As my title says my headlights are looking nasty. They are very cloudy and the top is starting to get yellowish/little cracks?. I've tried searching but I cant find what Im looking for. I went out and bought the 3M kit and it seemed to work okay but the headlight I worked on is still cloudy looking and nowhere near clear. Does anyone have a good DIY on how to clean these up. I got a bunch of mods coming up as soon as spring breaks and I want to get those Euro overlays but I need to polish these out first! Please help!! Normally I see ads all over my local CL but now that I need my lights done I cant a find a single ad!

Awesome thanks!

Goddamn, the guy with the 540 did one helluva job! It looks literally brand new!

When I purchased my car, the headlights were very bad, especially along the top. I removed the lights put them on the bench and started sanding and sanding and sanding and... Anyway, I got them looking pretty good but not perfect. Then, a couple months later I took the car in for the brake recall and the dealer spilled brake fluid on one of the headlights and stained it. They gave me the car back with the stain, but when I pointed it out, they were quick to acknowledge fault and we settled on getting both headlights polished. When I got the car back, the headlights looked brad new.

My point to the story is that it just might be worth paying someone that does headlight polishing for a living to do the work for you. To do it right, you need a lot of high quality sand paper, a lot of elbow grease, buffing and polishing equipment, etc. I have all that (exept I used cheap sand paper) and I still did not do as goof of a job as the guys who do it everyday. Just an FYI.

It's all in the sanding.

Yes, I tend to agree with David above. It's probably more headache-free and faster if you just pay someone to do it. Of the prices that I am aware of, it's usually about $30-$80. At $80 we're talking about finishing the job with UV clear coat.

If you have the time, say a free day on a weekend, then sure, I can say it might be fun doing it on your own (assuming you have most of the stuff such as a orbiting tool already). Otherwise, the cost of going out and buying a bunch of different things, and learning/figuring out how to do it is not cost effective.

This is really good news. I had this with my '97, and now it's happening to my 2004. I had my guys go to a junk lot and buy some "new/used" headlights. (of course BMW doesn't have lens replacements). With these 2004 lights, I can't replace them....$$$$. I knew there could be buffing and sanding involved. Thanks.
This could be a good biz for some of those detail guys, or body guys. Are the professional lens-only buffers?
I would do this myself, but I would be too afraid. I'm female, and use tools, but BMWs: Scary.

I tried polishing but could not get it clear enough. This is after sanding. It would be hazy in spots.


Si I tried sanding it until all the factory clear is off, cleaned it, then just clear it. It lasts much longer. No need to polish unless the clear has a lot of orange peel.

Attachment 119227


See the splotches? keep sanding until they are all gone.

Practice on your fogs first.

Left wet sanded, not cleaned, right is cleared.after sanding no polishing.



Attachment 119228


Polishing on bare plastic does not last

Damn that nasty orange thing in the pre LCI headlight looks gross!