CampariO Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 (edited) The headlights of my 10yo Mazda 2 went yellow and blind over the years. Tried the toothpaste polishing, which left me with 2 limp arms and 2 blind headlights. There are some sprays on the market but I read that you could use Baygon cockroach spray as well. Tried this, the result lasted a day or so. When replacing a bulb I enquired about new complete sets of headlights and was quoted 6400 Baht for the pair. As alternativ they offered me to polish the plastic for 800 which would be good for 6 month or so. Thought they would come up with the toothpaste method, but they sanded them down first and then poured some of this restoration liquid into an evaporator (with some water added, I believe). After sanding I thought, now the lights will be beyond repair, but when vaping the stuff at a close distance, they turned magically clear. Looks like new. If this last for a while than this is a good /cheaper alternative for replacing the hole lights, as new lights would become blind after a few years again. Edited January 13, 2020 by CampariO 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Spice Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Never heard about this, but Ebay turned up with this when searching "headlight restoration kit" https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=headlight restore kits&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-153677-346401-4&mkcid=2&keyword=&crlp=307364301294_&MT_ID=&geo_id=&rlsatarget=dsa-19959388920&adpos=1t1&device=m&loc=1007697&poi=&abcId=&cmpgn=1615587334&sitelnk=&test=LauraTest&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrpyVjICA5wIVTHRgCh0mDwPgEAAYASAAEgJAt_D_BwE And Youtube turned up with a few as well... Well, makes me feel old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy dee Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 the truck lights were like that.. when i had it wrapped a few ytears ago, the lads did the headlights without asking. not sure how but like brand new Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanzalad Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Did my own with T-cut and polish .. it works a treat.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coxyhog Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 My mum's 20yo Toyota Yaris failed it's MOT recently for this very reason.Cost £30 to get them fixed & they're just like new but I'm not sure what they used. I know you get perspex polishing kits for aircraft which work well but require lots of elbow grease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1canbrian Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 yep getting mine done Wednesday, £50, here in the uk. I did think about doing it my self, but was worried in case I messed up, tried t-cut, but no good for my headlights, need some thing more abrasive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhodie Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 6 hours ago, CampariO said: As alternativ they offered me to polish the plastic for 800 which would be good for 6 month or so. Got a link to the location? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CampariO Posted January 13, 2020 Author Share Posted January 13, 2020 Coordinates: 12.875973, 100.901010 Between the wood shop and 2nd hand car dealer (which might belong to the same owner). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fygjam Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Myths & Facts About Headlight Restoration Are your headlights are looking discoloured and crusty? It is more than likely that the factory protective UV coat is degrading. Modern headlights, post 1995 are made from Polycarbonate. They are coated in a specific clear coat sealant to protect the polycarbonate lens from UV damage. Unfortunately in hotter climates like Queensland, the protective coat degrades over time and needs to be replaced correctly. There are many rumours around for ‘quick fix’ repairs on your headlights. Below are a few you may have heard: The most common is the myth that toothpaste is good for cleaning headlights. The truth is this method was used in the days of glass headlights, which toothpaste does actually clean without damaging. The fact is toothpaste abrasive, a minty one at that. You should not rub any abrasives on your headlights as you are wearing down the much needed sealant that protects the polycarbonate lens. Others may have also heard of another quick fix by spraying mosquito repellent on the headlights. The oils in the repellent give the illusion the lights are a tad clearer by oiling up the crusty degraded factory UV protective coat. This method only lasts a couple days at most and some repellants can actually eat into the plastic rendering them a lot harder to repair back to as new. Another method many mechanics and car detailers use is to sand the old degrading protective coat off and polishing the bare polycarbonate, this only exposes the headlight to UV damage and in most cases only lasts a few months before discolouring. Using ‘off the shelf’ DIY headlight restoration kits also leaves the headlight exposed to the elements as most of them do not come with a protective sealant. With no protective sealant the headlights will discolour through the thickness of the lens and develop little cracks known as crazing. This also applies with solvent based polishes that are wiped on the headlights. The chemicals in the liquid slightly melt the outer surface of the headlight, again leaving the headlight without adequate UV protection against the harsh Queensland sun. All the repair methods mentioned above are a temporary fix and can potentially damage your headlights permanently. If a quality UV clear coat sealant was not necessary, why would all vehicle manufacturers apply a protective coat to every single vehicle that rolls off the production line. https://www.headlightrestore.com.au/blog/uncategorized/myths-facts-about-headlight-restoration/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stillearly Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Thought was going to be about breast implants..... 😉 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coxyhog Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 5 hours ago, Stillearly said: Thought was going to be about breast implants..... 😉 I'm sure there are some pervs out there that use toothpaste on them. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfingboy Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Have heard about this issue about them going dull over time. I’m on my 4th new vehicle since 1998, so I guess I’ve never kept one long enough to have that problem. Just bought out the lease on my 2015 Accord, plan on keeping it until I’m 65! Will be nice to go years without a car payment, took me decades and a few recessions to realize new cars really eat into the budget. Only issue is as I age, I might find the 6 speed tranny a pain in the arse and want an automatic. Oh well, we shall see.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rompho Ray Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 2 hours ago, Golfingboy said: I might find the 6 speed tranny a pain in the arse and want an automatic. Make sure you're aware of the reliability problems associated with the Continuously Variable Transmissions, which seem to be rapidly replacing regular auto trans. I drove a brand new rental for about 5 months before I bought my new car last year, and in that time the CVT started making strange noises. The car I bought thankfully has a manual transmission (6-speed, a Civic Si). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfingboy Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 7 minutes ago, Rompho Ray said: Make sure you're aware of the reliability problems associated with the Continuously Variable Transmissions, which seem to be rapidly replacing regular auto trans. I drove a brand new rental for about 5 months before I bought my new car last year, and in that time the CVT started making strange noises. The car I bought thankfully has a manual transmission (6-speed, a Civic Si). Oh I remember. Still in love with it? They’re fun to drive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rompho Ray Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 1 minute ago, Golfingboy said: Oh I remember. Still in love with it? They’re fun to drive It's a blast. Quick acceleration, engine begs for revs, corners flat, stops on a dime. Pretty damn good stereo, moonroof just perfect for the mid-70sF we're getting this week. And 40MPG to boot. I affectionately refer to it as "The Silver Bullet". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfingboy Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 1 minute ago, Rompho Ray said: It's a blast. Quick acceleration, engine begs for revs, corners flat, stops on a dime. Pretty damn good stereo, moonroof just perfect for the mid-70sF we're getting this week. And 40MPG to boot. I affectionately refer to it as "The Silver Bullet". She’s nice. It’s nice to have those extra horses but it makes me lazy. Find myself leaving it in 1st or 2nd much longer in parking lots or residential areas when I know I have to stop soon anyway. They’re nicely spaced, I think redline is about 62mph in 2nd, and 95 in 3rd. Even with redline around 6800, it’s rare I push mine over 4500. 4 cylinders yes, but much better than my 98 Sunfire 115 HP. That one I found myself even using 3rd gear in parking lots it had no balls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rompho Ray Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 5 hours ago, Golfingboy said: She’s nice. It’s nice to have those extra horses but it makes me lazy...etc. I agree, for practical purposes having the extra balls makes life easier. Winding that turbo up is a pleasure, the extra pull is actually pretty impressive for the tiny mill that it is. Fortunately, most of the time I spend driving it is at or near highway speed. Despite the fact that it's country highway, I work early, so mostly avoid the rush. That gives me plenty of opportunity to drive it at speed, which is very pleasant. Very good car, and at an MSRP of around US$25K, hard to beat for VFM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunDon Posted January 16, 2020 Share Posted January 16, 2020 (edited) On 1/14/2020 at 4:07 AM, Rompho Ray said: Make sure you're aware of the reliability problems associated with the Continuously Variable Transmissions, which seem to be rapidly replacing regular auto trans. I drove a brand new rental for about 5 months before I bought my new car last year, and in that time the CVT started making strange noises. The car I bought thankfully has a manual transmission (6-speed, a Civic Si). Have to agree with you on the CVT issues, they are awful and when you put your foot down, they are damn noisy as the transmission tries to catch up with the engine revs. Although some manufacturers have tried to alleviate the noise problem by putting in pseudo gear stepping, but they are still rubbish. Rode in a friends wife’s new Nissan the other day and when he accelerated hard, I looked at him and he looked at me and said “I know, it’s shite isn’t it”, I simply nodded. He’s had it back in the dealership twice with various transmission problems in the passed 3 months, which doesn’t bode well. I’ve always driven automatics in one form or another and wouldn’t ever have a manual, mainly because I’m lazy and also the wife’s UK license only covers automatics. We have a petrol V8 with traditional auto and flappy paddles, a diesel with traditional automatic gearbox which can be switched via the gear selector to manual changes via the + or - system and another petrol with an 8 speed Dual Clutch Transmission, also with flappy paddles and I love them all. Edited January 16, 2020 by KhunDon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Spice Posted January 16, 2020 Share Posted January 16, 2020 8 hours ago, KhunDon said: Have to agree with you on the CVT issues, they are awful It's a more than 50 y old technology invented by DAF (Holland) and called Variomatic in those days. Some also called it the"rubber band transmission" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variomatic https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DAF_600 I remember the screeching noice when they accelerated. Was never a great succes, but in those days it was handy for people that were to dumb to manage 3 pedals and a gearstick. I guess nowadays they added some software and computer chip ? 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fygjam Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 4 hours ago, Thai Spice said: It's a more than 50 y old technology invented by DAF (Holland) and called Variomatic in those days. Some also called it the"rubber band transmission" I guess nowadays they added some software and computer chip ? Basically what my ride-on lawnmower uses but no computer chip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
code_slayer_bkk Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 (edited) @Campairo My new Beast II ( one year old ) ... one headlight went kinda dingy yellow ... I tried everything I could find on youtube to get the headlight normal again ... but none of these tips/techniques worked - at least when I tried them ...... So, I did what you did and took it to a guy that performed the same "magic" on the headlight -- looks new -- I was surprised it turned out so good -- but, the guy told me that it would only last 1 year or so ... Prior to that I went to the dealer and they wanted 9,500 baht for a new headlight or I could buy a new cover ( I think - I know nothing about vehicles ) for 4,000 ..... I passed on that idea ... I will wait and see how long this technique lasts Edited February 6, 2020 by code_slayer_bkk 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob lt Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Only one year old but not considered a warranty issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
code_slayer_bkk Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 21 hours ago, bob lt said: Only one year old but not considered a warranty issue? That is what I thought as well .... I mentioned the warranty to them and they told me I had to take back to the dealer I bought the vehicle from ... I know bullshit .. plus, the dealer is in BKK where I bought the vehicle and I was in the deep South at my house there ... I forgot to mention to the dealer when I was in BKK having it last serviced It is ok ... I think I spent 500 or 600 baht to have done ... well worth it compared to the prices I was quoted for a new one .... Guess I will cross this bridge again ... when it turns dingy yellow again ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forcebwithu Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 43 minutes ago, code_slayer_bkk said: That is what I thought as well .... I mentioned the warranty to them and they told me I had to take back to the dealer I bought the vehicle from ... I know bullshit .. plus, the dealer is in BKK where I bought the vehicle and I was in the deep South at my house there ... I forgot to mention to the dealer when I was in BKK having it last serviced It is ok ... I think I spent 500 or 600 baht to have done ... well worth it compared to the prices I was quoted for a new one .... Guess I will cross this bridge again ... when it turns dingy yellow again ... And then they'll tell you the warranty was invalidated by the aftermarket fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwell Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 (edited) I polished the headlights on a mates VW Passat that I borrowed for a few weeks, I used Hob cleaner, a liquid abrasive for cleaning Halogen Hobs, it worked a treat and they were like brand new. The coating that's already been mentioned is UV resistant Lacquer, Halfords sell it's own brand for £7.49 https://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-body-repair/car-spray-paints/halfords-clear-lacquer-500ml Edited February 7, 2020 by bexwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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