Tried the 3M lens resurfacing kit...
08-17-2009, 08:38 AM
#1
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My Ride: 2004 BMW 530i
So I took a little drive over to auto zone and they had the 3M lens kit for $17 so I figured I would give it a try. Like someone mentioned in the other post about this, their car looked like it had been through a sand blaster. At first I thought all the "spots" were paint chips but they weren't. The instructions said not to use the kit unless your lights are yellowed, which is not the case for me, so I skipped the step with the roughest P500 sandpaper and started with the P800:
Click on the pictures to see the full size image. Especially the before and after pictures...
Before:
I taped of the light (the clear part away from the reflector) and put towels around because this stuff splatters:
After spraying both the headlight and P800 paper I went left and right until the light looked like this:
Next I used the P3000 foam pad and applied substantially more pressure than the other pads until most of the frost was gone:
Then I used their polish, washed the hood and lights, put a little dry and wax and...
Lights came looking really good. The more time you spend, the better the quality. The main part of the lens had no "spots" and there were a few little spots around the edges still but overall I am happy. The way the light hit the lens in the above picture made it seem a bit frosted in the bottom corner which it is not.
I'm happy
Click on the pictures to see the full size image. Especially the before and after pictures...
Before:
I taped of the light (the clear part away from the reflector) and put towels around because this stuff splatters:
After spraying both the headlight and P800 paper I went left and right until the light looked like this:
Next I used the P3000 foam pad and applied substantially more pressure than the other pads until most of the frost was gone:
Then I used their polish, washed the hood and lights, put a little dry and wax and...
Lights came looking really good. The more time you spend, the better the quality. The main part of the lens had no "spots" and there were a few little spots around the edges still but overall I am happy. The way the light hit the lens in the above picture made it seem a bit frosted in the bottom corner which it is not.
I'm happy
08-17-2009, 08:41 AM
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My Ride: 2006 530i Alpine White on Black interior, Sport and Premium Package, Steptronic, Navigation, Xenon Adaptive Headlights, Mtec V2.1 angel eyes,Hoen Fog Lights, Full M-Tech kit, ACS pedals, LED plate lights, CF Steering Wheel badge, CF Titanium trim, OE
good job looks brand new! 
08-17-2009, 08:42 AM
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My Ride: 2004 530i | Sapphire Black | Sport | Premium | NAV | Logic 7 | DPE R07 Variant S Gloss Black with Polished Lip 20x8.5 front 20x10 rear | Falken FK452 tires 245/30/20 front 275/30/20 rear | H&R Coilovers | Smoked Tail Lights | M5 trunk spoiler | AC Schnitzer style roof spoiler | HID 8000K headlights & foglights | 35% tint all around | Sprint Booster | Speed Innovation ECU tuning | M5 trunk finisher | M-Tech body kit | Remus Quad Exhaust | AC Schnitzer style pedals | Euro Stickers | RPi Ram Air Induction | Smoked LED Side Lenses | AC Schnitzer style e-brake handle | AC Schnitzer style shifter | AC Schnitzer style iDrive knob | AC Schnitzer style carbon fiber diffuser | carbon fiber hood/trunk/steering emblems | carbon fiber grilles | carbon fiber door pillars | MTEC v2 Angel Eyes | Hamann style carbon fiber splitter
nice write-up!
08-17-2009, 08:47 AM
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My Ride: 2007 530i. Purchased 6/28/07. Titanium Silver Metallic, Black Dakota Leather, Dark Poplar Trim, Steptronic, Premium Package, Cold Weather Package, Bluetooth, Adaptive Control Xenons. 10/30/07 Added OEM 124s with 245/40/18 & 275/35/18 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires. Installed red Cal Covers� from BavAuto. 11/21/07 Added OEM all-weather floor mats (for winter, carpet in summer) and coat rack. 6/26/08 installed M5-style rear spoiler. 6/30/08 put on red reflectors. 8/22/08 Euro turn signal stickers applied. 3/20/09 Installed Shadowline Trim. 3/27/09 Added Matte Black Kidney Grilles from Trinity. 4/03/09 Installed Bimmian Shadow Matte Black 530i Badges. 4/04/09 Installed LED license plate lights from Trinity. 5/01/09 Installed Brabus Interior LED Kit and White Angel Eyes. 5/02/09 Put in Brabus 6K Fogs. 5/14/09 Removed charcoal filter. 5/15/09 Installed light smoke LED side marker lamps from Trinity. 5/21/09 Sprint Booster. 6/12/09 Painted exhaust tips flat black. 6/13/09 Pulled red Cal Covers and painted calipers low gloss black. 6/27/09 RPI Ram Air Scoop from Trinity. 8/15/09 Installed Brabus's silver invisibulbs front and rear. 9/24/09 Installed R-Dash license plate LEDs from Brabaus (John).
Very nice job. Looks professional.
08-17-2009, 10:39 AM
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My Ride: 05 530i on 20's, 94 single turbo 6spd widebody supra, fx35 on 22's
its easier/cheaper to just buy 1500 grit sand paper and 2000 grit and then the meguirs plastx
i have done this many times on cars i have owned supras, vipers, 530i comes out perfect everytime.
i have done this many times on cars i have owned supras, vipers, 530i comes out perfect everytime.
08-17-2009, 10:40 AM
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My Ride: 2006 530XI | Black leather interior | Cold weather Package | Premium Package
Exterior - M-tech kit / ACS roof spoiler / ACS trunk spoiler / Tinted Tail Lights / 20% Window tint / Matte black grills / Black roundels / Shadowline trim / 8000k headlights / 8000k foglights / LED License plate bulbs
Suspension- H&R Sport Springs
Came out nice. Good job!
08-17-2009, 11:33 AM
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I like a good picture thread.
nice write up
why didn't you just pull the headlights out? you could of had two beers by the time you taped all that off. oh wait your 16....
nice write up
why didn't you just pull the headlights out? you could of had two beers by the time you taped all that off. oh wait your 16....