Any recommended headlight restore kits?

[Mop 9]

Have just failed a warrant with our R53 Mini (sort of a bmw…) on the headlights supposedly lacking the appropriate cutoff/focus. Been to two vtnz branches and they both say their machine just shows light everywhere, no cutoff at all - although I can clearly see a line with a very distinct change in brightness at the appropriate height when shining on a bit of plywood at home at different distances. There does seem to be some light still getting above the line though for whatever reason.

The bulbs seem to be seated correctly, they auto adjust when flicking them on as they should, so I’m thinking given the headlights are quite yellow/cloudy looking perhaps they are diffusing the beam all over the place to some extent.

In any case they look crappy so I’m keen to polish them up, does anyone have a restoration kit they can recommend? Looking for something with a decent sealant too so that I’m not doing it again in 6 months… 

[lord_jagganath 421]

the Rain-X or Turtle wax kits seem to work fine on some cars,  but on a car that I didn't want to spend any money on (a 2001 Airtrek), I got some toothpaste, extra baking soda, and some kitchen polish powder and went to town on the lenses, washed it off, dried it with a hair dryer and sprayed 2-3 2k automotive clear coats on it, and it is still good, a year and a half on. 

[Palazzo 477]

Got an orbital polisher? Just use an ordinary polish for fine swirls, use plenty, works a treat.

[Palazzo 477]

[Mop 9]

I don’t have an orbital polisher unfortunately, I’ll take a pic of the lights this arvo - they look worse than that one though I think.

It’s a daily driver but it’s only done 140k and is in reasonable nick so we would like it around for a fair bit longer. Last year I did a big overhaul (clutch and a bunch of other stuff while it was on stands in bits - ball joints and bushes, waterpump, tstat, supercharger service etc.)

The advice on spraying some 2K to seal it sounds good but I’ve not done that before and I’m not sure when I’d be able to have the car off the road long enough. Was hoping there would be a ceramic coating or something that might offer enough protection?

[Palazzo 477]

It’s well over a year (2-3-4?) since I did those the first time, if you’re waxing or polishing the car (with a polisher) anyway, it’s 2-3 min per side, I never bothered with a sealant.

[Mop 9]

[lord_jagganath 421]

with respect to the clear, I actually used this https://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/p/export-export-aerosol-paint---enamel-clear---250g/2717.html seems to hold up. 

[Mop 9]

Update - I ended up just wet sanding by hand with 1200, 1500, 2000 grit and then picked up a Mechpro DA polisher and gave them a quick run over with compound and polish. Came up excellent! Good advice on the DA, that’s the way to go if you have one I reckon - no need for a $80 sandpaper kit.

Took back to vtnz, focus is now good but this branch won’t pass as one bulb is a slightly different shade of yellow (replaced one side a couple of warrants ago as wiring insulation rot caused it to blow). Xenon bulbs are bloody expensive and I can’t remember which brand I got so I’m going back to the original vtnz as they mentioned the slight colour difference but weren’t bothered by it.

[Mop 9]

Vtnz Takanini - “bulbs are different take it somewhere else I won’t pass it”.

Vtnz manukau - “they’re very close in colour, not a problem”. Issued the warrant.

They also added a note saying “all engine leaking oil, requires attention soon” - hasn’t leaked a drop of oil since I did all the pan and other seals a year ago and it’s very clean underneath as I checked when servicing it recently… This is why I normally avoid vtnz, this time I was in a hurry though.

Anyway, thanks for the advice - the lights look good now. Have just thrown some wax sealant on for the time being