Hello,

I have for a couple of years read on the BB about tips on headlights to remove scratches and the dull finish. Inga my trusty 21 Year old 86 245DL with the big plastic headlights are in really good shape. However the wifey mobile has had issues for some time with badly scratched lens. Now for you true hard core Volvo guys this is going to be sacrilege, but it is a 2000 Ford Taurus SEL 145K. Please do not excommunicate me for owning this car. It actually has been a really one and without this BB Inga would be in a Parts yard now.

At the local Eurohouse (BAP Geon)on Monday picking up a new ScamTech flametrap kit (three dealers in Houston were out?) to replace the one year old Scamtech that just split in half. Went looking at polish again, have so far tried toothpaste, mild cleaning compounds, and a couple of polishes with zero luck. Everything but putting the entrails of a goat on the hood at moon rise. Even tried spraying clear coat paint on one headlight, very bad idea.

The guy behind the counter said they have this great new product that really works. Handed me a $12 box from a company called CCP part number POL-100. called Optical Polish. Had a pad holder you put in a drill and six stick on foam pads with a white powder embedded in the foam. You spray the pad once with water and use a back and forth motion on the headlight surface. The instructions tell you to keep the surface wet and do not over heat the pad. It did throw white stuff all over the front of the car, but the first lens (untouched unlike the other side) came back to a factory shine in three or four minutes, says five on the box. The other side lens is where all the past attempts with polishing, waxing and painting were done. The first attempt did not work because of the clear coat paint. Took 320 and then followed up 1800 grit sand paper and wet sanded the lens down to a total scratched clouded but paint free surface. It was going to be success or new lens. Stuck on the next pad and got after it, and gosh darn it it polished out to a finish as good as the other side. Took a freshly charged 18 volt battery to do the entire lens and I went at it for like 15 min. But it is now clear and smooth.

Now the metal polish mentioned in one of the many postings also has merit! A non abrasive metal polish applied to the lens brings up a shine after the cleaning. Got that tip from a neighbor who runs a detail shop. He looked at the results and gave it a thumbs up, then brought this AL wheel polish over and that made them even more clear. He is thinking about offering this a extra service at his shop and grabbed my box to find out how to order it. I may ask for royalties or maybe a free wash.

Now these lens were not yellowed, but scratched so badly you almost could not see down the road. Silver Stars did not help much because of the scratches, but after the polishing they do. Now my $35 for new bulbs is not wasted.

If you have dull scratched lens on your 240 and you can find a box, might be worth trying.

Regards,

PT