How to make your headlights look brand new (with lots of pics)

[Evil I 30]

Hi Peoples,

I just bought myself a 1998 Infiniti I30 and I love it. This weekend, I decided to clean up my cloudy headlights. I thought I'd share the how to's with yall. I learned this from a Lincoln forum.

What you will need: 1000 grit sand paper, 1200 grit sand paper, 1500 grit sand paper, and 2000 grit paper

car polish

soft cloth or those blue autozone paper towels

spary bottle

elbow grease

Start with the 1000 grit paper and spray water all over the headlight assy' and the sand paper. Its best if you leave the hood open so you don't accidentally scratch up the hood. Start sanding left to right for about a minute, making sure the surface is always really wet. Then go up and down for another minute or two.

Then go up to the next grade of sand paper and repeat the above steps til you go all the way through with the 2000 grit.

Then repeat the whole process, but the second time, do it a little longer with less pressure. After all the wet sanding, the headlight is gonna look clear, but cloudy. Dry off the headlight assy', thoroughly and put a dime size dollop of the car polish into the soft cloth. Then wax on and wax off in circles. The more you polish with the car polish, the better and clearer the headlamp looks. Enjoy your brand new headlamps!

This is the before headlight assy'.

After the wet sanding, notice the cloudiness.



Polished with the Turtle Wax car polish



Finished headlight assy.

[jltibbs]

Welcome to NICO.

Nice write up and good pics. Lets see some more pics of the whole car!

[Presscott707]

welcome to nico nice write up. i have got to try that stuff on my QX4

[maxhopper]

Very nice! I'll be interested to know how long the lights keep that look. Every time I use plastic polish on my head lights, they seem to haze up within a month or two. If this method lasts longer, I'll have to give it a try.

[Evil I 30]

Very nice! I'll be interested to know how long the lights keep that look. Every time I use plastic polish on my head lights, they seem to haze up within a month or two. If this method lasts longer, I'll have to give it a try.

I'm not really sure, but when I did this to my Lincoln Mark Viii, it seemed to last for over six months if I can remember correctly. They say to put a coat of wax on the headlamps to protect it from the elements. Maybe a coat of wax once a month or so will keep it like new for awhile. I'll let yall know.

[jltibbs]

Just as a tip, time next time you polish or wet sand/polish, have the Lamin-X clear lens protection film handy. Do the process, then put the film on. That will be the last time you do it, guaranteed.

[MindGmz]

Looks good bro!, but I was wondering would this process work on headlights with some type of factory film or clear coat?? By the way I have a 2000 I30t... But your lights look good bro!! Nice work!!

[crazyguy]

Looks good bro!, but I was wondering would this process work on headlights with some type of factory film or clear coat?? By the way I have a 2000 I30t... But your lights look good bro!! Nice work!!

The clear coat is what becomes cloudy. UV rays break down the compounds and make the once transparent film translucent.

[00MaxXxedOut]

i did the same thing, works great but wait a few weeks and it'll start to get cloudy again...i wound up buying 01 20th ann lights shortly after...