Detailing

[AlanS]

It's summer in NY...Have to get a layer of protection on my car. What do you all recommend? Wax, these new nano-ceramic sealants? Also...headlight lenses are cloudy..any luck with these 'refinishers' for the lenses? Are the lenses replaceable?

[perkinscl]

I usually use Klasse Polish and Sealant (it needs it now). My biggest reason for procrastinating is the time taping off all of the black plastic. I've wondered about the nano sealants too, I was just reading about them yesterday.

I used a headlight lens kit a few years ago and it worked well (especially on our Toyota van). It takes some time, I think it took me about an hour per light. My XC70 is starting to get a bit cloudy now, I just bought the Sylvania kit but haven't used it yet.

[pbierre]

I tried the Sylvania headlight polish kit. The polish only lasts about 4-6 months. Good for selling vehicle, but not long-term solution.

The front plastic lens is an integral part of the headlamp housing assy. To buy a new Volvo part costs ~$350 (per side).
I had one replaced after a fender bender, and my insurance company bought a cheap Taiwanese knockoff... the optics
were poor, and the beam shape suffered greatly (low beam). I rejected it on safety grounds, and made 'em buy a Volvo headlamp assy.
Good beam shape results.

[daver1100rt]

Not following you here- my 03 XC70 has glass lenses, not plastic...

[AKAMick]

Later models had plastic lenses, 06 on.

[Rabid Koala]

I watched a whole bunch of YouTube videos on the subject and used a combined approach. I used Windex and 0000 steel wool to clean the dead acrylic off the lenses, then followed by clear acrylic coating from a rattle can. I'm about a year out now and the lenses still look decent. I figure they are good for another year and I will repeat the process, sooner if I find some other reason to remove the front bumper.