Plastic headlight refurb done!

[SteveTTT]

I hope this post is ok under forum rules. I had the cloudy headlamp problem with my 2002 996. New light units from Porsche are out of the question at about a Grand each (for halogens!) and sellers seem to want at least half that amount for secondhand items that are less than perfect and also about as rare as hens teeth (I kept it clean there, was going to say rocking horse...). There are many posts on using diy restoration kits, but I decided not to risk it and to use someone who was more experienced. I eventually found a mobile operation based in Woking, Surrey, called Brighter Lights. I got in contact and agreed a price of £90 which I thought was good.
Rob came to me in SE Hampshire and spent 3 hours polishing and resealing the lights. He did a great job, I’d say they are now >90% good as new. Before and after pics are attached. I would have said 95% but there is still some internal blooming which obviously can’t be got at, but I’m nevertheless very happy with the end result, which cost me less than 2/3rds of the only other refurb price I could find (from Jasmine Porschalink in Lancashire).
I must stress I have no connection or commercial interest of any sort with Brighter Lights or Rob the proprietor. I had quite a job finding a mobile service, and had been Googling off and on for some months before his name popped up, so I thought thought this might be of interest to other PHers in the southern counties.

[Swampy1982]

is that before... or after?

I can only see one pic

[swisstoni]

Now coat it with something with a UV filter in it or you will be getting it done again in a year or so.

[markrtw]

I got much the same results using a 3M kit for about 20 quid off Amazon and a couple of hours work on my Mk5 golf. It's amazing how well they come up.

[SteveTTT]

Yep, cheers. He’s applied an anti UV coating and recommended Autoglym Super Resin polish to add more protection. Was going to research other uv products.

[SteveTTT]

Swampy1982 said:

is that before... or after?

I can only see one pic

It’s the after. I like added 2 but it on,y took 1. Trying to reload the before now.

[SteveTTT]

markrtw said:

I got much the same results using a 3M kit for about 20 quid off Amazon and a couple of hours work on my Mk5 golf. It's amazing how well they come up.

Well done. I wasn’t brave enough to DIY given the huge replacement cost if I got it wrong and melted the polycarbonate!

[markrtw]

I think the art is to use plenty of moisture and take your time. A couple of people at work who are car technophobes have also given it a go since without going wrong. It does feel a bit odd when you first start sanding, but having read a few threads from other people doing it previously, I had faith in the process.

[thatjagbloke]

I polished up the headlight plastic on my S Type Jaguar using wet and dry and brasso. Very pleased with the results and cost zilch.
They were very cloudy before and now look almost as good as new.

[227bhp]

markrtw said:

I got much the same results using a 3M kit for about 20 quid off Amazon and a couple of hours work on my Mk5 golf. It's amazing how well they come up.

How many lights do you get out of one of those roughly?

[Deptford Draylons]

swisstoni said:

Now coat it with something with a UV filter in it or you will be getting it done again in a year or so.

What product would you suggest ?

[swisstoni]

Aerospace 303 springs to mind but there may be other products about.