AIO Cleaner/Wax Users

[DetailZeus]

You hear a lot about using an AIO's in a production setting but I'm curious if anyone uses one on their personal vehicle or a vehicle they maintain regularly.

Why do you use an AIO? How often do you use it? What kind environment are you in? Do you "top" it immediately or let it ride? Do you find it actually saves you time over the course of the year?

In the past I'd grab an AIO because:
-I'm a hobbyist and many AIO are super user friendly.
-All the vehicles I maintain are daily drivers driven through 4 seasons. Come spring they need a little refreshing and the mild abrasives take care of road film, light marring, and any spotting that's happened over the year.
-I don't have a professional environment, and usually polish in a garage. Lighting is fine but could be better.
-I'm not chasing perfection or doing a "show-car" detail.
-I'll usually "top" the AIO with some spray sealant at the next wash, which could be anywhere from a few weeks to a month.
-Peace of mind knowing that if some minor defect happens early in the year, it's not a big loss to buzz over the panel again.

Cons:
-Time spent applying spray sealants. While most spray sealants apply quickly, I'm usually reapplying at every wash/every other wash (remember I'm not washing weekly) and that adds up compared to using a more durable LSP.
-Possibly less "self-cleaning." This is super subjective and I don't have much to compare to. Just about every vehicle looks dirty after a month of not washing. In the winter they might get a touchless tunnel wash if temps get above freezing but that's it. Come springtime the LSP is more than tired but by then it's time for the AIO refresh so the point is kind of moot.

With all that said I'm contemplating trying a coating-lite (or just grabbing some coating on sale) next season and seeing how I feel about a big spring detail then just wash & dry the rest of the year.

 

[Mike Hoekstra]

Personally, as a detailer, I use an AIO to get the job done and move on. It's a great way to clean, polish, protect, and make a customer happy in a short period of time. Buy a good AIO like Blackfire One Step or the new Dr Beasley's Z1 and the sealant will last longer.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

You hear a lot about using an AIO's in a production setting but I'm curious if anyone uses one on their personal vehicle or a vehicle they maintain regularly.

I'm normally use the PBL Paint Coating and Surface Coating on our two SUVs. I'm going to switch my daily driver over to the Dr. Beasley's Z1 and see how that goes.

Why do you use an AIO?

One and done.

Easier - MUCH easier to do any touch-up work - by this I mean, if I see some swirls all I have to do is buff with the AIO and I'm done. Any other process that requires more step - that's the downside - more steps.

For Joe and Joanne Consumer?

Most people and probably anyone that PAYS to have a ceramic coating put on their car do not have the knowledge, skill, ability nor the tools, products and pads to do any touch-up work to their coated car, that is remove some new or fresh defects and then do all the steps to prep and the re-coat the affected area.

With a product like Z1 and a simple Porter Cable - they can buff out their own car and do any future touch up. One and done.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Also...

With an AIO - Road Film is a non issue as the use and frequent use of an AIO (any type any brand), will remove the road film or traffic film.

Road Film - If you drive your car in the rain your car has road film


Once you coat a car, or do any dedicated process, over time road film is going to build up on your LSP and the fix is to do the process over again. That's multiple steps.

With an AIO?

One and done


:buffing:

 

[JustJesus]

You hear a lot about using an AIO's in a production setting but I'm curious if anyone uses one on their personal vehicle or a vehicle they maintain regularly.

Unfortunately, I do not use it on any personal vehicles, nor do I maintain regularly. I recently used an AIO on a friend's dad's truck, so I'll be able to at least ask him how the AIO / Sealant combo is holding up. On HIS Porsche, he is loving the Blackfire Hybrid Liquid Wax. He enjoys washing it now.

I do too much testing on my daily driver. My occasional-use Jeep is severely neglected. My wife's daily is waiting for a coating, so no use of AIO on any of those.

I am curious as to what my sister's car has. I detailed it recently, and suspect it has a coating (she bought it used and is unaware of any prior work). I only ended up having to use an AIO on the roof and hood. The rest of the car took the iron decon and clay process like a champ. Easy decon on that car's sides. Didn't bother going over it due to not wanting to disrupt whatever protection was already on there.

 

[briarpatch]

Same as others...one and done. Most people, at least most of the ones that come to me, want clean and shiny....and that's what I give them. On my list to try is Rupes Uno Protect and Dr Beasleys Z1.

 

[PaulMys]

I like 3D Speed for its ease of use, correcting ability (on light defects), scent, and how incredibly slick it leaves the paint.

And yes, I do top it.

This inevitably always starts the "Then WHY use an AIO??" argument.

My take is this:

* I am not doing this for money, only my own cars.

* You'd have to top a regular polish anyway.

* Using an AIO as part of a 2 step because the product is so good is NOT a crime!! Lol

 

[JustJesus]

Same as others...one and done. Most people, at least most of the ones that come to me, want clean and shiny....and that's what I give them. On my list to try is Rupes Uno Protect and Dr Beasleys Z1.

"Clean and shiny" is what I hear quite a bit. Rupes Uno Protect is pretty good so far. Three cars. It's best used indoors. You an leave it on the paint longer that way.
Outdoors, on a warm, sunny day, I took the time from 20 min before wipe-off, down to about 10. It helped make wipe off easier. Indoors, it's crazy easy to wipe off

This inevitably always starts the "Then WHY use an AIO??" argument.

My take is this:

* I am not doing this for money, only my own cars.

I do take on the occasional "client" car. Normally, I don't do a topper. I recently tried it with UNO Protect. I used P808. What I did, though, was I sprayed the panel BEFORE wiping off the residue from Protect. This didn't add much time at all, as it was before the Protect wipe-off. It seemed to add a bit more slickness.

 

[FUNX650]

Why do you use an AIO?

Some of the same/similar reasons as you.
For example:
• 1.) This:

-I'm not chasing perfection or
doing a "show-car" detail.

• 2.) And this:

-I'm a hobbyist...

• 3.) And this:

...many AIO are super user friendly.

*********************************

How often do you use it?

Once in the Spring; maybe again
in the fall.

What kind environment are you in?

Archetypical Ohio “four seasons”.

Do you "top" it immediately or let it ride?

Most times I let it ride.

Do you find it actually saves you time over
the course of the year?

•IMO:
-Year over year: Yes using AIOs can possibly
be a time saver.
-However: Using AIOs, year over year, has the
potential of saving more of the over all OEMs’
ClearCoat paint thickness—which, at this stage
of the game, takes precedence over ‘saving time’.



Bob

 

[bcgreen]

Also...

With an AIO - Road Film is a non issue as the use and frequent use of an AIO (any type any brand), will remove the road film or traffic film.

Road Film - If you drive your car in the rain your car has road film


Once you coat a car, or do any dedicated process, over time road film is going to build up on your LSP and the fix is to do the process over again. That's multiple steps.

With an AIO?

One and done


:buffing:

What do you think of M66 as a AIO?

 

[DetailZeus]

I'm normally use the PBL Paint Coating and Surface Coating on our two SUVs. I'm going to switch my daily driver over to the Dr. Beasley's Z1 and see how that goes.





One and done.

Easier - MUCH easier to do any touch-up work - by this I mean, if I see some swirls all I have to do is buff with the AIO and I'm done. Any other process that requires more step - that's the downside - more steps.

For Joe and Joanne Consumer?

Most people and probably anyone that PAYS to have a ceramic coating put on their car do not have the knowledge, skill, ability nor the tools, products and pads to do any touch-up work to their coated car, that is remove some new or fresh defects and then do all the steps to prep and the re-coat the affected area.

With a product like Z1 and a simple Porter Cable - they can buff out their own car and do any future touch up. One and done.

Ease of touch-up work is useful for me. There's hard water where I live and once in awhile (usually in the summer) I'll find water spots that do not come off easily during a wash or with a quick detailer. I know from experience that in my situation I could mess with water spot removers or rub on the paint (possibly marring) and most likely won't remove all of them. OR I can take 15 min and whip out the polisher and AIO and in a few quick section passes they're usually gone, which I probably would have landed up doing anyways.

I can only assume these offending water spots are mild Type II water spots, and the light abrasives in the cleaner/wax are able to smooth them out.

3 - Types of Water Spots - Type I, Type II and Type III

 

[Me Time]

https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...-pns-pinnacle-jeweling-wax-ford-vs-chevy.html

I came across this post the other day. I think it will give some insite in using an AIO and topping it.

 

[Route246]

AIO is also good for preserving your clear coat if you're just looking for a polish touch up and not a full polish. I use it once a year and always top with wax (Collinite and OCW weekly in my case).

 

[obguam]

The problem with the traditional approach - "a big spring detail then just wash & dry the rest of the year" - is that after a few months the paint finish will need a good cleaning and possibly some light polishing, as well. One-step AIO's provide the best time saving, cost effective interim solution until you're ready to spring for the next full detail.

 

[DetailZeus]

https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...-pns-pinnacle-jeweling-wax-ford-vs-chevy.html

I came across this post the other day. I think it will give some insite in using an AIO and topping it.

That before picture of the mustang looks rough; the water spots I see aren't half that bad! I know they had a group but that is a speedy turnaround.

 

[DetailZeus]

The problem with the traditional approach - "a big spring detail then just wash & dry the rest of the year" - is that after a few months the paint finish will need a good cleaning and possibly some light polishing, as well. One-step AIO's provide the best time saving, cost effective interim solution until you're ready to spring for the next full detail.

In most situations I find the paint washes up fine and I rarely have to polish out the whole vehicle more than once a year unless something really gets gooned up (like an unintentional wash at the dealer). However having the option to "spot correct" is nice, and I know I'd be wayyyy more inclined to do it if I can knock it out in one step vs polish/strip/recoat.