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View Full Version : 3M Headlight restoration kit review/DIY


ZSP-Mafia
08-16-2011, 06:18 PM
This is the product I am reviewing

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t355/jamesfogarty05/IMG_0938.jpg

And this is my test subject, The Bosses trusty Jeep. :mafia

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t355/jamesfogarty05/IMG_0941.jpg

Here's a closeup of the damage we're dealing with.These are not as bad as some of the lights I've done before, but Im going to use the entire kit anyways.

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t355/jamesfogarty05/IMG_0942.jpg


You will need a drill and a spray bottle with water in it. This is what comes in the kit:

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t355/jamesfogarty05/IMG_0940-1.jpg

The first step is to mask off the area around the headlights. Then you take the 500 grit sandpaper and completely sand down the enitire headlight until its a milky haze...like this

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t355/jamesfogarty05/IMG_0944.jpg

Then you'll repeat the same process with the 800 grit paper, concentrating on the areas with the most damage. Brush some of the dust off from time to time, and you'll be able to tell when the oxidization is gone. Then, switch to the 3000 grit paper, which requires the pad and headlights to stay wet (time for the spray bottle). its also not a bad idea to have a hose handy, as this process is a bit messy. The lenses should have cleared up quite a bit by this point, so you can now switch to the final step of polishing, using the provided compound and polishing pad. and VOILA!!

Can you guess which one is done and which one is not? :idea

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t355/jamesfogarty05/IMG_0946.jpg



http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t355/jamesfogarty05/IMG_0948.jpg

The final product.


http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t355/jamesfogarty05/IMG_0947.jpg



I give this product a 10 out 0f 10. It's $21-22 at the store but you can get it on eBay for less than $16 (with free shipping (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5574947307&toolid=10001&campid=5336776893&customid=&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Febaymotors%2F3M-39008-Headlight-Lens-Restoration-System-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3f08c3f85bQQitemZ27073 0000475QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccesso ries)). You can easily do 3-4 less damaged cars with a single kit. It absolutely does what the box says. I give it....


:chuck
Marcus-SanDiego
08-16-2011, 06:27 PM
And James was kind enough to come over to my humble abode and do this for me. I still owe you lunch, sir.

The product really does work, as you can see from the pictures. I'm a believer.

James, if you were trying to blur out the plate, there are several shots where the plate is fully exposed.
ZSP-Mafia
08-16-2011, 06:34 PM
They're blurred out in photobucket, but not in here for some reason.

edit: fixed :thumbup
Marcus-SanDiego
08-16-2011, 06:45 PM
Yep. Fixed.

Anyhow, thanks again, James.
ZSP-Mafia
08-16-2011, 07:03 PM
My pleasure. :)
johnrando
08-16-2011, 07:09 PM
Pretty amazing stuff. Thanks for posting.
tripod06
08-18-2011, 11:45 AM
DUDE!!! I AM SO GETTING THAT! JAMES CAN YOU DO MINE? man after i get new tires, i may want to break them in with a clear lense cleaning in SD and then Palomar Mtn! haha
Marcus-SanDiego
08-18-2011, 11:46 AM
I believe James performs this service for $40. You buy the kit. Well worth it.
tripod06
08-18-2011, 11:48 AM
yeah worth it IMO. god i cant get over how good that looks. it has to look better in person too.
Marcus-SanDiego
08-18-2011, 12:53 PM
Yeah. It's great in person. Come down to San Diego and have James do it.
ZSP-Mafia
08-18-2011, 03:56 PM
Anytime Albert, just let me know.
danewilson77
08-18-2011, 04:02 PM
Anytime Albert, just let me know.

I thought your avatar was a bug...really. :shifty
ZSP-Mafia
08-18-2011, 06:14 PM
I thought your avatar was a bug...really. :shifty

Lol, I did too. I had to have it. :)
T.Bird
08-18-2011, 06:22 PM
I did it to my ZHP lenses when I got it (a different brand though...rainX I think). Check it out, first pic is:Right-untouched, Left-halfway done. Second pic is finished!


18151816
Marcus-SanDiego
08-18-2011, 06:33 PM
Tyler, that also looks very good!
Stu
08-18-2011, 06:58 PM
Excellent review. 3M makes real quality products. I was thinking of getting this exact kit. Now I'm convinced. My headlights aren't that bad, but they are ever so noticeably faded and a little pitted. Crystal clear headlights do wonders to a car's age.
ZSP-Mafia
08-18-2011, 07:20 PM
Excellent review. 3M makes real quality products. I was thinking of getting this exact kit. Now I'm convinced. My headlights aren't that bad, but they are ever so noticeably faded and a little pitted. Crystal clear headlights do wonders to a car's age.

It's also possible to skip some of the steps. If your headlights are not as bad, you can go straight to the wet 3000 paper, then polish. Or sometimes even just the polish will clean em right up.
pleasecorrupt
10-02-2011, 06:36 PM
until nov 30th, get $5 mir.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Headlight-Lens-Restoration-System/dp/B001AIZ5HY

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/automotive/rebates/2011-Final3MHeadlightFall2011Rebate._V167149733_.pdf
HokieZHP
10-02-2011, 06:59 PM
Does this also remove the pits in the lenses? Mine aren't that cloudy but are definitely pitted.
HokieZHP
11-11-2011, 01:30 PM
How long did this process take you? Thinking of doing this on my car and a friend's new 530i tomorrow
danewilson77
11-11-2011, 03:02 PM
How long did this process take you? Thinking of doing this on my car and a friend's new 530i tomorrow

Probably about 2 hours....but time is solely dependent on how long 1. You want to spend on it, and 2. How long it takes you to get them looking good.
HokieZHP
11-11-2011, 03:04 PM
Thanks Dane. Just trying to get an idea since it's supposed to be nice tomorrow but I have a physics exam monday at 7am I need to study for.
redwagon
11-11-2011, 04:19 PM
I've done a similar process on my truck this year and the results were great. Some elbow grease west sanding from 600 up to 1200grit, and then buffed to wonderful polish, 2 hours or so. But those headlights are pretty expensive, and with a pair of new E46 lenses costing $70, I recently just installed new lenses, and that took me about 15 minutes. I guess it depends on how you value yoru time, but even if you value it low, I'd rather put that time into another higher value project on the ZHP etc........
Tim
johnrando
11-14-2011, 06:53 AM
I've done a similar process on my truck this year and the results were great. Some elbow grease west sanding from 600 up to 1200grit, and then buffed to wonderful polish, 2 hours or so. But those headlights are pretty expensive, and with a pair of new E46 lenses costing $70, I recently just installed new lenses, and that took me about 15 minutes. I guess it depends on how you value yoru time, but even if you value it low, I'd rather put that time into another higher value project on the ZHP etc........
Tim

So these were OEM lenses for $70 total for the pair? That's not bad. For a sedan, it sounds like an easy fix/decent trade-off. Where did you get yours? For coupes/verts, we'd have to bake the lights to get the lenses off, they don't snap on like sedan, so cleaning is likely the better way to go.
Smolck
01-03-2012, 04:18 PM
Curious how this is holding up on the OP's Jeep? My wife's Jeep looks just as bad. But I have done other kits to some friends cars and they always get bad really fast due to the UV coating being removed in the restoration process. Just wondering if 3M holds up well?
Marcus-SanDiego
01-03-2012, 04:30 PM
I will get back to you. I have not taken a look at it in a while. Will let you know tomorrow.