WG Plastik Kit getting poor results or....

[Kaiten]

So I recently bought the Wolfgang Plastik restoration kit hoping that it would remove the hazing and scratches from headlights. It is an 05 BMW 5 series, with the driver side headlight being in much worse condition than the passenger side. After going at the driver side one with two passes of the cleaner and one pass of the glaze, this is what i'm left with.









As you can see they are still in really bad shape, well not REALLY bad, but not as good as I was hoping. I'm wondering if my expectations were too high for this product, maybe i'm doing something wrong, or maybe this damage is just too bad for the kit to handle. I read in another post by Autogeek that he had good results with a wool pad, so i might try that next. But part of me is thinking that this damage is on the inside of the lens and that is why I can't seem to fix it.

I will say though, that it did remove quite a bit of the haze and oxidation from the top of the lens near the brow, but the scratches are still there.

here's a picture of the passenger headlight with nothing done to it yet to compare.

[Page]

/Ye you are going to have to sand them pups down with some 2000 grt. first then polish out

[POPPAJ]

I agree with above. I most always wet sand with 2000 first than macine polish w/ SIP than then FF. Never had much luck just doing it by hand.

[Beemerboy]

The kit that you have will do the job sounds like the process needs some improvement...

You are doing this all by hand right?

What are you using for a applicator? MF or cotton

Do you have a PC or rotary buffer?..and if so what pads do you have?

Sanding them is something that will help but lets start with the above questions

[Kaiten]

Roger that. I'll be attempting to wetsand them soon. Do you think that I should start with a 1500 grit, then work my way to 2000 or just sand longer with the 2000 grit?

And I didn't do it by hand, I was using an electric drill to polish it with the foam pads, but i'm thinking of getting a wool pad as I have heard of getting better results with this. I applied the polish directly on the pad, then onto the headlight. That's what the supplied instructions said to do, any tips for a better way? Maybe use a MF applicator, then hit it with the foam pads?

[Page]

Kaiten if you use a electric drill and that's how they came out you are going to have to use a wet sand . I would start with 2000 first if that does not work then use 1500 & back to 2000 and polish. I thank you will do fine with 2000 to start with.

[Beemerboy]

Originally Posted by Page

Kaiten if you use a electric drill and that's how they came out you are going to have to use a wet sand . I would start with 2000 first if that does not work then use 1500 & back to 2000 and polish. I thank you will do fine with 2000 to start with.

I agree start with the higher grit and then polish with drill..see how that looks to you...if that dosen't look good sand a bit more...you are only trying to take a fine layer of plastic off the surface...make sure that you really work the product in and don't use to much..by the time you are done there should not be any visible signs of product.

[Dwayne]

From the pics, it appears that a chemical (possibly a caustic car shampoo) has permeated deep into the plastic. Has the car been ran through a touchless car wash?

The WG Plastik Kit polishes the surface but if the imperfections lie below the surface, wetsanding is option to ge deeper and the you polish with the WG kit to restore the clarity.

[JaredPointer]

Nice avatar. Beavis approves from his chair in the avatar retirement home.

[Bunky]

The headlights on my wife's sebring are similar...nothing sort of replacing them will work. They are delaminating and the bubbling does deep into the material. They can be improved but they will always look less than ideal.

[Kaiten]

@Dwayne: It's never been through a car wash since i've owned the car. All the damage to the paint and headlights has been from the previous owner, i'm the clean-up crew.

@Bunky: Yea that is kind of what I was thinking, the car is still under warranty so i'm going to see if I can pull some tricks out and convince them to replace them under warranty.

[Beemerboy]

Originally Posted by Bunky

The headlights on my wife's sebring are similar...nothing sort of replacing them will work. They are delaminating and the bubbling does deep into the material. They can be improved but they will always look less than ideal.

Bunky

I have a car coming in this weekend for headlight restoration and just that...its a real good buddy...I will try and get pics of the process to prove that this is possible.

If you think about this like a piece of old wood...you sand it down with coarse sandpaper until you hit the good part , then increase the grit of the sandpaper..until you get it smooth and new again...the process in head light sanding is the same thing...The one thing that you will have to do on a regular bases is light polishing...I did this on my 540 BMW when I got it..they were real bad and today they look like new again!