You don't buff it off with a rough pad AT ALL!
you apply the polish, work it in until goes clear, then buff off with microfibre cloth, You NEVER! buff off with a polishing pad always microfibre cloths, was you applying it by hand then machining as thats sort of confusing, i've been doing machine polishing far longer than you and i know you ain't doing it the correct way AT ALL! if you want me to teach you the correct way then i will be more than willing to.
3M compund applied
- Buffed with a rough pad
- 3M Finesse compound applied
- Buffed with a polishing pad
- Polish applied
- Buffed off with polishing pad
Far To larger area polishing should be a size of a buffing towel not half a bonnet
Also this picture never tilt machine polisher on its side like that, will thin your paint, take paint off around edges of bonnet and create holograms, also keep your polishing pad flat otherwise you have a high risk of burning through the paint. Also the edge of the pad is where it cuts the most so keep the edge of the pad away from edges.
same here far to larger area and don't leave your towels on the floor if thats your towel
Swirls or holograms still present in this picture
Summary very poor if you ask me, you got slated on DW cause of the way you have put it through a car wash, wrong polishing techniques and swirls still present, fair enough if you put it through a car wash and it doesn't mark, i prefer to do everything myself, i've been washing my car and my mums car and not a swirl present cause i wash my car the correct way and polish the correct way. Also Tape your car up with tape its a safe way to stop you burning your plastics or polish splattering on them.