Arrgghh!

The first thing I would consider is that it is possible that you didn't cause the scratching/swirling. I don't know how long you have had your Ferrari, but it is common place for detailers and dealerships to use some type of 'glaze' when they polish your car. As you wash the car the glaze wears off and you are left with the previously swirled finish on your car.

IF you are causing the marks in the paint then a little diagnosis is required. To do this wash the car in one direction (say front to back on the tops and up and down on the sides) when you are washing and dry in the opposing direction (left to right on top sections and side to side on the sides). The direction of the new marks will help you figure out at what point the damage is occurring.

If it's during the washing stage here are some tips that may help.

First, rinse the entire car with water to flush off as much grit as possible.

Use two large buckets when you wash and fill them with Grit-Guards for added protection. The first bucket is your soap bucket and the second buck is your rinse bucket, filled with just water. Load your wash media with soapy water, wash one section use no pressure and straight arm motions, and be sure to fload the section with plenty of soapy water before wiping. After you wash a section dunk your wash media in the rinse bucket and ring it out, transfering all of the dirt from the wash mitt into the rinse bucket. You wouldn't go to the beach and fill your wash bucket with sand, but if you don't use a second bucket and clean your wash mitt out often, then the grit you just removed from the car is recirculated.

Make sure the wash media you are using (be it a mitt, microfiber towel, sponge, etc.) isn't the cause of the scratches. To test grab a blank CD and rub your media over it. If you see scratching on the CD then switch to a new media.

Wash and rinse a section at a time, generally starting at the top and working to lower sections.

Drying is the car is actually (IMO) more dangerous than washing because water isn't a very good lubricant, so we want to avoid touching the paint as much as possible in this stage.

First remove most of the water by using water itself. Water is viscous, so remove the nozzle from your hose and let the water stream out gently over the paint. By flooding the paint with water you will create a sheeting effect that will actually pull the majority of the water off the paint. You can usually remove 90 percent of the water just by using water.

If you have an electric leaf blower then use this to quickly blow the majority of the water off of your Ferrari (don't take too long or you car get water spots). Now it is time to towel up any remaining water (which should be very little).

First make sure your drying towel of choice isn't causing any scratching, again by rubbing it against a blank CD and inspecting for scratches. Since water doesn't provide any lubrication, I like to lightly mist each panel with a quick detailer spray before wiping dry. Not only does this lubricate the panel but it will remove any light water spots that may have formed and give your car a freshly waxed look. After drying the car with the towel it may be beneficial to go back with the leaf blower one more time and blow out any crevices, the mirrors, tail lights, and wheels more thoroughly to remove any potential drips.

Hope this helps.

Todd

 

These two links that may help. The first is a basic explanation of how to use a random orbital polisher.http://guidetodetailing.com/detailing-tools-guides/using-the-porter-cable-7424-dual-action-polisher/
This link has many videos that may be useful.http://detailersdomain.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/adams-instructional-videos-2009/
It took me some time and practice on my DD before I started on the Ferrari. Strict washing habits and periodic polishing is the only way to keep it swirl free, especially if you drive it often.
Griots has some polishing videos at the bottom of this page;http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/car+polishing/orbitals+and+car+polishing+tools/griot%27s+garage+random+orbital.do