[harner]

It took me many years to figure out and understand the detail process that I call my own. I'm still learning and critiquing the ways I do things and the products I use. You won't be able to figure it all out in a forum thread like this. I suggest you start researching. Adam's has many solid products and they are a sponsor here. They also make many great videos on Youtube that show and explain the installation techniques of their products.

If you're unsure on the direction to go, maybe breaking down the solutions into grades would be better.

Fair- wash/wax

Good- clay, correction/polish, ceramic coating

Better- clay, correction/polish, clearbra-style limited placement PPF, ceramic coating

Best- clay, correction/polish, PPF the whole car, ceramic coating (coating is honestly just icing on the cake and helps with UV protection)

You will need to determine your price range and what you're willing to take on versus shipping the car to your detailer. For an amateur, polishing a car with a DA and applying an off-the-shelf ceramic coating is certainly doable after some research. Don't hesitate to test things on another car first. As mentioned before, there are some good resources here to also help you get started.