If you use a cheap sub $60 buffer with a terry cloth bonnet you will burn the finish for sure.

With a high quality (Porter-Cable) random orbit buffer and a good quality sponge pad, you'd have to really mean to burn the paint to make it happen. Such a buffer will cost you $150 or so. If you don't wish to sink that kind of money into a quality tool... then elbow grease is the only way to go. No shortcuts.