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Ha! Turtle Wax! Use it in your hair!
Jul. 15th, 2011 06:18 pmWow! I charged my drill and was ready to get the good 3m kit but they didn't have it in the store. I saw something in the store that reminded me of that unlikely-to-be-true $10 (plus $547 S/H per unit) tv stuff, but hey $10 today in the hand is worth a $50 credit in the bush something something.
I got Turtle Wax for about the $10 (see Amazon. Again, I had an 11 year old car with original stock parts. I passed inspection last year, not this year (they actually measure lumens).
The directions were...potentially simple. It gives options - a possible 5 minute treatment if your problem is minor (I'd guess more like 30) and they don't really say how long it would take for more steps - but if you need more thorough treatment, they have a series of 4-5 pads and another chemical to use if a simple treatment doesn't get you there. For this reason, follow the instruction to do one headlight at a time.
I only got to step "3" (steps 1 and 2 are prep). Step 3 is to rub in the white compound, FIRMLY, with a cotton cloth. I used an old wash cloth. To my shock, the haze started to vanish as soon as I started to rub. I probably overdid it - my results were quick, but I treated it twice. It got to near-new condition, 90% but probably not 100% I spent an hour rubbing the hell out of it - went through a thin robber glove I was wearing (surgical type?) and got a blister on 2 knuckles.
Now, if I wasn't happy with the restoration at this stage I could have gone to the other polishing materials and I didn't have to. Also, I spent an hour on this project - if I had it to do over I'd probably just go 15-30 minutes because the first obvious change is about as good as it got. I compared the difference after doing one - it was shocking. In the undone light it was hazy and a little yellow, so you couldn't see the light bulb. In the treated headlight you saw the entire headlight housing assembly inside and out.
The things look like new. The only drawback is now I really need to detail the rest of the car to make it match my like-new-for-ten-dollar headlights. Or, use my $9.95 Super Wash coupon...
I'll report later whether I pass VA inspection, but if I don't I must have some other problem - the lights are CLEAR! The shop was going to charge $39.95 per light for restoration, so for an hour and $10 this is 100% win.
I'm so going to beer myself now. Beer for me! Then after 4-6 beers it should be dark enough to go out for a long drive on country roads! I better bring more beer for the trip...
I got Turtle Wax for about the $10 (see Amazon. Again, I had an 11 year old car with original stock parts. I passed inspection last year, not this year (they actually measure lumens).
The directions were...potentially simple. It gives options - a possible 5 minute treatment if your problem is minor (I'd guess more like 30) and they don't really say how long it would take for more steps - but if you need more thorough treatment, they have a series of 4-5 pads and another chemical to use if a simple treatment doesn't get you there. For this reason, follow the instruction to do one headlight at a time.
I only got to step "3" (steps 1 and 2 are prep). Step 3 is to rub in the white compound, FIRMLY, with a cotton cloth. I used an old wash cloth. To my shock, the haze started to vanish as soon as I started to rub. I probably overdid it - my results were quick, but I treated it twice. It got to near-new condition, 90% but probably not 100% I spent an hour rubbing the hell out of it - went through a thin robber glove I was wearing (surgical type?) and got a blister on 2 knuckles.
Now, if I wasn't happy with the restoration at this stage I could have gone to the other polishing materials and I didn't have to. Also, I spent an hour on this project - if I had it to do over I'd probably just go 15-30 minutes because the first obvious change is about as good as it got. I compared the difference after doing one - it was shocking. In the undone light it was hazy and a little yellow, so you couldn't see the light bulb. In the treated headlight you saw the entire headlight housing assembly inside and out.
The things look like new. The only drawback is now I really need to detail the rest of the car to make it match my like-new-for-ten-dollar headlights. Or, use my $9.95 Super Wash coupon...
I'll report later whether I pass VA inspection, but if I don't I must have some other problem - the lights are CLEAR! The shop was going to charge $39.95 per light for restoration, so for an hour and $10 this is 100% win.
I'm so going to beer myself now. Beer for me! Then after 4-6 beers it should be dark enough to go out for a long drive on country roads! I better bring more beer for the trip...
