What does AIO Do?

K

kompressornsc

New member
This is in no way meant to start a war, I'm just curious...



I had read a lot about using AIO as a prep for Z. One of the professionals on here was kind enough to give me a sample of it to try.



Saturday, I QEW'd, then applied the AIO with a PC & a black LC pad. I wasn't sure exactly what it was supposed to do?:confused: It won't remove swirls, left the paint looking very flat, didn't smooth the finish as much as clay, and it had zero depth. I appiled another coat on Sunday, and although it left a nice soft feel to the paint, the 'qualities' that we all look for were still lacking. I know it's not supposed to be an LSP, but I was expecting it to do something.



So then I went to my Z. Two coats of Z5+ZFX. The pop/shine/wow came back, but no more so than if I had just started with with a Z7 wash.



Did the AIO do something I'm missing? Not understanding? I just honestly don't feel that it 'added' anything (but time) to what I did. Maybe someone can explain what it did for me? :)
 
I usually have good visual results with AIO. ALL-IN-ONE is supposed to have a little of three steps in there. First is a slight cleanser, second is a slight polish, and third is a slight potectant (acrylic). AIO is considered a good prep step since AIO will clean any oils from the paint then the Zaino or any other sealant can properly bond. AIO wont achieve much visual results as a LSP (wax or sealant would).
 
Oops kinda repeated what Olorin just said. But anyway AIO is something I always use before LSP. I Once tried AIO and didnt use any other LSP, and got maybe 2-3 weeks or less of beading. I use it mainly for "cleaning" of the paint....it wont remove swirls and its not strong enough to protect the paint for a significant amount of time.
 
Thanks for the responses. I guess it was just cleaning stuff I couldn't see. I can see where it really made a difference on an oxidized vehicle in the link, and maybe that was the difference... I was going from a car with fairly fresh Z, to just AIO, and back to Z, on a 2 year old car. I did like the look of it on the plexiglass real panel & the lights-gave a nice crispness.



Oh-and on Sunday, I did step up to a white LC pad just out of curiosity.



I don't have anything against AIO, but I'm just not sold on adding it into my reprotoire as of yet.
 
kompressornsc said:
I'm just not sold on adding it into my reprotoire as of yet.
Click to expand...



I am! Interesting how we have such different experiences with it.



I really love AIO and I see a huge difference in before & after.Plus it is so easy to use and you can buff the WHOLE car with it. Very user friendly. For Xmas I want the 3 liter size ($85.00)



You may also want to do AIO x 2? x 3? and see if that helps.
 
Ive had great results by using AIO by hand. Working on it till there is no more hazing or AIO left. Sort of like spit shining, since you also use some water or qd in the process.
 
aio provides best results if used by a white(polishing) pad @ 5-6 rpms on the pc. in my opinion it does add a difference, and does make the car look better visually. but also, your car maybe new, or in good condition already in which the results would be minimal.. varies for everyone. but from what i know, aio can be used as a lsp b/c it has some sealant in it (small amount), which is why it is one of the best preps for sealing.
 
my car is brand new almost and is in perfect condition and i used aio for the first time today and i was so impressed with how smooth it made the paint feel. i kept rubbing it over and over in amazement. actually it also gave it a good shine too...i am going to put a layer of sg over it now.
 
The first time I used AIO by hand I was :shocked. I have never used another product that has given me these results by hand and as a one-step! This product is amazing! It started to rain, so I went inside and turned on the tube, A few hours later I decided to snap these shots.



The car is a 94 and this was done shortly after I bought it about 2-3 years ago.





7893klasse_aio-med.jpg


7893aio-02-med.jpg




At this time I was only using what was available at local stores. Since becoming an autopian, I have tried a few products and AIO is still a favorite of mine, the PC is also. :D



EDIT:I just posted this in another post, and thought it would also work here.



IMO AIO Cleans like a beast, is a very gentle polish, and adds some protection.
 
kompressornsc,



That's been my experience with AIO as well. The magic only happened after I put the SG on. Then it was a case of "wow".



AIO is supposed to have some sealant in it, as it is an all-in-one product. I'm sure it does. But it doesn't seem to have very much.
 
I think AIO is a great product for the general consumer who wants a quick one-step product.



I have trouble finding a good place for AIO in a paint-care plan that begins with removing swirls, waterspots, light scratches, etc., and ends with an LSP other than AIO itself. By the time I've polished out these blemishes, my paint is ready for my non-AIO LSP. The polish has done AIO's job already. I need only remember to use a finishing polish without fillers/waxes for some LSPs.



My path from neglected paint to Klasse SG using polish with fillers:



Clay-1zUP-1zPP-Sonus Paintwork Cleanser(no fillers)-SG



AIO could be substituted for the SPC; but I think the gentle abrasives in SPC give me a better shine in the end. AIO may make the SG easier to apply/remove however. I read that somewhere.



Using pure polishes:



Clay, heavy abrasive, medium abrasive, fine abrasive, SG



AIO as a base for SG? Why? For the added protection? I can layer SG as much as I want. Meanwhile, the would-be AIO stage is actually improving my finish with very fine abrasives. I love Sonus Paintwork Cleanser.



Mikeman out.
 
mikeman I agree with everything you said about AIO, I'm a beginer at detailing, and AIO has given me the best results as a one step product.



I also agree if your polish is agressive enough there is no need to AIO. Most of the time if I clay, polish, finer polish, I will not use AIO, unless I'm planning on using SG.
 
Cheapshot,



I'm saying you can go straight from the fine polish to SG. No AIO is necessary if the fine polish is a pure polish (no fillers). SG does not require AIO as a base. It even says so on the back of the bottle. SG only requires clean paint. Any polish without fillers will do this job.



Mikeman out.
 
Do you find any benifits from not using AIO under SG? I've never tried it. But then again most of my final polishes contain fillers. I'm looking into some 3M MG and some SSR'S.
 
I think Sonus Paintwork Cleanser followed by a few layers of SG looks better than AIO followed by a few layers of SG. This plan: 1zPP - SPC - SG x 3 looks better (IMO) than 1zPP - AIO - SG x 3. I could throw in a fine polishing step (SPC) before the AIO; but that IS another step, an unnecessary one IMO.



Mikeman out.
 
Milkman, I understand what your saying and have to give it a shot someday. Basically getting the finish as clean and reflective as you could (more than what AIO would leave you with) and then layer SG. I assume this product (SPC) couldn't contain any oils or fillers correct? Mostly cleaner and gloss enhancers?
 
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