I'll give you a rundown for a good exterior clean that I do on a weekend with a beer or two and some tunes on the stereo:
2 Buckets, one with soap and one with grit gaurd and just water, Wash mitt (Rub mitt over grit guard before getting fresh water/soap from other).
Step 1:
Rinse car all over with hosepipe/pressure washer
Use Meguiars Wheel Brightener (diluted) on alloys with a good soft brush
Use Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss working around the car from top to bottom, so as not to get grit from lower edges onto paintwork
Rinse off, then use Chamois/Meguiars Water Magnet to dry, make sure you clean and dry door and boot shuts
Step 2:
Use either Sonus Green Clay bar with lube or Meguiars Paint Cleaner (Deep Crystal kit Stage 1), on all paintwork then buff off.
Step 3:
Polish with your choice of polish AG Super Resin/Sonus Step Enhance/Meguiars Deep Crystal Stage 2etc...
Buff off.
Step 4:
Glaze with Sonus Final Finish/Poorboys Blackhole etc.
Buff off.
Step 5:
Wax. Had really nice results with Meguiars Deep Crystal Stage 3 Carnauba Wax, AG High Definition Wax is brilliant but pricey, haven't tried this Collonite yet but my mate, who is a pro detailer, swears by Collonite 845.
Buff off, maybe put a second coat on for extra protection.
I usually dress the tyres with AG Instant Tyre shine as well.
I get all my cleaning gear, clothes, buckets, everything, from
www.cleanyourcar.co.uk , they're the best place I've found for stuff.
To give you an idea what sort of finish you get after that lot, this is a pic I took after doing all that to my old Corsa: