The plastic lens on my 99 Concorde has taken on a rough surface, almost like it was sandblasted. The replacement cost for this part is over $300! Has anyone encountered this problem and if so, what did you use to smooth out the surface? I'm thinking of something like the Maguire body scrub. Thanks for any help.
If it's *pitted*, then it has indeed been sandblasted, by road grit. If it's *frosted* with a cloudy white-to-yellow opaque film, that's the anti-UV/anti-scratch hardcoat deteriorating. You can polish it a couple times with TR3 Blue Label car polish or even toothpaste, but each time it'll frost faster and worse afterwards.
If you need to, Pick up a good used one from a state with less hostile roads.
DS
Life is not like a box of chocolates it's more like a jar of jalapenos- what you do today could burn your ass tomorrow!
Many people have tried polishing them out (including yours truly who also owns a '99 Concorde). Some claim to have been successful, but it's a lot of work, and the results aren't usually long-lived - usually involves progressively finer grades of sand paper and some form of chrome polish or wax that fills the remaining scratches and has to be repeated periodically to keep anything even close to a clear appearance). One of mine was replaced by the insurance co. due to an accident, so I'm good on that one (would not suggest having an accident to have it replaced) 8^) .
I'm saving money for my other one now. I also have Ston-Gards sitting on the shelf ready to put on when I get it - hopefully they will block the damaging UV light and slow down the hazing process so they last as long as the car.
Some on-line dealers have the headlight for under $300 (take a look at
Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")
Wow - that is a (relatively) good price! Only *one* question: Are they true OEM re-packaged OEM, *or* are they off-shore cheaply-made knock-offs? If they are OEM, that is a good find and I'm ready to buy now.
Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")
ALL of these "carlightswholesale.com" type sites -- and there are many -- sell Taiwanese-made knockoff lamps. Some of 'em are half decent. Some of 'em aren't any worse than the OE. Some of 'em are garbage. D'you feel lucky?
DS
Gotcha! Thanks for the heads up.
Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")
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