About to wax my first car..

Never done this before, but I bought myself a 8" polisher and some turtle wax...
I hope I don't mess anything up.

You mean an orbital buffer? Don't use that unless you know what you're doing and are, well, using a polish. Turtle wax, or at least the last turtle wax I ever paid attention to, is just that, a wax.

I'm about to give you lots of info., but it's all pretty simple.

*I* would take that polisher back and use the money on other supplies.

Detailing basics:
-Wash thoroughly
-Claybar to remove embedded contamination
-Polish with abrasive and/or cleaner to remove swirls, oxidation, etc.
-Wax/seal
-Dress tires/wheel wells/trim

Basic Weekly Wash Supplies
Wash Mitts - Eurow genuine sheepskin mitt or a 100% cotton wash mitt.
Car Wash Soap - some popular ones are Eagle One Wet wash, 1Z Perls shampoo, Zaino Z7, and Wolfgang auto bathe.
Drying - Waffle Weave microfiber towels, electric leaf blower, and/or 100% white cotton towels, made in USA.

Washing, Drying and Waxing Tips
- Never use circular motions. Always wash, dry, and wax using front to back and top to bottom motions.
- Don't use the same mitt or bucket for wheels that you use on your paint. The brake dust, etc. from your wheels will cause scratches and swirls in your paint.
- Use two buckets for washing paint. One with a soapy mixture, the other with plain water to rinse the mitt between panels.

Caring for Mitts and Towels
- Wash on the Hot/Cold setting
- Use liquid detergent only w/ no bleach and NO fabric softener
- Add distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle for added softness and soil release
- Rinse twice
- Dry towels on low heat w/ no fabric sheets

If you prefer to buy your supplies locally, Mother's is a great option. Their new Reflections line is great.

I'm about to give you lots of info., but it's all pretty simple.

*I* would take that polisher back and use the money on other supplies.

Detailing basics:
-Wash thoroughly
-Claybar to remove embedded contamination
-Polish with abrasive and/or cleaner to remove swirls, oxidation, etc.
-Wax/seal
-Dress tires/wheel wells/trim

Basic Weekly Wash Supplies
Wash Mitts - Eurow genuine sheepskin mitt or a 100% cotton wash mitt.
Car Wash Soap - some popular ones are Eagle One Wet wash, 1Z Perls shampoo, Zaino Z7, and Wolfgang auto bathe.
Drying - Waffle Weave microfiber towels, electric leaf blower, and/or 100% white cotton towels, made in USA.

Washing, Drying and Waxing Tips
- Never use circular motions. Always wash, dry, and wax using front to back and top to bottom motions.
- Don't use the same mitt or bucket for wheels that you use on your paint. The brake dust, etc. from your wheels will cause scratches and swirls in your paint.
- Use two buckets for washing paint. One with a soapy mixture, the other with plain water to rinse the mitt between panels.

Caring for Mitts and Towels
- Wash on the Hot/Cold setting
- Use liquid detergent only w/ no bleach and NO fabric softener
- Add distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle for added softness and soil release
- Rinse twice
- Dry towels on low heat w/ no fabric sheets

If you prefer to buy your supplies locally, Mother's is a great option. Their new Reflections line is great.

preach it ;) thats how u do it above do not try using that polisher it will just cause pain in the end when u mess up with it

If you have never waxed before, you need to learn to do it by hand, do not use the machine.............crawl before walking....

Practice on your mom's car... then go for it... Arf!

Lil Dog in a big pound
(does anyone remember a sticky about repairing paint chips?)

It sounds by that you have a cheaper polisher by the fact that you got turtle wax along with it that it is low speed polisher. I have one to by waxmaster, this polisher or buffer cannot burn paint. It doesn't create enough heat to damage anything, don't worry about it. After you master the entry level polisher you can step up to a porter cable or a real buffer. good luck