my dad recently purchased a buffer so that we could better wax and polish our cars. now the thing is, i know that to do an appropriate job, you need the proper tools, the issue im faced with when it comes to this buffer, it simply has 2 functions; on, and off. with a constant operating speed of 3500 rpms. will i still be able to effectively use this buffer without damaging the finish on our cars, or will we need a variable speed buffer. ois that simply a luxury?

any input at all lol?

What you should buy is the Porter Cable random orbit polisher. Buffers in the hands of newbs can equal disaster for a paint job. To do it right with a buffer you need multiple pads and compounds. True buffers are not made for simple waxing and light polishing, they are made for more aggressive operations. And yes a variable speed is a must.