Halogen headlamps to replace Xenon?

[MisterGee19]

Originally Posted by barrybritcher

12.99 for a hand polish kit from eurocarparts.

quixx headlight polishing kit

keep it simple

Problem is with the xenons it’s the inside that clouds and crazes from the heat… that can’t be polished out

[Onewheel]

That’s why you best replace complete lens..

[MisterGee19]

Hi Chunky.. did you ever find a solution to this?
I’m a year further on, mot looming… vparts still don’t ship to the UK so can’t get new lenses.

[100K+]

I used t-cut with an electric drill + sponge on H jazz plastic lights. Worked fine for mot. Takes arm ache out of job.
Cheers Bob

[ilmiont]

Mine came to me with pretty cloudy yellowish lenses but still fine for MOT.

I've had a really good improvement just using Autoglym Super Resin Polish by hand, with patience and many coats over several weeks. SRP isn't really suitable though; it's meant for preservation rather than restoration, and only has a weak cutting action, but I've been surprised with how well it's worked and neighbours have noticed and commented on the improvement.

I don't really fancy the sanding/drilling routines having no experience with that and especially as I've had good results by hand; I will just get a slightly stronger polish eventually and hopefully remove more of the discolouration.

The current strategy is apply SRP periodically, leave to sit at least 15 mins, buff it off, repeat, do this a few times while detailing the rest of the car. Afterwards apply Extra Gloss Protection; this buffs to completely clear and helps prevent UV rays getting through to the lenses; I've read about using EGP for this purpose on other forums. I've also reprogrammed the lighting mode to "Flexstd" in VIDA so the xenons are not permanently on and subjecting the lenses to heat.

Originally Posted by stuart bowes

I thought mine were glass tbh, they certainly sound like it when you tap them. may be wrong of course. clear as crystal so far (fingers crossed)

If yours is pre-facelift they will be glass AFAIK; plastic lenses came for the 2005 model year.

[chunky2778]

Originally Posted by MisterGee19

Hi Chunky.. did you ever find a solution to this?
I’m a year further on, mot looming… vparts still don’t ship to the UK so can’t get new lenses.

Hi there, mine are plastic lenses and were tarnished on the inside.

In the end I had to buy a replacement NSF headlamp off eBay for £100 but I rescued the OSF, I polished the outside best as possible with WD40 and fine polish, and cleaned out the inside by stripping the electrics and filling with warm soapy water, swilling it around and using a pipe cleaner.

Obviously then allow to dry thoroughly and rebuild.

It seemed that there was a film of dirt or something inside the lens which is why I cleaned.

I then fitted X2 brand new D2S bulbs and had two perfect beam patterns, although there is still some haziness visible on the lens itself.

My advice would be get it as best as possible, show you've made an effort to sort it and find a friendly MoT tester.

Usually as long as there's even a faint kick to the pattern and it's not just a shapeless blob then it's ok.

Then get your daylight runners turned off so they don't melt through again.

[jnmonaghan]

Ive have never had these problems with the Xenon glass headlights- D2R Phillips bulbs which I replaced 5 or more years ago.- DRL are on.
Just wanted to say that Skandix.de supply replacement glass

Jude

[MisterGee19]

Originally Posted by chunky2778

Hi there, mine are plastic lenses and were tarnished on the inside.

In the end I had to buy a replacement NSF headlamp off eBay for £100 but I rescued the OSF, I polished the outside best as possible with WD40 and fine polish, and cleaned out the inside by stripping the electrics and filling with warm soapy water, swilling it around and using a pipe cleaner.

Obviously then allow to dry thoroughly and rebuild.

It seemed that there was a film of dirt or something inside the lens which is why I cleaned.

I then fitted X2 brand new D2S bulbs and had two perfect beam patterns, although there is still some haziness visible on the lens itself.

My advice would be get it as best as possible, show you've made an effort to sort it and find a friendly MoT tester.

Usually as long as there's even a faint kick to the pattern and it's not just a shapeless blob then it's ok.

Then get your daylight runners turned off so they don't melt through again.

Cheers for the update... ill give the exteriors a polish and see how i get on first.. if that fails ill try cleaning the insides.. the daylight running lights have been off for 18mo, and tbh ive probably in total done less than an hour driving with the lights on in the last year so it cant have got any worse.

[MisterGee19]

So I’ve spent part of today polishing up the lights exterior.
They are much better but still have the haze from the issues inside.

Checking the beam pattern against my fence show that the image with the “kick” to the left is visible which I think is what the MOT tester is after.

The full-beam halogens at 2m seem brighter than the xenon’s, so might end up replacing the bulbs..