How To Restore Your Headlights | BEST RESULTS

[@aadin]

im a professional detailer of 5 years, and what buddy isnt mentioning is that headlights are 12-15mm thick. every single time your compound a headlight, its removes about .3-.5mm each time depending on the headlight, do it enough and your headlight will be very thin and brittle. after doing it right the first time, use any kind of ceramic coating on the headlights to protect it as ceramic coatings have built in UV protection, and just re-apply every year. no need to use clear sprays or anything like that

[@cavemanjoe7972]

Polish isn't aggressive enough to go that deep, bud. Sanding, sure, but buffing/polishing? It's closer to .03-.05mm (about 1-3 thousandths of an inch.)

[@aadin]

@@cavemanjoe7972 I'm talking about compounding

[@cavemanjoe7972]

@@aadin Okay, compound then. .06-.09mm (it's not more aggressive than 800 grit sandpaper, man)

[@aadin]

@@cavemanjoe7972 correct it isn't, but if people use a lot of downward pressure and a heavy cutting pad, it's still extremely abrasive

[@cavemanjoe7972]

@@aadin Big point you're overlooking is that most cars don't last long enough for burning through the headlights via compounding (which nobody uses, by the way, they just buy a Maguires kit or pay $20 at Walmart for a restoration) to be an issue.

[@michaeljennings6240]

This 100% works! Followed step by step and I had really yellow headlights and they are crystal clear now! Thank you Buddy!

[@ianread7705]

I like the way you get straight in to it, clear instructions, I'm very impressed with your videos as I am a complete novice, very helpful, thank you.

[@BuddysDIY]

That's the goal! Appreciate the support!

[@acanfield87]

Great video--thanks! I used a Mothers kit with a foam wheel and got similar results but your process to continue spraying water while wet-sanding is a great idea. My 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee has HID lights and those housings are expensive--definitely worth 20-30 min to clean them up like this.

[@jasonren1342]

how long did it last ?

[@bradydavis3791]

You are easily the greatest person I’ve ever watched on KZbin. Actually helpful stuff. Thank you for getting into things at the start too. Like you just are a great KZbinr man never stop. Great tutorial and thank you for all the help from your videos.

[@StephenHarristnt]

Great stuff. Can also pop the bonnet to give yourself additional space to work with. Plus you can clean the upper edge if needed.

[@ethanroberts1607]

Great video! I would just add that after doing everything you stated in the video, it's a good idea to apply a spray on headlight coating like meguiars, it will protect the headlights from oxidation for up to a year. You just have to reapply it once a year to keep your headlights nice and clear.

[@kyriakoskaragiannis920]

Just did it,slowly and nicely,big difference,they are back on their great glory again!

[@jasonren1342]

how long does it last

[@jeffhoenig8979]

Just did one of my headlights so far. insane difference. Very helpful tutorial.

[@DJPacoRamirez]

How did you keep them from turning back yellow

[@Me-dq5eo]

Perfect! This saved me a couple hundred bucks from buying a replacement housing. Thanks! 👍

[@kefwals8722]

Have you ever heard of or tried plexus? It polishes and protects plastic. Originally developed by NASA for their plastic products I found it a while back as an alternative to using clear coat which is what automakers and some auto restorers use on the headlight lenses that wear and yellow the lens over time You have to reapply it. I do it annually But I really like it for keeping my headlights crystal clear. Those NASA guys tend to know a thing or two. So I'll try anything they come up with.

[@BuddysDIY]

Post a link bro. I wanna check it out

[@STILLNIGHTPEARL]

Plexus has a light chemical cleaner built into it along with some fillers, but it doesn’t replace wet sanding, compounding, polishing on a plastic surface, I’ve tried it on oxidized headlights and it simply made the light shinier, cleaned it up a bit, but it didn’t do much as far as a restoration. it is a good product for new plastic though, you’ll maintain it using plexus for sure. I remember when that 13 oz aerosol can was $9 around 20 years ago, now it’s closer to $30. Honda makes a similar aerosol can, but it’s not the same, people say it’s even better than plexus, but I’ve found that to not be true, plexus is in a league of its own when it comes to an aerosol plastic cleaner, there’s a reason they can charge whatever they want for it and people will continue to buy it.

[@777ElectroHarmony777]

Bruhh, these videos are on point. Lots of videos on this topic, but this one is the best I've seen so far!

[@terrenceduarte5348]

Biggest channel i don't know.. there's ChrisFix as well but i love that you give detail to everything, you explain, you demonstrate, good editing.. great approach honestly 💪

[@BuddysDIY]

Thanks boss!!

[@terrenceduarte5348]

@@BuddysDIY Fosho !

[@williamshober1993]

The quality of your videos is insane. Keep it up I love your videos!

[@derreckmckenzie5521]

I do the same only with 3000 to finish before buffing works every time. I never use any clear coat after either probally would if i had it but this way is fine for our weather and 8 months of winter lol . Good ol northern sask. Canada.

[@tschaeff13]

What about a UV protection product to help keep the lenses from yellowing?

[@BuddysDIY]

I find it's quicker to just buff it every few months. It only takes literally 2 mins. But you can do a shot of clear if you want

[@juandig]

​@@BuddysDIY I've heard in other videos that it's not a good idea to use clearcoat. One channel had demonstrated it by applying clear coat on half of a lense and held a flashlight through it against a wall and the side with clearcoat didn't properly reflect the light. Here in Germany, I found a headlight coating from Sonax where you get 50ml of coating which is advertized as 20 applications with 1 year UV-protection, so that'd be 10 years of protection for both headlights for just 20€. Seems like a better value for me.

[@DasAlienYota]

Klack lack

[@mikelopez4846]

@@juandiga body shop cleared coated mine and I didn’t notice anything wrong. It’s last for about 11 yrs now and the clear is barely coming off

[@juandig]

@@mikelopez4846 that's sweet. I think you'd have trouble in Germany tho as the TÜV inspection is checking your headlights through some special device but idk for sure. I guess it's one of those things that are technically true but don't affect the real world performance too much

[@Bushidough]

Just did mine, looks great! watched your video for assistance. Thanks buddy!

[@BuddysDIY]

😊

[@TheCrazyker]

Hi buddy a tip after you have done this add some headlights sealant to protect it its the same as doing the paint on the car after the polish u wanna seal your work with something to protect it 😊

[@macknumber9]

Funny how he didn't heart your comment or even comment on it...seems like he only wants to heart the compliments he gets

[@ColinEu]

what a fantastic video..very nice and clear instructions and demonstrations..

[@BuddysDIY]

Glad you liked it!!

[@garyny4073]

Good work , looks brand new

[@joweeholmes]

Omg the fingernail technique is genius thank you!

[@jameskretchman2199]

TY!! Appreciate your attention to detail explaining everything

[@dieselgeezer18]

chrisfix #2? your voice and the way you record with the camera is so similar to chrisfix

[@moregainsbro8386]

no need to reinvent the wheel.

[@BuddysDIY]

We are both from the north east. And we are similar because our production is quality. Alot of crappy automotive youtubers out there!

[@RunnJake]

@@BuddysDIY *cough cough* tavarish and scotty kilmer *cough cough*

[@kenkra7969]

ChrisFix wannabe. Lmao

[@BuddysDIY]

@@kenkra7969 naw I don't wanna be chris. Chris wants to be me in real life

[@claudiofiero8523]

Not bad! If you need to flip a car that's just what you need, otherwise a sealant is a must for a long lasting result

[@BuddysDIY]

Absolutely. Personally I did this to my daily and just buff it one ever few months. Takes maybe 3 mins.

[@claudiofiero8523]

@@BuddysDIY nice to know that it works too! I tried doing it a couple years ago, but I forgot to "smoothen" the sealant. The light looked nice, until you touched it: completely uneven!

[@BuddysDIY]

Lololol. they alsp have vinyl with a iv protection layer on it.

[@daytonsfinest_937]

Love your videos bruh, good instructions. You really are thorough 💪🏾💯

[@gergemall]

Headlight looks great. Thank you I’ll give it a try. Bought lug nut remover kit. I enjoyed your flipping video .

[@BuddysDIY]

Thanks for the support my friend! Much appreciated :)

[@michoosadventures8266]

Great huge difference here!

[@BuddysDIY]

100% homie!

[@jdisdetermined]

Just a tip, not a criticism: Try finishing with 3000/5000 grit, or even just 3000 after 2000. You'll have an even better finish and clarity and faster and easier polishing. That soft pad and *very* light polish struggled to completely remove the 2000 grit sanding marks on its own without a cutting step first. You can see the remaining haze and swirls around the 9:12 closeup. 👍✌

[@STILLNIGHTPEARL]

You beat me to it, that’s still a hazy headlight! it needs more refinement. You can stop sanding at 2000 grit, but you will need an aggressive compound, wool pad or foam cutting pad combo in order to completely remove those sanding marks, but you are correct, finishing at 3000 grit or even 5000 grit makes the polishing process a lot easier, you are able to restore clarity much easier by finishing at either 3000 or 5000 grit, I personally never go beyond 3000 grit, I can remove 3000 grit sanding marks with Meguiar’s 205 and a foam cutting pad, then I simply switch to a polishing pad for maximum clarity for my second step.

[@goodnightvids]

You are the GOAT man the new ChrisFix youll get far bro and from Florrida babyyy

[@CartoonWeasel]

I was thought to never do circles. Go in one direction, right to left or opposite

[@BuddysDIY]

With circles the sand paper hits the headlight at every direction. The main purpose of the ssnding is to take down the oxidation. Then the finer grits just take down the scratching. That's why every electrical sander does circles. Most efficient way to sand

[@STILLNIGHTPEARL]

By hand that theory is irrelevant, especially at a finer grit. I like sanding in straight lines simply because it’s easier to work close to an edge while sanding in a straight line than it is going in a circular motion.

[@rezaaditya6324]

this is really a great step by step tutorial professor

[@sosy7347]

Thanks for using my video idea keep up the great work

[@BuddysDIY]

Haha anymore ideas leave a comment yousif. Appreciate you always supporting evey vid!

[@gerardomendoza8416]

Holy crap how did I just find your channel! Great stuff nuew subscriber

[@BuddysDIY]

💪💪

[@Zimo0o]

Very helpful tutorial man straight to the point no bs cost effective as well thank you so much subbed

[@rhileyorchard8605]

Love your channel man sup an inspiration to try this it would be so awesome if u could take some time to make a video of the most reliable easy going cars below $2000 my girlfriend as about that much money saved up she wants me to help her find a car please any suggestions on a great car that just runs forever thats cheap and easy to work so grateful for the info

[@BuddysDIY]

I may do one of those In The future. Stick to a older mazda, Corolla, or civic. Late 200's corolla if I had to pick one

[@msi19]

Thank you very much for sharing this with us

[@andrestorres3144]

“Support my friend on of” 🤣🤣

[@juansalcedo909]

Thanks for the info. Great videos. 🎉

[@JoshuaStepanov]

I did this, but my headlights came out looking super foggy.. I did everything exactly how you said? Idk what I did wrong but oh well time to let the professionals do it 😂

[@BuddysDIY]

You could have small cracks in your headlight keeping it from looking right. If you want you can send me an email of what they look like. And I'll see if I can help [e-mail]

[@an0n0TV]

Mines got worse I did instructions right

[@JoshuaStepanov]

@@an0n0TV I figured out that I just needed a faster buffer

[@downloadhome1342]

Thanks mate I am from Syria all support

[@BuddysDIY]

Awesome brother. Stay safe there! 🙏

[@downloadhome1342]

@@BuddysDIY thanks you too 😘 Keep it up with the content And can I ask how can I make money to start buying cars?

[@BuddysDIY]

@@downloadhome1342 just find your first car for a few hundred and start learning!

[@downloadhome1342]

@@BuddysDIY 100$ is 100 X 2000 = 200000 S.P And cars in Syria are worth 2million for the worse car and it have engine issues + I need equipment to repair = Alot of money And AVG income in Syria for a worker in the government is 40k a month without food and transport So it needs Alot I meant how can I save up(make money online ) to buy cars and start helping my self in Syria

[@nonotouchtv]

I subject you take alcohol after you finish and add a layer of UV and yellowing resistant clear coat and spray it on both headlights., This will keep it from happening again for a long time.

[@Matt-xq6ow]

Dumb question, but is there a difference between rubbing compound and liquid wax? I have meguiars liquid wax, so I was wondering if I can just use that

[@STILLNIGHTPEARL]

Yes, a rubbing compound is a liquid that has an abrasive mixed into it, a liquid wax usually has no abrasives mixed into it, but sometimes it has a light chemical cleaner which can remove some oxidation, for the most part a liquid wax has either a carnauba, polymer or a blend of both mixed into the liquid for protection. You would use the compound to restore clarity to your headlights and then you would use the liquid wax to offer protection.

[@rainyday13]

Good job. I've tried this but I can't get it past the hazy stage after the 2,000 grit sanding. I buffed for about 20 minutes with polishing compound but they only get a little clearer. Still have a lot of white haze. Do I need to start over and sand more or what?

[@DJPacoRamirez]

How deep did you go at first?

[@docEdwin]

Excelente video!

[@scott9478]

So how long does this process actually protect(seal) the headlight? The way I restored my headlights was sand with 220, 500 then 600 and then I clear coated it.

[@mintlyrics5080]

I have a question, what if I have a RFID (for expressway) in my headlight? Can you give me some advise if what should I do? To restore my headlight. Thank you!

[@BuddysDIY]

To keep it honest I don't know man

[@mintlyrics5080]

@@BuddysDIY no problem bud, thanks

[@fivetoncasey2298]

Can't wait to do this for my Dad's vehicle

[@brandon500]

[@BuddysDIY]

Sent it!

[@Eduortega01]

Question here!!! Well first of all, congrats on the video. I know it’s an old video, just hope you still read the comments… I was wondering about the polishing after the sanding. Would you think instead of buying a polishing compound just to use once, I could use some toothpaste, and maybe add some baking soda on it. Have you ever tried it?! You think it would work?!

[@desipranksterz7909]

Hey Buddy why is it that you didn't add a clear coat or wax type layer on top to protect the restored headlight?

[@patrik-4163]

Very useful, thanks

[@BuddysDIY]

You're welcome. Glad you like it!

[@mikewagner8748]

hey, nice job, appreciate the info

[@dawltonbennett3630]

Great videos. You’re very clear in your explanations/instructions. I would recommend a better microphone though! Sounds staticy or muffled a bit if you will. It might not even be the microphone honestly. There’s just some parts of the video that sound like that. Just some feedback to provide a better viewer experience. Keep posting tho! Love the car flip type vids!

[@astra1139]

How do you handle titles?? Do you transfer or just float it??

[@mrerick0363652]

Great job!!!

[@corneliouswoodruff8822]

Thank you buddy great news

[@gymkata3119]

Subbed. Quality content!

[@dk780]

Are those buffing pads safe for vehicle paint for polishing?

[@williammartinez3792]

Thank you

[@epicsensi]

it looks much better than before.. but brand new is definitely a stretch

[@randygentry1533]

What about using clear coat after?

[@markwilliamson2795]

Thanks...Yep does not pay to buy new ones they turn yellow very fast...

[@TheJeffrey75]

love the gems!

[@hondaman9980]

That's the way I do it that I hit it with some 4K clear after and it lasts for a very long time I did my truck headlights 5 years ago and they still have not oxidized again

[@BuddysDIY]

I do recommend ceramic coating when done!

[@BuddysDIY]

I forgot to add that part in the video 😂

[@jcarbs3270]

Is it not easier or faster to use the drill to sand as well?

[@kissdavid75]

No, it would be too intensive. It's easy to oversand resulting in uneven surface. The edges are even more difficult to reach with a sanding disc without damaging the plexi or the paintjob around it. Sanding with hand gives more control and a much better end result.

[@BmwMe-uh9sy]

eh i can still see a slight haze to it, alot of the headlight restoration kits come with a liquid clear coat that actually makes it look brand new

[@Itachlazcano21]

Is it better than spraying clear coar

[@h99playlist]

How about lifting the hood, avoiding having to use masking tape in that area

[@brownboyrm213]

Lol mind blown

[@jacobwood8581]

Hey buddy, I've been watching your videos for some time and I have a question that I can't find on the internet. Is it okay to restore your headlights in the winter outside.

[@GrouchyVlogs]

Dope video perfect timong

[@BuddysDIY]

Glad you found it!

[@jacobwilhide1189]

Banger vid

[@mfreda]

Question for you Where do you list your cars and under what name? Thank you

[@Goddrum]

I’m gonna go do this to my car soon

[@jumpchambers]

What about just using WD-40? That's what I use. Works every time.

[@MrUmbraz]

You don’t recommend using a sander?

[@BuddysDIY]

Not needed brother. Hand sanding is plenty

[@t.mollov566]

No UV protection ?

[@jasonren1342]

how long does it last ?

[@miguelvega6000]

Nice content

[@BuddysDIY]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!

[@WaynesAdventure]

Nice look

[@JeffSmith-eq3kc]

Can ceramic coat after this and pretty much forget about your headlights from the on.

[@brettbaker4189]

excellect thanks ;-)

[@TheSchmed]

What’s the purpose of drying in between grits ?

[@best_username_ever]

You literally sound exactly like chris fix! XD

[@megabaneen8057]

i just used baking soda and vinegar. scrubbed water and then sealed with turtle wax

[@csquared24ZL1]

**REQUEST** HID headlight replacement on a Chevy cobalt or g5

[@BuddysDIY]

Dont have the colbalt anymore homie

[@sjm8510]

I use Brasso, same result, holds up for about 6 months looking like brand new, then fades slowly, but I redo it then. Takes 5 minutes.

[@DDCCB23]

Does this apply to plastic and glass headlights?

[@BuddysDIY]

Yes it does!

[@STILLNIGHTPEARL]

Just plastic, glass headlights require a little different approach, you can use glass polishing pads, along with a stronger abrasive, but for the most part glass headlights never oxidize, they usually crack or shatter before that happens.

[@kimokahikolekalihi]

If you don't clear coat after sanding with 2K clear coat, it will be hazy and yellow in a year or less in a hot climate like Florida. I've tried ceramic coating, headlight sealant, paint sealant, wax. None of it holds up. 2K or you're wasting your time.

[@moneymagnetismnetwork]

Honestly guys I used Colgate toothpaste with paper towels and water for about 10 minutes on each lens. But I only dis that one step and it came out just as clear. I still have photos of it. Have you guys tried colgate instead of going through all those layered repetitions?

[@STILLNIGHTPEARL]

Toothpaste pretty much cleans the headlight because of the chemical cleaners that are mixed into it, along with a mild abrasive, but it does not restore clarity like a plastic polish will. There’s nothing like a full wet sand, compound, polishing process to restore clarity to headlights, for protection a coating like glasweld g clear or Xpel paint protection film are your best long term options, the glasweld coating should last 3-5 years, Xpel 10+ years.

[@workinalday4351]

You sound very similar to ChrisFix

[@BuddysDIY]

Lol I've been told

[@hankjones2645]

Have you tried magic erasers to remove paint? I know they remove sharpie marks.

[@bent1208]

Take mothers chrome polish, buff out. Done in 5 min. Stole it from sweet project cars.

[@BuddysDIY]

That can work. But if you have heavy oxidation you gotta hit it with sand paper first

[@bent1208]

@@BuddysDIY I tried it on a headlight with black paint, turned my buffer pad black and took 20 more min. But, maybe oxidation is harder to buff out.

[@BuddysDIY]

Yeah deep oxidation usually needs a little sand. Even if it's just a quick 1000 grit and buff

[@RonLee65]

Just watch a video and showing mother's mag and aluminum polish works fine without all the hassle of sanding and stuff?

[@timittheminit8462]

Pro tip . Do this in the rain 😂

[@tubbs_above]

Do you have a dealer license?

[@BuddysDIY]

I do yes

[@tubbs_above]

@@BuddysDIY how does that work, I thought you need an established business location

[@leocardenas7306]

clear coat it. That way no need to keep polishing it after a few months.

[@dwaynejohnson1983]

Or ceramic coat or headlight protection film.

[@AmanExplorerBoy]

Can we wax it or no?

[@jovanzivkovic3079]

Chris Fix's vibes here.

[@Localgarage400]

Use 400 grit then 800, then 1500 , then 3000. Way better than using 3000 grit

[@Patriot-hz8xk]

This headlamp will be yellow again in 1 year, you need to apply some clear coat for protection!