3M Headlight Restore...Holy Shit!!
3M Headlight Restore...Holy ****!! First let me start by saying that I am a perfectionist, and really didn't even put much effort into this because I wasn't planning on keeping these lights anyways. When I bought my 2nd F body (red 98 Z28) the car was mint aside from the common horribly faded/yellow haze head lights. On my old 2000 Z28, I tried a Meguires wet sand restore kit and I think they turned out worse than what I started with, so when I bought this 3M kit I was hesitant, and already prepared to just buy a new set of headlights. But a friend swore by this kit so I gave it a shot.
It's really easy to do, I probably spent 15-20 minutes on each headlight. It calls for a dry sand of 500, and 800 grit, and wet sand of 3000 followed by a rubbing compound with a foam pad. 3m suggests a 1200-1500 rpm drill. I noticed mine had a 600rpm max. So I busted out my 3000 rpm Binford 6800 air speed drill and regulated the pressure down to 35ish for an estimated 1,500 rpm speed. What a difference. These things look brand new, and only cost me 20.00 plus tax for the kit. I still can't believe how nice they turned out.
Just wanted to share with you guys, anyone who has this problem, try this kit out, it's incredible.
Before:
And After:
It's really easy to do, I probably spent 15-20 minutes on each headlight. It calls for a dry sand of 500, and 800 grit, and wet sand of 3000 followed by a rubbing compound with a foam pad. 3m suggests a 1200-1500 rpm drill. I noticed mine had a 600rpm max. So I busted out my 3000 rpm Binford 6800 air speed drill and regulated the pressure down to 35ish for an estimated 1,500 rpm speed. What a difference. These things look brand new, and only cost me 20.00 plus tax for the kit. I still can't believe how nice they turned out.
Just wanted to share with you guys, anyone who has this problem, try this kit out, it's incredible.
Before:
And After:
Results look great man. I used the Sylvania kit recently on my daily driver that had some nasty yellow lights as well - a 2001 Grand Cherokee - they're notorious for that. Looking back on it doing it the drill method would've been easier on myself - I sanded for about an hour with 3 grits of paper per light by hand. BUT, the last step of the Sylvania kit makes it worth it, and maybe you can get it to put on yours. It comes with a new UV filter liquid that applies a nice shine to the lights and protects/seals them. If you can get that part or something like it I highly recommend it so you don't have to do this again in 3 or 4 years - if you keep the car that long 
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 593
Likes: 29
From: Florida
Save yourself the trouble next time and use Easy Off oven cleaner, spray on and watch the crap come out of the pores of the lens, wipe off and start driving.
P.s. Mask off around the lens
And yes your can use it on very nasty wheels (Rims), spray on and watch years of crap fall off in 5 minutes. My neighbor was going to buy new wheels, so to bust his ***** I sprayed half of his front rim with it than hosed it off and didn't tell him what i used for a few days. He never brote those new wheels.
P.s. Mask off around the lens
And yes your can use it on very nasty wheels (Rims), spray on and watch years of crap fall off in 5 minutes. My neighbor was going to buy new wheels, so to bust his ***** I sprayed half of his front rim with it than hosed it off and didn't tell him what i used for a few days. He never brote those new wheels.
Definitely put a sealant on there or they'll go back to looking like that!
Look into Opti-Coat, stuff will last a loooooooooooooooong time.
Can be used on tons of other stuff as well
Look into Opti-Coat, stuff will last a loooooooooooooooong time.
Can be used on tons of other stuff as well
Opti-Coat doesn't have the UV blockers for what's needed in lenses. But they are releasing a new product that is specifically designed for that this spring.
ive used plenty of different kits myself and the best so far has in fact been the 3M kit. ....interesting hearing about the oven cleaner though. might have to try that sometime and see how it works out.
TECH Junkie
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,551
Likes: 2
From: Rutherford, North Carolina
I may have to get that and try it out myself. I tried other kits but they either didn't do to well to begin with or they faded back after no time and plus my car is sitting with the clutch messed up so I can't really move it now.
