# UV clear-coat for headlight lenses **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 15, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uv-clear-coat-for-headlight-lenses/68653 "2011-10-15T15:15:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Harri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ea924/32.png) [@Harri](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Harri)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uv-clear-coat-for-headlight-lenses/68653/1 "2011-10-15T15:15:42Z")
Having sanded, buffed and polished my 2001 VW Jetta’s yellowed/dulled plastic headlight lenses twice in the past 18 months, I was wondering if there is a ‘UV clear-coat’ product that should be applied to extend the surface life of the lenses? I have read that there are some UV clear-coat products that need to be cured with a UV light; that would be too much of an expense. The 3M lens kit worked very well but it did not instruct the used of a finish coat. ---
**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uv-clear-coat-for-headlight-lenses/68653/2 "2011-10-15T17:02:15Z")
You can buy after market headlights on ebay cheap. I just replaced my 99 Camry’s headlight lenses and they even came with new bulbs. ---
**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uv-clear-coat-for-headlight-lenses/68653/3 "2011-10-15T17:28:11Z")
I too have replaced my elderly headlights cheaply from eBay. New bulbs and all. Check into it. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uv-clear-coat-for-headlight-lenses/68653/4 "2011-10-15T17:48:50Z")
You should use a product such as Meguires Plastix on a regular basis to clean and polish lenses. Then they won’t yellow to begin with. It only takes a couple minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Harri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ea924/32.png) [@Harri](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Harri)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uv-clear-coat-for-headlight-lenses/68653/5 "2011-10-15T20:02:46Z")
Thanks for the input. Meguires Plastix is on my shopping list. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 10:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uv-clear-coat-for-headlight-lenses/68653/6 "2011-10-15T22:02:10Z")
One other option is to polish your headlights, then put on a protective film. I haven’t tried it, but is seems simpler than replacing them: > **[Headlight Protection Kits - XPEL](http://www.xpel.com/headlight-protection-kits)** > > With HID, LED and laser lamps, and ultra-clear polycarbonate and acrylic lenses, it’s easier than ever to see what’s in front of you on the road. But as clear and sleek as new composite headlights are, they’re also close to the road—and extremely... ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 11:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uv-clear-coat-for-headlight-lenses/68653/7 "2011-10-15T23:48:53Z")
I bought a headlight from eBay once - and it was so bad that I sent it back. The fit & basic design were right. But the quality of the reflector was so poor that they didn’t make anything of a beam, and certainly couldn’t be adjusted. The angle of the bulb socket was also off. Imagine just sticking a light bulb on the front of the car - it was sort of like that. The trouble with that is that you learn very little from feedback. Mostly what you get is “super fast shipping!!” - and stuff like that. Its really impossible to tell what you’re going to get in terms of quality. They might look the part, but flip a coin for performance. I find it to be sort of like buying shoes online. I gave up on that too. I do use and recommend Maguiars - and it is easy. Just rub them down & buff w/ every oil change or something like that.