Detailing Questions/Comments. Deep down, we all like a clean ride.

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by MyRx

PFA and detail oriented, a BMW experience polishing this! Ceramic coated including calipers, wheelwells, glass, and engine compartment.


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It looks incredible. How many hours into it and what coating did you use? I didn't know you could use it on plastics or in a hot engine bay.

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by RToyo86

I've done the method soundman98 has used.

I also found sanding the lights down, then working to about 600 grit and applying a clear coat with UV inhibitors. Wet sand and polish for perfect finish.
You'll typically get longer lasting results vs polish + wax/sealant, but its more labor intensive.

this is what i consider more of a 'nuclear option'.

if the clearcoat on the housings is yellowed/foggy only, the previous process i talked about should take care of it.

if the clear coat on the housing looks like cracked glass, or is flaking off, or appears to be missing in places while also looking like a matte, yellowish finish, than replacement of the coating like you describe is the best option.

but it's extremely labor intensive wet-sanding, and many of the better coating options are more closely related to very fumy 2-part epoxy systems.

so unless the headlamps have a lot of personal meaning, it's much easier to replace consider replacing either just the lens from another good headlamp, or to consider replacing the entire assembly with a factory-fresh headlamp.

it is typically better to go with replacing the entire assembly, as when most housing lenses reach this point of degradation, it is extremely common that the oem components within the assembly have degraded to some extent as well, and all that work into the outer lens still won't benefit the end result as outright housing replacement.

i've done a little of all of it with my past retrofitting hobby

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Yep, but ya gotta be quick -

Where ya been, there, finch1750 - haven't seen much out of you lately?

lately, been trying to get out of civilization for at least a weekend a month. Just hard to get on the forums since I don't have service at work and they keep increasing what gets blocked by our firewalls

Originally Posted by soundman98

yes. i would look specifically for a 3-step process method though.

1st step should involve a compound that strips/sands the headlamp to remove the oxidized layer.
2nd step should involve polishing it smooth/clear.
3rd step should be some sort of protective coating to keep it looking spiffy for years to come.


personally, i do them by hand(rubbing compound, polish, and a wax sealant do all of the things mentioned). but if they're so oxidized that hand rubbing would take a significant amount of time, i get new housings..

on the cars in my past, it's been a $70-200 cost, which is cheaper in the long run... on this car, the oem housings can run upwards of $400-800/ea for the brz, so it's a little more worthwhile to put some elbow grease into them!

Yeah, I'm way to lazy to do by hand but will look into some quality compounds. I've paid to have them done before but figure over the course of time and multiple cars would be cheaper to do it myself.

[MyRx]

Originally Posted by new2subaru

It looks incredible. How many hours into it and what coating did you use? I didn't know you could use it on plastics or in a hot engine bay.

Too many hours spent unfortunately but that is expected when trying to polish BMW paint.