one step or AIO

[crovello]

Can someone clarify this for me.
I want to look into products that compound and polish. Products that start off more aggressively and then break down and leave a polished finish. What are these called?

When I try to find these products, I find products that polish and seal the paint. All in one products. Are these products one in the same. Do all these products that break down and polish also have sealers in them?

I am OK if the product has a paint sealer in it as long as it is OK to wax over it. I prefer to wax my car frequently.

I am looking for a product that I can use on my Cars in the spring to freshen things up without the time involved in using multiple steps.

Dave

[adamgayton81]

Can someone clarify this for me.
I want to look into products that compound and polish. Products that start off more aggressively and then break down and leave a polished finish. What are these called?

When I try to find these products, I find products that polish and seal the paint. All in one products. Are these products one in the same. Do all these products that break down and polish also have sealers in them?

I am OK if the product has a paint sealer in it as long as it is OK to wax over it. I prefer to wax my car frequently.

I am looking for a product that I can use on my Cars in the spring to freshen things up without the time involved in using multiple steps.

Dave

We typically call them an All In One (AIO). One that a lot of us use is HD SPEED. Fairly cheap and works great. Depending on your climate and if it's garage kept or not, the sealant in this (better than wax) has lasted people anywhere from 2-6 months. It lasted on my garage kept daily driven BMW north Alabama location for about 5 months Max with hydrophobic properties still working great. And if you wish, yes you can still wax over it but there is really no need to.


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[crovello]

So a one step product and an All in one is the same thing?

[boomdone]

You are referring to diminishing abrasives or 'DAT'. The Menzerna line uses DAT abrasives. Mike or others can chime in with a lot more detail.

[Kamakaz1961]

An All In One (AIO) will do SOME correcting and then protection, either in a sealant base or wax base. An example is Meg's new D166. It is considered an All-In-One. A 1 Step is a polishing step and then the LSP is applied. It could be a coating, wax or a sealant. The 1 Step will take longer, however, IMO the results may be a little better. An AIO is do it once and your done.

[Finick]

An All In One (AIO) will do SOME correcting and then protection, either in a sealant base or wax base. An example is Meg's new D166. It is considered an All-In-One. A 1 Step is a polishing step and then the LSP is applied. It could be a coating, wax or a sealant. The 1 Step will take longer, however, IMO the results may be a little better. An AIO is do it once and your done.

I’ve always wished there was better labeling for a one step vs an AIO.

By its nature an AIO is literally one step... Blackfire even named their AIO blackfire one step.



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[rlmccarty2000]

I don’t know of any AOIs that are considered compounds. AOIs leave protection behind where compounds and polishes do not. I hope this helps.

[crovello]

I’ve always wished there was better labeling for a one step vs an AIO.

By its nature an AIO is literally one step... Blackfire even named their AIO blackfire one step.



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When i do a search on AG for either a one step or an AIO, i get the same results. Products that polish and leave behind a LSP. I just want to remove slight swirls or scratches and polish with one step. I will then follow up with sealant or wax after that.

Dave

[SWETM]

As I understand it an one step is either a high cutting polish or a compound that finish great. I think most of the one step is deminishing abrasives.
Coarse polish:
Sonax Perfect Finish or EX 04-06
Carpro reflect
Menzerna PF2500 PF2400 PF2200

Compounds with great finish.
Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0
McKees 37 FC-717 Swirl Remover
Menzerna FG400
Griots Garage Correcting Cream
Rupes UHS
Sonax Cut and Finish

These are some that comes to mind. Maybe not excactly the right placed. Some maybe is not deminishing abrasives too.
The thing is to have a wide range of polishing pads at hand. To find the right coarseness to get the best finish and cut with the one step of choice.

AIO or cleaner wax or cleaner sealant is used to one step with a LSP or as a follow up from a compound to get a haze free finish and LSP.

[Mike Phillips]

Good questions - so much confusion - somewhere I have articles on all of these topics.

Nutshell answer

A one step cleaner/wax and an AIO are the EXACT SAME THING - call em what you like but they both,

Clean/correct
Polish
Protect

They do three things in one step. MOST of the waxes you find at you local car parts store, like Nu-finish are cleaner/waxes, or AIO's.


There are compounds that people refer to as one-step products BECAUE the correct and polish in one step but UNLIKE a cleanner/wax or AIO they don't leave any "protection", thus you must do 2 STEPS at a minimum and that is to apply a wax, a sealant or a coating over the paint after using a one-step compound or the surface will not have any protection.

The REASON we NOW have compounds that are SO GOOD they are called one-step products is due to MAJOR advances in abrasive technology. (think about it). I've been preaching for years the MOST important FACTOR when it comes to positing paint is the abrasive technology because it's the abrasives that touch the paint first, then the pad then the tool and then the person.

The PERSON is the MOST removed from the process. Thus anyone that says technique first is usually an alpha-male detailer that is ego-driven. Truth is I've taught girls and old guys how to polish black paint to perfection when it's their FIRST time ever polishing paint. They don't have any technique because they don't have any experience but they can still get pro results.

But yeah... confusing topic. Hope what I wrote above makes the muddy water a little more clear.