I tried a lot of different wheel cleaners and polishes, and the only thing that touched that grime (and I'm sure I'll get some hate for this) was an SOS pad. Didn't leave a scratch, and took the crud right off.
As for the paint, I decided to go with the "least aggressive method first" since this was my first shot at this, and went with Meguiars Ultimate. I know 105 & 205 would be the preferred way to go, but honestly this stuff did a fantastic job.
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