Hazed headlights

DS4885

DS4885

Registered
I am planning on buying new headlight assemblies for my 1998 Mark VIII.
I have read about all the clean up procedures, but I have three concerns regarding them:
1. If you can clean up a lens and put a "protective coating on it" why not just put the "protective coating" on when they are new so you do not need to polish them?
2. I do aircraft maintenance. We used to micro mesh and polish windows. We now just replace them.
3. If I polish and protect them, am I not putting off the inevitable, where I will need to purchase new ones at some time in the future, when they are hard to find?


So I have two questions regarding new headlight assemblies:​

1. Any suggestions as to where I can get the best price?

2. I am thinking of putting the headlight protective film covering on the new lenses and putting the smoked tint on. Is there any concerns that these deteriorate the lenses and or increase the heat buildup / deterioration?


 
You are correct...putting the film on new lenses will prevent them from going bad. At least with respect to sun and road damage. But of course our headlights worst enemy is itself...too much heat.

Putting a film of them won't hurt, but it won't help reduce the heat problem either. To eliminate the heat problem, you'll need to install HIR bulbs (~$50) or an HID conversion kit (~$75). I've had both...get the kit. The HIR bulbs are brighter and cooler than stock, but not as bright and cool as HID. The HIRs need some modification to install as well.

In addition to the plastic film, there is also a UV resistant, clear, spray-on film that you can use. It is cheaper (~$20) than the plastic film, but doesn't last nearly as long, and requires prep work similar to painting (sand, polish, masking, etc.)
 
Last edited:
where can one buy the protective film? I am guessing you would need to cut it to size like you would with tinting?
 
mark0101 I'm looking into that this week and will update this post. there are several sites that can be found via google, but the biggest challenge with google is way too many useless results. I 'm surprised that someone hasn't taken up the gauntlet and stomped goolge with a search engine that finds what you type instead of every website in the universe that contains at least one word of your search inquiry. Also I am trying to find sites that have customer endorsements and that is why I posted here to see if anyone has previous experience so I don't have to blaze a new path.
 
DS4885 said:
mark0101 I'm looking into that this week and will update this post. there are several sites that can be found via google, but the biggest challenge with google is way too many useless results. I 'm surprised that someone hasn't taken up the gauntlet and stomped goolge with a search engine that finds what you type instead of every website in the universe that contains at least one word of your search inquiry. Also I am trying to find sites that have customer endorsements and that is why I posted here to see if anyone has previous experience so I don't have to blaze a new path.
Click to expand...

I went down that road once. Film sets were custom made for each vehicle, but they cost around $150, so I passed.

I don't remember the sites, but they were not hard to find.
 
logres said:
Yes, but you would need to find stuff that is specifically UV resistant.
Click to expand...

i dissagree here, how long does the clear coat on your paint last average, 10 years maybe, even more on better quality clear, if you clear coat the headlights with a good quality clearcoat for paint, its gonna last as long as it did on your car, the headlights dont see more uv rays then the body of the car. Dennis, dont buy new headlights, the price is rediculous, if you can hold out until you come over for the blend door, i'll make your headlights look brand new and they'll last for years without having to touch them, i give alot of advice on here about many things, but i cant spill all my secrets out! i can save you a whole heap of money!
 
jamies98lsc said:
i dissagree here, how long does the clear coat on your paint last average, 10 years maybe, even more on better quality clear, if you clear coat the headlights with a good quality clearcoat for paint, its gonna last as long as it did on your car, the headlights dont see more uv rays then the body of the car.
Click to expand...

I could be wrong, but I thought the UV resistance on vehicle paint jobs was in the color rather than the clear coat. Didn't someone on here say that the new Corvettes have a clear area over the engine that is coated with UV proof liquid that costs around $10,000 a gallon?
 
Tried the http://lamin-x.com/index.php link they do not offer pre-cuts for Mark VIII or any Lincoln older that 2002.

Jamie, I'll definitely be over your place.

Again, my concern is, I can purchase new lenses now for $307 if the fix up option fails after five or ten years, how much will the replacements cost then, if they can be found?

About the clear coat.... there is no single formulation called clear coat. It can be varnish, polyurethane, acrylic, enamel, lacquer and on and on. Yes clear coat is a must to protect the color in two stage paints. The problem using a generic term called clear coat, is that there may or may not be a chemical bond (or atomic bond if you choose) to the item you are covering, or there may be expansion contraction differences causing adhesion problems, there are problems if the flexibility is different. The long story short is the clear that you apply has to be specifically engineered to the purpose that you are using it for or it will fail. No government regulation or wishful thinking will change that. (Just look at any of the American cars that were painted using water based primer and paint , and then clear coated with polyurethane have failed. The paint and primer worked well together, but the solvent based polyurethane did not interact well with the water based paint. (The water based paint worked well for meeting EPA regulations, but failed miserably meeting the consumer's needs.)
 
Last edited:
DS4885 said:
Tried the http://lamin-x.com/index.php link they do not offer pre-cuts for Mark VIII or any Lincoln older that 2002.

Jamie, I'll definitely be over your place.

Again, my concern is, I can purchase new lenses now for $307 if the fix up option fails after five or ten years, how much will the replacements cost then, if they can be found?

About the clear coat.... there is no single formulation called clear coat. It can be varnish, polyurethane, acrylic, enamel, lacquer and on and on. Yes clear coat is a must to protect the color in two stage paints. The problem using a generic term called clear coat, is that there may or may not be a chemical bond (or atomic bond if you choose) to the item you are covering, or there may be expansion contraction differences causing adhesion problems, there are problems if the flexibility is different. The long story short is the clear that you apply has to be specifically engineered to the purpose that you are using it for or it will fail. No government regulation or wishful thinking will change that. (Just look at any of the American cars that were painted using water based primer and paint , and then clear coated with polyurethane have failed. The paint and primer worked well together, but the solvent based polyurethane did not interact well with the water based paint. (The water based paint worked well for meeting EPA regulations, but failed miserably meeting the consumer's needs.)
Click to expand...

Precisely why I bought clear liquid spray on film that is UV resistant and only costs $20 per can. I can apply it once a year and be good to go.
 
the piece on the new ZR-1's is simply a piece of acrylic plexiglass. there is no way gm is going to spend 10 grand a gllon on something special to cover that when they cant even make their paint hold up for 10 years lol. the blue paint that is on the new ZR-1 is very expensive though i know that.
 
When I bought my wifes '98 Mark the lights were badly hazed. Drivers side worse than passengers side because it was under a car port and certain times of the day the sun would hit that one side more than the other. Anyway, Sams Club has a headlight restoration service for like $40 in the service area where the tires and batteries are. Night and day difference, they came out like new!. Did it a year and a half ago and they still look perfect!.
 
Destroyer said:
When I bought my wifes '98 Mark the lights were badly hazed. Drivers side worse than passengers side because it was under a car port and certain times of the day the sun would hit that one side more than the other. Anyway, Sams Club has a headlight restoration service for like $40 in the service area where the tires and batteries are. Night and day difference, they came out like new!. Did it a year and a half ago and they still look perfect!.
Click to expand...

do you know what they did? Used the sanding down technique?
 
mark0101 said:
do you know what they did? Used the sanding down technique?
Click to expand...
Didn't watch it done but the kid sort of explained. He did mention sanding and applying some chemical then a sealer. Only thing that sucked is that whatever he used to apply the sealer with he put on the hood and front fender of the car. I used some laquer thinner and it came off but I was pissed when I noticed it. Go to a Sams club and ask about it. I'm sure they will explain it better. All I can say is that the lights came out like new and I was happy with it.
 
jamies98lsc said:
the piece on the new ZR-1's is simply a piece of acrylic plexiglass. there is no way gm is going to spend 10 grand a gllon on something special to cover that when they cant even make their paint hold up for 10 years lol. the blue paint that is on the new ZR-1 is very expensive though i know that.
Click to expand...

Wrong Jamie. I found the C&D ZR-1 article. It doesn't mention the hood window, but that expensive clear coat does exist:

"...Some of the carbon-fiber panels (splitter, rocker extensions, roof) will actually look like carbon fiber, with a clear-coat finish over the weave. Chevy has a new ingredient for the finish that resists the ultraviolet breakdown that’s been a problem. We don’t know the chemical ingredient, or who makes it—Juechter won’t say—but we do know it costs $60,000 a gallon. It’s used sparingly..."

Now you know why this is the first Vette over $100K.
 
exactly why i would never own one if crap they apply cost that much, whats it gonna cost the owner to have any kind of exterior work done, screw that! i'd also love to see what the insurance company has to say when you damage it, are they going to total your 100k dollar car?
 
I can get 3m xpel pre cut kits for the gen 2s for about $60 last time I checked. I have a dealer account so I get a discount. They are usually around $100. They work VERY well once the headlight is polished up. The glue tends to fill small pits also so it makes the lights look even better.

check it out

http://www.xpel.com/
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top