How to REALLY polish Aluminum?

I am looking for a general process for polishing aluminum. Something like what we have for polishing paint. How M105/M205 Orange/White pads, or SIP/Power Finish Orange/White will take care of 90% of cars out there. I have used a few aluminum polishes in the past and none of them have worked out that well. There also doesn't seem to be any difference in pads (nor any pads for that matter other than the powerball that i have seen) to help change the cut of the product you are using. They all seem to be a one step approach to a process that I would think would need multi steps. I have used:
Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish
Mothers Powerball and the Polish that comes with it
Wolfgang Fine Aluminum Polish ( i now see there is a compound with this)

The problem is that I can get the paint of my car blemish free, but the polished aluminum lips just aren't as perfect as the car and it is really bothering me.

If you had to pick a GENERALIZED polishing procedure for what would work on 90% of cars out there to get them to perfection, please post it here. I am talking about wheels that might be lightly scratched, oxidized, etc... that the polishes above won't bring them to perfection in thier single step.

I would hate to learn that the only thing you can do is sand them, but if that is the case, i might have to learn how to do that now!!

Thanks in advance.

Well, I don't think my 5.5" pads will fit on my 3" lips! Don't think a 4" would either! What would you use?