I have "oxidized" headlight lenses, they are not clear like new but slightly cloudy. I think the cloudiness is on the outer surface of the plastic. I've tried Meguiar's cleaner/wax and mother's metal polish, which I've found to be effective used by hand on scratched sunglasses, but it does not remove the cloudiness. Anyone had any luck or have a similar problem?

Thanks,
-Tom

__________________
RIP "Betsy" (Oo=*=oO)
'96 E 3 2 0 (W 2 1 0) M 1 0 4 (Totalled)
Spaces in sig so as not to screw up the SEARCH; every time someone searches for that MB they don't want my sig!

2004 Audi A8L
'98 VW Passat 1.8T 5M
'87 Alfa Romeo Milano 2.5L 5M
'67 Impala convertible, 327cid

I know a detailer who said he could make them clear again and he does it with a high speed polisher. The exact process is unknown to me, but now that I think about it I also remember an article in one of the automotive journals, off the rack, that did talk about that exact subject. So I cannot give more details but if you talk to some professional detailers someone out there can do it, but I know it can't be down by hand.

dangerous condition at night!!!!...like driving with cataracts?!!!

...try Meguir's Plastic Polish, a very light even touch, and patience

...I've used it on my motorcycle helmet clear plastic visor, speedo gauge plastic- MB/BMW/Alfa/motorcycles, and very successfully on the wood panels in the E320 Coupe and E500

...and note that this is not magic (no product really is when dealing with wear) - and probably will not cure the sub-standard condition ...only true fix is to replace lenses so that the standard sub-standard quality lighting will be back to status quo

-fad

Cool! I did not know Meguiar's made Plastic Polish, it would be the first thing I tried if I did! Meguiar's products are GNAU!
Thanks!
-Tom

__________________
RIP "Betsy" (Oo=*=oO)
'96 E 3 2 0 (W 2 1 0) M 1 0 4 (Totalled)
Spaces in sig so as not to screw up the SEARCH; every time someone searches for that MB they don't want my sig!

2004 Audi A8L
'98 VW Passat 1.8T 5M
'87 Alfa Romeo Milano 2.5L 5M
'67 Impala convertible, 327cid

its in a small blue plastic bottle using the name, "Plastic Polish", but I don't know the number of the product off hand...

they also have a "Plastic Cleaner", good luck and let us know how it turns out

-fad

I doubt if oxidised plastic lenses can be cured with any Plastic cleaner and I would be very keen to know if it works.

If I had "oxidised" lenses, I would try Rain-X and see how it improves the "de-oxidisation" though I doubt if that would work too.

__________________
... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

The cloudiness in your lenses most likely is Iron.....From your water supply or a sprinkler system...most hardware stores carry Iron removers ..for bathtubs and such...good luck !!

__________________
Brandon



2008 S550
1957 Dodge D100
1967 VW Microbus 21 Window
2001 Suburban
2004 Beach cruiser bicycle
-----------------GO DUKE!-----------------

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here." Patrick Henry 1776

They are as good as new! I used a product I forgot I had in my samples box, Micro-Mesh abrasive. The lenses are clear as new - I mean CRYSTAL clear - and no swirl marks or haziness! It only took about a half hour per lens. This stuff is made for polishing Lexan and polycarbonate aircraft windows, it is specially cushioned abrasive cloth with a very fine grit (1500 is the coarse and 6000 is the finest with steps in between). You can buy it from their website. I'll post pictures someday. that stuff is GREAT! It can also be used for motorcycle fairings, helmet visors, corian countertops, and even wood finishing - see their website microsurface.com
-Tom

__________________
RIP "Betsy" (Oo=*=oO)
'96 E 3 2 0 (W 2 1 0) M 1 0 4 (Totalled)
Spaces in sig so as not to screw up the SEARCH; every time someone searches for that MB they don't want my sig!

2004 Audi A8L
'98 VW Passat 1.8T 5M
'87 Alfa Romeo Milano 2.5L 5M
'67 Impala convertible, 327cid

Hey, this is a piece of good news.

Good on ya!

__________________
... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

They now sell a Headlight polishing kit for $10.95! Beware, though, shipping is $10! Still worth it. Get the antistatic protectant, too, maybe it'll help keep them clear. Mine began to cloud up a bit after a year of Tennessee sunshine but a quick application of the liquid abrasive cured it. I may have caused it, because I waxed the lenses with car wax but have since learned that petroleum based products contribute to acrylic and polycarbonate degradation.

Lense kit link click here.

-Tom

__________________
RIP "Betsy" (Oo=*=oO)
'96 E 3 2 0 (W 2 1 0) M 1 0 4 (Totalled)
Spaces in sig so as not to screw up the SEARCH; every time someone searches for that MB they don't want my sig!

2004 Audi A8L
'98 VW Passat 1.8T 5M
'87 Alfa Romeo Milano 2.5L 5M
'67 Impala convertible, 327cid

http://www.griotsgarage.com/index.jsp. I have used their plastic polish on my headlamps (they were just starting to haze) and was very pleased with the results.

I got one of those kits. The name escapes me right now, but Auto Zone carries them. It was $19.95 and it took about 10 minutes to clean and polish both head lights. They look good as new. The kit comntained two weights of wet/dry sand paper, very fine grit, and a creme polish. After that you wipe on something like a plastic hardener.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
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2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

we have yet to see all the claims that plastic lens om the MB can be polished

Mine were real bad , i started with 500 grit wet paper, then 1000, then 1200, then 2000, then the meguires lens cleaner/polish they came out great but it took 1 1/2 hr each side 4 lenses e320 .

Go get yourself a Mothers polishing ball, the little one ($24 @ autozone) for your drill and some Maguires plastic RX, it worked like a charm on the headlights on my '98 Lexus ES300. I hooked the ball up to my 18volt drill and lightly coated my headlights. It worked so well that it brought the original headlights so clear that they looked like the aftermarket new clear marker lights I had added on to my front end. I highly reccomend it.

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". . .back before accountants designed cars"

-Current Stable-
'78 MB 450SL-C 107.024.12.020783 #3840 <Kayleen>
'85 FORD F250 6.9L Diesel <Allison>
'98 Lexus ES300 <Rachel>
Long Gone...
'74 Chevy G10...........................'99 GMC Yukon 4X4
'83 Chevy Suburban 6.2 diesel .....'99 SAAB 9-5
'90 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS............. '01 Chevy Tahoe
'98 Nissan Altima .......................'02 MB ML320
'88 Chevy Suburban V2500 4X4 6.2 diesel