Re: [MBZ] Foggy Headlights
05ML500 USD $68.95 for pre-cut headlight covers. Put in your vehicle to see what they have https://www.xpel.com/product/332454 On 11/6/20 8:11 AM, ned kleinhenz via Mercedes wrote: << I have read about people doing roughly the same thing, but using several coats of thinned urethane spar varnish instead of film for the final protective coating. IDK if this is any better than the clear coat you used though. << The XPEL is like a super saran wrap type plastic film. It is not a varnish or clear coat. The advantage I see is the ability to just snag a corner and peel it off if it eventually goes bad. To install it you wet it and squeegee it onto a polished lens. It adheres tenaciously and does not need a sanded surface with the "tooth" a sprayed or painted clear coat may require. I could not face the prospect of sanding off a varnish or clear coat every year of two. Ned ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com -- --FT ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Foggy Headlights
<< I have read about people doing roughly the same thing, but using > > several coats of thinned urethane spar varnish instead of film for the final > > protective coating. IDK if this is any better than the clear coat you > > used though. << The XPEL is like a super saran wrap type plastic film. It is not a varnish or clear coat. The advantage I see is the ability to just snag a corner and peel it off if it eventually goes bad. To install it you wet it and squeegee it onto a polished lens. It adheres tenaciously and does not need a sanded surface with the "tooth" a sprayed or painted clear coat may require. I could not face the prospect of sanding off a varnish or clear coat every year of two. Ned ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Foggy Headlights
I would be really careful about this. I say that because I have a pair of HID headlights on my S210 wagon that the PO did the spar varnish or urethane thing to, and when they got cloudy I tried to polish them and couldn’t get through whatever it was that they sprayed on it. -D > On Nov 5, 2020, at 4:58 PM, Mitch Haley via Mercedes > wrote: > > I do believe some vanishes block UV. > Mitch > > On 2020-11-05 16:36, Allan Streib via Mercedes wrote: >> Thanks! >> I have read about people doing roughly the same thing, but using several >> coats of thinned urethane spar varnish instead of film for the final >> protective coating. IDK if this is any better than the clear coat you >> used though. > > > ___ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Foggy Headlights
Spar varnish does block UV for about a year, maybe two if you're lucky. The marine guys I know repaint every year. On Thu, Nov 5, 2020 at 3:59 PM Mitch Haley via Mercedes < mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > I do believe some vanishes block UV. > Mitch > > On 2020-11-05 16:36, Allan Streib via Mercedes wrote: > > Thanks! > > > > I have read about people doing roughly the same thing, but using > > several > > coats of thinned urethane spar varnish instead of film for the final > > protective coating. IDK if this is any better than the clear coat you > > used though. > > > ___ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > -- OK Don "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." Mark Twain “Basic research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I am doing.” Wernher Von Braun 2013 F150, 18 mpg 2017 Subaru Legacy, 30 mpg 1957 C182A, 12 mpg - but at 150 mph! ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Foggy Headlights
I do believe some vanishes block UV. Mitch On 2020-11-05 16:36, Allan Streib via Mercedes wrote: Thanks! I have read about people doing roughly the same thing, but using several coats of thinned urethane spar varnish instead of film for the final protective coating. IDK if this is any better than the clear coat you used though. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Foggy Headlights
Thanks! I have read about people doing roughly the same thing, but using several coats of thinned urethane spar varnish instead of film for the final protective coating. IDK if this is any better than the clear coat you used though. I wish automakers would just use glass for the headlights. The few pounds of extra weight would be worth it in long-term satisfaction, I think. Allan ned kleinhenz via Mercedes writes: > I remember a recent thread about correcting foggy headlight lenses. I have > some recent experience to share. Last spring I had two 2006 model year > cars with headlights that had yellowing, becoming brown lenses. One car is > a Sienna minivan and the other is an E320 CDI. > > > > About 7 months ago I restored the Sienna lenses using a Sylvania Headlight > Restoration Kit. This kit uses three successive wet sand paper steps > followed by hand polishing. The polished lens is finally sealed with a UV > block clear coat. The procedure was fairly quick and easy and the results > looked very good. But after about 6 months the lenses started fogging and > they are now decaying quickly. > > > > About 5 months ago I restored the Mercedes lenses using an approach > recommended by my brother who used it on his older Lexus about six years > ago. My brother reports that his Lexus lenses have remained clear since > using this procedure. The procedure involves wet sanding by hand using > grits starting at 400 or 800 and then 1000 or 1500 and finally 2000 or > 3000. Then, using a small electric drill polishing pad, polish the lenses > using rubbing compound. Then using the same drill and pad polish each lens > again using “mirror finishing polish” compound. Finally, protect the > lenses by covering them with XPEL Protective Film. > > > > XPEL makes films already cut to exact size for some headlights like my > Mercedes. Otherwise, XPEL can be bought in sheets at various sizes and > thicknesses that can be applied and then trimmed with a razor to the exact > size of the lens. I was bothered that XPEL does not identify any UV > resistance characteristic in their product descriptions. But the product > must be UV resistant because my Mercedes headlights have not decayed in 5 > months. And my brother has not replaced the film on his headlights in 6 > years and his lenses remain clear. > > > Ned ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
[MBZ] Foggy Headlights
I remember a recent thread about correcting foggy headlight lenses. I have some recent experience to share. Last spring I had two 2006 model year cars with headlights that had yellowing, becoming brown lenses. One car is a Sienna minivan and the other is an E320 CDI. About 7 months ago I restored the Sienna lenses using a Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit. This kit uses three successive wet sand paper steps followed by hand polishing. The polished lens is finally sealed with a UV block clear coat. The procedure was fairly quick and easy and the results looked very good. But after about 6 months the lenses started fogging and they are now decaying quickly. About 5 months ago I restored the Mercedes lenses using an approach recommended by my brother who used it on his older Lexus about six years ago. My brother reports that his Lexus lenses have remained clear since using this procedure. The procedure involves wet sanding by hand using grits starting at 400 or 800 and then 1000 or 1500 and finally 2000 or 3000. Then, using a small electric drill polishing pad, polish the lenses using rubbing compound. Then using the same drill and pad polish each lens again using “mirror finishing polish” compound. Finally, protect the lenses by covering them with XPEL Protective Film. XPEL makes films already cut to exact size for some headlights like my Mercedes. Otherwise, XPEL can be bought in sheets at various sizes and thicknesses that can be applied and then trimmed with a razor to the exact size of the lens. I was bothered that XPEL does not identify any UV resistance characteristic in their product descriptions. But the product must be UV resistant because my Mercedes headlights have not decayed in 5 months. And my brother has not replaced the film on his headlights in 6 years and his lenses remain clear. Ned ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
