1: wash car: hopefully you already know that this does
2. clay car -this removes contaminants stuck to the paint, that normal washing wont get off. You can also clay your windows/wheels etc. I suggest meguiars smooth surface clay kit.
3. Paint cleaners(aka polishes): These remove oxidation/scratches/stains/etc. They have no protection at all. Different strengths for different paints. I suggest starting with Meguiars Swirlx, and if needed, then step up to Meguiars ultimate compound. Apply in a 16x16 in. section with a microfiber applicator. Work it in for about a minute and wipe off immediately with microfiber towel. Inspect results, repeat or move up to a more aggressive product.
4. Pure Polish: These help the paint shine by adding oils to the paint. But do not add protection either. Work best on darker colors and cars with single stage paints. But can still work good on lighter colored cars. Its really optional, since the paint cleaners mentioned above have polishing oils in them. But if you have single stage paint, then definitely use it. Use meguiars deep crystal polish, or their #7 polish. Just kind of message them into the paint, in a 16x16 in. section for about 40 seconds. then wipe off immediately. These can be a real pain to remove.
5: wax: locks in polish, adds protection and shine. Apply using microfiber applicator and spread a thin even layer all over your car, not getting any on plastic/vinyl/pourous surfaces ( itll stain). Let it dry to a haze (usually 15 minutes) then wipe off with microfiber towel. Suggest meguiars nxt 2.0 tech wax or their gold class wax.
and no
rotorys are only for professionals
you can easily burn through the paint if you have no clue what youre doing
if you want a buffer
get a DA buffer, they have a clutch on them which stops it from spinning if you put to much pressure on it and they spin in 2 directions, thus burning through the paint is harder
but then again, thatll still run you about 200 bucks..
and the guy above has no clue what hes talking about