Cloudy Headlights

IGH · 18th August 2021, 10:25

Morning
While having a new a new condenser, cooling fan, Shannon tube, etc fitted to my Rover I thought it would be a good time to sort the headlights out.
If they made it through next years MOT they would certainly need doing sooner rather than later and taking the front of the car off is not something I want to do too often.
I didn't feel like doing it myself so I started ringing round.
Strangely no local garage or body shop seemed interested.
Then I found a small independent who would do them for what I thought was a fairly reasonable price of £65.00 per headlight.
Picked them up today and all I can say is WOW, they are like new.
So if you live in or around Eastbourne I'm happy (and I've no connection to them) to recommend:

Ray Hacker Autos
16a Chamberlin Road
Eastbourne
East Sussex
BN21 1RU
Tel: 01323 734613

Friendly bunch as well.
Cheers

vacuman · 18th August 2021, 10:49

Local valeters around here do a pair for £30. No experience of the quality of their work but the DIY kits are cheaper and you only need a power drill and masking tape...plus some time.

BillyMG · 18th August 2021, 12:41

I used a £20ish kit off Amazon and the results were nothing short of miraculous! Took 40 minutes and they looked brand new. There's definitely a few moments when you wonder if you've done the right thing but when you get that special buffer and some water on it's like magic!

PMAN01 · 18th August 2021, 17:28

Quote: I used a £20ish kit off Amazon and the results were nothing short of miraculous!

Wasn’t the 3M kit was it? I used that and it was actually alright.

BillyMG · 18th August 2021, 17:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by exforces

Quote: I used a £20ish kit off Amazon and the results were nothing short of miraculous!

Wasn’t the 3M kit was it? I used that and it was actually alright.

That's the one! Just looked my order up - £19.92

patrolman pete · 18th August 2021, 19:18

I used a Sealey kit from Ebay but was so dubious of it not working and damaging the lamps further that it sat in a cupboard for over a year. When I plucked up the courage and started you just know there's no going back !

One tip , don't use the sanding discs on the drill as they just bounce around the lens risking damage , use them by hand with plenty of soapy water so you can feel and hear them cutting back until they feel smooth. Then once washed and wiped clean, use the drill with the foam attachment to polish the lens with the cutting compound.

Once wiped clean again apply the UV protection and then stand back open mouthed in astonishment !

It turned my headlamps from looking like cheap yellow plastic to sparkling glass and as I was using it sparingly , I was able to do the eight lamps of my tourer and saloon !

stevestrat · 18th August 2021, 22:56

Did the headlights on my old 1.8T the "old fashioned" way, various progressively finer grades of wet/dry, soapy water and finished with a cutting compound. All it cost was for the wet/dry.

Simmons · 19th August 2021, 12:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevestrat

Did the headlights on my old 1.8T the "old fashioned" way, various progressively finer grades of wet/dry, soapy water and finished with a cutting compound. All it cost was for the wet/dry.

I had the 3m kit, worked very well for a year, the neighbour was doing the body on his MGF and said i use this and gave me G3.

Just used it on a polishing pad on the drill, then used the Turtle wax headlamp sealant on it and the result is amazing, better than any kit i have seen.

Rogue · 19th August 2021, 13:01

I used Tcut on a polishing pad with a drill and it worked a treat for mine

VVC-Geeza · 19th August 2021, 22:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue

I used Tcut on a polishing pad with a drill and it worked a treat for mine

Agreed,T cut works very well.

18th August 2021, 10:25	#1
IGH Avid contributor Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Guildford Posts: 172 Thanks: 129 Thanked 48 Times in 21 Posts	Cloudy Headlights Morning While having a new a new condenser, cooling fan, Shannon tube, etc fitted to my Rover I thought it would be a good time to sort the headlights out. If they made it through next years MOT they would certainly need doing sooner rather than later and taking the front of the car off is not something I want to do too often. I didn't feel like doing it myself so I started ringing round. Strangely no local garage or body shop seemed interested. Then I found a small independent who would do them for what I thought was a fairly reasonable price of £65.00 per headlight. Picked them up today and all I can say is WOW, they are like new. So if you live in or around Eastbourne I'm happy (and I've no connection to them) to recommend: Ray Hacker Autos 16a Chamberlin Road Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 1RU Tel: 01323 734613 Friendly bunch as well. Cheers

18th August 2021, 10:49	#2
vacuman Gets stuck in MG ZT-T Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: St Albans Posts: 855 Thanks: 69 Thanked 236 Times in 172 Posts	Local valeters around here do a pair for £30. No experience of the quality of their work but the DIY kits are cheaper and you only need a power drill and masking tape...plus some time. __________________ • This vehicle was the 8,186th ZT-T to run off the production line, out of 8,249 • This vehicle was the 1,723rd ZT-T 190 + to be made out of 1,756 • This vehicle was the 149th ZT-T in Mica Blue (Ignition) (code: JGY) to be made out of 160 Mica Blue (Ignition) ZT-Ts

18th August 2021, 22:56	#7
stevestrat This is my second home ZT260 #243 (resting) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Prestonpans Posts: 22,473 Thanks: 650 Thanked 4,624 Times in 3,358 Posts	Did the headlights on my old 1.8T the "old fashioned" way, various progressively finer grades of wet/dry, soapy water and finished with a cutting compound. All it cost was for the wet/dry. __________________ Steve T4 Location Map

19th August 2021, 13:01	#9
Rogue I really should get out more....... 75 CDT SE 160 Saloon Join Date: May 2017 Location: Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich Posts: 2,650 Thanks: 1,386 Thanked 1,096 Times in 774 Posts	I used Tcut on a polishing pad with a drill and it worked a treat for mine __________________ Glutton for punishment --- Previously ... 2.6 SD1 x 2, 3.5 SD1, 820S, 820Si x2, 216 Gsi, 220T saloon, 414, 45 1.4 x2 and now a Cowley 75 CDT

18th August 2021, 12:41	#3
BillyMG Gets stuck in MG ZT 2.5 V6 Auto Tourer (Elizabeth) / MG ZT CDTI (Farage) Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: St Helens Posts: 688 Thanks: 339 Thanked 109 Times in 89 Posts	I used a £20ish kit off Amazon and the results were nothing short of miraculous! Took 40 minutes and they looked brand new. There's definitely a few moments when you wonder if you've done the right thing but when you get that special buffer and some water on it's like magic!

18th August 2021, 17:28	#4
PMAN01 Happy to waft not race thanks! Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 191 Thanks: 196 Thanked 21 Times in 14 Posts	Quote: I used a £20ish kit off Amazon and the results were nothing short of miraculous! Wasn’t the 3M kit was it? I used that and it was actually alright.

18th August 2021, 19:18	#6
patrolman pete Posted a thing or two Rover 75 club se tourer CDT and a Connoisseur SE Diesel Auto Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Houghton - le - Spring Posts: 1,418 Thanks: 618 Thanked 333 Times in 197 Posts	I used a Sealey kit from Ebay but was so dubious of it not working and damaging the lamps further that it sat in a cupboard for over a year. When I plucked up the courage and started you just know there's no going back ! One tip , don't use the sanding discs on the drill as they just bounce around the lens risking damage , use them by hand with plenty of soapy water so you can feel and hear them cutting back until they feel smooth. Then once washed and wiped clean, use the drill with the foam attachment to polish the lens with the cutting compound. Once wiped clean again apply the UV protection and then stand back open mouthed in astonishment ! It turned my headlamps from looking like cheap yellow plastic to sparkling glass and as I was using it sparingly , I was able to do the eight lamps of my tourer and saloon !