My Acura headlights are pretty banged up...

[JDMb18c]

ive been reading about the wonders of plastx and i want to try it out myself. The only thing is i dont know how agressive i should be on these lights. The ones on my integra are kinda cloudy and they also have rock chips in them being plastic and all. The chips are kinda deep so im wondering if i should use a heavy grit sandpaper to level out the surface, then proceed to wet sand and then work in some plastx?

[brickyardz]

Re: My Acura headlights are pretty banged up...

Its hard to tell without seeing the headlights but I would be concerned about using a "Heavy Grit" sandpaper. I would apply the same technique on your headlights as you would on a car finish. Start with the least aggressive product and continue in your test area until you get the results you are after.

With you indicating you have rock chips and some are kind of deep, PlastX alone will not get them out. I would suggest starting with a 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper and only do one rock chip. See if you can sand it smooth, if not then maybe go down to 1500 and try again. You should also do multiple passes with the 2000 before switching to something more agressive. It may take you more time with a 2000 grit paper but you will have finer scratches to remove. You can take pieces of the paper and let it soak over night in a soapy water solution before starting.

After you have sanded the one rock chip to a smooth surface again, then try the plastx to remove the sanding marks. Multiple passes will most likely be necessary. Try using a terri cloth towel to apply the plastx. If after multiple passes all scratches are not removed you can try other products you would use on your clear coat finish such as ScratchX, or #80. If you have a DA available you can try using that to work the product if it is being a little stubborn but I would try ding it by hand first, especially on your test rock chip.

I have always obtained great results with plastx removing scratches in plastic and glass.

Good luck!

[Joe's detailing]

Re: My Acura headlights are pretty banged up...

ive been reading about the wonders of plastx and i want to try it out myself. The only thing is i dont know how agressive i should be on these lights. The ones on my integra are kinda cloudy and they also have rock chips in them being plastic and all. The chips are kinda deep so im wondering if i should use a heavy grit sandpaper to level out the surface, then proceed to wet sand and then work in some plastx?

Things You'll Need

• Fine sandpapers, 1,000 to 2,000 grit
• Small water container for wet sanding
• spray bottle

• Fine or very fine automotive rubbing compound
• Basic Cleaning solution
• Plastic Polish (available at auto parts stores)
• Soft polishing cloth
• Tools to remove lenses if you decide to remove
• Micro fiber rubbing compound applicator

Stay tuned tomorrow, I will being doing a mini van's headlights and restoring them ...

[JDMb18c]

Re: My Acura headlights are pretty banged up...

sweet.. thanks guys. i wasn't gonna go for a really heavy grit paper, like 60 or anything of that sort. i was probably gonna go a bit over 1000. i'm gonna start on this project when i get my car back. it's in the shop for a small fender bender so i'm getting kind of anxious to try this out.