[Kingdom934]

Hey all,

Wanted to get your folks opinion. I spend the week restoring my 2004 SE I4 Camry both side headlight and fog lamps. Also did my 2004 XLE V6 fog lamps and one headlight...didn't get chance to do one of them because it was getting dark.

Fog lamps came out perfect. Super clear and clean with no hazing. The headlights on all three times (2 on my SE, 1 on my XLE) came out much better then before, but they all had a slight haze (cloudy) to it. Not sure what else to do. Thinking it could just be the plastic or something inside.

Sanding steps were

*By hand, wet sand entire time w/ stream of water*
600
800
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000

*with buffer*
Turtle wax heavy duty compound (red)
Meguiar Plastic X
Blue Magic 730-6 Headlight Lens Sealer


Some pictures below from my 2004 SE.
Before (same for both side, picture from passenger side)

After

(Passenger side done, Driver side not restored yet)

Passenger Side, some scratches still exist, might have to compound more and longer but not noticeable. Driver side not done yet in these pictures. I did complete the driver side after this picture was taken.

Think the results is good but maybe I'm expecting too much from headlights that are 12 year old.

Anyone has other products that they had good results with?

Thanks!

 

[mcgowaw]

they seem to be looking good to me for plastic. my 06 plastic ones are crap also. i do love my 94 glass ones. they never need nothing except bug scraping,
i don't have fog lights on my cars but I do have a set of 91 celica ones i bought intending to put on my 94 but haven't done so yet. they are glass though. i'm assuming your fog lights are not glass? if they were, that'd account for why they clean up so much easier.
tony

 

[Kingdom934]

they seem to be looking good to me for plastic. my 06 plastic ones are crap also. i do love my 94 glass ones. they never need nothing except bug scraping,
i don't have fog lights on my cars but I do have a set of 91 celica ones i bought intending to put on my 94 but haven't done so yet. they are glass though. i'm assuming your fog lights are not glass? if they were, that'd account for why they clean up so much easier.
tony

Fogs on the Gen5 are all plastic but I assume they are different kind of plastic compared to the headlights.

94 is glass? I thought they are plastic. At lease my friends 95-96 is plastic.

 

[Endzone3]

Don't know if it will make any difference, but this is what I always use:

 

[mcgowaw]

me too..in fact, i believe this is the base product on all those fancy polish kits. combined with some car wax to try to delay the film coming back.
tony

 

[Kingdom934]

I'll try see if I can find that product. I've used alternative compound, turtle wax 'white' paste and meguiars ultimate compound. Coming from a 3000 grid sand paper to a those compound, I found it didn't get all the scratches from the sandpaper.

That or I might need a better buffer and attachment...hmmm

 

[dtownfb]

Looks good. I took advantage of my Sam's Club membership. They do headlight restoration for $29.95 with a 5-year guarantee. My 2006 Camry headlights look brand new.

 

[Kingdom934]

Looks good. I took advantage of my Sam's Club membership. They do headlight restoration for $29.95 with a 5-year guarantee. My 2006 Camry headlights look brand new.

Found some information.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3327436/Headlight_Restoration_Availabl

So basic sanding it down (not sure if multi grit) and apply UV sealant.

I've used a sealant but I'mt wondering how good it is. Time will tell.

Ideally I'd want to get glasweld or something to that sort, but it's pricey. Found that this might be an alternative.

Opti-Lens Permanent

https://www.amazon.com/OPT-OPT-OLC10-Opti-Lens-Permanent-Headlight/dp/B00GULJCUM

 

[AlaricD]

This seems to be a point in the OptiLens column: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...long-term-review-spar-vs-opti-pro-pics-2.html

 

[Kingdom934]

This seems to be a point in the OptiLens column: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...long-term-review-spar-vs-opti-pro-pics-2.html

That thread is very helpful. Thank you for that.

And yes, we have a crap ton of UV. I've seen factory paint on 3 year old car start to wear out. It's hard keeping a paint job from wearing out so quickly if you park in the sun here.

 

[mcgowaw]

i hear your pain kingdom.
if your car isn't in the garage here, give up on the paint job.
tony

 

[Kingdom934]

i hear your pain kingdom.
if your car isn't in the garage here, give up on the paint job.
tony

I've seen some Gen6 Camry with the Sky Blue Pearl paint job here that is completely faded and the paint is actually cracking and chipping away like really dried up mud. Hard to believe but back in 2007 I really wanted to get a Gen6. Now some of them looks pretty trashed up already.

 

[speedkar9]

Nice work.
I just restored and vinyl wrapped my dad's Sienna's headlights last weekend. Vinyl wrapping makes the lens appear clear and brand new, and stays that way forever. The hazing won't return, and you'll never have to rebuff.

Before and after:



It also makes a huge difference to the light output, here's a daytime comparison:

 

[Kingdom934]

Nice job. Thats a huge improvement.

I was thinking of vinyl too but worried it's going to peal from the edges. I'm hoping the sealant I used will keep it from hazing back again. The fogs doesn't haze too quick but the headlights do fast. I'll look into that method as well.

My 2004 SE is parked in a open covered garage at my work place from 5am-4/5pm, so it miss most of the UV and sunlight. My 2004 V6 XLE sits at home in open sun, going to get a car cover to prevent the headlights to fog up quickly.