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scratched radio display

3K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  Roboto 
#1 ·
Anybody have any luck buffing out scratches from the +'05 radio display? It seems like a very delicate plastic. My car was preowned and had a couple of tolerable light scratches but I just realized that the power cord from my dash mounted nav system has been rubbing up against the display and now there are dull spots wherever there was contact with the display. Looks horrible and ages the interior. Anybody BTDT?
 
#5 ·
I use a product called Novus Plastic Scratch Remover. Its a 3 part system that consists of 2 pastes, Heavy scratch remover, plastic polish and a final spray cleaner/ protectant... I originally bought it for the plastic windows on my Jeep wrangler but found it works excellent on polycarbonate headlight lenses, taillights, etc... and scratched gauge lenses. I would give this product a shot. As mentioned above I would do a test on a piece of acrylic (which can be purchased at Home Depot in the window isle for cheap) or say the face of an old digital alarm clock first. I wouldn't imagine you'd need to use the heavy scratch remover and could probably get away with the polish and spray.
 
#6 ·
Roboto said:
I use a product called Novus Plastic Scratch Remover. Its a 3 part system that consists of 2 pastes, Heavy scratch remover, plastic polish and a final spray cleaner/ protectant... I originally bought it for the plastic windows on my Jeep wrangler but found it works excellent on polycarbonate headlight lenses, taillights, etc... and scratched gauge lenses. I would give this product a shot. As mentioned above I would do a test on a piece of acrylic (which can be purchased at Home Depot in the window isle for cheap) or say the face of an old digital alarm clock first. I wouldn't imagine you'd need to use the heavy scratch remover and could probably get away with the polish and spray.
Be very careful polishing polycarb headlight lenses. Most European polycarb lenses have a thin UV absorbing coating applied to the outer surfaces to keep the lens from developing the microscopic cracks and yellowing so common on a lot of domestic cars that are parked outdoors, with Ford products being the most commonly seen with that form of plastic rot. Automotive waxes and polishers with aeromatic solvents and light abrasives are also bad for the same reasons because it doesn't take much to polish trough the protective coating. The alcohol in Windex will in time also damage polycarb. These lenses should only be cleaned with "window or glass cleaners" approved for use on aircraft transparencies.

Oh, and I have heard from the MB dealer in Pleasanton, CA that Steve at MBENZNL may be able to supply replacement radio lens covers and or headlight lenses from Europe. I asked Steve about that around a year ago and he said he could not get those parts, so I don't know if the service advisor was full of poop or if the status of what parts are available through Steve has changed.
 
#8 ·
n5160u said:
Be very careful polishing polycarb headlight lenses. Most European polycarb lenses have a thin UV absorbing coating applied to the outer surfaces to keep the lens from developing the microscopic cracks and yellowing so common on a lot of domestic cars that are parked outdoors, with Ford products being the most commonly seen with that form of plastic rot. Automotive waxes and polishers with aeromatic solvents and light abrasives are also bad for the same reasons because it doesn't take much to polish trough the protective coating. The alcohol in Windex will in time also damage polycarb. These lenses should only be cleaned with "window or glass cleaners" approved for use on aircraft transparencies.

Oh, and I have heard from the MB dealer in Pleasanton, CA that Steve at MBENZNL may be able to supply replacement radio lens covers and or headlight lenses from Europe. I asked Steve about that around a year ago and he said he could not get those parts, so I don't know if the service advisor was full of poop or if the status of what parts are available through Steve has changed.


I have noticed the horrible yellowing on mid-late 90's Ford products especially the Taurus and Intrique/Contour... I had no idea:eek: Thanks for the quick education, hopefully I didn't do too much damage allready...
 
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