Clearcoating headlights

try headlight restore from walmart, the clearcoat is way better

 

Final wet-sanding needs to be the very finest grit you can find, then follow that by using toothpaste (yup, toothpaste!) then clearcoat! (lots of how-to videos on youtube!)

 

Picture?

 

Does look good now.

Question for you though, is that the 2013? Did the clear coat fail that quickly in So Cal?

My 2010, 2009 July build has been outside since I bought it. There is now some evidence of factory clear coat failure on the top of the housings, not at the front where the light shines out, but it would still be overkill at this point if I would be seen taking sandpaper to them. It really is just a little bit of haziness that looks like the after effect of being parked in a shower. Enough for me to see, not a normal person, but I am a picky bugger when it comes to my Prius.

Like to know and wish that your respray holds up for a good long time.

Roland

 

Oh okay.... I've plenty of highway miles but very little pitting thankfully.

Wish I could say the same for the hood, I suck at using the little touch up paint on the blizzard pearl finish.. always seem to see the 'repair' almost more than the original chip.

One day I will try the clear coat method you detailed here for us on the lamp housings as I think the little hazy area I see will gradually expand more quickly now that it has started. Just waiting as I think the original coating is apt to last much longer than the Rustoleum spray, but it would be great if your coating lasts a long time as I hope it will.

Roland

 

That is the one I already bought. Way too far in advance of the job as I said.... I like to be prepared, just hope the product doesn't degrade in the can before I deem it necessary to go for it.

I was relieved to see the exact can that you pictured above.

thanks for the head's up. And hope you have lots of plastic left on those housings.

Roland

 

There is also a 3M vinyl product that can be applied to the headlamps. It's optically clear, and provides some impact protection (rocks etc). Expensive though. Almost as much as new housings.

 

AK18 - What polish did you use? My headlights have clearcoat peeling a bit and I want to restore it like yours.

 

I did my headlights this morning.

Have some before and after shots. They look like brand new lenses using the Turtle Wax kit. Bought the rust oleum clear coat, but didn't use it. Want to see what the longevity of the turtle wax lot is before I put too many variables together.

 

Hope it lasts for a good long time and that you will let us know.

 

I am hoping so. I let them go until it got close to the low beam projection outward.

I will provide updates once they fade again. The more actual data the better.

 

How are they now, two years later?

 

Ended up following up with wipe new as the turtle wax kit didn’t last as long as I hoped (about 9 months) .

Here’s a shot tonight after a year and a half on the wipe new kit:



I’ll have to follow up again soon, but not bad for a year and a half.

Thanks for circling back and asking for data.

 

Time to buy new ones you’re just avoiding the inevitable

 

Meh, a $10 kit every 2 years ain’t so bad.

New headlight assemblies run more than $20 each, so cost justification on a nearly 10 year old Prius isn’t there .

I’ll keep going the kit route.