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30 second headlight restoration!


HEADPHONES

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It's potentially possible to restore them that easily; the oxidisation is just the top layer breaking down from UV damage, remove the top layer and hey presto "restored". That top layer is a coating, chemically bonded to the surface. Break the chemical bond and it should just wipe away. Think of it like nail polish remover.

 

Now, whether it can protect again afterwards I couldn't say - again it's possible if the second wipe is essentially a simple coating delivery system - but suffice it to say that I'm incredibly sceptical of that. I would suspect that you'd find your headlights hazing over again very quickly due to there being no top coat left at all and the surface begins to breakdown instead - which will need sanding to fix.

 

The fact that their website doesn't give any actual information about the product is highly suspicious too, frankly.

Their website is bloody awful, full of pseudo-psychological sales techniques rather than useful information.

I've also not been able to find any trace of an MSDS for this anywhere.

 

So no, I'd say it's not legit personally.

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Simple looking box compared to maguires stuff.  Kit comes with instructions, 2 cleaning wipes and a treatment wipe. You'll need a soft drying cloth too that isn't provided. 

The cleaning wipes are drenched but I used one per headlight due to the amount of dirt that came off. I found it easier to wash one then dry one as they went chalky with residue if they air dried. The protection cloth was also easy to use and went on without runs. They do take 4 hours to dry, and as I only applied today, I'll knew more mid summer about longevity of the job. 

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Edited by Jay84
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Out of interest, how easy was it to clean up where you've caught the paint (on that last picture)? Did it just wipe off easily enough?

 

Regarding the Optima wipes, I have the same scepticism although I've not been able to find their website at all, let alone the MSDS again. In fact I've not even been able to find any pictures of the product except those on ECP. I'm always quite distrustful when there's any lack of information available about things, let alone a complete lack.

 

Still, with summer coming up I spy the opportunity for a test....

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Looks the business :thumbs:

I spent ages a year or so ago, masking, polishing, IPA and then a coat of Gtechniq C4 only for the yellow to start to creep back.

Polished last week again before seeing these.

Gonna see how regularly application of Optimum Optiseal goes.

If it yellows again I'll try these wipes.

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If you are still unsure how to use the wipes I originally posted about.

Type HEADLIGHT RESTORE WIPES JESSICA into YouTube.

Jessica has a better information delivery presentation than the guy in post 1  ;)

Edited by HEADPHONES
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I forgot to request that you leave the second sealant wipe to dry out after use to see if it crystallizes hard like a ceramic coating:wacko:

Oh well, I don't think it's of any real importance as it looks so good for such minimal effort that I wouldn't care much if it needed another wipe in 6 months.

I've read of people going through all the sanding and then spraying a new lacquer clearcoat only to find that the clear didn't set smooth but cracked resulting in a mission sanding it all off again.

These look pretty impossible to mess up.

Thanks again for posting up real world results. Can never be sure that the YouTube demos were of genuinely hazed lights or just sprayed with sugar crystals to simulate haze :dry:

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Unfortunately you only get the one sealant wipe. I'd allow a good 4 hours for it to harden though. The garage I was working at was all inside so it was kept inside and warm and dry, id advise doing it on a warm dry day if doing it outside.

 

Edit: re-read your post and my answer makes no sense sorry.  Well I ordered a second kit so next time we fail a car on no beam image due too cloudy headlights I'll leave the sealing cloth out after use. 

Edited by Jay84
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Gave the Optima kit ago over the weekend. 

Before

IMG_20180505_202947.jpg.613db0821b3c6217132951c1cc9c17b5.jpg

IMG_20180505_202939.jpg.fd812f7af1c7cafa2d91897ae1de98a5.jpg

 

After

IMG_20180506_090315.jpg.201a91df8fd80f483cff43bc228112bd.jpgIMG_20180506_090324.jpg.fcdd852d2d2a0ce614abdcbb452e0544.jpg

 

Not sure how clear it really is in the picture but the difference was noticeable straight away.

Got a bit of condensation in my headlamps so they still aren't perfect but much better and well worth the £13

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I agree!

 

I picked up the kit about 2 weeks ago and it worked great. Unfortunately, knowing my luck it began to rain an hour after applying it so it was a waste really.

 

Ordered another pack a last week to fix the mess caused by the rain and ended up getting a huge box of 10! Thanks ECP! (even though it was probs a mistake)

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