AIOs - Time to rethink?

Dan

Dan

Well-known member
For ages, the AIO has been the redheaded stepchild in the autopians arsenal. They compromised on correction, looks and durability. I think my views are changing. I'm starting to question my routine on the two cars we have parked outside. I think I'm wasting my time polishing, claying and then using various LSP only products.



Up until the past five years, you would be hard pressed to find an AIO that could keep its looks past two months. I've been using Poli-seal, DG101 and DG501. DG501 is proving to be the heavy hitter. I love this stuff. It looks great, cleans really well, and works really well via PC.



I really think I can use an AIO every 2-3 months and keep my paint looking as good or better than with a traditional LSP. Anyone else using an AIO on their own cars? Thoughts?
 
yakky- I guess the (Autopian) redheaded stepchildren and the Autopian Heretic (yours truly ;) ) just sorta go together, huh?



While I almost always top them with something durable, I use AIOs and even products that I consider "heavy duty cleaner waxes" (e.g., 1Z PP, MP, WPS, etc.), on certain vehicles. Far cry from the "always IPA wipe before LSPing!" approach, but just right for certain applications.



If my AIOs/etc. lasted longer, I wouldn't even bother topping them.



OTOH, I do the "good vehicles" the, uhm...."properly Autopian way", but they don't get left outside at night either, or even parked outside much during the day. It's not like any one approach is best for every situation and I get pretty :rolleyes: when the more dogmatic people here act like AIOs/cleaner-waxes/etc. are somehow "bad".
 
Accumulator, I used to find myself topping the AIOs too. I find that I'm getting 3+ months with DG501 and around 2-3 with Poliseal or DG101, and I usually get 1/2 the time everyone else seems to get with most LSPs. With any of those I am getting longer beading than I do with most beauty waxes. I have some ZAIO coming, I hear that is pretty durable also.



My own argument (to myself) is that if you are going to do two steps, you might as well hit it with a polish like UNO or Powerfinish and then follow up with a real LSP.
 
yakky & Bence- Heh heh, you guys are using fancy AIOs that I've never tried :D None of mine last all that long (and that includes ZAIO, so it'll be interesting to see how it lasts for you).



yakky- This is a good example of how different people see stuff differently! I simply *hate* polishing, so if I can just refresh my LSPs now and then I do it that way. And with the Jag in mothballs (I use Souveran on it), all my LSPs (well, maybe not the UPP on the S8 for some reason) are *so* long-lived that I basically just wash for months on end...and I better not say how many months or somebody will accuse me of exaggerating!



But then you did say your LSPs never seem to last all that long, sounds like how the UPP never lasts on my S8.



I do use untopped KAIO on the A8's black plastic grilles...just never get around to topping it. That's probably the most frequently redone thing on any of my vehicles other than my tire dressing!
 
Accumulator said:
yakky- This is a good example of how different people see stuff differently! I simply *hate* polishing, so if I can just refresh my LSPs now and then I do it that way. And with the Jag in mothballs (I use Souveran on it), all my LSPs (well, maybe not the UPP on the S8 for some reason) are *so* long-lived that I basically just wash for months on end...and I better not say how many months or somebody will accuse me of exaggerating!



But then you did say your LSPs never seem to last all that long, sounds like how the UPP never lasts on my S8.
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I think we differ quite a bit on approaches. While I really try to minimize swirls, I don't spend near as much time as you. I think they are a fact of life. Even if I managed to keep it swirl free, I'd still feel a polish was required after claying and normal scuffs that happen regardless. Both DG501 and Poliseal are strong enough to get rid of minor swirling for me. I really am trying to prolong how long I go before claying and polishing.



wannafbody said:
It seems for me as if ZAIO is the one I reach for most often due to time issues. Mainteence with Z8 is fast and easy.
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Have you tried DG101 or DG501? I'm going to put those head to head with ZAIO and do a little comparison test.



Bence said:
FK215, Poli-Seal are my faves, but I use Carlack stuff pretty often.
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I have some 215 on the way, can't wait to try it out.



Alexshimshimhae said:
So,wash clay wash aio lsp? Is that supposed to be better than polish then lsp
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Wash and AIO via PC-polishing pad. The mentioned AIO's are all strong enough to remove mild surface contamination and light marring.



Traditionally I have been using an LSP about every two months and doing a claying 2-3 times a year with a full polish usually at a year. The goal with this is to maintain the surface and avoid frequent claying and polishing.
 
yea lately i've been thinking maybe I'll claybar when needed or maybe 2-3 times a year so my routines would look something like



once a year:

Wash

Clay

wash

compound/polish as needed

LSP



2-3 times a year

wash clay maybe light polish (would AIO be better here?) re-up wax/protection as needed (i'm on the collinite line now so thinking maybe 476 or 915 for the yearly or semi-annual base and patch with 845)



monthly lately I've been thinking

Wash/decontamination system like Accumulators

and maybe lsp safe aio with a quick lsp topper as needeD? (I hear ZAIO would do well for this? but maybe DG501?)

which is also why I'm thinking about saving up for a pressure washer so i can wash with less touching and wash safer?

Also figured the decontamination system would reduce the amount of claying needed while reducing the need for abrasive approaches to car maintenance.
 
yakky said:
I think we differ quite a bit on approaches. While I really try to minimize swirls, I don't spend near as much time as you. I think they are a fact of life. Even if I managed to keep it swirl free, I'd still feel a polish was required after claying and normal scuffs that happen regardless. Both DG501 and Poliseal are strong enough to get rid of minor swirling for me. I really am trying to prolong how long I go before claying and polishing...
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Yeah, sounds like there are some big diffs and not everybody is gonna use the same approach :xyxthumbs



Interesting that your AIOs can do minor correction on your paint, guess I'm just used to harder clear as that never even occurred to me. Heh heh people keep telling me how SRP can do that, but I never experienced it, even on the Jag's lacquer :nixweiss
 
I never had good luck with durability from AIO. I use ZAIO followed with CS once a season (around april), and use Z8 after each wash. I only wash twice a month now and the car still looks great and is beading water. ZAIO is very mild, I still use clay and polish,etc for spot cleaning, tar and bug removal,etc here and there.
 
Alexshimshimhae said:
monthly lately I've been thinking

Wash/decontamination system like Accumulators

and maybe lsp safe aio with a quick lsp topper as needeD? (I hear ZAIO would do well for this? but maybe DG501?)

which is also why I'm thinking about saving up for a pressure washer so i can wash with less touching and wash safer?

Also figured the decontamination system would reduce the amount of claying needed while reducing the need for abrasive approaches to car maintenance.
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Note that a decon system will strip off all your LSP. I basically only use that when I'll be doing a full detail (as in, major correction/etc.) and that's one incredibly infrequent occurrence.



Monthly, I don't do *anything* special, but that's just me. If you really need to, you might refresh the 845.



Before you get too interested in a pressure washer, you might search out some of (the now-MIA but still highly regarded) SuperBee364's posts on the subject. "Touchless washing" is kinda problematic but can be a good first step to "get the big stuff off".
 
DetailKing- Funny about the ZAIO; for me, it's sooo gentle on paint yet it's sooo aggressive on exterior plastics :think:
 
Accumulator said:
Interesting that your AIOs can do minor correction on your paint, guess I'm just used to harder clear as that never even occurred to me. Heh heh people keep telling me how SRP can do that, but I never experienced it, even on the Jag's lacquer :nixweiss
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Well, I should be more clear, I have gotten minor correction on Audi clear with DG501 on a megs yellow polishing pad. It seems to have a decently aggressive polish in it as it seems to be targeted to RV use which in most cases is heavily oxidized. I have gotten some serious correction with Megs #66/D151, however I am not 100% happy with the level of protection they provide as they fade really fast (like all megs stuff except #16).



DETAILKING said:
I never had good luck with durability from AIO. I use ZAIO followed with CS once a season (around april), and use Z8 after each wash. I only wash twice a month now and the car still looks great and is beading water. ZAIO is very mild, I still use clay and polish,etc for spot cleaning, tar and bug removal,etc here and there.
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So you sound like you are doing something slightly similar to what I plan to do. I'll be using the AIO more frequenlty and trying to avoid whole car polishing completely. I'm somewhat disappointed to hear you say ZAIO is very mild as I would like some light cutting.
 
I still have the original formula KAIO. I set out on occasion to begin a KAIO + AW routine, but lack the self discipline.



I always end up reaching for a LSP, e.g. #26.
 
So you sound like you are doing something slightly similar to what I plan to do. I'll be using the AIO more frequenlty and trying to avoid whole car polishing completely. I'm somewhat disappointed to hear you say ZAIO is very mild as I would like some light cutting.
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Don't be afraid to use Z-PC. I usually apply it and remove it by hand as my last cleaning step before I put the ZAIO on. I've been very happy with the results. Not going to do any serious paint correction, but it will do a very nice job of cleaning off contaminantion and minor imperfections.
 
gtppilot said:
Don't be afraid to use Z-PC. I usually apply it and remove it by hand as my last cleaning step before I put the ZAIO on. I've been very happy with the results. Not going to do any serious paint correction, but it will do a very nice job of cleaning off contaminantion and minor imperfections.
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Yeah, I really love ZPC for hand correction, but it has to be worked otherwise it doesn't break down and I get a bit of haze. In that regard, if its anything more than a small spot, I might as well get out the PC and use a polish more geared for machine use.
 
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