3M makes a kit that starts out with a 500 grit pad. Starting with polish takes to long. You have to remove the bad layer of plastic so do it fast. Not fast in rpms but as in the grit number. I've done a bunch of them this way it works. Also I do not use the 3m kit .
That is one thing I never could understand. The price you pay for the Gt500 and they put vinyl stripes on. A friend of mine plans on removing his and painting the stripes back.