So we bought the "new" Metro 'cause the old one wouldn't run no matter how much time and money we threw at it. Unfortunately, the lady that owned it had it parked in her driveway under a birch tree and that tree just kept dropping more and more sap on the car. We tried washing it off with soap and water, brake clean, pinesol, and a whole bunch of other stuff. What finally worked the best was a product called "Goo Off" (real original). The nasty part was when we were done, the paint looked like hell. So, off to the store for some cut polish and wax. Of course, the paint looks better, but it still needs a paint job, but the point to this story is that, while I was doing the paint, the voices in my wife's head told me to try it on the headlights. I tried it down low in the corner, and you know what? Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound cleaned those lenses great. It took a while and some pretty intense rubbing, but it polished them up real nice. There was still a little cloudiness left in the lens and I figured what the hell and put on a coat of Turtle Wax. Brand new look!
I'm guessing the abrasives in the compound are finer than the ones in those headlight restoration kits and the wax takes care of what they leave behind. I have no idea how long this will last, but if I have to wax my headlight two, three, or four times a year, oh well. On the other hand, I may go out tomorrow morning and find two puddles of plastic on the ground...
Wax on......Wax off.....