Cleaning tail light lens

Hello,

I'm new to this forum. Is there a way to clean the rear transparent tail light lens cover? It's kind of dull looking. I would think some kind of plastic cleaner would work. Any help is appreciated.

Joe

Welcome to the group. Search for posts about tail lights. Lots o' info on the topic.

Shell Oil makes a cleaner especially for aircraft canopys. I bought a bottle on line a few years ago and have used it regularly. Somewhere in the topics on this forum, there is a post that gives the name and website address.

Stuff is called Flight Jacket Plexicoat, made by AeroShell, works great.

But, since you're new and it hasn't been mentioned before: This is build up on the outside of the lens and not the inside in most cases. Temporarily, you'd be amazed at what a high quality car wax will do for it.

As they say:

Wax on

Wax off

If you can't wait to order online, or don't often visit airports, Meguiar's Plastix works pretty well. Thing is it gets dull again after a couple weeks, but I don't think this can be avoided. Try not putting it over the chrome BUICK letters, for it'll make them dull.

Thanks guys for the quick responses, I appreciate the help. I just bought the car today and noticed it rides kind of rough and has a rattle when going over bumps. The noise seems to stop when the brakes are applied. The car looks really nice and has 110K on it so the struts are probably original. I'll have to take a look at it maybe tomorrow.

Joe

If it's a little "clink" coming from the rear, it would be the infamous rear brake rattle. It's very hard to cure, though otherwise harmless.

I like Monroe Sensa Tracs if you're more performance-oriented

Thanks for the information. You're probably right, it seems to go away when the brakes are applied. Do these cars ride pretty decent? Mine seems to ride kind of rough, would changing the struts help? They're probably original.

Take Care,

Joe

Many factors affect ride. New struts wll help control bouncing and cornering. They won't help if you have bad suspension/steering components: Ball joints, control arm bushings, cradle bushings, motor mounts, stabilizer bar bushings and links, tie rod ends. Brake problem is very common with a variety of solutions. Most common is to turn the radio up. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

McGuires Polish #2 will clean the rear lens. Takes less than 30 seconds to apply and remove. You'll be truly amazed at how easy it is to do.

The rear rattle is (as mentioned above) the very infamous rear brake rattle. Lived with mine for nearly 12 years and a couple of brake jobs. The last brake job actually fixed it and it never came back in over 3 years of daily driving. It can be fixed, just difficult for most to actually do it. Wish I could tell you exactly what was different on the last brake job. I know I replaced rotors, pads and retaining clips.

Regarding the suspension, 110,000 miles is not that many to me. When I sold mine with 129,000 miles (original owner)- I had not replaced any shocks, struts, link arms, etc. Rode excellant - nice and comfy, like a Buick should.

Welcome! You have found the very best place to get, and the very best advice on the care and enjoyment of your "new" Reatta. I've owned mine since 1998 and I've found the ride to be rather comfortable. In point of fact, one of the reasons I like the Reatta is it's general comfort/space for a two seater car. With that said, you did not mention what sort of car you are used to driving. The Reatta, being a short wheelbased car, is not going to ride on par with say a full sized sedan. It is possible that the front and rear struts need to be replaced. Don't forgot to check the condition of the bushings and links as well. When worn, they can contribute to a poor ride. Another area to look at, are the tires. They alone have a huge effect on the ride. As F14 has pointed out, the rear brake noise is there on just about every Reatta. As I recall, it's something to do with the fact that the exact rear pads, are no longer stocked, and the replacements don't have a spring in them. The lack of tension causes the rattle. Like another post mentioned, keep the windows up, radio on, A/C on, and you won't notice it. I too had the cloudy rear lens on purchase. When I first got my car (before I knew about this forum), I took terry cloth with toothpaste, yes toothpaste, and rubbed the lens very hard. Then went back with wax. They looked brand new. However, I do have to rewax every few months to keep them looking nice. There is so much information here, when you have some time, practice with the search feature. Many of your questions may have already been answered. Anyway, welcome to the wonderful world of Reattas. I'm sure you'll enjoy your new world.

Thanks again for all the great information. You all seem like a nice group of people. I'm sure I'll be posting again soon, but I'll check the archives first.

Joe

White 90 Reatta,110K