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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Wash, Wax, Detailing and Cosmetic protection/repairs > Restored my headlights using an unconventional method



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      09-19-2017, 07:13 PM   #1
N54Society
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Restored my headlights using an unconventional method

I watched this guy's video,
and decided I'd give it a go.

Here are my results:

Before:



Before and after:


After:





EDIT: Yes, I finished those fog lights and they came out amazing too.

EDIT 2: 1/2/2019 - This method sucks! Do not do use this method!
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Last edited by N54Society; 01-02-2019 at 04:52 PM..
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      09-19-2017, 09:29 PM   #2
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Well done! I've actually read about this method some time ago but didn't have the guts to try it on my Bimmer. So I just recently sanded and polished my headlights and fogs and now they're pretty much naked except for a thin layer of wax. I wonder if I should do this trick to prevent them from yellowing again.
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      09-20-2017, 11:05 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpie168 View Post
Well done! I've actually read about this method some time ago but didn't have the guts to try it on my Bimmer. So I just recently sanded and polished my headlights and fogs and now they're pretty much naked except for a thin layer of wax. I wonder if I should do this trick to prevent them from yellowing again.
there are clear bra precuts available for headlights and fogs

http://www.invisiblemask.com/imask/i...te=common/home
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      09-21-2017, 04:52 PM   #4
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I usually hit mine with a DA and plastic polish, followed by whatever ceramic coating I have lying around. Headlight clarity really makes or breaks how good your car looks.
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      10-02-2017, 10:46 PM   #5
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Cool, I'll try that. I had polished mine last year but they are yellowing again now, despite a coating of polymer acrylic.
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      01-15-2018, 08:59 PM   #6
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Does this work will light chips/ dings/ scratches?
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      01-25-2018, 03:31 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xxMike61 View Post
Does this work will light chips/ dings/ scratches?
Kind of. Not deep stuff.
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      01-27-2018, 09:50 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SHEEDI View Post
there are clear bra precuts available for headlights and fogs

http://www.invisiblemask.com/imask/i...te=common/home
Yeah I bought xpel headlight covers after using the 3M kit and did it like 2 years ago still looks great.
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      01-27-2018, 10:02 PM   #9
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Just did this to mine. Mine were pretty yellow. They look about 90% new. Small scratches and some other cloudy spots still there. Dunno if it's my sanding job(which I did twice) or just that 10 year old headlights will never look 100 again. Either way extremely happy with results. This method is exspensive, cost my 50$ at Lowe's for everything. Could return it..... Or charge people 50$ or less, to do it to their headlights.
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      01-30-2018, 09:57 PM   #10
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So a couple days after restoring my headlights using this method iv noticed that the coating scratched easily and it fingerprints and smudges easily. I'm going to resand and reapply the coat. I'm going to put a heatgun to it to see if it hardens the coat and makes it less sticky
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      01-31-2018, 08:21 AM   #11
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Keep us posted please!
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      02-14-2018, 08:30 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 401FlaGATOR View Post
Yeah I bought xpel headlight covers after using the 3M kit and did it like 2 years ago still looks great.
Glad to hear this. I just received my headlight restoration kit and plan to do this after all this damn rain stops. Going with the xpel set up for head and fog lights; going clear with the heads and tinting the fogs a little. I wondered if someone else had done this and what their results were.
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      03-01-2018, 09:48 PM   #13
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Makes you wonder what's in those small bottles, provided in some headlight restoration kits. The Sylvania kit that I've personally used has a small "clear coat" that looks brownish-gold. If you happen to use it and leave it on the shelf for some time, it will eventually harden up and be useless.
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      09-15-2018, 11:56 PM   #14
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As an update, my headlights are yellow again. This method sucks. I'm going to re-sand it and then clear coat it.
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      09-16-2018, 01:26 PM   #15
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Thanks for the update.
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      09-19-2018, 12:07 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vbp6us View Post
As an update, my headlights are yellow again. This method sucks. I'm going to re-sand it and then clear coat it.

I've used this on two separate cars with great results:
https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G297.../dp/B01M75GUJB

It's only been on three months so it's too early to say how it'll hold up, but so far this is the best solution I've come across. Everything else I tried showed yellowing after a week or two. The key product in this kit is the spray sealant. Wipe New does the same thing (which I may try on my E90 since I haven't used it yet) however I just thought this spray would be easier to apply evenly.

The first time I used this kit, I followed the directions exactly and the results were great. The second car I did, I added a few extra steps and got better results. I started wet sanding with 1000 grit sandpaper, then moved to 1500, then I used the cleaning solution in the meguiars kit (which is abrasive), then applied PlastX polish with my DA polisher. At this point the lights were very clear and smooth, but after applying the Keep Clear spray they really shined and looked new.
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      09-28-2018, 11:16 AM   #17
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Yup couple months later after using this method they are yellow and worse than before. I think me driving it while it was still tacky(3 days after doing it) made it do this. I wonder if curing it maybe in an oven would make it last longer. Anyway, going the clear coat route!
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      01-13-2019, 07:20 PM   #18
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If you clear coat it with 2k clear it should last 2-3 years for a car that’s not garages.

I’ve done it many times, and I believe it’s about 50% as durable as the original coat. That’s far better than most other DIY alternatives and coatings that are not made for headlights, but not perfect.
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