly factory made.
I have the Meguiar's PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner, and I used it by itself and buffed out the light covers and it worked amazing all by itself. NO sanding needed.
Nice work! I had some bowling ball sanding pads and used those on a 2013 Mazda CX9 headlights. I went from 500 up to 4000 grit, then used rubbing compound, then turtle wax polish, came out great but not as crystal clear as yours, going to purchase the PlastX headlight polish and the headlight coating to finish them up.
Would have done what you did. My 85 year old uncle did it for me one weekend when he was bored! I needed it done and the lights looked fantastic after he was done!
Great video, very professionally shown, and the results are remarkable. Thank you for making this video 🙂
Thanks for the video.. I have been planning on working on mine. I like that it is a straight forward, no gimmick product process. Great work!
You think that Toyota’s headlights are bad to get out or work on, try a GMC Acadia. You have to go through the wheel well to get to the bulbs. I just restored those headlights using the Cerakote kit with similar results. The clear coat is wipe on. Turned out great.
There is a coating on the lights from the factory . Some lights it is pretty obvious, you can see the edge where they delam, or turn yellow. That coating is why it takes years to turn cloudy and yellow. After you sand and buff most of that coating comes off. So either clear coat preferably the 3000 grit sanded light or just tape them off and a quick sand and buff once a year or so.
Def better to do the oem lights than swap out for the cheaper aftermarket lights.
I've done mine and the fog lights as well. I know that we're never going to get the glass kind anymore because of expenses, but they are the best.
Thanks for sharing. 👍👍👍
Nice work - those are the exact steps at the headlight restoration pro (great guy) uses. Now if you wanna get "Rad" with it - you can put them in the oven - separate the lens - and black out some - but not all - of that chrome... I've seen a few do this... makes for a more modern look - or - I think Morimoto just came out with some Tacoma lights that are replacements and are actually quality (not cheap garbage) - very expensive - but - always fun to consider...
The other thing you could consider is an HID retrofit - this is where you ditch the reflective surface and go with a projector lens inside - you'll get bulbs, a ballast, relay kit...all that good stuff... that will direct more light onto the road - less of a diffused cutoff - most like it - every now and then some don't like the sharp cutoff.
Checkout the retrofit source, lightwerkz, and morimoto for upgrade options.... Or just leave as is and consider upgrading to the best: Philips or Osram bulbs
Nice work and nice result! I've polished a number of lights and I'll allow myself 2 comments: 1. never use 1k clear, if you want to paint the lights always use 2k clear coat. 2. if you are painting don't polish the surface before, but leave it sanded with a grit of say 3000 and the paint will hold much better and the transparency will be still perfect. Personally though, I find it much better to just polish the lights, not overspray them and care for them like a car paint job. Such lights will last many more years and much longer than newly painted ones.
What do you polish with? This 68 year grandma is clueless.
I have bought aftermarket headlights that weren't sealed properly and moisture got in when it rained. End up doing the job twice and it's just as hard to seal them as to sand and coat them. Reconditioning them is the way to go. Nice Job.
@@gailrussell9104the meguars polish cream
Why polish instead of 2k?
Interesting I've heard though on other videos is that the clear coat is important for UV resistance. I.e. If you just leave bare polycarbonate exposed then it will yellow faster.
I redid head and tail lights lenses on a 2010 HHR I bought last month. Used a different product (Cerakote) that used a chemical wipe compound for the initial stripping of oxidized material, two different grades of sandpaper (I think 1000 and 3000), and then a wipe-on final coat that seals/UV-proofs the light. Never had to remove my lights, didn't need any power tools. It's been about 3 weeks since I did the headlights, I loved the results so much I did the taillights, as well, but that was earlier this week.
Money well spent. I think it took me about 15 minutes per headlight (the taillights were so much smaller that I did them at the same time, so another half-hour or so), and the difference is just stunning.
For the price, I could resurface my headlights another 2-3 times and still have it cost less than buying a replacement. I'll stick with restoring the lights unless/until something actually physically breaks them.
😮I was going to replace the passenger headlight for the Mrs. prius, but the dealership wants around 300 for 1 headlight. And for them to install it, it would be around 1000. So I just bought the cerakote kit for 16.00. I'll give that a try. I also seen people use toothpaste. Maybe next time. Enjoyed the video.
I loved the results I got with Cerakote. Extremely simple. Jury's out on how long it lasts, but three weeks in, it still looks just like it did when I finished.
Great video! I’ve got a Toyota Tundra that needs headlights restored. Just need to get my ambition ready!
Good vid!
I prefer the 3M kit to megulars, but yes, sandpaper is way to go on heavily oxidized lights.
Got from Scotty Kilmer, but I now use the Formula 1 Scratch Out twice a year remove all hazing/yellowing/oxidization from my toyota and honda headlights. Any plastic UV protectant helps after using to stave off those problems for longer, but if parking in the sun, I haven't found anything that totally prevents...
And I've found the megular spray to be a bit hazy and distortive of light when I've tried it on two vehicles. Removes easily with rubbing alcohol, but I pretty much just only use it on fog lights at this juncture, and leave it off the main headlights.
I have used this same method for years. It is the best.
Headlights are restored! Amazing job my friend! Is
Really worth it cause is kind cheap but fullfilled! Instead of paying for a brand new set of headlights that for sure will decay and turn yellow again.
Great job 👍🏽 I'm inspired 😊
Best video i seen so far thank you
Beautiful job. I managed a passable job by masking my motorcycle headlight and using cutting compound on a polishing pad on my drill. Not as pristine but improved it from crap to ok in less than an hour. I finished off with a Maguire's paint polish. Seemed like a good result for the effort.
This was so satisfying to watch!
Thanks bro!
Mos-def will do this. And for 2014 frontier, getting the headlights out is just a pain in the neck. But well worth it. Thanks.
You did a good job. A couple tips: 1. if you use a drill or polisher you must use a lot of water. The plastic heats up a lot faster than you think and you can carve smears into the surface that are very hard to fix. Just have the hose run a little water on the lens as you work. 2. I wouldn't use the spray finish. If it fails (and it will ) it is very tough to fix. Use a 2k if you must... and if you decide to do that then you probably don't want to polish it as well as you did. Having a white/rough surface helps the paint stick much better. 3. I prefer the ceramic wipes, either 3m or Cerakote. They don't last as long as 2k, put they don't fail as catastrophically.
I didn't do the spray, so I left mine attached for the cleaning. It is very helpful to tape it off though. I did after my first pass with the hand drill attachment. OOPS! Doing the sandpaper by hand is now my preferred method (extra curve in my camry light was easier by hand) and switched back for the soft pad buffer. Cheaper to clean and rewarding that you can do it.
Good job! Yes, I’ve done that also and it’s definitely worth it and more economical.
i seen plastic trim made new again with a propane torch and also with a electric heat gun .i dont have a old head lite presently .have you ever tried this .
Reason I'm here - I need to do this to a new to me old Honda Civic - so yes - I'd do it - or rather I will do this soon, thanks for a thorough video and process
Thanks a lot, I tried it and it worked great for me.
Yep mate, thanks, great info. Just about to do the same here in Australia to a RAV4 and a Fortuner. Keeping the original parts is a good move as Toyota parts are good quality.
Best DIY restoration I've seen.
Many thanks. So informative. So easy and great result. Great content.
Great job Jimmy! Looks like a million bucks!
Thanks for the run down. I got an older Toyota too. This is on the list of things to do to restore it. Factory always better. Manufacturers build and design things to fit correctly in there vehicles. I agreed.
Works good on tail lights and side marker lights also , nice job
Excellent work!
Great results, Sir! Definitely worth the time and effort and $ saved.
That kit works wonders I actually found it on clearance for $11 at Target
awesome job!
What a great video about headlights restoration… so informative and fun ! Thanks!
nice job now time to refinish the foglights/ blinkers& taillights to match
As you say in the video, fixing/renovating these OEM headlights is much more worthy than buying brand new cheap replicas. Less pollution, less costly and better quality for just a couple of hours and a couple of bucks.
Awesome job, thanks for taking the time to share your tips and ideas
I think it looks great! I will have to try.
Great video explained very well gonna try mine at weekend thanks
Hi, thank you! I have a question regarding sun damage. I have a 2006 4runner. Daily driver, outside central Florida parked since purchase. The headlights including the fog lights need resurfacing. But the tail lights are absolutely perfect. All original lights. I suspect it’s road abrasion, internal heat from the headlights when on and sun deteriorating. Does that make sense? At the end you ask you’ll I do that? Absolutely I’ve only heard of issues with knock off lights. 12/25/24 Merry Christmas 🎄
Looks great my concern is when you polished the headlight it now has a wax on it but then you used a spray to make it shine more.
Shouldn’t it be in reverse?
No, because polish isn't wax. Polish is like a very fine liquid sandpaper. When polish is cleaned off, it doesn't leave a residue like wax.
Just did'it !!! Good job 👍🏽🤝👏👏👏
If you love her, treat her like you do. Great job!
Great Job. Well worth it!
You did a great job, the previous owner of my car however did not. I caught it later but they basically made the headlight orange peely in texture with the spray clear coat and so whenever you turn the lights on it looks terrible and cloudy. I think they realized that since they did not do the other light but makes no sense why they did this on a 3-year-old Supra.
Luckily the dealer will try to repair or replace the headlight if they can't have it restored. Hoping for a replacement honestly.
Any particular soap used in the water? Was it dishsoap (ie. Dawn or similar) or something mild like Baby Shampoo. Thanks in advance. Great video. I am going to do this to my Tundra headlights.
Great video and explainations !! Thank-you !!
I've dine thar, but not the maguire polisher.... that will be next on my 2001 Honda accord....❤❤❤
Great job you did !!!
Jimmy, a new subscriber to your channel. This is an amazing video. Thank you for taking the time and effort to step through the entire process in detail! I can only imagine what you put into this. To restore or replace, that's the question!
That is a great car and you’re doing it justice. Looks great now! I think you made the right choice. Any replacement you can get will not match OEM quality.
Looks great Jimmy! I did the same thing on my 98 Chevy. They looked great. Put them back in and tried at night and couldn't see any better. I shined my flashlight into the lens and i was so disappointed. My reflective chrome was flacking off! So disappointed, i had to buy new one. Great video though!
Great job. I'm inspired!
What do USAF and Navy use to keep cockpit bubbles clean??