Time to Renew...

My headlight covers had finally gotten bad enough that something had to be done.  The picture directly above shows the car how it was shortly after I purchased it.

There are two choices - replace the parts for a huge cost (parts) or restore them with an over-the-counter product.

There are lots of automotive products that promise the world and deliver nothing.  I researched this product and learned that it basically polishes the plastic back to a high gloss.  Just like preparing a surface for painting, progressively finer sand-paper is used to remove the scratches from the previous paper and gradually get the surface shiny again.

The 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System kit has the following components:

• P500 Discs (6)
• P800 Discs (4)
• P3000 Pad (1)
• Compound (small packet)
• Sponge
• Drill Pad

The approach to restoring the headlight covers is simple.  Use a drill to carefully rough up and gradually polish the surface.  Following the instructions, I masked off the surrounding area with a few layers of tape to prevent the sand paper from taking paint off.

Then I set aside half of each grade paper for each lens.  I retrieved some extra paper of the same grades from my personal supply to start each round, because my lenses seemed really bad and I wanted to stretch the kit as best I could.

Headlight Lens Restoration System Documentation

Here is the passenger lens before I started.

Here is the drivers-side lens after the process was completed.

I knew the process described in the instructions and the supplies provided to do the job would work, but I was still very pleased when I finished - they end result is amazing.  The key is not to run the drill too fast and to follow the instructions to the letter.  If you do, the results are worth the $15 (give or take) and the hour's time you will spend!

Headlight Lens Restoration System Documentation

Virginia

§ 46.2-1079. Radar detectors; demerit points not to be awarded.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth when such vehicle is equipped with any device or mechanism, passive or active, to detect or purposefully interfere with or diminish the measurement capabilities of any radar, laser, or other device or mechanism employed by law-enforcement personnel to measure the speed of motor vehicles on the highways of the Commonwealth for law-enforcement purposes. It shall be unlawful to use any such device or mechanism on any such motor vehicle on the highways. It shall be unlawful to sell any such device or mechanism in the Commonwealth. However, provisions of this section shall not apply to any receiver of radio waves utilized for lawful purposes to receive any signal from a frequency lawfully licensed by any state or federal agency.

This section shall not be construed to authorize the forfeiture to the Commonwealth of any such device or mechanism. Any such device or mechanism may be taken by the arresting officer if needed as evidence, and, when no longer needed, shall be returned to the person charged with a violation of this section, or at that person's request, and his expense, mailed to an address specified by him. Any unclaimed devices may be destroyed on court order after six months have elapsed from the final date for filing an appeal.

Except as provided in subsection B of this section, the presence of any such prohibited device or mechanism in or on a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth shall constitute prima facie evidence of the violation of this section. The Commonwealth need not prove that the device or mechanism in question was in an operative condition or being operated.

B. A person shall not be guilty of a violation of this section when the device or mechanism in question, at the time of the alleged offense, had no power source and was not readily accessible for use by the driver or any passenger in the vehicle.

C. This section shall not apply to motor vehicles owned by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof and used by law-enforcement officers in their official duties, nor to the sale of any such device or mechanism to law-enforcement agencies for use in their official duties.

D. No demerit points shall be awarded by the Commissioner for violations of this section. Any demerit points awarded by the Commissioner prior to July 1, 1992, for any violation of this section shall be rescinded and the driving record of any person awarded demerit points for a violation of this section shall be amended to reflect such rescission.

(1962, c. 125, § 46.1-198.1; 1975, c. 108; 1976, c. 90; 1978, cc. 87, 91; 1981, c. 303; 1989, c. 727; 1992, c. 825; 1998, c. 300.)