3M is the best restoration kit. The only thing I would recommend is some type of sealant like ceramic coat or wax. The headlights will go back to being foggy and yellow after a month or two without some type of sealant.
I just used a 3M kit last week. It comes with 500, 800, 3000 grit paper and then a sealant. I hand sanded with 1500 and 2000 grit between the 800 and 3000. The 3M kit no longer comes with polish. I used Chemical Guys Headlight Restorer and it really cleaned things up. The 3M sealant is really easy to use. The lights look brand new! It took me a couple hours, as it was my first time but the results were definitely worth it.
I see what you were trying to do. I feel you should have sanded a little more using the 500 grit. Also, I would suggest a headlight protectant like Megiars Headlight coating as the yellowing will return within months
Hey, we’re all learning here. Sometimes it can end up being a piece from this kit or that one but it’s plastic dude. I was so nervous I thought I had ruined mine. Great info. dude, thanks for video. 👍
I have used this kit and tobe honest much much worse condition than yours!! Because I had to remove old baked on Clearcoat from the previous owner, That said 3m kit provides extra p500 disk for this very purpose!! IF the disk clogs up its either because your pressing to hard or there's residue left over from using that clay bar and washing the headlight which is totally unnecessary as the surface is being removed anyway?Another issue was the drill just one speed or variable 2speed? At stage three the p3000 trizact pad you run the drill a little higher speed as water keeps the friction down,When applying tap water to the pad + lens you keep the drill moving evenly over the lens until you notice a white slurry over the lens, Don't repeat this process again!! Then use any glass cleaner spray wipe and dry lens before applying the polish again higher speed keep moving the drill slowly!! When your happy with clarity and shine stop if not add more polish and continue until its clear!! Then add a clearcoat as mentioned by other comments, Always use micro fibre cloths, And please pop the hood first saving time and tape, Mine was done 6 months ago and in show room condition, Its all about After care, But that's another Question!! Anyway yours turned out OK just needs refining somewhat!!!🤔🇬🇧👍O just a foot note dont wash that ripple orange foam pad after use!!
Don't wash that orange 3M finesse it pad. That's what The Headlight Restoration Pro preaches in his videos. I unfortunately washed mine after my first set of headlights when I bought the $40 version of this kit. I bought a extra box of p500 and p800 and I think now I have to get new Trizact 3000 discs as well. I also used the chemical guys headlight restore and the 3D headlight restore as polish w some Sonax and a orange Griot's pad. I was going nuts trying to get it perfect.
I had some problems on my 2nd car and may have worn out the 3000 Trizact disc from the 1st car headlights. Use chemical guys headlight restore instead of the rubbing compound or in addition to. That is how the TH-cam channel: The Headlight Restoration Pro, teaches an advanced version of this method. I added using a 3" orange Griot's pad first then I used the 3M orange finesse it pad and they look good but I was trying for perfection
They are not "yellow stains". That is oxidation of the clear coat put on at the factory. Also... there can be "fogging" INSIDE the lens. There is nothing any kit is going to do about that. Sometimes, water gets in there as well, leaving a mineral like residue on the inside. Also... sometimes... a little hand sanding around the edges is needed.
You did a pretty terrible job of sanding thoroughly. That is the most important step in order to remove all of the surface imperfections on the headlight. You could still see the uneven sanding marks before you polished out the sanding marks. The wet sanding marks should be uniform before polishing.
You forgot the most important part. Soap water in a spray bottle threw all the sanding keep it lubricated and wipe with a clean towel and repeat . You will get alot more use out of the sanding pads so you can do multiple cars with 1 kit.
At the beginning you mentioned why would anybody want to restore there headlights!!!! Well for a start here in the UK we have a yearly vehicle inspection, And if your polycarbonate lenses have deteriorated to extent that performance is degraded, Your car will fail the test!! Its either replacement or restoration!!! 🤔
3M is the best restoration kit. The only thing I would recommend is some type of sealant like ceramic coat or wax. The headlights will go back to being foggy and yellow after a month or two without some type of sealant.
Is there a specific brand that comes to mind for the sealant? I saw one person use Meguier's Headlight coating, do you think that's a good product?
@@danielboone8256Definitely the best in my opinion 👍
I just used a 3M kit last week. It comes with 500, 800, 3000 grit paper and then a sealant. I hand sanded with 1500 and 2000 grit between the 800 and 3000. The 3M kit no longer comes with polish. I used Chemical Guys Headlight Restorer and it really cleaned things up. The 3M sealant is really easy to use. The lights look brand new! It took me a couple hours, as it was my first time but the results were definitely worth it.
Helpful video and description, appreciate it
I see what you were trying to do. I feel you should have sanded a little more using the 500 grit. Also, I would suggest a headlight protectant like Megiars Headlight coating as the yellowing will return within months
I don't even know how my 6th gen be fogging up like that. I'm going to try this out.
Hey, we’re all learning here. Sometimes it can end up being a piece from this kit or that one but it’s plastic dude. I was so nervous I thought I had ruined mine. Great info. dude, thanks for video. 👍
I have used this kit and tobe honest much much worse condition than yours!! Because I had to remove old baked on Clearcoat from the previous owner, That said 3m kit provides extra p500 disk for this very purpose!! IF the disk clogs up its either because your pressing to hard or there's residue left over from using that clay bar and washing the headlight which is totally unnecessary as the surface is being removed anyway?Another issue was the drill just one speed or variable 2speed? At stage three the p3000 trizact pad you run the drill a little higher speed as water keeps the friction down,When applying tap water to the pad + lens you keep the drill moving evenly over the lens until you notice a white slurry over the lens, Don't repeat this process again!! Then use any glass cleaner spray wipe and dry lens before applying the polish again higher speed keep moving the drill slowly!! When your happy with clarity and shine stop if not add more polish and continue until its clear!! Then add a clearcoat as mentioned by other comments, Always use micro fibre cloths, And please pop the hood first saving time and tape, Mine was done 6 months ago and in show room condition, Its all about After care, But that's another Question!! Anyway yours turned out OK just needs refining somewhat!!!🤔🇬🇧👍O just a foot note dont wash that ripple orange foam pad after use!!
Don't wash that orange 3M finesse it pad. That's what The Headlight Restoration Pro preaches in his videos. I unfortunately washed mine after my first set of headlights when I bought the $40 version of this kit. I bought a extra box of p500 and p800 and I think now I have to get new Trizact 3000 discs as well. I also used the chemical guys headlight restore and the 3D headlight restore as polish w some Sonax and a orange Griot's pad. I was going nuts trying to get it perfect.
I had some problems on my 2nd car and may have worn out the 3000 Trizact disc from the 1st car headlights.
Use chemical guys headlight restore instead of the rubbing compound or in addition to. That is how the TH-cam channel: The Headlight Restoration Pro, teaches an advanced version of this method.
I added using a 3" orange Griot's pad first then I used the 3M orange finesse it pad and they look good but I was trying for perfection
They are not "yellow stains". That is oxidation of the clear coat put on at the factory.
Also... there can be "fogging" INSIDE the lens. There is nothing any kit is going to do about that.
Sometimes, water gets in there as well, leaving a mineral like residue on the inside.
Also... sometimes... a little hand sanding around the edges is needed.
Sometimes you just have to breakdown and buy new headlights. Yes. Oem HLs are not cheap, especially LED. I’m glad that I have halogen.
Very true!
You did a pretty terrible job of sanding thoroughly. That is the most important step in order to remove all of the surface imperfections on the headlight. You could still see the uneven sanding marks before you polished out the sanding marks. The wet sanding marks should be uniform before polishing.
You forgot the most important part. Soap water in a spray bottle threw all the sanding keep it lubricated and wipe with a clean towel and repeat . You will get alot more use out of the sanding pads so you can do multiple cars with 1 kit.
At the beginning you mentioned why would anybody want to restore there headlights!!!! Well for a start here in the UK we have a yearly vehicle inspection, And if your polycarbonate lenses have deteriorated to extent that performance is degraded, Your car will fail the test!! Its either replacement or restoration!!! 🤔
Just get it done
Why not open the hood and save yourself some taping?
NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE PRODUCT IT WAS THE ONE USING IT 😢
Not that great of a vid
Alright bro