100% agreed, if you want it done right, gotta do it yourself. :)
If you say you've got swirl marks already, you'll want to see about filling those. I'd recommend 3M Swirl Mark Remover. I'm not sure what color your car is, but they have formulas for light and dark cars. It takes some real elbow grease to get good results, but they'll pay for themselves. If you've got a random orbit buffer, that'll make life 10x easier.
Then again, if it's too much work for all that, a good paint cleaner will work wonders, as will a clay bar treatment. You gotta figure, these cars were sitting on lots, on trucks, and trains for weeks at a time, so I'm sure some deposits have worked their way into the finish.
Easy way:
Clay Bar
Paint Cleaner
Polish/Wax
Better, but more difficult way:
Clay Bar
Swirl Mark Remover
Paint Cleaner
Polish/Glaze
Carnuba (totally optional, most polishes now have some protective elements in them).
The store bought stuff is aiiiiiiiiiiiight, but nothing special. If you're looking for some good products, I can give you some tips. I've tried TONS of things. :)
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