BlueBeast14GT- I absolutely would *NOT* use those Griot's towels (the white-with-red-border ones). I sent mine back after seeing what they did to paint.
One your product Qs:
1) I find IPA to be mediocre at best when it comes to removing oils. I *GREATLY* prefer PrepWash/AkraClean (I think the latter is what they call it now) from Top of the Line. Or use the Eraser stuff that everybody here likes.
2) I must be having a brain-pause....what's "MS"?
3) Eh, I never use APC for this, not enough lubricrity or encapsulation and you need to really RINSE it off.
4) ONR I don't use it for this for the reason you mentioned.
5) & 6) I use M34 (and M34 only) when buffing off certain polishes/compounds, primarily to buffer/encapsulate the abrasives to minimize micro-marring. I do *NOT* expect it to remove oils.
7) Be careful as many such products can diminish the gloss of good Finishing Polishes. As you suspected, these are often mighty close to being "polishes". I use such stuff *instead of* mild polishes, when I use Paint Cleanes at all (which isn't all that often other than some All-In- One products).
8) I'd caution against getting too caught up in the minutia of this stuff. Compound until problems are gone, maybe use something to remove oils/etc. to ensure accurate assessment; Finish Polish, maybe use something to remove oils/etc. (note that "maybe"
yeah, that's Autopian Heresy but I'm saying it anyhow!), do your LSP, reapply same now and then before it needs doing.
Oh, and while I don't hate the stuff the way some people do, I simply don't use Simple Green on cars. And I seldom dilute IPA on the rare occasions that I use it.
