Acrylic Headlight Restoration
8/1/2015
Most of us who have purchased pre-owned Volvo's have ended up replacing both headlights due to fogging of the acrylic lenses. If you read the threads listed, you will see a general theme. The headlght lenses have become cloudy as the original coating on the surface of the plastic has been pitted and worn away. There are several techniques for removing the coating (sandpaper, tootehpaste, buffing compund, etc.). That will bget the lens clear again.
But the coating that the lens originally came with, needs to be restored. Most of the polishing kits come with some kind of coating. Several members have used automotive clearcoat.
Recently, several members have posted using CV Headlight Restorer/Defogger manufactured by Crystal View Chemicals with good results. Meguiars Heavy Duty Restoration Kit was also referenced a few times. The 3M Headlight Restoration System also looks interesting as it includes sanding disks for your drill instead of relying on hand power like most of the other kits.Other kits are referenced in the threads.
| From 5th_Wheeler (Jon): I have no personal experience with the product therefore I have no idea what the longevity of the restored headlights will be but it might be worth a shot for those who don't want to purchase a new pair of headlights from their friendly Volvo dealership for around $190.00 plus S&H. Some members have also recommended that after polishing the headlights, to spray them with some automotive clearcoat to extend the life of the polishing job. |