StrikeEagle

I used some Meguire's ScratchX on my headlights (following the DIY), and it really helped quite a bit. Not as much as I expected as I have a lot of little scratches or nicks, but still helpful. My dad's headlights on his elantra have been really fogged up due to some sort of oxidation or something, and there's two rings of semi clear on each headlight, right in front of the projection of the bulb. I used the ScratchX on his headlights, and it made an incredible difference, so I went ahead and did it a second time. When I did and cleaned it off, it left a terrible white residue that I can NOT get off! I've used a really good cleaner wax, rubbing compound, turpentine (which worked perfectly until it dried off 10 seconds later) and none of it does anything. What should I use to get it clean?
I'm gathering the headlights were plastic, so I probably shouldn't have used the ScratchX in the first place, but it worked the first time, so why not twice? Also, the second time, it did get it even more smooth, but left it really ugly.
What do you all think causes the rings in the headlights too?
Here's a before and after picture of the first time i used the ScratchX on the headlights. Right now, it looks about the same, but almost completely white.
Any suggestions?

Before


After

Rd1tib

thats what happened to me too. I dont kno what to do. it sucks

funkypc

you could try wet sanding it with a 1500-2000 grit. And then try to buf it out using scratchx again. or possibly use mcguires fine cut cleaner? dunno man. good luck.

01tibby

usplastics has a plastic polish system in 3 parts that i have. it works great.

i would wetsand that with a fine grit regardless though. it will get rid of that shitty layer faster than an abrasive liquid.


try using a random orbit electrical buffer with a lot of pressure to see if it gets it out first. remember not to put enough pressure on it to make it hot though.

HyundaiKitCoupe

^that's the man you wanted to hear from. wink1.gif

1ucb4u

I had just re-did my lights after I painted the inside bezel. What I got was at Auto-Zone there is a headlight refinishing kit with all the sand paper, polish, and good instructions. I was going to do a DIY but my girl had my Digi cam.. I will find the excact name of this product for you tommarow.

StrikeEagle

^^^^ I got something similar to this from autozone as well, and used it on my Tiburon. It had about 5 pads with a polishing compound in it that you could put on a drill. After using up about 2 or 3 of them and not seeing a change at all, I just went with the Meguires stuff instead.

I'll try the usplastics thing, any other ideas though?

Thanks a bunch!



Oh, and does anyone have any clue what those circles are from on the headilights? I've seen them on most other elantras of that year, and still have no clue what it's from.

01tibby

my guess is its from the heat of the lamps focused into that particular ring.

DTN

you should follow the other DIY where they specify to use steel wool, then the scratch remover. The scratchx melts the plastic. use some steel wool and get the crappy stuff off first.