Newbie-help with AIO/SG

M

MaryFlute

New member
I am not a detailer and don't have any experience waxing my car. I have a 6 month old Mini Cooper S that I want to wax. I have AIO and SG that I want to try. I have read some threads on this forum about applying but have a few questions:



1. Do I need to use AIO? I was reading the "How To" on the autopia car-care site and it said it wasn't necessary on new cars.



2. How do I know how much to use? I read the bottle and it said to use 2 oz. for the entire car (for SG). Should I measure it out first?



3. What kind of applicator should I use for both products? I have some Sonus Der Wunder Applicators and a Handi-grip Applicator. I also have micro-fibre towels.



4. Will I be able to do this myself or should I hire a detailer? I really want to be able to do it but I"m afraid I'll screw it up. :nervous2:



Thanks for any advice.



Mary :)
 
Mary, use the AIO by hand with no worries. It is not that strong to hurt your paint. It will clean anything that has got on the paint in the 6 months you have had the car. You can easily do this by yourself and it will look great. Wash the car well and then dry. Either applicator will work with AIO. Apply it thin and then wipe off with MF. If you have any trouble wiping AIO or SG off lightly spray some QD on it and it will come right off. If you don't have QD just apply more of the product and wipe off. Then apply the SG, use a foam applicator for this. You have to apply very thin and then wipe off with a MF. I have not had any trouble with SG coming off but some people do. Just apply very, very thin and wipe off. Do a search on AIO and SG or WOWO method and you will find a wealth of info. There is no way to hurt the car using these products by hand. Spend your money on yourself unless you really want to pay someone to do it. Good luck, Wes
 
You can absolutely do this by yourself and you can't screw up anything (permanently) with those two products. Just make sure you wash well before you start. And two ounces of SG is a *lot* for a Mini...you want to put the SG on so thin you're not sure it's even on there.
 
1. I would do the AIO step - it will prepare the surface for the SG. Your car may be only 6 months old, but it likely has surface contaminants in the paint. AIO will clean the paint and also put down some sealant that will facilitate the application and removal of SG.



2. Apply as thin as possible. Apply quater-size drop to applicator and do 1/4 hood, door panel, etc. AIO is wipe-on, wipe off - apply to small panel or portion of larger panel and remove. SG can be WOWO, as described above, or removed 1-2 hours (or more) after application. I like to apply SG to the entire vehicle, then remove. You can use either method, but there is a stage between 'WOWO' and 'wait 1-2 hours' where SG can be tricky to remove, especially in high humidity.



I think that you will find SG to be very easy to work with, right after the AIO step. Just don't work in direct sunlight and if you get some hard-to-remove SG haze, go back over the area with the SG applicator (or spray with a QD) and buff with clean MF.



3. The 'mini-waffle-weave' of the Sonus Applicator should be fine for application of both SG and AIO. If your hands are more comfortable using the Handi-grip, that would be fine to use, as well.



4. You absolutely can do this by yourself! The things to be hesitant about are; using rubbing compound, getting a PC, etc. You are not going to screw anything up. The most dangerous step of this process for your car is the washing step. Use the 2-bucket method, use car shampoo according to directions, and be gentle washing and drying.





Your arms might be a little sore when you are done, but your vehicle is going to look very nice! :bigups



You can then add more layers of SG, or just maintain with regular washing and a good QD. Sonus Spritz is a good SG-compatible QD.



Good luck and let us know how it goes and if you are happy with the results.
 
I might mention that I have had good luck just putting on a layer of carnauba after AIO. That also works well...I have found that SG can take away from the appearance a bit in terms of depth and reflectiveness.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. I guess I'll try it myself. :waxing:



A few more questions:



1. Should I use my regular shampoo (Gold Class) or something else before I apply the AIO?



2. I read somewhere on these forums that applying a caranuba after the SG is good too. I want a really wet look. Should I do that?



3. Can you see the SG when you apply it? Is it hazy? I guess I wouldn't know if I was applying too much.



4. Should I apply AIO was thin as SG? Is AIO hazy when applied?



Sorry if these are stupid questions but I'm just learning this stuff and want to do it right and do it well! This is the first car I've really cared about how it looks and actually wash it myself.



Thanks!! You all are so helpful. I appreciate it.



Mary :)
 
Mary,

Gold Class should be fine - I use it a lot myself



Carnauba after SG is used a lot and adds to the look (IMO) You have to decide, after the first layer of SG whether you want to add more layers of SG or add wax - once the wax is applied the SG will not bond to it.



There is a general feeling that if you can see the SG when applied you've used too much - I forgot to buff part of my car because the SG was so thin I couldn't see it.



AIO I find much easier - just apply with a damp MF pad and buff off almost immediately.



Hope this helps, Peter
 
When I apply AIO or SG I like to put them in a smaller container so that I can monitor how much I actually use. I purchased 2 oz containers from the travel section of Target, then I marked 1/2 oz graduations on the bottle. When I apply SG to our Corolla I use about a 1/2 oz of product. Using less SG will help with removal.

Topping SG with a Carnauba wax is a purely personal preference. Some people really like it some don't. I didn't really like the look on my blue car. The SG was very bright and wet. The wax (S100) really muted the bright look.

Good luck and have fun.
 
MaryFlute said:
... applying a caranuba after the SG is good too. I want a really wet look. Should I do that?
Click to expand...



Purely personal preference. Some say that SG is shiney, but 'sterile,' and a good carnauba wax is needed to add warmth and depth. Just be aware that you can't add any more SG until the wax is removed.



2-3 layers of SG will get you 6 months (or more) of protection. I don't use wax, but I am thinkig 2-3 weeks before new application is needed.



I guess it really depends on how often you want to work with your vehicle's finish.



My personal preference would be to put on 2-3 layers of SG, then see if you think it needs something more. 3x SG is going to look pretty wet, IMHO.
 
I may be alone on this, but I would be sure to clay bar the car before applying the AIO. Clay Magic is available at Autozone and it pulled quite a bit of stuff off of my brand new car.
 
By all means agree with Shane about claying the vehicle. Your sealant/wax will bond much better to a clean surface and definitely last longer.



A small car like your Mini Cooper could easily be done with .5 - 1 oz. of AIO/SG each.

The amount of AIO to put on your applicator should be about the size of a nickel to do say one panel or approximately half the hood. As the applicator saturates, you can adjust that amount downward. AIO is not as "pickey" about being applied thinly like SG, but there is no benefit to thick applications other than to waste it.



The key to SG, as many have already stated, is whisper thin applications. As Sullybob already stated I too find using a small spray bottle w/ a fine spray pattern works well to apply thinly and to evenly coat your applicator. You can find these in the beauty section of most any Walmart. Fill a 2 oz. sized bottle with about 1 oz. and it will help you gauge how much you are actually putting on the vehicle. If you prefer to pour the SG directly onto your applicator, you need about a dime-sized amount per panel again until the applicator starts to saturate.



I recommend using the WOWO (just do a search) method for applying and removing the SG.
 
Hallo gallo

---------------------

Just be aware that you can't add any more SG until the wax is removed.

--------------------



Do you use AIO to remove the wax before applying again SG?
 
Other thing to add is to allow 12-24 hours between coats of SG.

SG as I understand needs time to cure before the next layer can be added.



I also have a MINI Cooper S and plan to go down the wash->clay->AIO-SG->SG route.



Cheers



Perm
 
:) Thanks again for the replys. I was wondering about claying the car. I've never done that and don't even know where to start. I guess I'll do a search on that. Can I screw that up? :nervous2:



Great suggestion about the spray bottles. Do I spray it on the applicator or directly on the car? Should I use the spray for the AIO too?



I think I'll try putting on 2 or 3 layers of SG rather than the wax. How long should I wait to put the 2nd and 3rd layers on? I don't want to drive it inbetween layers but it's tough to find a block of time to do the waxing!



I feel so embarassed asking so many dumb questions among all of you pros. :o Thanks for being so helpful.



Mary



P.S. Does anyone know why I don't always get notified by e-mail that I have a response to this post?
 
heybuzzz said:
Great info on this thread...Thanks



chm-is that a 03 Dolphin Grey A4? Looks like the one in my driveway, great car.
Click to expand...



Heybuzz--It is supposed to be a black A4. I got it off of audiworld.com. Don't want to hijack the thread, so I'll send you a pm/email later if you'd like to chat about the four rings.
 
Mary,

Wait between 12-24 hours between layers of SG. If you do drive the car between layers then it would be a good idea to wash and dry the car before applying the next layer.



Cheers

Perm

(my MINI is Indi Blue with a white roof, what colour is yours ?)
 
MaryFlute said:
...I was wondering about claying the car. I've never done that and don't even know where to start. I guess I'll do a search on that. Can I screw that up?...
Click to expand...



I just clayed a car for the very first time, and it was probably the most satisfying aspect of the whole detail.. Besides "looking" good, it "felt" great!



Depending on how big of a bar, you want to use only a part of it. For me, I used half of a bar. After washing and drying your car, roll the clay up into a ball, and flatten it into a waffer. Spritz the area of interest with the supplied lubricant (or QD if it wasn't supplied), and just wipe the clay back and forth. At first, it'll feel alittle gritty (this is all the contaminants), and then run smooth. As a check, I would put my hand in a ziplock bag and run it over the surface. It's very satisfying running over an unclayed surface and then the recently clayed surface. One will feel bumby, while the clayed part is smooth as silk. Without the ziplock, the best description I can use is that it feels "soft". Reknead the clay to have a fresh look, roll it up and flatten again, and move to the adjacent section and spritz/clay. Before you know it you'll be done!! :) One tip - If the clay ever falls on the floor, DO NOT use it again on the paint! Use the other half and be even more careful!! :)
 
MaryFlute said:
:) Thanks again for the replys. I was wondering about claying the car. I've never done that and don't even know where to start. I guess I'll do a search on that. Can I screw that up? :nervous2:



Great suggestion about the spray bottles. Do I spray it on the applicator or directly on the car? Should I use the spray for the AIO too?



I think I'll try putting on 2 or 3 layers of SG rather than the wax. How long should I wait to put the 2nd and 3rd layers on? I don't want to drive it inbetween layers but it's tough to find a block of time to do the waxing!



I feel so embarassed asking so many dumb questions among all of you pros. :o Thanks for being so helpful.



Mary



P.S. Does anyone know why I don't always get notified by e-mail that I have a response to this post?
Click to expand...



Check out David Bynon's free Autopian detailing guide if you haven't yet, it is a great primer and more on all things detailing--http://www.autopia-carcare.com/freeguide.html

It will help with many of the newbie questions.



1. Read David's guide and follow the claying directions. You can't really hurt anything that couldn't easily be fixed with a little polish.



2. Spray the mf applicator with the SG. You can either spray the AIO on the panel or just spritz the applicator. I usually just spritz the applicator for AIO. A spray bottle is not absolutely necessary for the AIO. It just helps you to not waste the product because sometimes it doesn't pour well and you may get a big glob from the bottle unless you are careful.



3. You need to wait at least 12 hours for the SG to cure between layers. 24 would be better if you have high humdity, but there is nothing wrong with waiting for say one week and doing a wash/dry and then adding another layer of SG.



The email notification may still be on the fritz from the recent upgrade David et al did to the forum software. I'm sure they are working on the problem.
 
On the clay thing ...



I'm a big advocate of clay, and with the new Sonus Ultra-fine, you can clay all the time ... but ... if it's a 6 month old car, and you're going to do an AIO step anyway, it may not be essential to clay ... plus ... I didn't want to add another step that might make you say, "aw, the heck with it, I'm just going to the coin-op swirl-o-matic, instead."





On the SG layer thing ...



I neglected to mention the 24hrs. between layers, but you do not need a single time block - you can do it on successive weekends. You can really add another layer of SG anytime you want, just wash the car beforehand. If several weeks have passed, that would actually be a good time to use a fine clay - then you won't be sealing in any contaminants.
 
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