Hi there.
I've been lurking on and off around various detailing forums for more than a decade. I bought my first new car almost 12 years ago and started to learn about detailing so I could keep it looking nice. I bought a budget polisher and a few bonnets from the big box store, but was never really able to get the paint looking as nice as I wanted. I wasn't in a position to spend a bunch of money so I didn't buy a proper DA polisher. Eventually the kids came along and I lost the desire (and the time) to keep up with the cleaning and my almost monthly washes turned into annual chores.
I finally sold that car last month and got a used 2013 BMW 335. The paint is swirled badly and has a few chips and scratches, but seems salvageable. I'm going to try to start again and do it right this time. I already bought a PC 7424XP and a bunch of misc. tools. I'll be posting some questions in the Detailing 101 section about the rest of the gear I'll need including pads, products, leather care and wheel cleaning.
Thanks to everyone here for the info I've already, and will continue to, consume.
Graham