I'll save you some work. Pick up a good acidic wheel cleaner. Don't use it on the wheels. Use it on the paint. It will likely knock down a ton of what's on the paint and save you some polish time. It works as an iron deposit remover as well. Keep it off the glass.
Go easy. A good way to visualize the finish on your car is that the clearcoat is about the thickness of a sheet of notebook paper. It is very easy to burn through the clear by using a compound that is too aggressive. Be extra careful around edges and creases in the bodywork. Stop often, rinse the area thoroughly, wipe dry and look at it carefully. I'm sure you know not to do this stuff in the sun, or when the surface is hot.
What do you guys recommend as a good cutting compound? I have a few blemishes/scuffs in my paint that look superficial (fingernail doesn't catch on anything) and I'd like to see if I can remove them myself. I have microfiber rags and elbow grease at my disposal so nothing that requires an orbital please.
I would try a Meguiars 205 first. Others can chime in on elbow grease method. I'm not familiar with that. Sent from my smatrfone
3d products are pretty sweet. I like them better than meguiars we noticed that 3m / mequiars both changed the color code on all black D403 hoods vs the 3d