Recommendations for a newbie

[zendog]

Hi all,
Newbie here needing help with purchase of equipment & supplies. I recently bought a 2006 Z4 roadster in Jet Black. The car’s finish for the most part is in pretty good shape. However, exactly ½ of the hood exhibits swirl marks. I’ve attached photos of how it looks- one shows good side, the other shows where the swirls begin about 1/3 in from left. Not sure what the previous owner was up too… BTW, I’m happy with the appearance of the “good side”. My goal is to correct the swirl marks and keep the car looking good over time. I only drive in nice weather on weekends and the car will be garaged. I’m not looking to start a detailing biz and don’t want to break the bank. I’ve read enough forums and watched enough vids to make my head spin. Just looking for un-biased recommendations for DA polisher, pads, compound, polish, seal, wax etc. I’ve already acquired items for washing and drying the car properly.
A few questions:
Is clay barring necessary? When?
It seems like a good idea to limit the amount of “cutting” to preserve the clear coat. I don’t need perfection. Would an “all-in-one” polish be beneficial in this regard (ie. one that has diminishing abrasives or contains fillers)?