Trying out McKee's 37 Headlight Coating

[paulsiu]

I purchased this from Autogeek some months ago, but finally got some time to use it. The headlight is yellow and hazy after 9 years in the sun. I was able to remove the haze using a cleaner wax. Now I need to protect it, so I apply the coating. Thee coating is supposedly good for 3 years, but I am doubtful it will last that long. What have your experience been with the product and how often you need to reapply.

I would like to post some pictures, but it won't let me upload the picture.

Paul

[acuRAS82]

I purchased this from Autogeek some months ago, but finally got some time to use it. The headlight is yellow and hazy after 9 years in the sun. I was able to remove the haze using a cleaner wax. Now I need to protect it, so I apply the coating. Thee coating is supposedly good for 3 years, but I am doubtful it will last that long. What have your experience been with the product and how often you need to reapply.

I would like to post some pictures, but it won't let me upload the picture.

Paul
For hazy, yellow headlights, my experience has been 6 months before I notice the haze coming back.

For newer headlights , I’ve used maybe once a year and they continue to look new. How much of that is coating versus natural clear coat or whatever (can’t remember the term) is on there, I don’t know. One of those cars is a 2016, protected since early 2018. Another is a 2015, protected since mid-2019.

I understand that once the original layer is gone, haze and yellowing is inevitable fairly soon unless it gets “painted” again. But the coating seems to make my Acura go from 2-3 months to 6 months before noticing.

[acuRAS82]

And use it on friends and family’s cars. Apply 2 coats to your own... the bottle holds a lot and mine has turned a little gummy after 2 years.

[Bruno Soares]

If you used a cleaner wax to brighten up the headlights and then coated you’ll definitely see less than 3 years. Can’t apply a coating over a wax/sealant, it doesn’t bond as well.

[paulsiu]

If you used a cleaner wax to brighten up the headlights and then coated you’ll definitely see less than 3 years. Can’t apply a coating over a wax/sealant, it doesn’t bond as well.

Maybe I could use an APC to clean off the lens and try again. I had originally tried to just keep waxing the lens, but I don't think car wax have sufficient uv blockers.

paul

[Bruno Soares]

Maybe I could use an APC to clean off the lens and try again. I had originally tried to just keep waxing the lens, but I don't think car wax have sufficient uv blockers.

paul

Correct, a wax won't last long at all in that situation. The coating is good, maybe when it's starting to fail you can polish your headlights again, this time with regular polish instead of a cleaner wax, then clean with IPA or panel prep, then finally coat them again. For now see how long it will last as is.

[acuRAS82]

If you used a cleaner wax to brighten up the headlights and then coated you’ll definitely see less than 3 years. Can’t apply a coating over a wax/sealant, it doesn’t bond as well.

Good catch! I didn’t notice the “wax” was used.