How To: Remove yellow film from headlights

Sykora · Post by **Sykora** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 4:30 pm

I noticed a few people were asking about this and since I bought some stuff to clean my brother's Jetta's lights I would just do a quick how-to. Now I'm quite sure there are plenty of other ways of doing this, but this should give you an idea of what you can do.

I used this stuff. It probably would have helped if I have a buffing machine, but oh well...

Before:

It doesn't take a genius, I just applied the stuff with the two applicators about 10-15 times each light. The stuff gets absorbed pretty quickly, so I wasn't out there for long.

After:

So in all, the car's right headlight came out a little better, and like I said before- if I had a buffing machine it'd probably do a little better. The more you use it, the better the result. I'm also open to any other tips you guys might have.

NickKo · Post by **NickKo** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 12:54 am

'Plast-X' is the shyt.

Great stuff, I use it on all my Neons.

- Nick

supermike · Post by **supermike** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 12:57 am

That's ironic, I actually have a bottle of that sitting right here. I just shined up my gauge cluster with it. Works great!

Sykora · Post by **Sykora** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 3:05 pm

^^ sweet- that's a good idea. Mine has a few scratches, but it hasn't gotten yellow- I need to do my fog lights- they're gettin' a little yellow.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 9:10 pm

Works great for mild scratches on CD/DVD's also.

loko498 · Post by **loko498** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:18 pm

Im about to pick me up a bottle of this stuff & see how good it works. ANy else try this stuff out yet or anything else that works?

NickKo · Post by **NickKo** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:27 pm

loko498 wrote:Im about to pick me up a bottle of this stuff & see how good it works. ANy else try this stuff out yet or anything else that works?

There are other products that work, but Plast-X appears to be the Best, according to everything that I have heard.

- Nick

latief · Post by **latief** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:06 am

How does it look at night though? does it show streaks and spots with the lights on?

I need new headlights i guess

Sykora · Post by **Sykora** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:55 am

^^ sorry dude- never saw your reply! idk how it looks since it's my bro's car :/ sorry- i imagine it's much better

esfan · Post by **esfan** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:03 pm

this is far not enough to restore to a brand new light

lilnicko11 · Post by **lilnicko11** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:19 pm

damn i need to try this out pronto

gilly02le · Post by **gilly02le** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 7:07 am

I wet-sand first with 600, 1000, And then an orbital buffer and some plastx to finish. They turn out amazing.

If you just use the plastx polish by hand, no sanding, and no buffer, it doesn't turn out nearly as nice. With the method mentioned above, i've turned the dullest 2gn eclipse headlights i've ever seen, into brand new looking lights!

Passt · Post by **Passt** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 8:26 am

Where can you pick this stuff up?

Swordfish2Cowboy · Post by **Swordfish2Cowboy** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:02 am

I think I found mine at Auto Zone, but WalMart might have it. Shit, a while ago, I picked up some Quick Out at Big Lots for like $3.

gilly02le · Post by **gilly02le** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:53 am

Anywhere that sells Mequiars detailing products.

mastershake · Post by **mastershake** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:00 am

If your's is REALLY bad, to the point you thing there's no return, try 3M's restoration kit FTW!! $20 at Autozone. Made my GF's lights look like brand new!! And they actually had yellow, peely, flaky scale all over them. All you need is a drill!! Best $20 i've ever spent!!

gilly02le · Post by **gilly02le** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 10:24 am

That would definitely do a great job, plus 3m generally makes pretty good stuff. mequiars sells a headlight restoration kit, but this is much more complete.

NickKo · Post by **NickKo** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 3:13 pm

Thanks for the tip..... I am definitely going to look for this and try it out.

- Nick

mastershake wrote:If your's is REALLY bad, to the point you thing there's no return, try 3M's restoration kit FTW!! $20 at Autozone. Made my GF's lights look like brand new!! And they actually had yellow, peely, flaky scale all over them. All you need is a drill!! Best $20 i've ever spent!!

mastershake · Post by **mastershake** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:58 am

NickKo wrote:Thanks for the tip..... I am definitely going to look for this and try it out.

- Nick

Do it!! I was really nervous because i'm definatly not a body/paint guy. And taking a drill with sand paper didn't sound like fun to me. But if i can do it, anyone can!!! Couple of tips though....take your headlights off and bring them inside to do them. And spend ALOT of time with the heaviest grit of sand paper. You arent' gonan take off too much. And it will make the final steps WAY easier. (Found this out when i started the second headlight)

Also, my GF's were REALLY bad. Bad enough one kit was almost not enough to do both. So if yours are really bad, but a kit for each headlight. It's still only $40. Way cheaper then a new set of lights.

Sorry to threadjack, i just wanted to share this wonderful product with yal.

rseldner · Post by **rseldner** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:39 pm

i recommend Mothers Plastic Polish over this stuff. I've had better results with it. Keeps my headlights looking brand spanking new. Just buff it on well and then wipe off with a damp cloth. I've seen it at Checkers and Walmart for $8.00 to $10.00. Comes in a red bottle and has a picture of a headlight on it.

theTeejmiester · Post by **theTeejmiester** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 2:45 pm

^^ i have tried both, and i like the plastic-x better, i wet sanded my headlamps like was described above me and workings down to 2000 grit and then the plastic-x with a buffer and some wax over the top, works awesome, i do it every spring

Bishplz · Post by **Bishplz** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:51 am

I use turbocut it's $25 a bottle but it does wonders on headlights and paint it's all I use then a coat of meguirs gold wax

cpiggott · Post by **cpiggott** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:09 pm

I know this is 2gn, but when i had a first gen neon, i used this stuff all the time, works wonders, the biggest problem was that there are these stupid little plastic, rounded off points that stuck 1/2inch out on the neon headlights. No idea what they were there for but every time i polished the headlights, i caught my fingers on them and they hurt like hell.

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:30 pm

I dremeled those off on the daughter's 1gn.

IIRC, they are for aligning the headlights using a tool that uses those as line up pins to level the lamp. I figure they will never be used, so they were eliminated for wet sanding ease.

Red2gen · Post by **Red2gen** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:17 am

Sorry for bumping the post, its just that you don't need all this stuff for your lights. I used Extra gritty toothpaste, an old t-shirt, and warm water.

Wrap the shirt around 2 fingers, and dip it in the water, wet the head light, and then put a pea sized amount on both the headlight and your fingers, then section it off, and start with small circular rotations, and go bigger, then dip in more water, more tooth paste, and repeat, takes about 6 times a light, and for only $3 for tooth paste.

fox02neon · Post by **fox02neon** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 1:53 am

this is the cure all for lights