PlastX success on headlights

J

JasonATL

New member
I tried Meguiar's PlastX on my wife's 1999 RX 300's headlights. They had some scratches, fogginess, and bug stains.



I used the PC 7424 with 4" foam spot pads. I taped off all surfaces that I wasn't polishing with PlastX. The first pass or two helped, but it was clear that it needed more. Since it was so easy, I did 5 passes on each headlight -- 3 with a coarser pad and 2 with a finish pad. Buffed with a microfiber towel. Tons of static now. Very happy with PlastX. I will probably give the tail lights a pass next time.



Before:

Headlight_left_01a.jpg




After:

Headlight_left_01b.jpg




Before:

Headlight_left_02a.jpg




After:

Headlight_left_02b.jpg




Before:

Headlight_right_01a.jpg




After:

Headlight_right_01b.jpg
 
GSRstilez said:
They look great!

How did you apply the PlastX?
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Thanks! I edited the original post to better show the pictures and explain the process I used.



I used a PC. It says it can be done by hand, but I polished quite a bit with the PC and can't imagine doing the same by hand to get these results.
 
Ya know I had the same idea and tried it on a Jag I was doing for a customer. I used a 3M Waffle 3" spot pad w/PC set on 5. Saw some improvement but not like what you got.



I'll try again w/a LC Yellow 4" Spot Pad and see if I can get something cooking.
 
Be careful on headlights.



The more aggressive pads will chew through the UV film that is on them.



I did it with AIO in a small area and a yellow SFX spot pad.
 
MorBid said:
Ya know I had the same idea and tried it on a Jag I was doing for a customer. I used a 3M Waffle 3" spot pad w/PC set on 5. Saw some improvement but not like what you got.



I'll try again w/a LC Yellow 4" Spot Pad and see if I can get something cooking.
Click to expand...



It took 5 passes. If I had taken pictures after the first pass, I doubt the pictures would have shown much difference. In person, you could tell it was working, but it needed more applications. After 5, I could see no reason to keep going.
 
Nice results. I've used the Meguiar's DC 3 step on headlights and achieved very nice results as well FWIW.
 
I used PlastX by hand on the Protege's headlights and taillights, and I was also very impressed with the product. I went and used it on my gauge cluster and was even more impressed! Great product!
 
To everyone that uses their PC on headlights. This works great, but be very careful around the little plastic *bumps* that the factory uses for aligning the lens. They will eat a foam pad in a New York second. Some have them and some don't, just be careful.
 
I want to clean my gauge cluster clear plastic with PlastX. Should I just apply directly to the dirty plastic or do I need to remove the dust and smudges first? If so, what is everyone using for the initial dust removal. Would one of those California Dusters work? Any advice would be appreciated.
 
You should to wet sand to get tough grime. I wet sanded mine smooth and then used the Plasticx and mine are like new. probably better than new.
 
Cobra99 said:
I want to clean my gauge cluster clear plastic with PlastX. Should I just apply directly to the dirty plastic or do I need to remove the dust and smudges first? If so, what is everyone using for the initial dust removal. Would one of those California Dusters work? Any advice would be appreciated.
Click to expand...





Don't ever apply a polish to a dirty surface. Clean your gauge cluster with some ordinary car wash soap solution and a MF towel. Then use the PlastX with a MF towel.
 
JBM said:
Be careful on headlights.



The more aggressive pads will chew through the UV film that is on them.
Click to expand...



As I understand it, a natural property of Polycarbonate is that it blocks UV (hence its use in sunglasses), so I wouldn't have thought there would be any external UV 'coating' on headlight lenses... am I wrong?
 
hi i was wondering if anyone can help me out? I wet sanded my headlights and fallowed up with some 3m polish compound. After that the headlights look amazing not a single scratch! But at night when i turn the headlights on theres a light film of hazy over them. I try using 3m plastic polish,nu finish plastic polish, and plastx but none seem to work! any suggestions on how to get them clear?
 
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