so im trying to restore headlamps on 99 accord, they are plastic

-first i will wetsand up to 2000 grit
-but what product of polish should i use to buff with?
-finally what product to seal everything with. i have heard some type of uv sealant/protector so that the yellow/fog look does not come back?

 

tape off surrounding areas, or remove headlight from car. when you sand, sand in one direction to avoid any extra scratches. don't use any polish. when you are done, clean with water, then let dry(it will appear a bit cloudy when dry). after that use an automotive clear coat enamel(rattlecan) hold 6" away, and spray one thick coat. repeat on other side(should look clear now). the clearcoat is supposed to be a UV protector. i did this on my headlights.

i read on some other forums to use wax/buffing compound, but the lens will yellow in a month. after that, then you have to re-buff every month or so with plastic x to keep it from yellowing again. i wouldn't recommend this route, but wanted to give you something to compare with versus the clear coat method. besides, you can always apply wax over the clear coat for more UV protection.

good luck!

 

The clearcoat method is complete fail. The ******* I got my JDM DA lights from did this and I could not figure out why the light output was friggin horrible. They looked perfect. Then when you turned the lights on they were old and dim looking. Then one day I noticed the clearcoat was chipping off. And underneath you see how faded, foggy, and dull they were.

OP is better off just finding some glass aftermarket ones that he likes on Ebay.

 

Best bet for protecting headlights after polishing is to apply a clear headlight protector film. I ordered a pre-cut set of clear film for my 98+ Integra headlights from www.stickercity.com and 4 years later they haven't yellowed one bit.