Hi there,
I'll try and help a bit.
- 2 Buckets, 1 with grit guard - Yes this will be fine however no harm in having both with grit guards - You can never be too cautious.
- Wash Mitt - Any good lambswool wash mitt will be fine
- Car Shampoo - Again go for a good quality one
- Microfibre Cloths for Drying - go for something like the chemical guy's miracle dryer or my own drying towel, both are very good.
- Claying - the best claying kit for a beginner is the Meguiar's Smooth Surface Clay Kit - This comes complete with 2 bars of clay, quik detailer (lubrication), a microfibre towel, and also a little tub of wax. Not the best wax in the world but hey it's in the kit.
- Polish - What polish are you considering?
- Wax - Again what wax are you considering?
- Applicators - depending on what wax and polish you go for, i'll suggest the best applicators. The Meguiar's Soft foam are best for a solid wax, whereas I prefer a microfibre applicator for liquid application.
- Wheel mitt - Dodo Juice Captain Crevice gets my vote
- Alloy Protection - Something along the lines of Poorboy's Wheel Sealant or Smartwax Rimwax - Both are very good.
- Glass Cleaning Product - I don't think there is really a bad one on the market, windows are just a pig to clean all the time
- Leather Conditioner - Chemical Guy's Liquid Leather is a good product.
I think you have covered most things you need, the only thing I can think of is a quick detailer/spray sealant - something along the lines of Dodo Juice Red Mist or Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detailer, this is a good option to have for in between waxing every other month. After your weekly wash, a quick spray with a quick detailer will top up the shine and protection for the paint.
2nd Question - You don't NEED to polish, but it is a very good step, basically the polish gives the shine, the wax protects it.
Hope that has helped a bit, I didn't want to recommend too many products without you having a look through yourself first.
Chris
