OEM Headlight Question

[star7]

Hi guys the plastic cover on the back of my headlight unit has totally fell apart the plastic has gone very brittle and broken up. Do you know anyone that sells replacement covers?

[Shoppinit]

No, but I'd be tempted to get a cheapo headlight from another A6 and try and swap the broken bit. Also there are plenty of cheap aftermarket headlights that I wouldn't put anywhere near my car, but the bits might be compatible. Something like that:

http://www.carparts-tuning.co.uk/Lighti ... 01-04.html

[star7]

Very true alot of after market ones look terrible. Will look out for old one but it will need to be hid one

[steely66]

Anyone ever successfully polished out their pitted headlights? Heard vague rumours of success and there seems to be the odd kit available Meguiers? Be nice to have flawless original headlamps without parting with daft amount of money to replace only for cosmetic reasons

[Shoppinit]

They are stupid plastic lenses that have a UV protective coating on. Once the coating starts to degrade, 1) the coating looks like leprosy and 2) the plastic underneath starts to break down from UV.

Depending on how advanced the decay is you might be able to polish off the flaky protective layer but if the plastic is crazed all the way through, you won't be able to make them perfect again.

Still, at £500 a pop it's got to be worth a try. I had a go on a friend's car the other day with some T-cut. You can smooth it off and improve it somewhat, but the car still looked like it had cataracts afterwards, albeit nice smooth, regular ones.

[steely66]

Best left alone then while they still look okay, sounds like messing with them will make them worse.

[Gripper1]

Before:

During:

After:


Used a £25 3M headlight restorer kit. You'd have to be a complete numpty to cock it up!

[steely66]

Nice job. I'll look the 3M kit up.

Cheers

[chunky79]

Post a pic 1 year after when the sun has got to the unprotected lens. I agree then lens looks dump when scratched but it will only go super dump when the protection has been removed.

[armyair]

Post a pic 1 year after when the sun has got to the unprotected lens. I agree then lens looks dump when scratched but it will only go super dump when the protection has been removed.

Somebody like the link below maybe of interest to some. Cheaper than replacing the headlights.

http://www.smartfinish.co.uk/headlight_ ... _id10.html

[sulli]

Before:

During:

After:


Used a £25 3M headlight restorer kit. You'd have to be a complete numpty to cock it up!

That's pretty good, all you need to do now is re protect it.

[armyair]

Do you know of any end user applied products that work Sulli or does it require speaking to a specialist company like below.

http://www.wellsplastics.com/httdocs/uv ... isers.html

http://www.ensinger.co.uk/faq-s

[sulli]

Haven't a clue, but there must be some off the shelf products. Either that or clear factor 50

[chunky79]

Poorboys Natural Look Dressing (interior polish) has some UV protector in it, could possibly give that a go.

[Gripper1]

Post a pic 1 year after when the sun has got to the unprotected lens. I agree then lens looks dump when scratched but it will only go super dump when the protection has been removed.

I did them Nov last year, here they are as of today:


After 10 years I imagine there is hardly any UV protection left anyway especially with the amount of hazing mine had. I'd agree a UV protector may be needed if our cars were baking in the Californian sunshine all year round, but this is the UK and I imagine most of us have garages to keep our cars in too.

The kit removes maybe .002" from the polycarbonate and that was when mine were particularly bad. If I have to remove a few microns every 2 years to refresh it, then I guess I'll only have enough material to last 40/50 years.