Cheap Rubbing Compound? Options

[Scosh]

Anyone know of any cheap rubbing compound that will do a good job? I am on the last step with my car and I need to buff it. Unfortunately I hit my budget and now I am low on money to work on my car. Any help? It will look weird driving around in a color sanded car.

[blu94gt]

I have a Makita rotary buffer, cost me $200 brand new. It's what I used when I detailed cars professionally a few years ago, definitely not something to cheap out on. I don't have a good orbital, but just like everyone says here you'll have to drop some money to get a decent one. The only good one I've had experience with was a Dewalt, was a very good orbital.

As far as buffing compounds, I'm not a fan of anything you can buy at Autozone or Oreilly's if you want to do a good job, especially with a power buffer. If you're going to be going to the effort of getting a power buffer and everything, then I'd go to a paint and body supply shop and get something semi-professional like Blue Coral products (that's what I have experience with at least). Good buffing pads make a different, and different pads get different results.

Clay bar first, get all the dirt off the car so you don't buff the crap against the paint
Do any touchup paint you may want to do
Wet sand with 2000 grit over heavy scratches and touched up areas
then for buffing:
Wool pad first, with a high abrasive buffing compound
Foam pad (yellow pad) second, with a lower abrasive, Blue Coral has a product called "velvet cut" that I liked with a foam pad
3rd, I like to apply wax with the rotary buffer with a black foam pad, then buff it off by hand. The black foam pad is a fine pad and I've had great luck with not having swirl marks after using it.

The biggest advice I can offer is to read all the articles and watch all the videos you can about how to properly buff out the car. It doesn't take much to burn the paint and really mess up your paint job. Tape off trim and such that you don't want to mess up, and be very careful on plastic parts like your bumpers, they'll heat up very fast and burn very quickly.