I know alot of you folks like to polish anually but is your paint clean enough to polish? Heres a good method to check for hard to see contaminents before polishing. Use a wax treated cloth lay it flat on the paint , place your palm on it and wipe gently all over the surface. If you feel rough spots or like something is almost trying to grab the cloth while you wipe then you have debris or contamination. It is vital to car show enthusiasts and car buffs to have clean paint before an aplication of wax. There are tons of contaminents that can cause problems such as "Tree Sap , fallout , acid rain deposits , smog , air line runway dust and fallout , paint overspray , swapped paint , tar , road paint , ect"....and the list goes on.
Heres what you do , check your paint after cleaning it thoroughly with a wax cloth and let me know what you find. I will try to help you take the mildest methods of removal so your paint can be salvaged easily. It can be tough to determine what kind of contamination you have picked up so I may ask you questions to further help me decipher an easy fix for you.

is there any product you can rec. to clean abrasives?

having clean paint is essential in having a great looking car. The method that i have always to subscribed to is after washing and drying your vehicle, take a plastic baggie, put your hand in it and lightly feel the surface of your paint. If you can feel any grit then you should clay. Ideally your paint should be butter smooth.

Clay is the best way to remove contaminants from your paint, it is better than using an abrasive polish because you will not remove any precious clear coat.

For more information on claying your paint, read this:
Claying your vehicles finish (http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?autopia+s4642p+inf-clay.html)

thanks for link robb