paint restoration

[nittany@charm.net]

Hi,

I own a 1998 200 SX SE-R.  The car has 86K on it but still runs great.  Even
though it is only a little less than 4 years old, it is in some bad shape as
far as the exterior. It was a little neglected over the years as far as washes
and waxes
There are still some great shinny parts of the black paint that look good, but
it does have some oxidation on the paint job.  I am ready to put some time and
effort and get this thing looking good like she should.

The oxidation is mainly on the hood and the roof and the top of the trunk.
She washes up nicely but has no luster in these areas and still gives off
black stuff when you slide a finger over these areas, even after a wash.  The
engine and stuff is more my area. So how do I restore the shine? I guess it
has a "gell" coat on it, and I don't want to damage it more with rubbing
compound.  I thought about just getting some good paste wax and an electric
buffer and going to town on it but I don't want to burn the coat.

Any suggestions? I know this list knows how to make a car look good as well as
run good.

Thanks,
Dave