Cloudy headlamps

[Jim S]

Has anyone found a successful way to polish out the 'haze' on plastic headlights? There are lots of suggestions involving elbow-grease and toothpast on YouTube, but I tried that and it may have made a slight difference or it may just have been wishful thinking. Brasso was not much better, but I think T-Cut was, but only marginally. There are scary videos using fine grade abrasive kits on YouTube. My garage said that the showroom next door uses T-cut and an electric polisher, but I don't have an electric polisher and I believe conventional drills with mop-discs can be too fast. Any ideas?

[Chris Bartram]

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Any such polishing is hard work by hand. Since it's similar to cutting back car paint, Farecla is the best for that and comes in more than one grade - although you'd likely have to go to a paint supplier to get the coarser stuff. Halfords do the common one.

Have you checked if you can buy new lenses on their own? Ebay might be a source - they're unlikely to be a dealer spare, but check anyway.

[Jim S]

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

430 for a pair - hence.............

[Andrew Gabriel]

I got something called Greygate Plastic Polish from CPC a while ago, which works on mine. It warns not to use on Cellulose Acetate, for which they have an alternative product according to the label. I don't think it would work for anything other than the finest scratches.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

That's presumably the complete units? It is possible to buy lenses on their own for some cars.

[Davey]

After a pheasant attacked my Renault Laguna headlamp assembly, smashing it comprehensively, I bought a complete used working unit on the internet for £25. Since a new unit is in the hundreds, I think it was a good deal.

[Jim S]

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Can't find any

[Jim S]

Davey wrote in news:l4hk22$k8a$ [e-mail]:

Lucky you. I did look.

[harryagain]

Get down your local car breaker. They still exist

[Tim+]

"They" being? The OP hasn't named the vehicle.

Tim

[Richard]

Tried here yet?

Stick in your reg no and any parts available will be listed.

[Andrew Gabriel]

On my previous Fiesta, the glass easily unclipped from the unit (I stuck it in the dishwasher a few times). However, it was not available separately - you had to buy the whole unit. You could get a cheaper version without the motorised level adjust, and either just unclip the glass front, or use the whole new unit and move the motor across.

[Brian Gaff]

I was under the impression it was a change in the actual material opacity itself due to UV that was the real problem in most instances. Brian

[Jim S]

"Brian Gaff" wrote in news:l4ij17$egu$ [e-mail]:

Indeed and since it is a 2004 Mitsubishi Space Star that was only made for a few years, used parts are hard to come by.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

With at least some makes, the actual 'glass' may be available in other countries than the UK. Which can take a bit of finding.

A forum or car club for your particular model would be a good start for info.

[dennis]

I looked at that site and some of the bits are as expensive as the main dealer, some are more expensive (for a sample of one car).

[dennis]

That might explain why some cars have left hand drive light patterns on one light.

The most common reason is that some people just can't fit a bulb correctly. Maybe a part P for car electrics?

[Capitol]

I used clear nail varnish.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It would depend on whether it has a fresnel lens as part of it or is just plain. Thought that would be too obvious to state.