Can anyone recommend a good polish for cleaning plastic headlights?

[nh_mopar_fan]

My Sebring has a nice new clear headlight thanks to an accident. The other one looks like sh*t. Sandbasted by 170K in highway miles. Is there a product that actually works to get that headlight clear again?

I saw some stuff at the local auotparts store yesterday but even the salesdroid wouldn't recommend it.

[The70RT]

I used an abrasive cleanser like ajax or even gojoe then sprayed some clear.

[Brock Samson]

http://www.allpar.com/fix/headlights.html

thanks to allpar.
  Tthe single stage products don't work by themselves, i know i tried, you need Multi-abrasives as you would use in bodywork generally using finer grits and finally a polish.

[moparstuart]

 we polish them up here at the salvage yard all the time but to get them right you need to sand ( sand paper )  them in stages first . We have a small hand sander we use .
   Heavy grit first down to finer , then polish them with any polishing wax on a buffing wheel . works great , then clear them like dennis said to keep the finish .

[bill440rt]

3M also sells a headlamp polishing kit, but you could probably do the same with 1000-grit sandpaper, some compound, & then a fine polish.
I took a buffer to mine with some compound & then polish, made a big difference.

[nh_mopar_fan]

Thanks guys.

If the weather holds, I will try to give it a shot this weekend.

[471_Magnum]

Something to keep in mind when refinishing headlamps is that they are hardcoated Polycarbonate >PC<.

The hardcoating does three things: it makes the plastic UV resistant, it makes them scratch resistant, and it makes them chemical resistant.

It is also why lenses don't respond to simple light polishing. You got to get down to the substrate where the damage is.

Obviously, this coating isn't 100% effective. It breaks down over time, hence the yellowing and scratches. Some of it wasn't applied effectively to begin with.

When you recondition the lens by sanding/polishing, you are removing what's left of the coating. The lens will scratch and yellow again, only quicker than before. In addition, PC isn't particulary chemical resistant. Many solvents will attack it, etching it deaply, or even cracking it.

And no, you can't just paint the lens with a solvent-based clear coat.

I'm not saying you shouldn't polish your yellowed lenses. Just be aware of what you are actually doing.

[Charger_Fan]

Well, you could always go buy a new one.

I've had pretty good luck using some rubbing compound with a buffing machine. Usually lasts maybe 9 months, then they get cloudy again.

[Skyview69]

PlastX...I think Macguires makes it.  Restores faded plastic nice.

[Silver R/T]

GS27, apply some on there and let it sit/dry for a while and then if you have high speed buffer go over them for a couple minutes or just use soft rag and hand rub them

[The70RT]

Since you got a new one on the other side your never gonna be happy till you get another one. You can probably get a new one from Certi-Fit for 75 bucks or so. I bought one for a Taurus for 65 a couple years ago.