Options: multifunction steering wheel, fogs, 18" alloys; DAB; XDS activated, DRLs reset, lock beep activated; indicator repeat set to 4; covered cup holder, rear seat 12v socket installed. metal pedals, 210 Golf GTi also in the stable. Scirocco gone - miss it. Polo GTI now.
I use good quality polish, two coat process with the second a hard coat and clean cloths to keep the scratches and swirls away. Just redone mine and put my glasses on the roof and they slid off - good smooth finish. I find that it is quite a while before the road muck starts to stick - for a couple of months just hose off well and dry with a chamois.
Options: RNS510, DSG, leather, 19" Talladega's, Dynaudio, Bluetooth, front covered cup holder, rear cup holders, piano black cubby hole, Audi R8 oil cap
you can have the paint sealed yourself or by a professional detailer if you don't have the time.
In reality, there is no way you can reduce scratches automatically in the long run. A lot depends on how you wash the car etc, such as don't use sponges.
With care and awareness, there should not be a problem. However, if you prefer not to do any self detailing, then just take the car to a professional in a few years time and they will compound the panels back to its original state. In the process they will remove all the scatches and swirls.
Being in the trade, I know that the products they they use cost £30 to them, and that treats up to 10 cars depending on size... so you can see that the mark up is massive!!
I'd take a look at a coating like Optimum Opti Coat or GTechniq C1, which effectively forms a new, hard wearing sacrificial layer on top of your existing paintwork. These products also last a genuine 2 years and beyond. Any swirls or very light scratches will be in this layer, rather than the original paint.
They also do coatings for wheels, glass and cloth interiors. Definitely worth a look and actually last unlike the crap which most dealers sell!