applying compound with a random orbital buffer is just like applying polish or wax.

Color sanding leaves very fine scratch marks all over your paint. Put your car under flourescent light and you can really tell.

As your going from color sanding (from 1500 grit to 2000 grit), to compound, to fine-cut compound, to polish, your taking away the heavier scratches and leaving finer ones. It's the same principal as when your sanding wood. You start out with rough sandpaper, and end up with very fine sandpaper, leaving the finish like glass.

3M micro finish rubbing compound gets rid of I think grade 1200 sand scratches, medium oxidation, etc.

You'd then go to 3M Finess-it II fine cut rubbing compound, which gets out the fine scratches the micro finish rubbing compound left.

You'd then go to a polish to add gloss, then wax.

I'm sure this stuff is available on line somewhere. Try 3M.com and see where that takes you.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".