Last year was my first year at serious detailing and i`ve decided it`s just too much to try to do a car in one day. Wash, clay, polish, SWR wash(?) Zaino... Can`t be done. Not by me, anyway. So this year I tried to develop something more practical. Yesterday, I gave the car it`s first real wash after the winter and did the wheels and tires. Not much trouble. Today, I washed with Quick and Easy and then did the entire car with AIO using a PC with a Megs yellow polishing pad. This is a fairly soft pad with just a bit of bite. This removes all the old wax, dirt and oxidation from the paint AND gives it a layer of protection at the same time. Now the car looks killer as it is, but we know there`s a lot left to do. Next week, i`ll probably wash with QEW, clay the horizontal surfaces, polish with SSR1, wash and Z5. The cool thing is, the sides of the car are still protected and great-looking until I get around to all the other steps. Anyway, that`s my plan, and NO, i`m not worried about using AIO prior to claying. What did we do all those years before we knew about clay? Personally, i`m not ruining a $20 clay bar by letting it pick up all the dirt and contaminants after the winter. Let AIO do that for you. I would imagine PWC would be a great alternative to AIO for the first step. Ahh.... Detailing season arrives again - :jump