Opaque Head Lights

Greeting fellow enthusiast !!!! I recently purchase a 1996 Mercedes Benz- 320 in immaculate condition . The only problem on its look its the head lights , they look old , they are opaque , my question is if there is any product or any thing to get them to look newer than what there really are ? Please help me get my babe back in shape !!!!

[Potomac Pat]

I don't beileve that Mercedes sells the (W210) headlight bezel (door/cover) separately. You'll probably have to get new lights, which aren't that expensive. =)

[dieseldude]

w/out seeing a pictures of what you mean exactly by 'opaque' it's hard to say. Unfortuntately is sounds like they are pitted (in which case replacement is the only option ), but given that the car is immaculate as you say, it seems strange that the lenses have suffered so much.

Anyone else with an early W210 whose expereince premature aging/pitting of their headlights?

As a side note: even given the low mileage (and lack of paint chips), the windsheild on my '95 is pitted worse than other cars with twice the mileage and wear. I wonder if softer glass/plastics can make it through MB inspections on occasion?

Regards,
- Ryan

the folklore was that German cars had softer windshields so that they would pit rather than shatter when hit by bugs at autobahn speeds. I do know that in the '60s, Porsche racers preferred the European windshields to USA aftermarket replacements because they were a few pounds lighter, but they did pit quickly, too.

[rbmercedes]

If you're going to be replacing the headlights, why not make the jump to the E-code (euro) headlights? You'll spend a little more, or in your case, maybe a lot more, but you'll thank yourself in the end.

[HTN-E430]

aTOMic had similar problem with his 96 E320 head lights. He used Micro-Mesh to polish his plastic head light lenses and happied with the result.

Polishing E320 (W210) plastic headlights?

Good luck

[richunters]

My W210 has the same problem. The lens looked slightly pitted, however it also looked as though the inside surface of the lens had some kind of deposit (looks like dried watermark, from moisture collecting inside). Can one clean the inside?

Also, does anyone know what kind of plastic the lens is made of ?