Learn To Clear Coat Headlights in 5 Minutes!! Next Level Headlight Restoration Porsche Macan GTS
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- čas přidán 31. 07. 2023
- The products I used can be found on my Amazon store linked below.
www.amazon.com/shop/modernveh...
In this video I show a complete step by step process of headlight restoration using 2k clear coat! If you decide to attempt this please keep the following in mind. Wear a mask even if painting outdoors! 2k clear coat is toxic! Only attempt this job if the weather is dry and sunny. Too much moisture in the air and the clear coat will not cure properly. This method applies for all headlights on any kind of car. Hit the like and subscribe for more diy detailing like this! - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Just got my tlx done by this man and he does an excellent job. Highly recommend.
Thanks bro!
Amazing result 😍
Thank you!!
Cant wait to get ours done next week
Good job I been doing mobile detail for 7 years I did with the buffer but I think with the clear coat is the best way to I already did 7 cars the 3 first ones were like 70 I think right now I m doing like 80-90. Everything it’s practice but thanks for the video I learned a lot
You’re welcome! I’m glad I could help!
Lovely it looks.
Thank you!
Underrated Video my man ! The one and only proper way ;-)
Thank you bro I appreciate it!
Well done man. Didn't know you can make this hapend without polishing headlights. Thanks gona try it
Glad I could help bro!
@@modernvehiclecare Subscribed.
Thanks!
Wow. Great job!
Thanks!
Great video! Is there a reason you only do 1 heavy coat instead of 2?
Just did to my car works amazing. Thank you...
That’s awesome man! Glad it worked great!
How do you keep from wasting the clear once it’s activated? I know several jobs in a day would work but what if you only have 1 job that day?
I'm from europe and i can only find Spray max 2k clear coat but it doesnt say aerosol or that it is made to clear headlights, it just shows that it is a clearcaot for paint, can i still buy that and use that on my headlights?
How do you know when factory layer is off? From your experience do the cayennes also need to be sanded with 220?
You will know because the factory coating will still be on the edges of the headlight until you eventually get all of it lol and I have started some cayennes with 400-600 but 220 may be needed if those are not that effective.
I AM a fan i'm Argentina. I do detailing like You. I would like yo know what product is that You use to seal The optics cars!
Is this a lacquer in spray?
Thanks for the support bro! The link to all the products I use is in the description of this video and the about section of my channel
I tried this but I got the orange peel texture. Do you think I can buff it with a buffing pad?
Wet sand with 2000,3000,5000 and polish to remove the orange peel
What exactly is spraying. What should we say when buying.
Thank you . For video.
I put a link for all the items I used in the description!
Nice video! Did you polish after or just left it like that & can you wax after it dries?
Thanks and no polishing required. You can wax them but it’s best to wait a month after clear coating
How much do you charge because i want to figure out how much to charge when i start my service? Also, what do you mean by test the cans spray pattern?
I have pricing on my website! I’m testing the cans performance before applying it to the headlight. You only get 1 shot to get it right and if the can is not spraying perfectly then the results will not be great
is it okay to use 91% isopropyl instead of the 71% i see you use in the videos?
Yes it is
Maybe we should start to use real glass again 🤣
Hey
I’ve been watching nearly every single video you’ve posted about this, and afterwards I’ve been trying it myself on several different headlights, but I just don’t understand how you get such a smooth finish. Every time I try to do it, I always get a slight “orange peel” finish. How do I improve this? I’ve followed your videos step by step and used only good sanding paper and 2K clear.. I have to polish the headlights afterwards to get rid of it.
Keep up the good work. Love watching all your videos👍🏽
Hey thanks for the support! Try warming the can up until it’s almost too hot to touch. This will increase the pressure of the can and the finish should improve by a lot. If you have already tried that then I would suggest spraying closer to the headlight. You should only be a few inches away from the headlight. The further away you spray, the more orange peel you will see. The last thing I can suggest is to try spraying in a warmer environment. Usually I see more orange peel in the colder months here in CT
@@modernvehiclecare Thanks for answering, I’ll try warming up the can real good next time I’m doing it. And should I spray close to the headlight even on the first coat or only on the heavy coat?
Have a good day:)
Bro your videos are awesome. The head light look like new out the box new.I was meaning to ask you about how long does the head lights usually last after you've cleaned them before the oxidation begins to reappear???
Anytime! And only on the heavy coat.
Thanks a lot bro, 3-6 years on average. If the car is garaged it’s closer to 6 years but if it’s parked outdoors it’s closer to 3
Can i make this in outdoor but tod ay is 2 celsius at the outside
No don’t try this indoors lol
Whats your time frame from start to finish? Looks incredible btw!
About 2 hrs, thanks!
good job But with regard to the 2k clear coat spray can, we cannot use it for a long period of time. Do you have a way to preserve it and use it for a longer time?
Thank you and unfortunately I don’t. Some people have tried storing in the fridge to extend it to a few days but I find that the can performs it’s best only within 12 hours of activating it. One can will do 2-3 pairs of headlights tho
Whynot meguaires headlight spray?
Whynot 3m plastic polish prior to clear?
A polished surface does not have enough texture for a Clear coat to adhere to so it will begin to peel off. Never exceed 1000 grit sand paper on a plastic headlight before applying any Clear Coat. The Meguiar's Headlight Clear coat is ok but doesn't hold up no where near as long as a 2K Clear.
Polished only headlight surfaces alone (no Clear coat) only last about 1.5 yrs. before they become dull and or yellowish again...
@@07wrxtr1 😂
Have you ever had an issue where the sanding marks are still visible under the new layer of clear? I just redid one of the lights for a second time and I’m still getting sanding marks visible in some areas. I did 800-1000 the first time. The second time was 600-1500. Still sanding marks in the same relative area. Third times the charm I’m hoping- but what can I do differently this time? Thanks
I would try 600 grit horizontally and then 800 vertically until you can’t see the 600 marks at all. Then go 1000 grit horizontally until you can no longer see the 800 marks. If you do this there is no way the sanding marks will show through. This is assuming you are using 3m wet or dry sandpaper, other brands have different criteria for measuring grits
You need to get a drill and 3” polishing pad and 3m plastic polish.
You polish them until they’re perfectly clear
Then: you take that can of 2k clear and you return it for a refund! Get out the can of meguaires headlight clear and use that. It’s a trillion times easier and more consistent and engineered for polycarbonate plastic.
@@07wrxtr1this guy commenting this shit on a lot of posts. I’ve done this and only last a few months
@@gabrielkelley441 My car sits in the sun 24-7... it can last much longer than a few months. The main thing is this: You HAVE to get away from "just" buying the "kits" online. Every single kit is missing ONE critical item to success.
The best "kit" I have seen so far is the 3m one - you can pair that with the green automotive tape, and plastic drop cover, along with meguaires clear coat.
Here's what I don't get: People will accept that a ceramic coat will last 24-48 months - yet - they cannot accept that a headlight coating is good for 1-3 years.
Why are the expectations for headlights "forever bro" but ceramic coatings = "Yeah good for three years, rad bro" ???
Cars that sit outside - are constant work. There are no shortcuts, time savers, one and done "lifetime" anything.
Problem is that people want to say they "love" their car - and they want it to look like it just rolled off the assembly line - while "just" running it through an automated car wash once a month....
Not gonna happen - Every single REALLY well kept car has a TON of effort put into it - or - it's sitting in a dust free garage and only out for car shows - or you are seeing it on a cloudy day...
Then - there are just people out there that don't look at their car paint as they walk around the car - it's like they don't "notice" anything until the paint headlights etc are completely fried - "THEN" magically - "NOW" they want to do something about it???
99.999999% of headlight and paint issues can be avoided if people just stopped being lazy - got up off their asses and washed their vehicles by hand, once per week, NO EXCEPTIONS!!!
Thats just my opinion - I grewup around classic cars with the older generation that was not afraid of spending a weekend a month cleaning them - waxing - you know - that thing everyone hates now called "effort"
@@07wrxtr1love the long comment 😂 I have used 3m and I currently use chemical guys so believe me I know. Besides just let others do what they feel is best. It’s easy bro
It has yo stay indoors.and dry for couple of hours in order to clear cure?
No it can dry outdoors. It’s 2k so it dries super fast but a full cure is 24 hrs
@@modernvehiclecare thanks sir. I had complains with 2k quality clears sprays because of cracking from stone chips. Because factory clears has something inside ( i don't know the term) that can make the headlight clear kind if flexible, and regular retail can clears cannot. What is your overall experience?
Can I heat up the rattle can with boyiling watter?
You can but a space heater works better in my opinion
What is the typical cure time? And is it best to leave the car outside to cure?
24 hour cure, inside is best but it should stay outside for the first 30 min of drying tim
I have been reading that 2K clear coat spray eventually cracks and creates spider veins all over the headlights. Have you experienced this with the cars you do?
The coating can only crack if its applied in an environment that’s too humid or if it’s applied too thick
Happend to me as well
It may have been a defective or expired can
How do you decide what grit sandpaper to start with?
You will know when starting sanding if the paper is effective enough at removing the factory coating. 220-600 will be the starting point for most cars. I would try 600 first and then 400 to see which is scratching the headlight more efficiently. If nothing is happening then you must start with 220. Use only 3m wet/dry sandpaper
@@modernvehiclecare Thank you!
Is there no added benefit of going to higher grits like 1500-2000? Does the 2k spray not bond well to the higher grit counts?
No added benefit unless using the polishing method. The 2k bonds best right after 800-1000 grit.
Keep sanding!!! Then use meguaires clear headlight spray NOT 2k clear!!
@07wrxtr1 the clear is vital for uv protection.
@@07wrxtr1 omg 🤣
Great video have you every tried the headlight specific 2K clear-coat?
Thanks, I have and the small cans are just not as reliable as regular 2k cans. The results may last a few months longer but the application is easier with the regular cans. It easier to get a glass like oem finish with the regular 2k cans.
Thank you letting me know I followed the same process you did in this Porsche for my Tacomas OEM LED headlights. The only difference was I used the spray max headlight 2k clear. Because I didn’t check your reply on time, if I would have known I would have purchased the original 2K clear. I ended up using the entire can on both headlights today but when it was finishing up I got some splatter and haziness on one of the headlights. Any suggestions on what grits to use to sand off the haziness. I have Sonax perfect finish and was planning to polish it out with my 3” polisher after I sand it down. Thank you for your help.
@diruelas you’re welcome and I’m glad you gave it a shot! I would lightly sand with 1500/3000 and then polish
@@modernvehiclecareThank you for your help I’m going to go pick some 1500 and 3000 grit tomorrow and then polish it out, hopefully that will give me the finish I am hoping for. Do you think I will have issues with cracking in the future since I used the entire little can? Humidity wasn’t high today mainly because I live in the desert. Temp was around 70 degrees when I started.
@@modernvehiclecareI ended up trying to use 1500 grit and I burnt through the clear so now I have to start all over again. I just ordered 2 cans of the original spray max 2K clear coat like you suggested. Hopefully I don’t F it up again because I have the headlights removed so I haven’t been able to use that vehicle.
Is there any substitute for the 2k? What about the Meguiars headlight coating spray? The 2k is not available near me
There is really no substitute unfortunately. Meguiars coating is like a gimmick lol it’s a temporary coating that starts to come off after a few car washes
@@modernvehiclecare okay I am going to order the 2k it may just take a while to come, I’m going to follow your video and give it a shot wish me luck
@@aedantracy5587 You got this bro!
@@modernvehiclecare thank you! Just picked up the sandpaper and tack cloth, did you use any polishing compound or ONLY the products you show in the video?
@aedantracy5587 only the ones in the video. Polishing is not needed
Awesome video. 2 questions what is tack cloath for and what kind of clear spray do you use?
can you add like a ceramic coating after this for added protection?
Yes just make sure the clear coat has cured completely
No. Ceramics are not engineered to bond to 2k clear let alone plastic polycarbonate.
You’ll lose clarity as well.
@@07wrxtr1Wrong. Factory automotive clear is 2k, if what you said was correct they wouldn’t ceramic coat vehicles.
@@07wrxtr1 😂
During the 10 minutes of the clearcoat drying outside, wouldn’t this allow for debris, bugs to stick onto the clearcoat?
It’s pretty rare honestly as 2k starts to lose tackiness very fast. The bugs have like a minute to land on it for them to get stuck lol especially if sprayed in hot/dry weather.
@@modernvehiclecare Thanks, that's great to know.
Can you use an orbital sander as well?
Yes but it’s way safer by hand in my opinion. The rubber trim around these Porsche headlights scratches very easily not to mention 220 grit on a machine can damage paint quickly as well. If the headlights are off the car then machine sanding should be fine
@@modernvehiclecare Great, thanks for the response
@@maximilianlindner anytime!
What type of spray are you using? Thanks!
@@escapez2433 2k clear coat
I see that you’re using a 220 grit at the beginning unlike your other videos, where you start with a 400 grit. Is that a step I can skip?
@@MSGtJimator for this Macan 400 just won’t be effective enough as a starting grit. It won’t remove the factory coating. It depends on what kind of headlights you have
@@modernvehiclecare I have bixenon headlights on my 2005 BMW E91
I did 400 sandpaper, then 600 sandpaper, then I put the spray on. There are small lines. I think I should add 1200 sandpaper and 2000 sandpaper.
600 is too rough for clear coat bro, you should have went to at least 800-1000 before clear coating
How long did it take?
About 2 hours
Is the 2k clear coat better than a good ceramic coating?
Clear coat will last longer so I would say it’s better
Thank you. Do you do any polishing after 600 grit?
@jerryguillaume6435 if using the polishing method I would polish after sanding with 600,800,1000,3000,5000
@@modernvehiclecare Awesome! Thank you for answering. 🫡
What state are you in?!
CT
You in ct bro?
Yes I am
How long did each headlight side take to sand?
About 20 min
@@modernvehiclecare geez I gotta quicken my sanding down lol
What made me faster was switching sand papers quicker, as soon as it’s not working as it should I switch to new paper immediately lol
@@modernvehiclecare ahhh good stuff! Where do you find your 3M papers? Ever try their blue paper?
Amazon or eBay, the 50 packs of 9x11 sheets are usually the best deals, never tried the blue ones lol
hey bro i have tried this twice with 2 different clear coats but everytime i get spiderweb cracks in it. why is this happening and how do i avoid it ?
Hey bro make sure the cans are not expired. Shake, activate, shake the can according to the instructions and remember that 2k clear should only be applied outdoors in dry sunny weather for best results
i assume i should always paint undercover not in direct sun right? maybe i am not letting it dry enough before applying a second coat. @@modernvehiclecare
@islayzakum303 direct sunlight is ideal honestly. I usually get the best finish on those kind of days. Just make sure the humidity is not too high.
Sanding marks are hard to remove from headlights (very light swirls), 2k clear coat makes it smooth and, well, clear.
No. You have to use a plastic polish and a 3” polishing pad on your drill. Essentially you’re buffing out the headlight to perfection THEN adding meguaires clear headlight spray as the final touch.
Throw the 2k clear in the trash can. Never use it on headlights
@@07wrxtr1 because u cant paint it doesnt mean its trash.polishing is even worst u do only 50% job.no uv protection nothing.even u apply some magical uv protection garbage it ll come off after the first car wash.also 2k clear coat last longer depends how u protect ur car against sunlight high pressure car wash and other things which can damage the coat.
@@dokesz530 Okay - welp - My car still looks new after several years of the same process and so do the other 2 cars I have used the same process on. My car is washed by hand no less than once per week - still the headlights look new - no issues. Again - I spend a minimum of an hour wet sanding, then another 15-20 minutes polishing - then clear coat... So it's not a rush job / "Cool story dude bro" effort. It's prettymuch a half day effort from start to finish.
2k clear on the plastic will harden and fracture the lights making them look like broken glass with the extreme heat during day and cool temp at night over time. plastic is flexible needs to be coated with something that can also flex on the headlight. Noone should spray clear paint on plastic.. bad idea. I messed up so many lights thinking it was ok. they looked great but then they were destroyed from spider cracks caused by 2k clear in extreme heat. DONT use 2k clear with hardener in it. the hardener will be the cause of a dedtroyed light
It’s just clear coat man 😆 the issues arise when people don’t know how to apply it. When it fails you can just redo it again. I have done it many times over the past 10 years. It’s literally and physically impossible for clear coat to “destroy” a headlight lens. I give a lifetime warranty with the service lol but on the other hand if you leave headlights without a strong layer of uv protection, the sun and rock chips will actually destroy them lol
@modernvehiclecare sorry don't mean destroy meant the clear fails quickly due to drastic heat change. it's the hardener in the clear it can't expand or contract so it splits. yeah I've restored way over 100 headlights so it's not like I'm doing it wrong. it looks brand new when I'm done but in the next few months tiny little fractures in the coating appear. I've had it looked at by chemists and mfgs and they all say it's the hardener in the clear coat it's too hard. it needs to be able to adjust expand with temp variations but it's not so it relieves pressie by splitting. just saying. if and when it happens. know that's the reason 👍
I want to get you and the other guy on CZcams together for a cage match 🤣🤣🤣
He uses the meguaires and says he has no issues…
My car still looks fine a year later and it bakes outside in the utah sun as well as my girls bmw
We just really need to settle the whole 2k vs meguaires thing because if you look on youtube there’s 2 camps…
One says the 2k provides longterm damage to the polycarbonate lens so they use megs or chemical guys
The other goes with the 2k….
The other guys are just trying to promote random products man 😂 that cheap meguiars coating is rated good for 1 year 💀 you would be better off using a random 1k clear coat from Home Depot for $6
Why 2k of 24k?
Not sure what you mean lol
@@modernvehiclecare i apologize for any confusion I thought there were 24 and 2k clear coats and which one you preferred, but after looking online there is only 2k lol
Nice way to ruin them after they go yellow again .clear will peel off and hard to take off ..sanding and buffing with 3m is far more effective and harmless to future cleaning
All coatings on top of plastic will eventually fail just like the factory coating. I give a lifetime warranty with the service. Thousands restored since 2015
😅
Buy a jug of diamond clear for $200 it will last you 100 cars
That stuff should not be used for headlights man lol it’s like a generic ceramic coating that someone added some brown dye to 😆
It would be easier to just open the hood
It’s way easier to clean a hood than an engine bay lol
Imagine what the light beam looks like shining though all that haze, many issues with this method not thought about or mentioned by many.
Been doing this professionally for 11 years lol the light shines though perfectly
@@modernvehiclecare They look glossy and transparent but not that clear.
@@karkule5919 transparent but not clear 🤣
@@gabrielkelley441 Far from clear, and many think glossy and shiny means clear. Light beams will suffer at least 50 feet less distance than they should be, plus not clear and sharp at all.
@@karkule5919sounds good. But not from my experience
I mean... you could have just popped the hood
It’s a lot easier to clean a hood vs engine bay lol
That's a pretty long 5 minutes...