Hi all, back in an X5 after 18 months and 9 other cars in between **PIC HEAVY**

[touring_style]

Great results and clever idea with the orange bulbs.

After the 2000 grit what sort of polish do you use on the headlights to bring them up like new?

I used 1000 grit followed by 3000 then some Meguires Plastex polish but I fell the results could have been better, I'd be interested to know what you used.

[dpbayly]

If you started with 1000 you would have needed to work so hard to break through the bad deteriorated coating to get back to the clean plastic that's why I start with 600, also you don't want a too big a jump between grades as it makes your work harder to rid the deeper scratch marks left from the grade before.

The compound I use is Fareclac G3:

http://www.farecla.com/automotive/compo ... d-compound

[touring_style]

Nice one, I'll have another go at them I think.

The results weren't too bad but they cold be better.

Did you seal the plastic afterwards or leave it exposed - I've heard arguments for both, personally I left mine with a view to applying more Meguires Plastex every couple of months.

[dpbayly]

I've seen people carry out lens restore jobs but they don't fully break through to clean plastic and within months they start to go bad again but I've been restoring headlights my way for probably 10 years and I've never had to re do any and that's simply flatted then compounded and then left with no other products used.

[touring_style]

I like the sound of that.

One question; How come you flatten them by hand - why don't you use your machine polisher and some Velcro sanding discs?

[dpbayly]

More control by hand,

It only takes about 4-5 mins of wet flatting, longest spent with the 600 grit so it's really of no gain to do it by machine as it's quick and easy anyway.

[dpbayly]

If you start with a too finer grade paper then it would take a lot longer to get the same results

[touring_style]

Cheers. Good advice.

[mizen296]

You silver x5 where did you get them headlights and body kit from ?

Cheers Gavin

[iff26]

Replace tail pipes for stainless steel rectangle ones,looks even better 

[dpbayly]

[quote="mizen296"]
You silver x5 where did you get them headlights and body kit from ?

Cheers Gavin
[/quote]

The headlights are same as what I've just done to my new X5 and that is take the stock X5 Xenon lights split them open then paint the orange reflector black and fit the SMD LED rings.

As for the kit it was a genuine X5 IS front spoiler and the rear I just masked off the lower part of the bumper and painted it body colour.

[dpbayly]

[quote="iff26"]
Replace tail pipes for stainless steel rectangle ones,looks even better 
[/quote]

Already on my too do list,

I'm going for the same ones as I fitted to the last one.

I have already started the exhaust modification yesterday, I popped into work and did the same as I did to the last X5 and that was to open up the back boxes and remove the glass fibre baffling and a little modifying of the internal pipework to free up the V8 noise but at the same time not make it un-driveable.

Before opening up:



Opened up:

[storminmike]

Please tell us more about your headlight refurb....was it sanding all the way or were other tools or chemicals (polishes) involved?

edit...sorry missed the posts above

The last step....polish...is this a machine only task?

[dpbayly]

[quote="storminmike"]
Please tell us more about your headlight refurb....was it sanding all the way or were other tools or chemicals (polishes) involved?

edit...sorry missed the posts above

The last step....polish...is this a machine only task?
[/quote]

No it can be achieved by hand it just takes longer, polishing each light with the machine polisher takes about 3 mins but by hand I'd expect it to take 15-20 mins to achieve the same finish.

So it is achievable just more elbow grease.

[storminmike]

[quote="dpbayly"]
[quote="storminmike"]
Please tell us more about your headlight refurb....was it sanding all the way or were other tools or chemicals (polishes) involved?

edit...sorry missed the posts above

The last step....polish...is this a machine only task?
[/quote]

No it can be achieved by hand it just takes longer, polishing each light with the machine polisher takes about 3 mins but by hand I'd expect it to take 15-20 mins to achieve the same finish.

So it is achievable just more elbow grease.
[/quote]

Thanks for that. I might try this technique out on the what is now spare rear boot tail light. I did experiment with light wet/dry sanding then laquering. The results looked.....shiny but there was some distortion and the laquer gave me the impression that it could be worse very quickly as it didn't seem a very repellent hard surface. Maybe becuase it was a rattle can laquer.

Anyway I might give it a go if I can find some of this G3 stuff you used for a reasonable price

What steps in grit do you recommend?