I recently bought a used carbon fiber hood. It has some minor scratches and swirl marks in it. Can I use a polish with a cutting agent with my orbital buffer or should I use something less aggressive? It has a gel clear on the top and I'm not really sure it's just like clear coat on the car or if I need something specially made for carbon fiber hoods.

 

Most don't have clear coat, just the gelcoat. I'd recommend getting it cleared at a paint shop. That will fix your current issue and keep it from fading in the future.