What to use to brighten up my plastic headlight lenses?

I'm confused. Why not just buy the stuff intended for headlights? I bought some Turtle Wax headlight restorer at WalMart for $7, worked great clearing up the yellowed lenses on my mothers car, you couldn't even see the insides of them. Just wipe it on with a damp cloth, let dry, and wipe off. Then wipe on some of the included sealer. They look brand new.

 

Well, like always, i did it the hard way. I bough rubbing compound and maguiers kit and tried the compound first. Still did not cut it.

Used the kit and they were like new in 30 minutes!

Moral of story: do it right the first time.

Maguiers kit has 1000 and 3000 gtit disks you rub by hand, then a buffing pad you put on your drill with their polish which shines REALLY FAST, a microfiber cloth to clean up reidues and streaks, then a uv protectant to make it last. It really worked well and quickly, and wasnt that rough on the arms and elbows.

 

The procedure that you just described, wouldn't have touched my headlights. They felt like sandpaper, themselves. I tried the prescribed method, just wouldn't touch 'em.

 

That's the way the headlights were on my old '92 T-bird. I ended up buying Taiwan repop lights.

 

I do lots of these at work. I use scothbrite and or water paper for the heavy stuff. Polish with compounds on a small buffing pad. It works but you have to keep up on them or they fade again in a few months. Like mentioned clear coat is the way to go to seal em up and protect them. Im pretty fussy on head lights...the difference in lighting after doing this is incredible.

 

The maquire's kit came with a UV protectant polish to finish it off. Hopefully it will keep them clear for a while.

If not, they are at least smooth now. I doubt I will ever have to do more than use the polish for a few seconds on them in the future, unless I let them get pitted again.

The kit was less than $20, and came with enough stuff to do my headlights 5 or 6 times. If i don't let them get WAY bad in the future.