I have a 2005 330i, orient blue - a clearcoat paint - some fine scratches and nicks on the hood I want to remove quickly to show a prospective buyer - I've read the threads here but want to be sure of what I'm doing. Would polish and wax work? Does the clearcoat add any complications?

thanks!

u could polish lightly and use a galze, but that will go away very fast.............

I'm thinking you don't have a buffer so removing the swirls by hand would be really tedious.
What you might try instead is to fill the swirls with a glaze with lots of fillers so I'm thinking Meguiars products.

Go to your nearest auto store and look for the Meguiars products. Look for (in this order) their Speed Glaze (#80) or New Car Glaze (#5) or even the Machine Glaze (#3).
Use the glaze to fill in the blemishes and impart a super shine. Glazes never last any time at all so it'll vanish after a few washes.
After the glaze is dry and set, put a coat or two of a sealant or wax over top. Meguiars #26 - Hi Tech Yellow Wax, a mixture of polymers and carnauba or the Meguiars #21 Synthetic Sealant.

So, buy two products, #80 (glaze) and #26 or #21.

You can always use both on your next car too.

A final tip and a lot of people don't know this one: glazes normally go underneath the sealant or wax. You're going to do this. The tip is an old trick from the show car circuit- put another coat of glaze over top of your sealant or wax.

The top coat of glaze will impart a show car shine but only for a very short while, like when the buyer is coming for a look. After a couple of washes, the glaze topper will be gone so you can continue with your normal regimen.
Go buy some stuff now, and pick up a microfiber towel at the same time. Use it to buff off the glaze and top coat.
-John C.