repeated! repeated! repeated! applications of Klasse AIO...any ill effects?

[Surfer8210]

my friends,



Got the black car. Paint on this thing is SO soft, if you breath on it, it`ll cause light swirls/microscopic scratches.



I`ve been getting into the habit of applying some AIO to the trouble areas after every wash (average once a month). The AIO takes away ALL of those minor imperfections and keeps the car shining!





So, my question, are there any negative effects caused by repeated applications of AIO? I only apply by hand, using a microfiber application pad. Specifically, will this shorten the durability/longevity of the paint? (I`ve heard that people can thin out their paint after one too many polishing sessions)



Thanks, just trying to put my mind at ease.

[togwt]

Quote: repeated! repeated! repeated! applications of Klasse AIO...any ill effects?



~One mans opinion / observation~



Klasse AIO is a polish but it uses a solvent as opposed to an abrasive so you r paint film surface should be safe. The colour pigmentation for black paint is carbon black (it’s relative ‘harness is just above talc)



Clear coat has a thickness of 2-3Mils; the top half of this layer contains UV radiation protection. Removing more that 0.3 mil (0.0003�) of clear coat will cause premature paint film failure. As a point of reference a sheet of copy paper is 3.5Mil (0.0035�) a surface scratch that will ‘catch’ your fingernail is approximately 0.004� deep.



You might want to check but some black paint is a single stage (i.e. no clear coat)



~ Hope this helps ~



Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/



justadumbarchitect * so i question everything*

[vapore0n]

how about 3M SMR? I did try to remove some swirls with is last week and I removed a lot but not all of them, so I may need to redo that process. I use a rotary with a terry applicator. Prob Ill get a PC this summer. I also do this type of heavy detail before winter. Just for reference, my car is a black WRX, paint is very delicate and gets scratched too easily.

[Gonzo]

Shant, AIO will remove everything under it down to the paint, including previous applications of AIO.

[Accumulator]

Subie black is clearcoated. It`s just a little softer than most of their other colors (never figured out why, it`s the CLEAR that we`re talking about :confused: ).



I`d remove the swirls with something like 3M PI-III MG (pn 09537) then use the AIO and then layer on a LOT of SG. I do that on *my* WRX, and although it`s not black, that process gives it a LOT of protection. I only have to polish once a year or so. You could also top the SG with a "heavy wax" like Meg`s #16 for an additional "sacrificial layer".



I`m not a big fan of 3M`s SMR. Too many fillers, which the AIO will remove, causing the swirls to "reappear".



Oh, if you wash it more often, you`ll probably lessen the marring. Getting the dirt off while its fresh keeps it from bonding to the surface of the paint, and doing it frequently means you`re removing less dirt. Both of those things will lessen the chance that you`ll do damage while washing. Use a high-lubricity shampoo and consider spraying your wash solution through your mitt with something like a shower-foam gun. I do this on my S8 and also on the XJS, which has *VERY* soft paint (old-school lacquer).

[vapore0n]

Hmm, ill consider that 3M PI-III and #16 for summer. Hope it works using a rotary buffer. I planned on doing a lot of coats of SG after I removed the swirls, but then came NXT so I had to try it. Its still winter here so washing my car everyother day isnt an option till summer. Ill try and refine my washing techniques. So far its been like wash as fast as I can before my hands get frozen. :rolleyes:






Originally posted by Accumulator

Subie black is clearcoated. It`s just a little softer than most of their other colors (never figured out why, it`s the CLEAR that we`re talking about :confused: ).



I`d remove the swirls with something like 3M PI-III MG (pn 09537) then use the AIO and then layer on a LOT of SG. I do that on *my* WRX, and although it`s not black, that process gives it a LOT of protection. I only have to polish once a year or so. You could also top the SG with a "heavy wax" like Meg`s #16 for an additional "sacrificial layer".



I`m not a big fan of 3M`s SMR. Too many fillers, which the AIO will remove, causing the swirls to "reappear".



Oh, if you wash it more often, you`ll probably lessen the marring. Getting the dirt off while its fresh keeps it from bonding to the surface of the paint, and doing it frequently means you`re removing less dirt. Both of those things will lessen the chance that you`ll do damage while washing. Use a high-lubricity shampoo and consider spraying your wash solution through your mitt with something like a shower-foam gun. I do this on my S8 and also on the XJS, which has *VERY* soft paint (old-school lacquer).

[Accumulator]

vapore0n- Yeah, the MG works with a rotary, but if your problems are so bad that you`re gonna use THAT on them, you might want to also consider the PI-III RC (pn 05933), it`s milder than it sounds.



Watch out for holograms ;)



Honestly, I`ve never needed the rotary on my WRX, and my paint is harder than yours.

[Surfer8210]

hey,



thanks for responses. You guys mentioned other techniques to remove swirls. Great advice.



However, I’ve been thinking that my Klasse applications would have been the least abrasive out of all these methods. As in, the method most “easy� on the paint. I know there are alot of harsher products out there.



If I was comfortable with my current routine (simply using Klasse AIO), would the paint survive after many years?

[Accumulator]

Shant- Oops, this thread kinda got away from your original inquiry. Back on topic: Hard to say. I don`t know if anyone`s ever repeatedly subjected their paint to the AIO`s solvents like that. And even if they DID, their paint might respond differently from yours. Also, if you`re talking about keeping the original paint for, say, several decades, you have to be VERY conservative. At least if the vehicle is exposed to the elements.



IMO, while the ABRASIVE level of AIO is nice and safe, it`s the solvents you need to think about. Perhaps a better solution would be something like Meg`s #81 Hand Polish. To *SOME* extent, it is even (supposedly) beneficial to the paint (those "trade secret oils").



But while AIO is "*virtually* nonabrasive", no matter WHAT you use, if you actually *remove* imperfections, you`re removing paint. And you can only do that for so long before you`ve removed too much. In some cases, the best thing to do is use something very mild with fillers (like the #81 or maybe even 3M`s IHG) and put up with some marring. Top/seal it with wax and hope the wax takes the brunt of the punishment. I`m of the "better to have imperfect *original* paint than to need a repaint" school of thought, myself.



Oh, and I`d prefer to have something a little more resistant to bird bombs, acid rain, etc. than just AIO.

[Surfer8210]

I`ve never used the SG above AIO. I sometimes top the AIO with Pinnacle Souveran wax. Would SG be a better barrier to the elements?



thanks

[jstn]

Originally posted by Shant

I`ve never used the SG above AIO. I sometimes top the AIO with Pinnacle Souveran wax. Would SG be a better barrier to the elements?



thanks

i would try aio, sg, then souveran. it will look good with good protection.

[Gonzo]

Do at least 3 layers of SG (any more and you will hardly see any further improvement), 24 hour apart if warm and dry, a week apart if cool and wet. Although SG can be applied and immediately wiped off (Bill North`s WO-WO method) it still needs time to cure. Curing time is a function of temperature and humidity.

[Accumulator]

Shant- Yeah, try the SG. It leaves a "coating" on the paint that you can actually feel. *IMO* it`s good protection against all kinds of problems. Often you can get some micromarring in the SG that does NOT go through to the paint. Even better, top the (several coats of) SG with a "heavy wax".