Along with Bo's advice, be sure that your careful around any edges or hard body lines. A polishing pad on a flat surface can be run at high speed with good pressure without much worry, as the pressure is spread out evenly. When you run the pad over an edge all the force is concentrated in to a small section. Even if you feel like your giving the same effort, it will polish right through to metal/plastic in the blink of an eye. If you must polish right up to an edge be sure that the direction of rotation spins the pad "off" the edge. Never onto the edge which can damage the pad as well as the paint. :dblthumb2: