Do some research on other detailing boards. www.autopia.org is a good one. The Porter Cable is the standard of a random orbital polisher. Those weak buffers are only good at applying wax. If you want to polish your car and take out those swirls then you need at least the PC. You could buff for weeks with a buffer and not get the swirls out. They aren't really meant for that. I don't even know why they make and sell those buffers. A PC 7424 will run you about $150 after you get the pads and backing plate for it. If you take your car into a shop they will charge you at least that much to take out your swirls and they will only do it once. If you aren't happy then thats just tough. If you have it yourself then you can polish your car for years whenever you want to. Do the research on it. Even if you go to a detail shop I will bet you that they are using one. You won't see a real shop using an el cheapo buffer.

i did some extensive resesarch into buffers and polishers,
they make buffers like the random orbital just as a replacement for hand waxing.. i mean, its so much faster... i'm still going to go for a polisher though... i just didn't want to screw something major up and was looking for past experiences and tips on what to do and not to do.. i might take up the advice on getting some practice fenders to work on from the junk yard...

Getting a polisher is definitely the way to go. Those stupid 40 dollar buffers are worthless for anything but waxing. The best waxes can't be applied with one of those machines anyway because they aren't liquids. Getting a polsiher that you can control the speed on is far better. You can still apply wax with it but you can also polish out your swirls. Those cheap buffers can't do anything for swirls. I spend most of my time trying to fix the problems that people have caused to their cars while using one of those buffers.